Welcome to Queer Book Club Toronto, a vibrant community of queer readers! We are a dedicated space especially for queer women, trans, & non-binary folks who share a passion for literature. 

Our mission is to celebrate diverse voices, build meaningful connections, & create a warm and welcoming environment for everyone. 

Join us as we explore new stories, forge friendships, & foster a sense of belonging for all.

We began with 12 members in Guelph, ON. Thanks to an ad on LEX app, a group of strangers came together one cold night in December to talk books.

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, members were enthusiastic about online meetings, seeking a sense of community during the chaos. 

Along with its founder, book club moved to Toronto in 2020. Monthly in-person meetings began small, with attendance growing steadily over time.

We aim to be a safe space, while also recognizing that no space can be 100% safe all the time. We will not tolerate the following discourse or related behaviours:

• Homophobia / Transphobia

• Racism / Sexism / Ableism

• Xenophobia / Classism

• The first book we read in January 2020 was Her Body & Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado.

• Our average monthly attendance is now 30, with a cap of 35 people per meeting.

• While we love a good queer narrative, we read books across all genres & identities.

• We meet indoors from October - May, & in public parks from June - September.

Books are chosen biannually. While there is never any pressure to attend meetings, when members get to pick a book is dependent on attendance. 

Twice a year, select members choose 3 books for each month. Each set of 3 books is then voted on by the entire member base. The winners are the next books we read! 

Members are encouraged to pick diverse books across genres. Diverse may mean any number of things such as: queer voices, BIPOC voices, or even just a genre that is unfamiliar.

Queer Book Club dues are collected from May - September, or upon date of joining. 

Annual dues are sliding scale depending on what each person can afford. Limited scholarships are available for those who have a barrier to payment.

All book club dues contribute to annual space rental fees for the colder months of the year. 

Any dues/fundraiser overages remain in the general pot for things such as: book club event planning, merchandise base costs, food for meetings, & so on.

We recognize that we live, work, & gather on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, & Mississaugas of the Credit, who have cared for this land since time immemorial. 

In honoring their enduring stewardship & resilience, we commit to ongoing engagement with Indigenous literature as a pathway to fostering meaningful dialogue & understanding.