A review by deedireads
The Queens' English: The LGBTQIA+ Dictionary of Lingo and Colloquial Phrases by Chloe O. Davis

funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

“Come indulge in The Queens’ English, the dictionary for all of us, whether you’re cis or trans, masc or femme, vanilla or kink, on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum or just a super-ally to the rainbow family. This language is a celebration of our queer culture and helps us explore the fluidity and complexity of human experience.”

My first exposure to The Queens’ English was a digital advanced reader’s copy provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley. Within moments of opening the file, I knew I needed to own this one in print. So I immediately preordered it. And I’m so glad I did. Look at it! It’s colorful and fun and very obviously crafted with so much love.

People have raised the (good) question of who this book is truly for. After all, the people who use the language it defines probably don’t need a dictionary, and those outside the LGBTQIA+ community probably shouldn’t use most of it, because cultural appropriation. (That’s all super true.) But personally, I’ve always been a big fan of the idea of dictionaries as time capsules. Language is absolutely incredible, and it’s constantly shifting and changing however we need it to. Language is also powerful, cultural, meaningful. I love that this book exists to capture all of that for the LGBTQIA+ community at this moment in time.

It’s also packed with so much context, advocacy, history, and more. There is truly a delight on every page. Buy a copy!