Tag: Trans Pride

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Art + Culture Featured

I, Joan at The Globe: A Review

Currently, The Globe Theatre is home to the lively and bold retelling of Joan of Arc, ‘I, Joan’, which received criticism before it even arrived on the stage

Written by Charlie Josephine and directed by Ilinca Radulian, ‘I, Joan’, is the powerful and joyous new play that tells the story of Joan of Arc with a fresh new perspective.

“The men are all fighting, again. An endless war. From nowhere, an unexpected leader emerges. Young, poor and about to spark a revolution. This is Joan. Rebelling against the world’s expectations, questioning the gender binary, Joan finds their power and their belief spreads like fire.”

I, Joan
©whatsonstage.com

This production faced criticism very early on for taking a feminist icon and stripping her of her femininity. However, this play takes Joan’s story and imagines what it might have been like if the language we have now was around at that time. At its heart, it is a story about what it means to be human. Anyone who might have any doubts about this play should quickly dispel them.

The Globe released a statement on ‘I, Joan’ and Identity, stating, “We are not the first to present Joan in this way, and we will not be the last. Regarding the use of pronouns, ‘they’ to refer to a singular person has been traced by the Oxford English Dictionary to as early as 1375, years before Joan was even born. Regardless, theatres do not deal with ‘historical reality’. Theatres produce plays, and in plays, anything can be possible. Shakespeare did not write historically accurate plays. He took figures of the past to ask questions about the world around him. Our writers of today are doing no different, whether that’s looking at Ann Boleyn, Nell Gwynn, Emilia Bassano, Edward II, or Joan of Arc. The Globe is a place of imagination. A place where, for a brief amount of time, we can at least consider the possibility of worlds elsewhere. We have had entire storms take place on stage, the sinking of ships, twins who look nothing alike being believable, and even a Queen of the fairies falling in love with a donkey.”

A rousing battle cry

This piece feels theatrical and rousing and exciting, with Joan’s army made up of Groundlings, it is an honour to join them on their journey of self-discovery. With a live band positioned directly above the stage, a fantastic set design on which actors slide in and out of the action, and amazing movement direction you really feel like you’re preparing for battle. Josephine’s use of language combined with an extraordinary performance from Isobel Thom (they/them) makes for a truly captivating show. It felt truly magical to stand amongst such a diverse audience at The Globe and watch this story unfold. And, whilst it could be painful at times, it really captured the essence of what it feels like to not fit into society’s boxes or labels. The language was often repetitive, reinforcing the notion of having to explain yourself over and over again to every new person you meet.

I, Joan
© timeout.com

Ultimately though, throughout the course of the play, as more and more people were plucked from the crowd to join Joan’s army, it really felt like I was a witness to, and a participant in, something truly special.

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Featured LGBTQ Self Care

Tavistock Centre Closes: What This Means For Trans Kids

Protect Trans Kids

NHS Announces Tavistock Centre Will Close Next Spring

The Tavistock Centre is the UK’s only clinic dedicated to gender identity in children and young people. But this week, the NHS has closed the clinic due to a barrage of public complaints and a damaging independent review. Although the closure has sparked a positive response from many trans parents, many are concerned that it’s another negative media story, which will inevitably be used to further attack the community. 

Tavistock Centre
Tavistock Centre (Sky News Australia)

In the Spring of 2022, the Tavistock Centre was ordered to close by Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. Now, plans for a more holistic approach to tending to trans kids will be drawn up, to combat the rise in referrals. Dr Hillary Cass, who led the independent review, stressed how the clinic was “at considerable risk of poor mental health and distress.” She also declared the clinic was not “a safe or viable long-term option.” 

The new trans youth centres will be open in 2023, with London and the North West of England being the initial locations. These specialist holistic services will aim to help those under the age of 18 who are struggling with their gender identity. They will be run in conjunction with leading children’s hospitals, such as Great Ormond Street and Alder Hey. The primary focus will be given to mental health support. Although mental health support is needed hugely in the trans community, many activists are concerned that the clinics are attempting to manage the symptoms of those struggling with their gender, rather than the core issues themselves. It’s clear that the NHS has insufficient knowledge on dealing with the transgender community, which inventively means that support is weak.

