NEW

50p!

***First Time EVER on a UK Coin***

Secure your 50 Years of

PRIDE 50P
Yours
today in
Superior
Collector
Quality JUST
£4(+.p9 9
& p)
• Country of Issue: United Kingdom • Year of Issue: 2022 • Denomination: 50p • Metal: Cupro-Nickel
• Weight: 8g • Diameter: 27.30mm • Reverse Designer: Dominique Holmes • Obverse Designer: Jody Clark
• Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated

To view the full Change Checker

coin range, visit our shop here!
The Royal Mint will make a contribution of £40,000 to
London LGBT Community Pride C.I.C in connection with this campaign.
PRIORITY RESERVATION FORM
Please return in an envelope addressed to:
Freepost RSCR-JHCL-HBGT, The Westminster Collection, PO Box 4848, POOLE. BH12 9GB
T o mark an incredible 50 years since the
first Pride UK event, a new 50p coin
has been issued by The Royal Mint, in
collaboration with Pride in London.
Featuring an original design by the artist, writer and LGBTQ+ activist,
Dominique Holmes (They/Them), this coin honours the history of political
protest and social reform which has united communities nationwide.
Importantly, this is the first time the UK’s LGBTQ+ community has been
celebrated on a UK coin and because ‘firsts’ on UK coinage are always
sought after in later years, demand for the new coin is bound to be high!

YES, Please send me [ ] (max. 9) ‘UK 2022 50 Years of Pride CERTIFIED BU’ 50p Superior Collector Quality
Coin(s) for just £4.99 each (+£2.99 p&p).
ORDER REF: 5JJ/231Y/0
Your 2022 UK 50 Years of Pride 50p has been struck to a Brilliant
Uncirculated quality and protectively encapsulated in official Change
I enclose my cheque/P.O payable to The Westminster Collection Checker packaging to preserve for generations to come.
Please charge my Mastercard/Visa on despatch. Expires: M M Y Y
Celebrate Pride UK’s incredible legacy of grassroots LGBTQ+ activism with
this BRAND NEW release!
Your credit card will not be charged until your order is despatched
Make sure you order before 8th July 2022 to guarantee yours in Brilliant
Uncirculated quality.
Signed:
Orders are subject to acceptance and status. You must be over 18 to place an order with us.

Telephone No: ( )
(Please help us to keep you up-to-date with selected special offers)
www.changechecker.org/PrideCoin
Email:

Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms:
(Please circle)
(Please help us to keep you up-to-date with selected special offers)

(FIRST NAME) (SURNAME)

0333 0032 777
Address:

Postcode:
We think you’d be interested in some of the latest offers by post from our retail partners: companies
operating in the clothing, collectables, food & wine, gardening, gadgets & entertainment, heath &
beauty, household goods and home interiors categories.If you would prefer not to receive these, please Calls may be recorded. © 2022 The Westminster Collection is a trading division of 288 Group
tick this box [ ]. To learn more about our partners please see our privacy policy at
www.westminstercollection.com/privacy Limited Registered No. 2000413 : Russell House, Oxford Road, Bournemouth, BH8 8EX.
 CONTENTS
UPFRONT
04 Team DIVA
05 Editor’s letter
09 Publisher’s letter
10 Trending
12 Your shout 16 18 40
13 Style: Dua Saleh VOICES FEATURES CULTURE
14 The Good Vibes Show
16 On hating the word “lesbian” 18 Young M.A 40 G Flip
17 #HotEnbySummer 26 MUNA 45 As Love Goes
28 Why I’m growing my hair 46 Juno Dawson
30 Representing trans onscreen 49 Double Booked
34 More to drag than queens 50 Northern Fashion Week
36 Reproductive rights 51 Brighton Pride
38 Queer vampires

Throughout the issue you

will see this symbol, which
indicates that there is digital
content available related to that
particular feature. You will be able to
access this complimentary content
when you purchase our digital edition
from divadigital.co.uk or directly
through the DIVA branded app,
available on the App Store, Google Play,
Kindle Newsstand and Windows
Store.
52 65
(Please note that additional content
may not be available via all of our REAL TALK SEX
third-party digital suppliers.
However, buying the issue
52 Don’t Say Gay 60 Non-binary health care
COVER PHOTO ANDREW MORALES

using one of the methods

above will give you
access to this content.)
54 Being your whole self at work 62 Sexting 101
56 Out in the office 65 Sexy bits
58 Valentino Vecchietti 66 My secret sex diary

