On Wednesday, February 21, a free author reading of Breaking Boundaries: LGBTQ2 Writers on Coming Out and Into Canada will run from 6:30-8:00 pm in the Royal Arbutus Room on the VIU Nanaimo campus.
Breaking Boundaries, released in November, is an anthology of literature and art by LGBTQ2 Canadians.
Lori Shwydky, editor and publisher of Rebel Mountain Press, said her experiences travelling with her wife and associate editor Cheryl Ann Kelly inspired the anthology.
“As lesbians travelling the world, my wife and I learned first-hand that there are many places in the world that are not safe for LGBTQ2 people. It made me feel very grateful to be an LGBTQ2 Canadian, to live in a country where I feel safe to be myself and enjoy the same rights, benefits, and freedoms as every other Canadian,” said Shwydky.
Breaking Boundaries cover.
“I wanted to hear from other LGBTQ2 Canadians, immigrants, and refugees to learn of their experiences. What was it like in their country and what has it been like in Canada? Or for those born and raised here, I wanted to know what their challenges and celebrations have been.”
The anthology features many Vancouver Island authors, including Kyle Chen, Wendy Cutler, Corrie Furst, Kevin Henry, Chantel Hughes, Adam Nixon, Caelan Sinclair, and E.T. Turner.
There will be additional readings in Victoria (University of Victoria on March 13 at 2:30 pm), Salt Spring Island (Salt Spring Library on April 18 at 1:00 pm) and Vancouver (Vancouver Public Library Central Branch on May 14 at 7:00 pm).