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    The Power of the Hand

    By Jewelle Gomez –

    When Sheridan Le Fanu first published his classic novella Carmilla in 1872, I don’t imagine he thought he was producing a lesbian vampire story that would inspire lesbian writers and readers for more than a century. I’m not sure the word “lesbian” was even in the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) yet. He was simply writing, in the Gothic mode, a scary story in a grim setting that happened to feature two young girls.

    At the end of his novella, Le Fanu writes: “One sign of the vampire is the power of the hand.” Unwittingly (I think), the author captures the iconic idea of lesbians’ hands as places of power and pleasure. It certainly has been central to my thinking as I wrote The Gilda Stories and as I finished the sequel.

    Now that Carmilla is in the public domain, several publishers have brought it back into print, but none so cleverly as Aunt Lute Books (https://www.auntlute.com/).

    It packages the novella with my tribute story “Caramelle,” also about two girls, but they meet when one is escaping from slavery by way of the Underground Railroad. Both pieces taken together portray a contemporary perspective on what it meant to be a lesbian historically. They also do my favorite thing: render vampires within a recognizable context.

    I’m proud of the Aunt Lute book, but the most exciting thing for me was the book launch party appropriately titled “Wild Tongues Can’t be Tamed.” The event also celebrated the birthday of the late Gloria Anzaldúa, whose seminal book Borderlands/La Frontera was also published by the press. The Sunday afternoon event was a reminder of how much was accomplished by women’s publishing, not simply as “preachers of the word,” as James Baldwin would say, but also as sparking points … places where women activists gathered to express concern about the state of the union and to initiate actions to beat back the continued oppression of women.

    There were books, of course, and a reading by Dr. Aída Hurtado, author of Voicing Chicana Feminism: Young Women Speak Out on Sexuality and Identity. And food … now I know how many slices of sweet plantain I can eat before I regret it! And, unlike the old days, there was Zoom! So, in addition to the room full of women in Oakland, there were scores more from around the country watching and participating, especially in the fundraising auction.

    As we discussed the new book and Gloria Anzuldúa’s work, it was inspiring to look at the roster of books Joan Pinkvoss, Co-Founder of the press, and Shay Brawn, the Artistic Director, have brought into the world and remember that words can be building blocks. A few books that give me a good foundation: Michele Tracy Berger’s collection Doll Seed and Other Stories adds to the amazing world of Black speculative fiction. Cherry Muhanji’s classic, Lambda Literary Award-winning historical novel Her is the one book I’d love to turn into a musical! LeAnne Howe (Choctaw) wrote Shell Shaker, winner of an American Book Award and that remains one of the most exciting Native American historical mysteries ever written.

    Celebrating with us was Ginny Z Berson, a political activist and Co-Founder of Olivia Records. Her new book, Olivia on the Record, delivers an inside look at one of the most formative organizations in the lesbian feminist community and in the music business. The audio book version miraculously includes musical performances from women who are included in the narrative like Meg Christian, Linda Tillary, Teresa Trull, and Pat Parker!

    Instead of letting the news headlines send us spinning or paralyze us, reading the writing of spirited, mindful activists can get us up and moving toward connection with others who won’t settle for repression. The final line in my introduction to the Aunt Lute book remains true for me: “Hands are made even stronger when holding on to the hands of others.”

    Jewelle Gomez is a lesbian/feminist activist, novelist, poet, and playwright. She’s written for “The Advocate,” “Ms. Magazine,” “Black Scholar,” “The San Francisco Chronicle,” “The New York Times,” and “The Village Voice.” Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @VampyreVamp

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    Published on October 9, 2025