...and DIVA regular sections 42 Music | 44 Screen | 48 Books | 59 Dear Ali

3
 TEAM DIVA
WHAT DOES PRIDE MEAN TO YOU?
Nic Crosara (they/them)
Staff writer
“It means past, present and
future. Our queer ancestors
created Pride. We must do what
we can to improve the rights
of LGBTQI people and other
marginalised groups with what
time we have. And what bet-
ter motivation than imagining
queer lives of the future? And
of course, we can celebrate and
party along the way.”
@niccrosara
Love women?
Love DIVA! Operations director Fiona Marshall
Designer Fernando Safont
Support queer media Acting sub-editor Nadia Davies
and save money, too. Big thanks to: Molly Smith, Lucan
Fairweather, Ali Hendry, Laura Molloy, Emma
Turn to page 57 and Hall, Fernando Belo, Elma Glasgow, Pepa
Gormley, Kate Appleton, Matthew Fogg,
#SubscribeWithPride Samantha Brensilber, Sue Sanders
today... Advertising
sales@divamag.co.uk
Subscriptions
For information, see page 57
Subscriptions help
fiona@divamag.co.uk
If you need a back issue to complete your
set, email fiona@divamag.co.uk
THE AUGUST ISSUE OF DIVA IS ON SALE FROM FRIDAY 29 JULY AT DIVADIGITAL.CO.UK AND DIVADIRECT.INFO
4 JULY 2022
Char Bailey (she/her/they)
Features writer
“Being all of me without apol-
ogy. Not because of arrogance,
but because I can be my truest
self and know that there’s
nothing to apologise for. What’s
different about me isn’t synony-
mous with worse. Rather than
feel ashamed and make myself
small, I can celebrate and feel
part of something much bigger
than me. Us. I’m proud of that.”
@char_bailey_
Postal address
DIVA MAGAZINE
Ground floor
2 Woodbury Grove
London N12 0DR
editorial@divamag.co.uk
divamag.co.uk
Newstrade distribution
Select Publisher Services Ltd, PO BOX 6337,
Bournemouth, BH1 9EH
Distribution help fiona@divamag.co.uk
Printed in UK by CPUK Print Publishing
(cp-uk.co.uk)
Published by
DIVA MEDIA GROUP LIMITED
Publisher Linda Riley
linda@divamag.co.uk
All rights reserved © DMG 2016 ISSN 1353 4912
Eleanor Noyce (she/her)
Junior staff writer
“Pride is about celebrating
community. I’m lucky enough to
have the support of my family,
but there are so many LGBTQI
folk that don’t have that and
I think Pride is a cathartic,
comforting way of honouring
the support networks chosen
families provide. Pride is also a
protest, and that shouldn’t ever
be forgotten.”
@eleanornoyce_
DIVA is published monthly in the UK by
DIVA Media Group Limited. The mention
or appearance or likeness of any person or
organisation in articles or advertising in
DIVA is not to be taken as any indication of
sexual, social or political orientation of such
persons or organisations. No responsibility
can be assumed for unsolicited materials and
submission is construed as permission to
publish without further correspondence at
the fee payable at our usual rates. Advertisers
are advised that all copy is their sole
responsibility under the Trade Protection Act.
No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without prior permission of the
publishers.
 UPFRONT | TEAM DIVA

