The Queer Library

The Queer Library started with a question I couldn't let go of: what does it really mean to feel safe? Not just in theory, but in your body, in a space among strangers.

As a queer person, I know which spaces I'm drawn to and which I prefer to avoid. But I didn't yet know how to put that into words, let alone translate it into something others could use. So I started by listening.

During my graduation research at the Willem de Kooning Academy, I photographed and spoke with over fifty queer individuals. Each chose a location: a place where they felt safe. We talked about what made that place comfortable, what is needed to feel safe, and what feels unsafe.

Those conversations became The Queer Library.

Their voices form the foundation for the toolkit "Queer Safer Spaces: Why & How" and bring the complexity of safety experiences as a strength for inclusive design.