Cleis Press is an American independent publisher of books in the areas of sexuality,

erotica Erotica is literature or art that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erotic art may use a ...

, feminism, gay and lesbian studies, gender studies, fiction, and human rights. The press was founded in 1980 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It later moved to

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

and was based out of Berkeley until its purchase by Start Media in 2014. It was founded by

Frédérique Delacoste Frederique is a French female given name, which is equivalent to the male name Frederick, meaning "peaceful ruler". Alternative spellings include Frédérique and Frederieke. The name Frederique may refer to: People *Frédérique Apffel-Marglin (b ...

, Felice Newman and

Mary Winfrey Trautmann Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also cal ...

who collectively financed wrote and published the press's first book ''Fight Back: Feminist Resistance to Male Violence'' in 1981. In 1987, they published ''Sex Work: Writings by Women in the Sex Industry'' by Delacoste with Priscilla Alexander.

History

Over the years, Cleis Press has published nonfiction books by Susie Bright,

Annie Sprinkle Annie M. Sprinkle (born Ellen F. Steinberg on July 23, 1954) is an American certified sexologist, performance artist, former sex worker, and advocate for sex work and health care. Citing: Sprinkle has worked as a prostitute, sex educator, fem ...

Edmund White Edmund Valentine White III (born 1940) is an American novelist, memoirist, playwright, biographer and an essayist on literary and social topics. Since 1999 he has been a professor at Princeton University. France made him (and later ) de l'Ordr ...

, Essex Hemphill,

Gore Vidal Eugene Luther Gore Vidal (; born Eugene Louis Vidal, October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012) was an American writer and public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit, erudition, and patrician manner. Vidal was bisexual, and in his novels and e ...

Christine Jorgensen Christine Jorgensen (May 30, 1926 – May 3, 1989) was an American trans woman who was the first person to become widely known in the United States for having sex reassignment surgery. She had a career as a successful actress, singer and rec ...

, Matthue Roth, Patrick Califia,

Violet Blue (author) Violet Blue is an American journalist, author, editor, advisor, and educator. Blue wrote a weekly sex column for the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' until 2010. In her podcast, Open Source Sex, she reads erotica and discusses topics such as fet ...

Mark A. Michaels and Patricia Johnson Mark A. Michaels (born August 2, 1959) and Patricia Johnson (born May 21, 1964) are authors and lecturers on sexuality and relationships. Their approach is informed by their combined 30 years of Tantric study, practice and teaching. Early life Mark ...

and Tristan Taormino, among others. Fiction includes works by Achy Obejas, Stephen Elliott, Erastes (author), reissues of classic lesbian pulp fiction (including

Ann Bannon Ann Weldy (born September 15, 1932), better known by her pen name Ann Bannon, is an American author who, from 1957 to 1962, wrote six lesbian pulp fiction novels known as ''The Beebo Brinker Chronicles''. The books' enduring popularity and impac ...

's historic Beebo Brinker series), the Nancy Clue series by Mabel Maney,

Virginia Woolf Adeline Virginia Woolf (; ; 25 January 1882 28 March 1941) was an English writer, considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors and a pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device. Woolf was born ...

’s first completed novel, ''Melymbrosia'', and an English-language novel set in North Korea, ''Jia'' by Hyejin Kim. Other Cleis Press authors are Lori Bryant-Woolridge, Cole Riley, Mitzi Szereto,

Neil Plakcy Neil S. Plakcy is an American writer and professor whose works range from Mystery fiction, mystery to Romance novel, romance to anthologies and collections of gay erotica. Plakcy is a Professor of English at Broward College. Education Plakcy st ...

Radclyffe Radclyffe (real name Dr. Lenora Ruth Barot, born 1950) is an American author of lesbian romance, paranormal romance, erotica, and mystery. She has authored multiple short stories, written fan fiction, and edited numerous anthologies. Radclyffe ...

