Marsha: The Past is the Present
An Audacious Book Club Discussion
Marsha’s story is extremely relevant to our current political landscape. We’re still dealing with rampant transphobia, state violence, pandemics, and a slew of other critical issues. What can we take away from the accounts of the Stonewall Riots and the NYU sit-in? In what ways did the gay liberation movement of this era succeed and where did it fail? What do we need to do differently this time around? What do you think of Marsha’s opinions on work and welfare? Do you think Marsha’s radical politics have become more mainstream? Has reading Marsha’s biography changed any of your own assumptions?
We will be in conversation with Tourmaline this evening at 8 pm EST/5 pm PST. What questions do you have for her?
I’m loving this book so much, and am such a fan of Tourmaline in general. I was thrilled seeing her work in the Before Yesterday We Could Fly exhibit at The Met and read somewhere that “Summer Azure” was inspired in part by, and/or was a tribute to, Marsha.
This might be more of a prompt than a question, but I’d love to hear Tourmaline talk tonight about how she thinks about place and time with regard to her process: why it feels important to do creative work at Summit Rock sometimes, how she views her position in art history (and now, literary history too) as she’s solidifying it… how she considers the past and the future when she’s writing and making her art.
I'm loving this book as well. I chose to "read" it on Audible, and was thrilled not only by the writing, but by the narration. Tourmaline's voice is clear and melodic, and her respect and love for her Marsha come through in a way that is very natural. I'd like to ask the author whether she's had experience doing theater work and whether the choice to read her own work as opposed to having someone else read it was a no-brainer. I was also wondering whether Tourmaline has considered writing a memoir about her own life. I bet it would be a great read.