Oxford Pride

Living as a 2SLGBTQIA+ person in a rural community is a unique lived experience. Oftentimes there is a narrative that queer and trans life only exists in metropolitan cities. However, we are aware the 2SLGBTQIA+ people and culture exists in every community and has existed in every human culture since human culture began.

We are creating an anthology on rural 2SLGBTQIA+ lives and stories. We are looking for nonfiction prose and poetry. We want you to write about your lived experience as a rural 2SLGBTQIA+ person. Maybe you grew up on a farm, currently live on a reserve, or spent some time living in a small town. Maybe your story is full of hardship, joy or humour. We want to hear from you and celebrate you in your full authenticity.

Submit works of original stories of nonfiction prose and poetry and essays up to 3,000 words written by 2SLGBTQIA+ people who have lived experience in rural, remote, and reserve communities. Contributors may be Indigenous, refugees, permanent residents or citizens of what is colonially known as Canada.

Submissions must be emailed to rural.queer.stories@gmail.com as a Word document attachment. Include your name, pseudonym, pronouns, address, phone number and email in your submission as well as an up-to-date bio (approximately 200 words in length).

Deadline: May 1, 2024

Please note the following:

1. We are especially looking for stories from rural 2SLGBTQIA+ folks who are less often heard and shared including Black, Indigenous, racialized, disabled, youth, elders, and historically underserved and underrepresented people in our communities, including but not limited to people living with HIV, drug users, sex workers, and people who are not “out”;
2. Contributors should ensure that their name, mailing address, citizenship, phone number and email are in the cover letter along with the titles of the work;
3. Selected works will receive $100 remuneration; with the ability to buy additional copies at a 35% discount rate on cover sale price;
4. Expected publication date: Spring 2025 (not guaranteed);
5. Rights to submitted pieces must be held by the author at the time of submission, and cannot be published elsewhere for 6 months following publication of this anthology;
6. This work is by Caitlin Press in collaboration with Mabe Kyle and the Rural Ontario Community of Queer Youth (ROCQY) with support from a grant by Nowly’s Press Start through their CoLab program.

Editor Bio:

Mabe Kyle (they/them) is a neurodivergent nonbinary poet living on their family’s farm on the Haldimand Tract on the territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Attawandaron peoples. Mabe is passionate about disability justice, collective liberation, and community care. Mabe has co-founded the Rural Ontario Community of Queer Youth (ROCQY) and their local pride association which will be having its first official pride in 2024. Through ROCQY they have published zines sharing the artwork and writing of rural 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in Ontario. Mabe is a peer support worker and is an Expressive Arts Therapist in training.