LGBTQI+ website, Pink News, recently spoke to parents of trans kids who were let down by the Tavistock Centre. One parent, Helen, said: “The fact that it was the only option available for trans kids meant that we were in this bizarre situation of publicly having to defend the Tavistock, while at the same time battling with them to try and make the situation better, either individually for a child or just generally for all kids.” Helen’s child received good support from the centre at first, after receiving puberty blockers – but the support suddenly stopped there. “From that point on, it felt like it was a little bit like they were winging it,” she said.

In the UK, support for transgender people is incredibly underfunded. At the Tavistock Youth Gender Clinic alone, requests for support were 20 times higher than a decade ago: from 250 to 5,000 plus referrals in 2021. Now, with the pending closure of the clinic, many trans and LGBTQI+ charities, like Stonewall, are concerned about the replacement messages put in place by the NHS to combat the increasing demand. 

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Community Featured

Pride: Who Do We Owe Our Thanks To?

Pride march 2022
Pride March 2022 © Getty Images

The First London Pride March to Where We Are Now

This year (2022) the UK celebrated its 50th year of Pride and held subsequent Pride marches in London. As always, London Pride was a grand and carnivalesque affair, which accumulated over 1.5 million attendees. Consequently, making it the largest London Pride event thus far. Such a turn-out can easily be attributed to COVID-19 withholding the Parade from going ahead in both 2020 and 2021.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Pride in the UK, it was important to the organisers of the London event that the LGBTQ+ community were reminded of the roots of pride, and those that faced tremendous battles to accomplish some of the freedoms and liberations in modern, gay Britain. To do so, on the 1st of July, members of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) who marched in the first ever UK Pride event were invited to lead a parade of sorts through London. Pride in London highlighted their attendance as a commemoration “of the past 50 years and our evolution as a movement; acknowledging those torchbearers who have come before us and their achievements.”

It is therefore important to first acknowledge the history of the event as a means of appreciating those that paved the way for the LGBTQ+ community. 50 years ago, on the 1st of July 1972, the first official Gay Pride Rally in the UK was held in London. The date was chosen as the nearest Saturday to the anniversary of the Stonewall riots of 1969, with up to 700 participants marching for Gay and Lesbian liberation through the capital’s centre.

Against conversion therapy graphic
LGBT graphic © Freepik

Through the years, Pride then began to take shape, eventually becoming what we know it to be today. From 1983, the march in London was known as ‘Lesbian and Gay Pride’ and carried on through to the 1990s, when it began to take on the form we now know it as. As mentioned above, Pride became a carnivalesque event, with large gatherings of LGBTQ+ UK citizens, various LGBTQ+ organisations and, perhaps most surprisingly, heterosexual and cisgender allies to the community.

Then, in 1996, the event was renamed “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride” in a bid to become more inclusive following a vote by members of the Pride Trust. Finally, “Pride London” was formed in 2004 and became the main organisers behind the event, with only one significant change to the typical parade. Today, parade attendees can also attend a political rally held in Trafalgar Square after the march, which is held to highlight that we have not yet reached full LGBTQ+ liberation in the UK. 

To commemorate this history, Veterans of the UK’s first Pride March from the GLF celebrated their achievements by retracing the exact route that would have been walked in the first march of 1972. The Veterans alongside over 1,000 supporters and members of LGBTQ+ organisations met at the steps of St. Martins-in-the0field church on Charing Cross Road, before walking through the renowned Oxford Street through to Hyde Park. Such veterans like Ted Brown, Angela Mason and Peter Tatchell spoke out to LGBTQ+ focused news outlet GAY TIMES regarding their thoughts and feelings.

Pride march
Gay Liberation Front © Vice 

Angela Mason told GAY TIMES, “The Gay Liberation Front changed my life. It made it possible for me and hundreds and thousands, and growing numbers of people, to live openly and freely.” Whilst Peter Tatchell mused upon the history behind the event, stating that “There were only 700 of us [in the first march] but that was a lot for that era because back then most LGBT+ people were closeted. They feared discrimination, they feared arrest, gay bashing, rejection by their families and even being sacked from their jobs. It’s fantastic to think that 50 years later, this year, one Pride March in London in 1972 has now grown to 190 Pride events across the UK.” 

