BGSQD

The Bureau of General Services—Queer Division has reopened! Our hours are Wednesdays through Sundays, 1 to 7 PM! Come visit the store inside The LGBT Community Center, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, NY, NY 10011!


The Bureau of General Services—Queer Division is an independent, all-volunteer queer cultural center, bookstore, and event space established in 2012 and hosted by The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in NYC since 2014. We aim to foster a community invested in the values of mindfulness, intellectual curiosity, justice, compassion, and playfulness. The Bureau seeks to excite and educate a self-confident, sex-positive, and supportive queer community by offering books, publications, and art and by hosting author and artist talks, readings, performances, film screenings, reading groups, and workshops that are relevant to our community. We provide local and visiting queers and friends with an open and inclusive space for dialogue and socializing.

Why donate to the Bureau?

The Bureau is a vital, unique queer space in New York City. Visitors find themselves surrounded by LGBTQ books and publications by and about our community, whether they are new or treasured classics, well-known or obscure and difficult to find.  With new work that we receive directly from zine makers and small independent presses, visitors always discover new friends.

The Bureau hosts over 200 events every year, many of which would not otherwise find a venue. These are both community-driven events such as book-discussion groups, activist strategizing meetings, and writing workshops, as well as book launches by both well-known and emerging authors and poets. Additionally, the Bureau hosts at least 5 exhibitions yearly: both solo and group exhibitions of art works as well as activist materials. The Bureau has collaborated with organizations such as Visual AIDS and Fire Island Artist Residency, as well as with veterans of The Lesbian Avengers activist group and activists fighting police violence against people of color to bring you provocative and inspiring exhibitions year round.

One of the best ways to support the Bureau is by setting up a recurring monthly donation of any amount ($5, $10, $25, or more). This enables us to have a stable and reliable source of funds to cover operating costs, keep our inventory fresh, and address the needs of the project as they arise. Thank you!