In Bad Language, So Mayer blends memoir and manifesto as they explore the politics of speech, while looking at how language has been used – and abused – in their own life. What is the relationship between language and sexual violence? And how can we ‘make ourselves up’ in language when words themselves are encoded by a dominant culture that insists we see ourselves as powerless listeners rather than active speakers?

Examining the semantic traps of their multi-lingual childhood – and taking in texts from the Torah to Grimms’ Fairytales, from protest bust cards to the works of Ursula K. Le Guin – Mayer asks who gets to speak, and who is forced into silence. Bad Language calls out the harm that words can do, while searching for crafty ways through which we can collectively reclaim language for protest and pleasure.

Praise for A Nazi Word for a Nazi Thing

‘This book is a small revolution that becomes a party that you won’t be leaving soon.’ – Eileen Myles

Praise for Truth & Dare

‘A brilliant, propulsive collection. These daring tales solid Mayer as an exciting talent.’ – Irenosen Okojie

‘A roaring girl, a punk tribute to queer ancestors, an experiment with words, a dare and a promise… People might rightly ask, what is queer writing. Mayer is here to show us. This. Is. It. I can’t wait to share this book.’ – Adam Zmith

SO MAYER is a writer, editor, bookseller and organiser. Truth & Dare, their first collection of speculative fiction, was longlisted for the Republic of Consciousness and Edge Hill Short Story prizes. With Sarah Shin, they co-edited Ursula K. Le Guin, Space Crone, winner of the 2024 Locus Award for non-fiction. Bad Language is their second book for Peninsula, after A Nazi Word for a Nazi Thing.