Additionally, the Veterans each held illuminated signs that represented the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ freedom. Each sign stated, “Pride @ 50/I was there in 1972/Still fighting for global LGBT+ freedom.” There was an emphasis on the adverb ‘still’ to showcase that the country has not yet achieved all the rights and freedoms LGBTQ+ people deserve. For example, homophobia and or transphobia are still a very real threat despite the existence of such events. Unfortunately, LGBTQ+ individuals are not yet safe to be as open as they might desire. 

It is for this exact reason that the community must take care to acknowledge and appreciate those that paved the way for LGBTQ+ individuals in the UK to live more comfortably than previously. If homophobia and or transphobia are still a very real threat, it is obvious that the threat would have been far higher for those in the 1970s, particularly during the height of the AIDS crisis. These individuals still marching today put their lives on the line to fight for the freedom and rights of LGBTQ+ people, and they continue to do so.

Pride London did the right thing in allowing them to lead a march, but its essential to continue to appreciate British LGBTQ+ history and the roots of pride outside of the event. After all, it’s the least the community can do.

Brighton Pride, another landmark event for those who identify as LGBTQ+, will take place this weekend, beginning on Friday 5th August. The event will include performances from Christina Aguilera, Ella Henderson and Paloma Faith, amongst many more.

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Featured Music

Arca: The Revolutionary Trans Artist Documenting Her Transition Through Music

Arca PopTown

Once a behind-the-scenes producer, Arca is ready to put a face to her wild work

Arca is behind some of the most revolutionary music releases in the modern era, working with artists such as Kanye West, Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, Rosalia, Sia, FKA Twigs and more. Now based in Barcelona, Arca is a multitalented artist, who is also a composer, rapper, DJ, and producer. Her sound is often described as a “chaotic” blend of electronic, hip-hop, avant-pop and reggaeton, which meant that Arca’s audience was limited, but nevertheless, loyal. Nowadays, Arca produces mostly for herself, stepping away from the overwhelming mishmash of genres, for a more accessible sound.

Arca Press Image
Arca from Numero Twic

Arca was born in Caracas, Venezuela, as Alejandro Ghersi. In 2018, Arca emerged as non-binary but later realised that she identifies as a trans woman. In an interview with Vice Magazine in 2020, Arca reflected on her journey of self-discovery, “I see my gender identity as non-binary, and I identify as a trans-Latina woman, and yet, I don’t want to encourage anyone to think that my gayness has been banished. And when I talk about gayness, it’s funny because I’m not thinking about who I’m attracted to. It’s a form of cultural production that is individual and collective, which I don’t ever want to renounce.” In the past couple of years, Arca has infused her transition into her art.

The Kick series is a collection of 5 studio albums, all released between 2020 and 2021. The title of the quintet relates to a baby’s kick whilst in the womb of its mother. In an interview with ID Magazine, Arca goes into detail, “The first image that comes to mind when I think of the word ‘kick’ is a prenatal kick; that instance of individuation, that unmistakable moment where parents realise their baby is not under their control but has its own will to live, its own impulses that are erratic and unpredictable, separate to their own. I think later we have a hard time distancing ourselves from authority and disagreeing with the top-down system that we perpetuate. So this is celebrating the moment of disagreement that is an expression of feeling alive. The baby doesn’t think about kicking, it kicks because it’s a vital impulse: there’s no malice in it.” The concept of the album clearly reflects Arca’s transition and the birth of a new life and identity.

The Kick series was a great success in that it presented Arca with a new audience. Before Kick, Arca’s music had very few vocals, and tracks had a very unusual structure. These qualities often meant that the music was unable to find a home. But with Kick, the songs resemble more traditional song structures and consist of pop, hip-hop and reggaeton melodies: translating into some healthy streaming statistics.

Now that the Kick series is over, Arca has returned to producing for other artists who fall in a similar sub-genre. This week, English rapper ShyGirl released her new single, Come For Me, produced by none other than Arca herself. Arca’s in demand and her unique production qualities have meant that over the years, she has undoubtedly helped shape the musical scene, especially in relation to the popularisation of experimental, industrial and hyper pop.

Arca Press Image
Arca from New York Times

Recently, Arca has made her transition, the focus of her music and artform. In doing so, Arca has successfully bridged the gap between a behind-the-scenes producer, and a front and centre artist. Despite this intentional journey, it is clear that Arca is more concerned about producing quality, boundary-pushing art, rather than becoming mainstream. In an interview with VOS, she states, “I want to be seen as an ecosystem of minor self-states without being stripped of the dignity of being a whole. It gives me the feeling of possibility, to not allow for easy categorization. I wouldn’t want to just go pop, and I wouldn’t want to go full experimentalist.”

