4.5

I LOVED this! I am so impressed and excited by how thoughtful and observant and detailed and genuine and fun Burton was. As a 24 year old who has lived in DC, home of 2 Lesbian Bars, for about a decade I feel so lucky to have such strong, safe communities. Burton’s adventure almost brought me to tears thinking about the beauty of these communities, both the ones I am a part of and the ones I hope to soon explore myself. I love the coupling of her personal experiences and adventures with the journalistic style of talking to queers across the country in their second homes. The diversity of this book was inspiring and makes me think a lot about the dyke and person I want to be. 
I especially loved the reflection and knowledge that the conversations I am having in my own home are happening nationally. How do we preserve the beauty and importance of “lesbian” and “women” spaces while also expanding to include trans people and all sapphic aligning people? What is the beauty and burden of being one of the few spaces trying to be inclusive to all and when we fall short, what are the consequences and how are they different than non-queer spaces? And of course, what is the future of queer spaces as we become in some ways more excepted in other spaces, while the nation simultaneously enters an unprecedented period of trans and homophobia legislation? Burton considers all of these things thoughtfully and I am genuinely surprised by how much I learned from her.
For anyone who loves a queer bar or hopes to be a part of one one day, this one is for you.