Queers (in DH) Read This

“Let’s make every space a Lesbian and Gay space. Every street a part of our sexual geography.”

Queers Read This, 1990

On February, 11, 2021, I put out a call on Twitter for Queer DH projects (offering no definition of either, which seems fitting). Within a day I had a flood of information about projects and existing databases in the post’s responses, in my DMs, and in responses to retweets. This post is intended to share some of what I learned from this interaction.

So much of research is discovering and reckoning with what is already out there, so I appreciate everyone’s contributions to this conversation. Though it doesn’t come without its complications, I’m grateful for the digital spaces that allow communities to form and gather, transcending barriers of time and space, and helping to combat the slow pace of academia. Queer documentation work has historically been difficult, unsafe, and actively obscured or destroyed. This remains true in many ways. With that at the front of my mind, I cherish this courageous work, and I hope this post will encourage others to explore what’s out there.

Existing Databases

Here are links to two great databases of queer DH work/digital resources. If you are working at the intersection of queer studies and digital humanities, please consider adding your work to one of the databases listed and/or share what you are working on in the comments below.

#QueerDH Projects and Resources

#QueerDH Projects and Resources was started by Corey Clawson. It was inspired by the project Black Digital Humanities Projects & Resources.

LGBTQ+ Archive Project

The LGBTQ+ Archive Project was started by Charles O’Malley.

Featured Projects

Below is a list of a few projects that I personally find beautiful, helpful, and interesting. The topics, methods, and tools represented here capture only a small fraction of the immense work that has been done.