The goal for Arca is to create a separate but detached utopia that she can fit into, but others can also relate to. And in order to achieve this, gender norms and boundaries must be deconstructed. “That’s where a nonbinary mode of thinking feels really fertile. It opens possibilities rather than collapsing things. Allowing for change without resisting it.” Arca isn’t interested in creating pop. She wants to create a whole new universe.

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Featured LGBTQ TV and Film

Ricky Gervais Accused of Transphobic Language

Ricky Gervais USA Today

Is Ricky Gervais Transphobic?

Since the release of his latest show, Super Nature, comedian Ricky Gervais has been accused of making a number of transphoic remarks. One of which, involved ‘jokes’ about transgender women raping and attacking people in public toilets.

Ricky Gervais from the Hollywood Reporter

Quite soon into the Netflix special, Gervais made controversial comments, such as declaring women assigned female at birth as “old fashioned women, the ones with wombs.” He then continued: “And now the old-fashioned ones say, ‘Oh they want to use our toilets,’ ‘Why shouldn’t they use your toilets?’ ‘For Ladies!’ ‘They are ladies, look at their pronouns. ‘What about this person isn’t a lady?’ ‘Well, his penis.’ ‘Her penis, you f**king bigot!”

Then the tone became noticeably darker, as often Gervais’ comedy does: “What if he rapes me?’ ‘What if she rapes you, you f**king TERF whore.” In the trans debate, there has been a stereotype that transgender women are rapists. And, in Ricky’s dialogue, he seemingly reaffirms this falsehood.

On Twitter, trans people and allies took to their keyboards to share their disappointment in an individual who, on occasion, seemed to care about minority communities. “5 minutes in and he’s making jokes about trans women attacking and raping people in public bathrooms. To him, we only exist as a punchline, a threat, something less than human,” one account shared.

Ricky Gervais on stage, from API News

Another user tweeted, “Ricky Gervais could go after the governments, banks billionaires – the ones causing actual harm to ordinary people all around the world on an unfathomable scale every single day. But he goes after trans people instead. Yeah Ricky, son, you speak your truth to power.”

GLAAD, an LGBTQ+ non-governmental organisation in the US quickly released their statement about the show, saying, “We watched the Ricky Gervais ‘comedy’ special on Netflix, so you don’t have to. It’s full of graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes.” GLAAD then continued to discuss the homophobic material in the stand-up, which spreads inaccurate information about HIV, “Attention Ricky and Netflix: people living with HIV today, when on effective treatment, lead long and healthy lives and cannot transmit HIV to others.” The statement is a counterbalance to the misinformation some of the comments in Supernature.

In a recent interview with The Spectator, Gervais defended his material, implying that the “target wasn’t trans folk, but the trans activist ideology.” He added, “I’ve always confronted dogma that oppresses people and limits freedom of expression. It was probably the most current, most talked about, taboo subject of the last couple of years.” Recently, the transgender community has been the scapegoat of many awful political campaigns. Transphobic hate is whipped up in society for political goals and often has horrific consequences for trans people, including online hate, physical abuse and in extreme cases, murder.

A 2021 survey by TransActual, a UK charity, recorded that 85% of trans women have reported being subjected to ‘transphobic street harassment from strangers’, 99% of trans people have experienced transphobia on social media and 93% of all participants reported that transphobia in the media had impacted their experiences of transphobia from strangers in the street. Based on these few statistics alone, it’s clear that this is a community that needs support from well-known figures in popular culture.

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Community Featured LGBTQ

Being LGBT in Uzbekistan – Meet Shokhruh Salimov Who was Tortured for his Sexuality

Now in exile, Shokhruh Salimov shares his story of growing up LGBT in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a nightmare for queer people. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan were the only Central Asian states not to decriminalise homosexuality. Since then, there has been a constant stream of attacks from government and society toward queer Uzbeks. So much so, that the LGBTQ+ international group, ILGA, consistently rank Uzbekistan as amongst the lowest nations in the world in terms of acceptance. 

