Will it be Christos Tsiolkas' Loaded or Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit? Or will it be something completely unrelated to GLBTI themes? Whatever it is, if you’re counting on attending the Wheeler Centre’s Literary Speed Dating for gay men and lesbians tonight and tomorrow night, you’ll be thinking about what book to bring along.
The Melbourne Library Service has published an ‘Out and Proud’ gay and lesbian reading list, featuring “a selection of great classic and contemporary gay and lesbian writing.” The list includes a selection of ‘Out and Proud’ themed young adult literature. The list is sure to inspire anyone hesitant about what book to bring tonight (for the guys) and tomorrow night (for the girls).
According to an article on the spread of literary speed dating across North America, the concept was born in Belgium in 2005. Normally held in libraries (Melbourne’s first was at the State Library of Victoria), literary speed-dating was originally intended to make libraries more accessible to a wider group of people.
As well as being a broadcaster, performer and writer, Jane Clifton, your host for the evening, is also a civil celebrant - so if things really click she might be able to tie the nuptial knot then and there. That would really put the speed into speed dating.