Alan Lessik

  • The musical Hamilton ends with the Finale, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.” Our view of history has always been shaped not by the specific events themselves, but by who records and who remembers.Queer people are certainly not the only ones that have been eliminated from history or seen its history distorted by others. Straight white

    Read more →

  • Mind & Zen Practice at Eiheiji

    It’s 3:10 am and I wake by the bell loudly clanging in the hallway. The light switch is flipped on and the room full of men becomes alive. By the time I have rubbed my eyes, stretched on my futon and manage to get up, a full minute has passed. When I finally pull myself

    Read more →

  • There are many pathways to understanding or misunderstanding a country. Japan offers opportunities to do both.  Years ago, I was in Singapore visiting a friend in a fairly nice apartment building. There were two signs in the elevator. One saiid “No durians.” If you have ever smelled one, you would know why. The second said,

    Read more →

  • Jojakkoji Tenryuji Nison-in Hogan-in Giouji Koryuji Horyuji Yakushiji Toshodaiji Todaiji Kohfukuji Daikakuji Ryoanji Byodoin Koshoji Mimuritoji Temple Hopping  Selfies red seal books Attest to our attainment Why have we come here? Temple Shots: We All Should be Inoculated  Kannon looms over Compassion eternally Our need is endless Humid Kyoto Afternoon Sweat on my brow pours 

    Read more →

  • ” When a fish swims, no matter how far it swims, it doesn’t reach the end of the wayer. When a bird flies, no matter how high it fileis, it cannot reach the end of the sky. When a bird’s need or the fish’s need is great, the range is large. When the need is

    Read more →

  • The Art House Project in Homura on Naoshima took 6 houses many 100-200 years old and a Shinto Shrine and created art in each. I spent 5 hours walking around this small village in a state of awe. Most of the spaces don’t allow photography, so my words are my memory.  1. Imagine a square

    Read more →

  • Our Queer Art Interview

    Interview in My Queer Art ALAN LESSIK, SAN FRANCISCO WRITER, INTERVIEW What is your name? Alan Lessik Where are you from? San Francisco What kind of work do you create? Novels and commentaries What do you define yourself as? Or do you not? Why/Why not? Novelist, storyteller and alan of all trades How long have

    Read more →

  • In 1996, I had the honor of interviewing the major players who engineered the inclusion of sexual orientation in the South African constitution. Simon Nkoli, Zackie Achmat, Edwin Cameroun and David Botha were among the leaders that I interviewed, each having their own crucial role to play. As I was pulling up the articles I

    Read more →

  • In 1995, I entered this essay in the “Greatest Moments of Pride” Contest in S.F. Frontiers Newsmagazine and was awarded 1st Place. Unfortunately, there are no on-line archives of the magazine from this period. The room fell silent as I slowly walked up to the podium. When I reached the front, I too fell silent

    Read more →

  • I wrote this article for the San Francisco Bay Guardian in 1996 after four trips to South Africa. I had the great fortune to interview the major players in the movement to include sexual orientation in the new constitution. Unfortunately, this article is not currently on-line. The Bay Guardian plans to open up archives of

    Read more →