These shocking statistics translate into fatal tragedies. In September of 2019, 25-year-old, Shokir Shavkatov was murdered just days after coming out via an Instagram post. His body was discovered in his apartment in Tashkent. This is just one of many abhorrent cases in the past couple of years alone.

Growing up LGBT in Uzbekistan - Shokir Shavkatov
Shokir Shavkatov’s Instagram post. From RFEL

Uzbek leader, Islam Karimov, who led the country for 27 years, died in 2016. Shortly before his passing, Karimov made a rare comment on Uzbekistan’s LGBTQ+ community, stating that they “have some deviation in their heads.” This fanned the flames of pre-existing hatred towards those who are LGBT in Uzbekistan. Shokhruh Salimov is one of many caught up in the aftermath of the toxic political discourse.

Shokhruh Salimov: LGBT in Uzbekistan

Chapter Z: Thank you for agreeing to this interview, and for sharing your story. First of all, how are you?

Shokhruh: My situation is not very good. How can I be in this situation? At the moment I am a refugee in Turkey. I was born in a conservative family in the Kaskadarya province of Uzbekistan. I spent my childhood hiding my sexual orientation.

Chapter Z: And can you describe the situation for Queer people in Uzbekistan?

Shokhruh: Homophobia in the society of Uzbekistan is so strong that artists, actors, singers and politicians continue the spread of homophobia, instead of fighting it. They approve of it and actively participate in its spread.

Chapter Z: Did you ever come out?

Shokhruh: At the age of 13 and 14, I completely admitted that I was bisexual. It is not easy to accept sexual orientation in our society. You hear the homophobic words of those around you all the time, you are exposed to their sexist attitudes. In this case, it is very difficult for you to accept yourself and remain psychologically strong.

Chapter Z: Uzbekistan actively attempts to erase queer people from society. When LGBTQ+ issues arise in debate or conversation, it tends to be negative. So, did you struggle to understand your sexuality? Did you know who you were or what you were feeling when you had no role models or understanding that queer people exist?

Shokhruh: At first, it seemed like I was the only one different. Then I made friends like myself. But even having gay friends in Uzbekistan is risky. As I was aware of this, I didn’t have many friends. I have been living abroad since I was 18 years old. I always knew about Uzbekistan’s hostile attitude towards us. They never accepted us, I always live dwith threats. I received threats from homophobic people, the state of Uzbekistan and radical Islamists.

Chapter Z: Is there any support at all? What about the underground?

Shokhruh: In Uzbekistan, LGBT people can get free counselling on HIV/STI issues and free psychological and legal counselling. But not everyone has access to such types of support and assistance due to the low level of awareness and the lack of safe information mechanisms. Due to tremendous pressure from law enforcement officials and ordinary homophobic people, LGBT people are doomed to live in secrecy and are even when faced with cases of violence and discrimination. Most LGBT people are afraid to go anywhere because there are few people who will understand and support them.

Chapter Z: Your face and name became public when you made a video statement calling on the president of Uzbekistan to address the disgusting treatment of its LGBTQ+ community. How did this come about?

Shokhruh: In August 2018, I came to Turkey. The reason for my escape from Uzbekistan was the case in which I was framed by law enforcement officers. I was convicted under Article 120 (sodomy) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan and became a victim of cruel torture by the police officers. They put the strongest moral and psychological pressure on me in order to get contacts of other LGBT people from me. They also had my personal data, with the help of which they could easily put me in prison, this became the reason for my immediate escape from Uzbekistan.

During sexual intercourse with my partner, officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs broke into our apartment with cameras in their hands, they filmed everything that was happening and I was arrested under article 120 of the UKRUz (sodomy). After my arrest, I became a victim of torture, after which I developed significant psychological trauma. After the torture, they announced that if I did not pay them $2000, they would have to put me in jail. I gave this money and left Uzbekistan, but my personal data and the video, on the basis of which I was arrested, remained with them.

Last year, I turned to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev through Radio Ozodlik, demanding to stop the manifestation of homophobia against LGBT people and to protect them. After my video message, a group of Interior Ministry officers came to my home in Uzbekistan and told my family about their intention to return me from Turkey back to Uzbekistan.

Chapter Z: You have been through a lot. Do you have any optimism for the future of queer people in Uzbekistan?