Editor’s letter
I
t’s 1 July 1972 and London has never seen anything quite like this before.
Hundreds of LGBTQIA people are marching through the capital. Under-
standably, they’re nervous. They fear hostility, arrest and even violence. But
despite onlookers hurling their homophobic, hate-filled slurs, our brave
activists plough on, chanting three short words defiantly on repeat: “Gay is
good! Gay is good!” This is the UK’s first Pride.
Fifty years and countless rainbow sequins later, we’re still here, raising
eyebrows, ruffling feathers and being our unapologetic selves. After five dec-
ades you might wonder, why do we still need Pride? Because Pride is the op-
posite of shame. And if you’ve ever felt shame about who you are, you already
know how painful it is, how devastating, how all-consuming. Pride allows us
to reframe our identity as something to revel in. Pride invites us to be bold, to
delight in our difference, to take up space and demand the rights we deserve.
The best Prides feel like a parallel universe, a topsy turvy day where for once
we are not the minority. We are the many and we wield great power.
We’ve come a long way in the last half century: same-sex marriage, the
Gender Recognition Act, the repeal of Section 28 - a toxic piece of legislation
banning teachers from the so-called “promotion of homosexuality”. But that
progress is far from perfect. It’s not linear either. Just turn to page 52 and read
our urgent investigation into the frighteningly familiar “Don’t Say Gay” bills
in the US. From transphobia in mainstream media to racism within our own
community, our fight is far from over.
Fifty years on, Pride is still very much a protest but it’s a party too. Don’t all
the best revolutions involve dancing like nobody’s watching? Likewise, our July
issue is a mix of protest and party. We tackle the serious stuff, like navigating
non-binary sexual health and protecting reproductive rights, but there’s plenty
of queer joy on offer as well. Check out our brilliant cover interview with
Young M.A (page 18) and our hilarious and highly informative guide to sapphic
sexting (page 62).
So enjoy this issue and have a glorious Pride. Stand up for justice, fight for
your rights, but make sure you take the time to celebrate and nourish your
soul too.

Roxy Bourdillon (she/her)

Editor-in-chief
@roxybourdillon
roxy@divamag.co.uk

5
 PARKSIDE PLACE
at Greenwich Millennium Village,
London SE10

JUST LAUNCHED – NEW 1 & 2 BED

SHARED OWNERSHIP APARTMENTS
10 mins walk from the O2!

1 beds from £140,000* with a 35% share.

Visit: onehousing.co.uk

CASH BACK INCENTIVE AVAILABLE*

Happy Pride
Contact us for more information
Month
0300 123 9966 onehousing.co.uk
Move into your new, quality built home with
high specification this spring.

MONTMORENCY PARK
Station Road, New Southgate, London N11

LAST REMAINING 3 & 4 BED

PRIVATE SALE APARTMENTS
High specification and only 5 min walk
to New Southgate station

Plot P.17 3 bed apartment priced at £600,000

Visit: montmorencypark.co.uk

LAST
CASH REMAINING
BACK APARTMENTS
INCENTIVE AVAILABLE*

GRANVILLE GARDENS
Granville Road, London NW2

LAUNCHING THIS SUMMER 2022

Brand new collection of apartments and
houses in the thriving and richly diverse
neighbourhoods of Golders Green and
Hampstead Heath.

Visit: granvillegardensnw2.co.uk

ENQUIRE NOW

We believe in creating places that people can call home.

Discover our collection of new homes today.
Prices and details correct at time of print. *Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility criteria applies.
Actual show home and development photography.
 UPFRONT | PUBLISHER’S LETTER

A letter from our publisher

W
ith Pride season in full swing, we’re once again publishing the annual
Pride Power List at pridepowerlist.com. This is the 10th year of the Pride
Power List and it’s wonderful to be able to tell you that 51% of the
LGBTQI movers and shakers featured in the list are either women or
non-binary people. Increased visibility for women and non-binary
people is the main reason I launched Lesbian Visibility Week which,
earlier this year, was a huge success. It’s great to see this reflected in
the list. And if you’re worried that it’s only people in the LGBTQI community who
will be made aware of the list, I can confirm that – once again – the Guardian will be
publishing it, helping to educate our allies about our community and some of the
truly awe-inspiring people in it.
Although I can hardly believe it myself, this year I turned 60, something my
younger self would most definitely have considered ancient! With each passing
year, I promise myself that I’ll put my feet up and take it a little easier, but I seem to
be doing more and more. When the time comes to finally pass on the baton, I know
that our community is in safe hands. I am genuinely inspired by some of the young
LGBTQI people making their voices heard. People like 19-year-old Kizzy Edgell, one
of the breakout stars of the Netflix hit Heartstopper, who made a powerful video
for Stonewall (tinyurl.com/KizzyPride). If Kizzy is in any way representative of the
younger generation – and I am convinced that they are – we have a bright future.
When I consider the struggles that our community has faced during my
lifetime – perhaps, most notably, Section 28 (opposition to which gave rise to the
foundation of Stonewall) – it was refreshing to see the rainbow flag flying high and
proud on The Mall during the recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations. If this had hap-
pened at the Queen’s Silver Jubilee back in 1977, when the landscape for LGBTQI
people was very different, I have no doubt that the police would have removed it,
and possibly even arrested those who had been waving it. The fact that a rainbow
flag at a major national event watched by millions all over the world passed with-
out comment is a testament to how far we have come.
I remember all too well the oppression that our community has faced through-
out my lifetime. Even today, as a masculine-presenting lesbian I am still regularly
challenged when I use the women’s toilet. This only serves to remind me of the
oppression our trans siblings face every single day of their lives. While it is heart-
ening to learn from my 15-year-old twins that half their school year identifies as
LGBTQI or non-binary, the struggles faced by the trans community serve as a stark
reminder that until we are all free, none of us can claim to enjoy genuine freedom.
So remember folks: Pride is not just a celebration, it is also a protest, and while
Pride season is an important part of the calendar, we are queer all year!

