GAYBCs: A Queer Alphabet
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley November 20, 2018
Author Rae Congdon
Distributor: New South Books
ISBN: 9781742236193
Publisher: New South Publications
Release Date: November 2018
Website: https://www.newsouthbooks.com.au
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In this cheeky, wry, very tongue-in-cheek look at what use to be a dry old staple of language, the Alphabet, Rae Congdon has delivered a fresh new perspective to fit in with societies fresh new group of people, the LGBTQIA+ community who, for some reason seem to have need of an entirely new language to suit the times.
So, what would happen if the Alphabet was to be redesigned, to present this new spectrum to promote a progressive, depending on where you are at in the gender debate, way of representation for the old faithfuls, the traditional letters that have gone on to represent the same things for such a long, long time.
A now no longer stands for Apple, that humble of fruits but Ally: someone who supports LGBTQIA+ people and causes. H once stood for Hat but now is Heteronormative, that is if you can even say it, meaning the worldview that promotes being straight as the norm. See: every fairy-tale ever.
Sexuality has replaced Star representing the letter S, which back in the day used to be Snake but now means how we express sexual feelings, desires and behaviour and W for Wedding and the traditional saying of ‘Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, Something blue’, has become transformed into ‘Something bold, Something new, Something real, Something true’!
The final revamp is to the poor old Zebra who really has stood for Z for such a long time. He/she has now been truncated to simple Ze meaning ‘Ze and they are some gender-neutral alternatives to he and she.’
Ah, well! In today world of change, sometimes for change’s sake and no other plausible reason, everything is up for a revamp, but as always and in the final words in this engaging look at the ‘modern’ Alphabet: Each to their own!
A very gay ABC indeed!