Shokhruh: I believe that sooner or later the law that punishes homosexuals in Uzbekistan will disappear. As long as we continue the struggle and stay brave, we will achieve this together.

Disclaimer

Shokhruh was asked if he wanted his identity protected for the sake of his family in Uzbekistan. Sadly, Shokhruh’s family share the same hostility and homophobia as the government. 

If any of the topics discussed in this article have affected you, please access or reach out to an online resource such as Big White Wall.

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Community Featured

Pride Month 2022: How To Get Ready For Pride Month This June

Pride Month Banner

What are your pride plans?

LGBTQ+ month has kicked off with a bang; Jake Daniels has been the first professional football to come out in thirty-two years and the Church of Scotland has recently allowed same-sex couples to marry in official church ceremonies. With the UK marking fifty years of the Pride movement, what should you know before diving into those pride celebrations?

Here’s everything you need:

When is Pride Month 2022?

Pride Month is celebrated in June of every year and is for members of the LGBTQ+ community to celebrate their identities and accomplishments as well as acknowledge their struggles and where we are in the fight for equality. 

LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer or Questioning. The plus allows room for other identities not covered by the acronym, and some people add I and A to stand for intersex and asexual. 

Pride Banner
Pride Banner © Vecteezy

How To Celebrate This Year

There are a variety of different ways you can celebrate Pride. Many companies and brands host different events during the month that you can go along to or you can find time to volunteer at a local LGBTQ+ non-profit. Reading widely around queer studies material can help you engage with new ideas around LGBTQ+ culture and learn things about the history of Pride that you didn’t know, while also supporting LGBTQ+ authors and learning about the issues with ‘rainbow-washing’ can be one way to help support the community if you’re an ally. 

LGBTQ pride is traditionally associated with parades, protests, drag performances, memorials, celebrations and a coming together for members of the community lost to the AIDS crisis. It’s usually a combination of both political activism and celebration for the community. For members of the LGBTQ+ community who want to participate in such events, there are many main Pride events throughout the month, including in prominent cities in the UK such as London, Birmingham and Brighton. For those who want to go further afield, it’s relatively easy to find Pride events in any major city around the globe.

It’s important to remember to protect every member of the LGBTQ+ community and acknowledge that Pride events may not always be accessible, safe or feel welcoming to all groups of people and not to push people to be out of their comfort zone or into coming out. 

Pride Graphic
Pride Graphic © Vecteezy

Why Do We Celebrate Pride Month?

Pride Month takes place during June each year to acknowledge the police raid that prompted the Stonewall riots, which led to the establishment of LGBTQ+ rights as well as paving the way for other movements in different intersections. 

The Stonewall riots occurred on June 28, 1969, when police raided a popular gay bar in N.Y.C.’s West Village called The Stonewall Inn. The LGBTQ+ community, including prominent names such as Marsha P. Johnson and Silvia Riviera, protested the raid, which served as a catalyst for calling for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community in the US, and later on the world. The Stonewall Inn has since been declared a historic landmark in 2015 and was later decreed a national monument by President Barack Obama in 2016. 

Now, we both commemorate and celebrate LGBTQ+ activism throughout the years, engaging in literature, art, music, film, protests, events and gatherings to celebrate all identities within the community. The traditional rainbow flag is often used as a symbol of LGBTQ+ Pride, though has now become more synonymous with Gay Pride and those who have other identities sometimes celebrate using different variations of the flag. In 2021, the flag was altered in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protest, and now often shows blue and pink to include the trans flag.

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Community Featured

The UK Conversion Therapy Ban Excludes Trans People

Conversion Therapy Protest

UK’s new ban on conversion therapy in doesn’t include protection for transgender and non-binary people

The LGBTQ+ community and its allies have been left outraged after it was revealed that the UK government’s new ban on conversion therapy in England and Wales does not include legal protection for transgender and non-binary adults and children. While the ban may seem like a huge step forward for LGBTQ+ rights, the decision to exclude trans people from the ban leaves them at risk of further abuse. It also reveals the government’s own discrimination and willingness to sacrifice the well-being of trans people for political gain. 

In December 2021, the UK government proposed a plan to ban conversion therapy based on both sexual orientation and gender identity. However, it’s been speculated that recent anti-trans campaigning by some women’s groups has led to the government’s U-turn on their decision. 