Linda Riley
Publisher

9
 UPFRONT | TRENDING

TRENDING Janelle Monáe Sara Ramirez

“Non-binary people are

Inspiring
quotes
from NB
icons
“I will always, always, not a monolith.
stand with women. I Bisexual
will always stand with people are not a
Black women. But I monolith. Queer
just see everything people are not
that I am beyond a monolith. Che
the binary.” Diaz is not here
As told to The for anyone’s approval.”
Red Table Talk As told to DIVA

14 July is International
Vico Ortiz
Non-Binary People’s “People normally think non-binary
Day so here are and they think white, skinny,
some fab words androgynous. And that is not the case.
from celebs thriving We actually existed forever ago.”
between the binary As told to Entertainment Weekly

Ruby Rose Travis Alabanza

“No one else “Gender cannot be separated from race,
can tell you and we cannot ignore the
what or who you power whiteness has to force
are. All the answers defaults onto things, to erase
that you’re looking histories, or to homogenise and
for are inside of you.” flatten complex existences.”
As told to The Guardian Written for Huffpost

More info on
Contents page 3
TikTokers to follow this month
A married couple based in – you guessed it – Bedfordshire, Lisa
and Jill document everything from their Too Good To Go hauls to
their daily walks. Rural visibility of LGBTQI couples is important, so
to see this gorgeous pairing being so happy is endearing. They’ve
joked about being “too old for TikTok”, jumping on the bandwagon
to share their love of Kate Bush amidst the
At just 20, Zaya is renewed hype for Running Up That Hill
WORDS ELEANOR NOYCE AND NIC CROSARA. PHOTOS INSTAGRAM , TIKTOK

creating a community post-Stranger Things. Go and follow them! @thebirdsofbedfordshire

for trans teens. Sharing
her transition journey,
she was named in
Teen Vogue’s TikTok’s
Class of LGBTQ+
Trailblazers. Closely
documenting
@zayaperysian her bottom
surgery, she’s
joked about stocking
up on nappies to deal with the leaks, bringing a
light-hearted sentiment to the experience. Follow her!
Both renowned TikTokers in their own right,
back in May, Millie and Kate hard launched
their relationship in an Instagram post.
After appearing in BBC Three series Love In
The Flesh, Millie was unable to discuss her
relationship with Kate. Now, they have a joint
YouTube channel, sharing everything
from a lover’s retreat to Mexico to a few @bluenbroke
days spent in sunny Oxfordshire. Aww.
@milliemclay

10 JULY 2022
Connect with
your
Trans Pride London 2022 | 9 July
COMMUNITY
QUEERCIRCLE | Open now
A response to the injustices that trans+ people face daily, all over the Having launched in June 2022,
world, Trans Pride London returns with invigorated spirit. Meeting QUEERCIRCLE is a new dedicated
at the Wellington Arch at 1pm, Trans Pride requests that flowers are LGBTQ+ cultural space based in
worn to honour the legacy of transgender, non-binary, gender non- Greenwich. Creating sober non-nightlife
conforming and intersex people that came before. Pride is a protest. focused events for LGBTQI people,
Protect trans youth. Michaela Yearwood-Dan’s solo exhibition
Let Me Hold You and an archive-based
Margate Pride | 13 August exhibition celebrating the radical drag
A Pride event with the community at its heart, Margate Pride is queens of The Gay Liberation Front are
absolutely one to have in the diary. This year, they’ll be holding a on offer this Pride season. Learn more
fundraiser quiz and raffle on 14 July at Cliftonville Community Hall, at their website at queercircle.org.
hosted by Pink Suits. Mx Margate will put a queer twist on the existing
pageants of Margate but be quick: the deadline to apply is 18 July. The
winner will be crowned at the final Margate Pride event on 13 August at the Oval Bandstand. To
read more about this year’s celebrations, visit their website at margatepride.org.uk.

