A Gender-Free Haven – "Lady’s Bookstore" Transcends Gender Boundaries

By Luo Xinya

Spring 1994
Many women joyfully
built a room together
opening the windows of their souls

Strong, graceful limbs
busily working within the room every day
writing, moving, laughing out loud
shining like the sun in the universe

Confucius, please don’t say again
that purple should not usurp the place of red
This room is full of color
women, men, neither or both – all are free
– Li Yuanzhen

 
▲ Left: The poem Li Yuanzhen wrote for Lady’s Bookstore, along with a portrait of Virginia Woolf, clearly mark the store’s identity. Right: The selection of books at Lady’s Bookstore shows that it cares not just about women, but about more diverse gender relationships. (Photo / Courtesy ofFanily)

Ascending a narrow staircase, a small poem taped to the door – “A Room of One’s Own: For Lady’s Bookstore” – greets you. Gently push open the door, and you step into the bookstore, and into your own room. “This room is full of color; women, men, neither or both – all are free.”

Lady’s Bookstore is the first feminist specialty bookstore in the Chinese-speaking world. Feminism is concerned not only with women but with more diverse gender relationships. Therefore, Lady’s Bookstore focuses not just on women’s writing and voices, but also supports gender and LGBTQ+ movements.

At the same time, it is an open space, welcoming people of all genders to come in and share – including, of course, men. “Often, guys peek through the doorway, nervously asking if they can come in,” a staff member at the bookstore’s counter says with a smile. In fact, anyone interested in or with questions about gender topics can come here to learn about women or those who transcend gender boundaries. In the past, family members of LGBTQ+ individuals or women experiencing domestic violence have visited Lady’s Bookstore seeking books or social resources.


▲ Lady’s Bookstore is like your own room, complete with comfortable sofas where you can sit and read. (Photo / Courtesy ofFanily)
As everyone’s “own room,” Lady’s Bookstore offers a cozy, home-like environment where visitors can learn and explore issues they care about. Of course, you can also do nothing at all – just quietly enjoy everything around you. There is a guestbook in the store that visitors can write in. Over the years, many editions have been filled with touching stories, personal reflections, and private thoughts. Many strangers have made friends here, much like exchanging diary entries with a friend in your own room.

Lady’s Bookstore has never limited itself to static reading; it also offers opportunities for dynamic engagement. The store actively hosts various lectures, exhibitions, and other events, allowing visitors to read not just books and people, but life itself. Additionally, there are learning programs such as “Women’s Writing Workshops,” which not only help heal through writing but also provide a space for women interested in literary creation to exchange ideas and share experiences.

 [Lady’s Bookstore]
Address: 2F, No. 7, Lane 56, Section 3, Xinsheng South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City 106, Taiwan