The LGBT Foundation stated that the government’s “subsequent U-turn was an insulting attempt at compromise that excludes our trans, non-binary and gender-diverse community” and that, “to be clear, our rights cannot be conditional on political convenience or expediency.” 

Furthermore, the Rainbow Project, a non-profit organisation based in Northern Ireland has claimed that “any ban that does not include transgender people is not a real ban”. And, Boris Johnson’s own LGBT+ adviser, Nick Herbert, has come forward to state that he is “dismayed” by the decision to exclude trans people within the conversion therapy ban, as reported by The Guardian. 

Conversion Therapy Protest
Conversion Therapy Protest © Guy Bell

In response to the announcement, over 80 prominent LGBTQ+ rights groups have pulled out the U.K government’s first global LGBTQ+ conference, which was aptly named ‘Safe to Be Me’. The organisations signed an open letter by Stonewall claiming they would only participate in the conference if the government included trans people in the conversion therapy ban. The government has since cancelled the conference, which was set to take place in London in June. 

A national survey conducted by the UK government in 2017 found that, alarmingly, transgender people were twice as likely to be offered conversion therapy than lesbian, gay and bisexual people. While Stonewall UK has found that 1 in 5 transgender people have been pressured to access conversion therapy by healthcare services in the UK. 

Conversion therapy, a pseudoscientific practice that aims to convert a person’s sexuality or suppress their gender identity, is traumatic and psychologically harmful. It can at times include electroshock therapy or vomit-inducing drugs. The Independent Forensic Expert Group (IFEG) has also stated that the techniques used can lead to PTSD and negative health consequences, such as ‘stomach ulcers, skin diseases, migraines, sexual and eating disorders, vomiting and insomnia.’ 

The UK’s decision not to include trans people in the conversion therapy ban is a terrifying policy decision at a time when trans people, including children, desperately need acceptance, support and proper gender-affirming and lifesaving care.

Prominent British trans activist, Munroe Bergdorf, among others, has spoken out repeatedly since the government’s announcement, asking people to donate to nonprofit organisations such as Stonewall, Gendered Intelligence and Mermaid, or to contact their local MPs to urge them to include transgender and non-binary people in the conversion therapy ban. You can also sign the petition here: 

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/613556

 

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Community LGBTQ

Utah State Senator Daniel Thatcher Defends Trans Kids

Daniel Thatche Defends Trans Rights
© Trent Nelson

The Senate debate on whether to override U.S Governor Spencer Cox’s veto of the bill banning transgender girls from high school sports has featured many unfortunate statements against the trans rights movements.

However, a glimmer of hope in the shape of a Republican lawmaker shone among the four Republicans who had gone against their values opposing the ban of trans girls from high school sports. It would have been the best course of political action for Thatcher to vote for the override, as even voting against it would not have changed the outcome.

Other Republican lawmakers opposed the ban but did not speak against the bill to save their political careers. Despite the possibility of his statement setting his political race ablaze, Senator Daniel Thatcher defended the fight for trans rights by making an impassioned speech against the infamous bill. It bears repetition that Senator Daniel Thatcher had, realistically, a lot to lose and very little to gain from being outspoken.

Nonetheless, he was very factual with the arguments he provided to defend against the bill. He mentioned how it would hurt transgender even if they played sports or not.

© Trent Nelson

Thatcher advocates for suicide prevention and intelligently said how it hurts the integrity of trans kids to have a group of people who don’t know a thing about them and much less empathize with them, arguing about their fundamental rights. “We want to protect our girls, but this bill hurts our girls… It hurts the trans community; I think it violates the constitution. And I think it wastes money,” he said. “It’s political theatre.”

Senator Thatcher couldn’t vote for the bill because, as advised by former Senate President Michael Waddoups, the first time someone votes against their conscience is the first of many. Rarely does one go back after doing so. Thatcher prioritized his values and beliefs in democracy over his race. He said, “In my world, conservative doesn’t mean turning your back on your principles.”

Thatcher also mentioned how he has seen lawmakers listen to their conscience instead of the potential political consequences that ignoring them would cause and calls this one that would stick with him. He praised the courage shown by transgender kids every day just to face the hatred thrown at them and repeated how it is essential for them to know they have allies and friends willing to fight for their rights even if it means facing the consequences society has placed on them.