, James Lear, and Richard Labonté. Cleis Press' erotic anthologies have included work from well known story writers Sacchi Green, Shanna Germain, Jeremy Edwards, Michelle Augello-Page, Charlotte Stein, ADR Forte, and Teresa Noelle Roberts. Cleis Press produces many erotica collections and self-help sex guides, including ''The Ultimate Guide to Fellatio, The Whole Lesbian Sex Book,'' and '' The Good Vibrations Guide to Sex.'' Some of their collections include ''Best Gay Asian Erotica,'' ''Best Bisexual Women's Erotica,'' and ''Best Lesbian Bondage Erotica,'' and annual anthologies titled ''Best Gay Erotica,'' ''Best Lesbian Erotica,'' and ''Best Women's Erotica.'' In winter of 2010, they began of yearly anthology of bondage erotica, starting with ''Best Bondage Erotica 2011.'' Cleis Press also publishes a wide variety of other thematic collections, including

Rachel Kramer Bussel Rachel Kramer Bussel (born 1975) is an author, columnist, and editor, specializing in erotica. She previously studied at the New York University School of Law and earned her bachelor's degree in political science and women's studies from the U ...

's ''Please, Ma'am: Erotic Stories of Male Submission, Caught Looking: Erotic Tales of Voyeurs and Exhibitionists'', Alison Tyler's ''Frenzy: 60 Stories of Sudden Sex'', Mitzi Szereto's multiple-genre anthologies and Kristina Wright's genre-themed erotic romance anthologies and ''Best Erotic Romance'' series. In 2000, Cleis Press founded Midnight Editions, a human rights imprint that aims to present fiction, nonfiction, and photojournalism from regions where repression and censorship are endangering creative expression. Midnight Editions published ''The Little School: Tales of Disappearance and Survival in Argentina,'' a 1986 memoir by former political prisoner and Amnesty International board member

Alicia Partnoy Alicia Mabel Partnoy (born 1955 in Bahía Blanca, Argentina) is a human rights activist, poet, college professor, and translator. After Argentinian President Juan Perón died, the students from the left of the Peronist political party organized w ...

, as well as ''The Diary of a Political Idiot: Normal Life in Belgrade'' by Jasmina Tešanović. Cleis Press has also published a number of books on

transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through ...

issues, including Patrick Califia's ''Sex Changes: Transgender Politics'' and Loren Cameron's ''Body Alchemy: Transsexual Portraits.'' More recently, they also published ''The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals,'' by

Stephanie Brill Stephanie is a female name that comes from the Greek name Στέφανος (Stephanos) meaning "crown". The male form is Stephen. Forms of Stephanie in other languages include the German "Stefanie", the Italian, Czech, Polish, and Russian ...

and

Rachel Pepper Rachel () was a Biblical figure, the favorite of Jacob's two wives, and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, two of the twelve progenitors of the tribes of Israel. Rachel's father was Laban. Her older sister was Leah, Jacob's first wife. Her ...

, a guidebook for the friends and families of transgender and gender-nonconforming children, which addresses significant social, legal, and medical issues. In 2014, Cleis, along with the imprints Viva Editions and Tempted Romance, was purchased by Start Publishing, the book division of Start Media. The remaining staff members of Cleis departed shortly after the transition. Cleis is currently run by Start Publishing in Jersey City, NJ. The press has been the recipient of many awards, including several

Lambda Literary Awards Lambda Literary Awards, also known as the "Lammys", are awarded yearly by Lambda Literary to recognize the crucial role LGBTQ writers play in shaping the world. The Lammys celebrate the very best in LGBTQ literature.The awards were instituted ...

References

External links

*
Interview with Cleis Press co-founders Frédérique Delacoste and Felice NewmanMinds.wisconsin.edu
{{Authority control Book publishing companies of the United States Book publishing companies based in Berkeley, California Book publishing companies based in California Feminism in the United States LGBT-related mass media in the United States Publishing companies established in 1980 Feminist book publishing companies