Lavender Menace

Queer Joy
2026-07-19 12:15 - 14:00 (Europe/London) | Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive, Edinburgh Palette, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH7 6AE
Join us at our monthly Queer Joy book club!

In July, we’ll be reading Unsuitable by Eleanor Medhurst.

We normally meet on the third Sunday of each month to discuss queer books through a lens of finding joy in LGBTQ+ stories. Queer books are often distressing or tragic, so we started a book club focused on seeking out more uplifting stories. That doesn’t mean we always read lighthearted books, but through our discussions we try to focus on the joyful aspects of living a queer life.

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BookingBooking in advance is essential as places are limited so, if you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer your place to someone else.

Venue & AccessibilityThe event is located at the Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive in Edinburgh Palette. There is information on how to get to us on public transport and by car, along with access information, on our location & accessibility page.

Any other questionsPlease email us: themenaces@lavendermenace.org.uk

The Lavender Drawing Board
2026-08-05 13:00 - 16:00
The Lavender Drawing Board: Co-working for queer creatives

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Researching, writing and creative freelancing can be a lonely road. The Lavender Menace Drawing Board offers a calm, supportive atmosphere for studying, reading and library-reasonable creative work in the company of fellow queer bees.

Because of the nature of the building, we can’t guarantee silence but we will hold the quietest space we can within the room. There are nooks to break out into if you need to discuss, plan or scheme and adaptable floor-room for bigger (potentially messier) projects.

The final half hour of every session will be a bookable spot for anyone looking for feedback, help or advice on their latest endeavour. Do you need to read through a scene? Test the flow of a piece of writing? Assistance on a funding application? This will be your moment!

BookingWe only have capacity for a limited number of people in the archive, so please book in advance. If you are unable to attend, please let us know so we can offer your place to someone else.

Venue & AccessibilityThe event is located at the Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive in Edinburgh Palette. There is information on how to get to us on public transport and by car, along with access information, on our location and accessibility page.

Any other questionsPlease email us: themenaces@lavendermenace.org.uk

Queer Men for Queer Literature
2026-08-09 12:15 - 14:00
A friendly monthly discussion group about gay books and gay writing, for people who enjoy reading and talking about how gay writing has impacted our lives. We meet on the second Sunday of every month and we pick a different theme/topic each time.

The theme for August will be queer crime.

The theme for September will be queer travel.

You don’t need to prepare anything in advance, but you’re welcome to bring along a text or extract from a piece of published gay writing you feel a connection with.

These sessions are for anyone who identifies as a gay, bi, or queer man and wants to discuss books. Our events are trans-inclusive: trans men, trans mascs, and non-binary folks welcome.

Booking

Book a ticket

Booking in advance is essential as places are limited so, if you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer your place to someone else.

Venue & AccessibilityThe event is located at the Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive in Edinburgh Palette. There is information on how to get to us on public transport and by car, along with access information, on our location & accessibility page.

Any other questionsPlease email us: themenaces@lavendermenace.org.uk

Social Sunday
2026-08-09 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-08-23 14:00 - 16:00
On the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month, the Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive is open 2pm–4pm for our informal Social Sundays. Join us for tea, cake and lots of queer book discussion!

There is no need to sign up in advance, you can just turn up.

Social Sundays are a great way to learn more about the archive and chat about your favourite LGBTQ+ books. You can come with friends or on your own – our volunteers will make you feel welcome.

Venue & Accessibility

Social Sunday takes place at the Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive in Edinburgh Palette. There is information on how to get to us on public transport and by car, along with access information, on our location & accessibility page.

Any other questions

Please email us: themenaces@lavendermenace.org.uk

Lesbian Words
2026-08-16 14:15 - 16:00
Join us for our monthly discussion about lesbian books! We get together on the third Sunday of each month to chat about books and media about lesbians, sapphics, bi and/or queer women.

We usually pick a specific topic to discuss each month, like our favourite book to movie adaptations, controversial books, or lesbian representation throughout history.

The theme for August is lesbian crime and mystery.

Lesbian Words is open to anyone who wants to talk about lesbian or sapphic books. You don’t have to be a lesbian to join, and the group is trans inclusive: trans women, trans femmes, and non-binary folks welcome.

Booking

Booking in advance is essential as places are limited so, if you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer your place to someone else.

Venue & AccessibilityThe event is located at the Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive in Edinburgh Palette. There is information on how to get to us on public transport and by car, along with access information, on our location & accessibility page.