Categories
Fashion + Beauty

Golden Ratio

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el_class=”article-title”]

GOLDEN RATIO

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=”article-title”]

Precious Things

Models // Violet @ PBM & Hazsnat[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=”article-byline”]

Photography by Sammy Cullis // Makeup by David Oldenburg// Creative Direction by Sammy Cullis & David Oldenburg

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Whole businesses, industries and lifestyles have slowed down due to the current world situation. With this slowing down, we have been able to look at how we live and consume.
This story asks us to consume consciously – invest in a small number of beautiful pieces and mix them in with things we have. A few precious things add far more value than a multitude of glitters and golds.”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”1975″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][vc_custom_heading text=”Hasznat wears Alan Crocetti Citrine Alien Ear Cuff, Mini Space Ear Cuff and Hybrid Necklace
Violet wears Alan Crocetti Knot Ear Cuff and Sphere15 Ear Cuff” font_container=”tag:h6|font_size:14px|text_align:left|color:%23707070″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” el_class=”image-caption”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”1971″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][vc_custom_heading text=”Hasznat wears Citrine Alien Ear Cuff, Mini Space Ear Cuff, Hybrid Necklace and Alien Ring” font_container=”tag:h6|font_size:14px|text_align:left|color:%23707070″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” el_class=”image-caption”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”1974″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][vc_custom_heading text=”Violet wears Alan Crocetti Sphere15 Ear Cuff” font_container=”tag:h6|font_size:14px|text_align:left|color:%23707070″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” el_class=”image-caption”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][divider line_type=”No Line”][image_with_animation image_url=”1972″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][vc_custom_heading text=”Hasznat wears Alan Crocetti Citrine Alien Ear Cuff, Mini Space Ear Cuff and Hybrid Necklace” font_container=”tag:h6|font_size:14px|text_align:left|color:%23707070″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” el_class=”image-caption”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”1973″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”center” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][vc_custom_heading text=”Violet wears Alan Crocetti Knot Ear Cuff and Sphere15 Ear Cuff” font_container=”tag:h6|font_size:14px|text_align:left|color:%23707070″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” el_class=”image-caption”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”1969″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” 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No Humans or Deities were harmed in the making of this story.
Brands used: Pat McGrath Labs// BH Cosmetics

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column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]We Are Not Who They Say We Are by Manu Valcarce has been selected for FilmPride Festival 2020, where it will be screened alongside more than 50 LGBTQI+ films from up-and-coming directors.

This documentary tells the story of Arcoiris, a group of LGBTQI+ human rights defenders in Honduras. In recent years the organisation has faced mounting attacks and threats following relentless public abuse and stigmatisation. Prejudice from the police and judiciary means that these attacks go largely unpunished, making it one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be an LGBT+ human rights defender. The films reveal both the severity of the risks they face and their determination to further their struggle.

The director, Manu Valcarce is a documentary photographer and filmmaker based in London. He has worked on projects ranging from the lives of Muslim transsexuals living in Jakarta, Indonesia, to those affected by austerity in rural Spain. His work has been screened in the Tate Modern as part of the Uniglo Tate Lates and exhibited in solo and collective shows as well as photography festivals.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_raw_js]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[/vc_raw_js][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” top_padding=”1%” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-1-percent” column_padding_tablet=”padding-8-percent” column_padding_phone=”padding-4-percent” column_padding_position=”left-right” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][nectar_single_testimonial testimonial_style=”small_modern” color=”Default” quote=”‘As a gay man growing up in 1990s Spain – when attitudes were not as open-minded as they are today – I can relate to the pain suffered by the LGBT+ community in countries yet to experience that transformation. Growing up with repression at home, glares and verbal abuse in the streets, and negative representation in the media persist all over the world. However, the situation in Honduras went beyond anything I could have experienced or even imagined. The LGBT+ community often talks of post-traumatic growth, and I saw in these incredible human rights defenders an example of how to direct your pain to fight passionately for your rights, and to help others going through similar experiences. I learned so much about the resilience and solidarity of my community, which I found deeply inspiring.’”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-1-percent” column_padding_tablet=”padding-8-percent” column_padding_phone=”padding-4-percent” column_padding_position=”left-right” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][image_with_animation image_url=”1410″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/6″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none” offset=”vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs”][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”page-sidebar”][/vc_column][/vc_row]