Tune into… Ready to break Watch…

Sleep With Me up with negative @camilalor
Good zZz’s are A reminder to us all
essential for your self-talk? to dance like
body. Why not tune nobody’s
into this podcast
for insomniac
ladies, gentlemen
Love your watching

and friends
beyond the
binary to help
body this
you sleep tonight?
summer
Read this… Listen to… Follow…
Let’s Get Physical: About Damn Time by Lizzo
How Women “It’s bad bitch o’clock, yeah, it’s thick-30”
Discovered Exercise
And Reshaped The
World by Danielle
Friedman
A book that @nrgfitness
encourages readers to Helping
take up space and live transmasc
life on their own terms people feel
at home in
their bodies

11
 UPFRONT | YOUR SHOUT

You said it... INSTAGRAM OUR FAVE ACCOUNTS

THIS MONTH

#JuneIssue
@sullivansa1 special issue of the legendary
TRANS POSITIVE NEWS @DIVAmagazine. Pre order
Couldn’t be more proud. your copy for more rainbow
For #pride2022 month a goodness than you can handle
SHOUT

ft. my piece on TikTok turning us

YOUR

feature on Em . With thanks @victoriascone

Opinions expressed by
correspondents and
contributors do not
necessarily reflect the
views of the editors of DIVA
magazine or its publishers.
JOIN Z
THE mB/dUivZamagazine queer women love to have
k.co
faceboo l@divamag.co
editoria amagazine
@div
to @LindaRiley8 and the
@DIVAmagazine team
@Mermaids_Gender
Amazing to see the inspirational
Emily Bridges on the #Pride
issue of @DIVAmagazine. Order
your copy now!
@lauraelizakay
So excited to be in the Pride
issue of Diva talking to lovely
@RoxyBourdillon about writing
sex scenes, queer joy and why
.uk
complicated relationships
with our exes.
@neither_both
Screaming with #PRIDE that
my writing is featured in this
all gaeee It was an absolute JOY to
host the @rainbowhonours
@CymruAce @thebankoflondon rainbow
Well done to DIVA magazine honours awards with
for continuing to represent the @julianclaryrenownedhomosexual
entire LGBTQIA+ community
and an early happy Pride to all
of you. You are doing excellent
work.
@DamselProd
We were lucky to have a very
special post-show talk after @claire.sweeney
today’s matinee with the brilliant What a lovely surprise last night.
@RoxyBourdillon (editor-in- Proud to have won Celebrity Ally
chief of @DIVAmagazine) of the year @rainbowhonours
in conversation with our Awards.
wonderful writer and
director, Iman Qureshi and
@HannahHauerKing
@sohotheatre

#podDIVA
@hannahw253
@_Tati_Sousa_ @JustSom79339578 Never in my wildest dreams did I
imagine that I would one day be a
Subscribe to What an amazing episode Pride edition of
mother of two
today. Every Wednesday PodDiva! (though
DIVA
Hey hot stuff!
we have great
experiences. I loved
every episode of
PodDiva is a pride
To all the young trans girls and
women out there, don’t give up
on your dreams. You are beautiful,
Want a monthly date being a part of the edition really) you are special and you deserve all
with your favourite previous episode, it was A courageous the happiness.
magazine? As ever, endless thanks to our
Then turn to page 57 and really cool. Loved your #BeyondBorders
#SubscribeWithPride... interview @eleanornoyce_. feature from Tutu. So wonderful Laura. You’ve changed
Congratulations on your disheartening to see the our lives forever
book @HeyRowanEllis and for regression of gay rights in Scan the code with
WORDS NIC CROSARA

sharing your experiences. Indonesia. your phone or type

aca.st/e6365a
#HereAndQueer #podDIVA in your browser
to subscribe to
podDIVA.

12 JULY 2022
 UPFRONT | STYLE

LOOKING TO ADD SOME NON-BINARY FINERY TO

YOUR WARDROBE? LOOK NO FURTHER! WORDS NIC CROSARA

Style inspo Sex Education has been renewed for a fourth season. While there’s

Dua aleh
no confirmed release date yet, we’re hoping to be reunited with
the cast before the end of 2022. Dua Saleh, who portrayed Cal
in the third season, served up some much needed non-binary
representation on this delightful Netflix show. We got to see

S
Cal teach their classmate and audiences the euphoria of chest
binding safely. Dua is a singer, an actor and equally as cool as
the character they portray on the series. Their signature looks
are simple but inherently stylish. Whether wearing all black or an
oversized T-shirt and cap, their outfits never disappoint. Here are
some style picks inspired by both Dua and Cal.