Any other questionsPlease email us: themenaces@lavendermenace.org.uk

Future Drop Outs: co-working group
2026-08-17 13:00 - 16:00 | Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive, Edinburgh Palette, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH7 6AE
Book now

Future Drop Outs is a co-working group for queer students, researchers, and writers. Join us for a calm, supportive studying session, 1-4pm on the third Monday of the month. What to expect

A relaxed and relatively quiet space to work on your own project in the company of others. Because of the nature of the building, we can’t guarantee silence but we will hold the quietest space we can within the room. We will have basic refreshments (tea, coffee, biscuits) out.

The final half hour of every session will be an informal conversation and people are welcome to share their work if they would like to.

BookingWe only have capacity for a limited number of people in the archive, so please book in advance. If you are unable to attend, please let us know so we can offer your place to someone else.

Venue & AccessibilityThe event is located at the Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive in Edinburgh Palette. There is information on how to get to us on public transport and by car, along with access information, on our location and accessibility page.

Any other questionsPlease email us: themenaces@lavendermenace.org.uk

Queer Gothic Words Presents: A Bat Walk
2026-08-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive, Edinburgh Palette, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH7 6AE
And bats went round in fragrant skies,

And wheel’d or lit the filmy shapes

That haunt the dusk, with ermine capes

And woolly breasts and beaded eyes

Tennyson

Bats have inspired many writers and artists throughout history. They’re a liminal being, living between land and sky, emerging at dawn and dusk. This is perhaps what leads some queer people to feel an affinity with them. They also have strong associations with vampires and Gothic literature.

Join us to learn all about these mysterious mammals, muse on their literary Gothic associations, and look for bats in their natural habitat.

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About the facilitators

Claudi Gebhardt

Claudi is the Scottish Bat Officer. She has been working at the Bat Conservation Trust since 2021, but she’s been involved in the bat world for 20 years. She supports bat groups in Scotland, providing training for bat survey skills, as well as enthusing people about bats and engaging communities through bat walks and workshops. In her spare time, Claudi also enjoys creating art and poetry, and volunteering with nature and LGBTQ+ organisations.

Cooper King

Cooper is a volunteer with Lavender Menace, who runs the Queer Gothic Words book group, and a PhD student studying Gothic literature. He’s most interested in the intersection of horror with queerness and transness. He’s excited to spend this time reflecting on nature and literature with Claudi’s expertise.

What to expect

An informal talk on bats and queer Gothic literature, and a short walk to look for bats. Claudi will tell us all about bats in Scotland, the species, their habits, and explain what we might find. Cooper will highlight the role of bats and vampires in Gothic literature. After 40 to 60 minutes of chat in the archive, we will go for a short walk to look for bats around St Margaret’s Loch in Holyrood Park. Bat detectors and instructions on how to use them will be provided. No experience necessary and no advance preparation needed. Some parts of the route may be dark, so it is useful to bring a head torch so you can see where you’re walking. The whole event will last approximately 2 hours, depending on how long people want to look for bats – attendees are welcome to leave the loch whenever they feel like.

Edinburgh Palette will be closed by the time we finish the bat walk, so don’t leave any belongings at Lavender Menace as we won’t be going back there. The car park will still be accessible if you would like to park at Lavender Menace and collect your car after the walk.

Event may be amended/cancelled at short notice

This event is weather dependent – bats won’t venture out in adverse weather conditions, so neither will we. If you book a ticket for this event, please keep an eye on your inbox as we will email the night before to confirm whether the walk part of the event will go ahead. If rain is forecast, we may meet for the discussion part of the event only, or amend the timing.

Booking

Tickets are pay-what-you-can. Booking in advance is essential as places are limited, so, if you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer your place to someone else.

Venue & Accessibility

The event will begin at the Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive in Edinburgh Palette. There is information on how to get to us on public transport and by car, along with access information, on our location & accessibility page. We will then take a short walk (~0.5 miles/10 mins) into Holyrood park to look for bats at St Margaret’s Loch. The route will likely follow pavements without steps. Once we reach the loch, we will stand still or walk slowly for as long as people would like to. It may be possible to sit if the benches are free. If you require a step-free route or have any other access needs in order to attend, please email us in advance so we can accommodate you.

Any other questions

Please email us: themenaces@lavendermenace.org.uk

Queer Gothic Words
2026-08-23 12:15 - 14:00
A monthly book club focusing on queer gothic writing. Every month we choose a book (or selection of shorter texts) by LGBTQ+ authors, or featuring queer characters/themes to read and discuss together. We alternate between classic and contemporary texts.

In August, we’re reading The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling.

In September, we’re reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

Book ticket

Booking

Please book in advance. If you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer your place to someone else.

Venue & AccessibilityThe event is located at the Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive in Edinburgh Palette. There is information on how to get to us on public transport and by car, along with access information, on our location & accessibility page.

Any other questionsPlease email us: themenaces@lavendermenace.org.uk
