Club de Lecture "La Mauvaise Habitude"

Club de Lecture “La Mauvaise Habitude”

Book ClubDiscussion Panel

Future bodies

24.09.24 · 18h

Languages : ES/FR

Target audience: Adults

TW : Theme of transphobia, violence and drug use

Duration: 1h30

Place: Passa Porta

Book

Join Passa Porta and FAME's book club to explore "Bad Habit", Alana S. Portero's debut novel about a trans woman's journey in 1980s-90s working class Madrid. Passa Porta and FAME are collaborating to organise a book club exploring Alana S. Portero's powerful debut novel Bad Habit. Portero's powerful debut novel "Bad Habit".

Bad Habit is a heartfelt odyssey narrated by a sweet and defiant protagonist struggling to find her place in an ever-changing city. From the ravages of the heroin epidemic to the rallying cries of worker solidarity, and the pulsating nightlife, Alana S. Portero’s writing brings the streets of Madrid to life with a poetic touch. Each step forward in her journey is fraught with life-and-death decisions, underscoring the ties between gender, class, and the relentless search for identity.

Our book club will provide a safe(R) space for a small discussion group to explore these themes together, hosted by Alessandro Carlucci (facilitator in FR/ES). As a special bonus, participants will receive free access to a meet-and-greet with Alana S. Portero hosted by Passa Porta on Friday the 27th of September. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with fellow readers and dive deeper into a story that celebrates the outsider in all of us.

The book will be available in all three languages from Passa Porta Bookshop if you want to buy the book ahead of the club. There is no need to have read the book to attend the club, as textual material will be provided.

Alana S. Portero

Alana S. Portero (Madrid, 1978) is a multifaceted Spanish writer, medievalist, playwright, and stage director. She is the co-founder of the theater company Striga and a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, particularly focusing on the experiences of trans women. Portero's debut novel, La Mala Costumbre (Bad Habit), has garnered widespread acclaim for its poignant exploration of identity, gender, and class in 1980s and 90s Madrid. Her work delves deeply into themes of personal growth and societal change, capturing the essence of marginalized voices with a poetic and powerful narrative style. Portero also writes extensively on culture, feminism, and activism, contributing to the ongoing dialogue around diversity and inclusion.

Alessandro Carlucci

Alessandro Carlucci is an artist and community organiser. She co-founded and currently co-manages the Queers in Space collective, which aims to inform, involve and mobilise Brussels' LGBTQIA+ communities in the co-creation of urban heritage. This is done through various mediation schemes, artistic co-creation, informal education and lobbying of local authorities. Iel is also a member of the organisation Queers on the Move, which supports people from LGBTQIA+ communities with a migrant background by drafting information material for newcomers, raising awareness among European people of the immigration and asylum process, and creating employment and cultural creation opportunities for migrants to promote the redistribution of resources.