Can I order a book for me?

Yes, Gay's The Word can order books for you. They have a selection of books in their online shop. If you don't find the book you're looking for, email them with the title in the subject line. For non-LGBT-related books, they can also order those but require payment in advance since they cannot resell the book if you change your mind.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes, Gay's The Word ships orders worldwide using Royal Mail. They currently ship across the UK and to most countries in Europe through their online shop. For orders to other regions outside Europe, customers can use the contact form and the bookshop will provide a shipping cost estimate.

Do you accept secondhand books?

Gay's The Word gratefully accepts secondhand LGBT+ books as donations but does not buy secondhand books. They do not accept books in lengthy series, though customers can bring in a couple of books or send them. For larger donations of a box or more, customers should call ahead to coordinate.

Do you have gift vouchers or National Book Tokens?

Yes, Gay's The Word has gift vouchers and sells and accepts National Book Tokens. Both can be made out to any denomination and posted out or reserved for collection.

Planning a group or school visit?

Anyone planning a group or school visit must notify Gay's The Word at least three weeks in advance and coordinate with staff to ensure an enjoyable experience. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays can be especially busy and should be avoided; groups of 10 or more may need to be segmented into smaller groups across staggered times. Private morning visits before the 11am opening may be possible with early arrangement.

Ecommerce & Retail · United Kingdom

Gay's The Word

The UK's oldest LGBT+ bookshop

Visit gaystheword.co.uk (opens in a new tab)

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Gay's The Word listing details

Category: Ecommerce & Retail
Location: London, United Kingdom
Website: gaystheword.co.uk
Founded: 1979
Stage: Established

Gay's The Word metrics

What we found for gaystheword.co.uk: Ahrefs Domain Rating and Majestic link details, with changes since the last search.

Domain Rating: 59; −1 (down) since last check
Trust Flow: 31; no change since last check
Citation Flow: 29; no change since last check
Referring domains: 912; no change since last check
External backlinks: 2,771; no change since last check

Ahrefs Domain Rating found 17 Oct 2026, different since 7 Oct 2026. Topic found most: Business/Publishing and Printing (31). Majestic found 3 Oct 2026, different since 3 Oct 2026. Link details found by Majestic. Trust Flow, Citation Flow and Topical Trust Flow are trademarks of Majestic-12 Ltd.

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Where to find it

London, United Kingdom

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Online at gaystheword.co.uk

An independent LGBT+ bookshop in London established in 1979, stocking curated fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and hosting community events and author signings.

About Gay's The Word

Screenshot of the Gay's The Word homepage — Gay's The Word: the homepage

Gay's The Word is the UK's oldest LGBT+ bookshop, established in January 1979 as a community space by a group of gay socialists. Located at 66 Marchmont Street in London, it operates as an independent bookshop with profits reinvested into the business.

The bookshop stocks an expertly curated range of LGBTQIA-related fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and other materials across multiple sections including classics, young adult fiction, graphic novels, biography, and coming out narratives. It also sells merchandise including LGSM t-shirts.

Beyond retail, Gay's The Word serves as a community hub, hosting book launches, author signings, readings, panel discussions, and providing meeting space for community groups and resources. The bookshop accepts donations of secondhand LGBT+ books, offers gift vouchers and National Book Tokens, and ships books internationally via Royal Mail.

Staffed by four booksellers—Uli, Jim, Oisin, and Lucy—the bookshop continues its founding ethos as a touchstone for the broader LGBT community.

What we found

Online bookshop with UK and European shipping
Book pre-orders
Author signings and readings
Gift vouchers and National Book Tokens
Secondhand book donations accepted
International shipping available
Group and school visits by arrangement
Community event hosting

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Common questions

Can I order a book for me?: Yes, Gay's The Word can order books for you. They have a selection of books in their online shop. If you don't find the book you're looking for, email them with the title in the subject line. For non-LGBT-related books, they can also order those but require payment in advance since they cannot resell the book if you change your mind.
Do you ship internationally?: Yes, Gay's The Word ships orders worldwide using Royal Mail. They currently ship across the UK and to most countries in Europe through their online shop. For orders to other regions outside Europe, customers can use the contact form and the bookshop will provide a shipping cost estimate.
Do you accept secondhand books?: Gay's The Word gratefully accepts secondhand LGBT+ books as donations but does not buy secondhand books. They do not accept books in lengthy series, though customers can bring in a couple of books or send them. For larger donations of a box or more, customers should call ahead to coordinate.
Do you have gift vouchers or National Book Tokens?: Yes, Gay's The Word has gift vouchers and sells and accepts National Book Tokens. Both can be made out to any denomination and posted out or reserved for collection.
Planning a group or school visit?: Anyone planning a group or school visit must notify Gay's The Word at least three weeks in advance and coordinate with staff to ensure an enjoyable experience. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays can be especially busy and should be avoided; groups of 10 or more may need to be segmented into smaller groups across staggered times. Private morning visits before the 11am opening may be possible with early arrangement.

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