YELLOW BASEBALL CAP

marksandspencer.com, £12.50

More info on
Contents page 3

BLACK JEANS
lucyandyak.com, £50

STATEMENT T-SHIRT
weirdwednesday.co.uk, £22
CHECKED BUTTON DOWN
collectiflondon.com, £58.99

Psst, why not hit up Dua’s merch store for some awesome t-shirts!
PHOTOS INSTAGRAM, SAM TAYLOR/NETFLIX

Duasaleh.bandcamp.com, £16
HALF BINDER
gc2b.io, £30

13
 UPFRONT | DIVA MEETS
DIVA Meets:
The Good Vibes Show
RADIO HOST LOUISE AKROFI BRINGS FEEL-GOOD MUSIC
AND CELEBRATES DIVERSE ARTISTS
WORDS NIC CROSARA
Looking for an hour of brilliant
music and insightful conversations
on a Sunday afternoon? Well Louise
Akrofi, founder and host of The Good
Vibes Show (TGVS), is here for your
earwaves. Louise launched TGVS in
April 2021 on Slack City Radio as a way
to create positive energy amidst all
the doom and gloom of the pandemic,
serving up some much needed LGBTQI
and BPOC (Black people and people of
colour) representation. “I want people
to know that within their favourite
genre, there are fantastic queer artists
and artists of colour,” Louise says.
“Representation is so important to me,
particularly as a ‘double minority.’”
I’m a firm believer that music is
QUEER MUSIC LOUISE LOVES
Name a song that exudes Black queer joy?
Ivy Sole – BITTERSWEET. Easily. That
song gives me life.
What’s your go-to queer break up song?
Asiahn – Gucci Frames. It’s just
perfectly produced. I love the line,
“Ever since you left me I’ve been
winning, I bet you thought that I’d
14 JULY 2022
medicine, as is starting important
conversations. That’s why I love the
work that Louise does on the show,
on top of serving up tunes with
Representation is so
immaculate vibes. “I use the show
to bring awareness to issues sur-
important to me, particularly
rounding the LGBTQI community,
particularly in countries where being
as a ‘double minority’”
queer can mean that people risk
imprisonment, danger and in some
awful cases, death,” she shares. “I re- as well as here in the UK.
cently interviewed Leila Zadeh of The The show is Brighton based, so I’m
Rainbow Migration Group, who told curious to find out what the response
us about the dangers of queer asylum has been like from local listeners.
seekers in Rwanda, a country that has “Overwhelmingly positive, people
a hostile history with queer people.” are keen to get involved. That being
She hopes it opens people’s eyes to said, I really want to involve the local
the issues we face around the world, community more,” Louise emphasises.
“Brighton is home to some incredible
Black British activists and artists who I
really look up to, so I’m hoping to have
them on the show soon.”
Louise is currently working on
stay broken, but I won’t.” curating events for LGBTQI and BPOC
Who’s an LGBTQI artist that you have on in Brighton as well as other events
repeat? where our communities are spotlight-
I’m obsessed with Orion Sun who I ed. Be sure to watch this space.
discovered relatively recently via the
Colors Live performance channel. To find out more about The Good Vibes Show
They are just incredible. Their voice is visit slackcity.org.uk and follow
like melted butter. @the.goodvibes.show @slackcityradio
 ©2022 Barefoot Cellars, Modesto, CA. All Rights Reserved.

At Barefoot Wine, we believe that

everyone deserves to be celebrated, no matter
who you are or whom you love.

barefootwine.co.uk /BarefootWineUK /BarefootWineUK

 VOICES | BETH LEWIS

VOICES
Why I hate the word
“lesbian”
BETH LEWIS shares why she doesn’t
identify with the “l” word

I
came out when I was at university and,
being a newly minted member of the
LGBTQI community, I sought out my
spaces, my peers. There were several
descriptors of an aspect of a person, not the
whole person. You can be a gay man, a trans
woman, a bisexual firefighter, but if you’re
a homosexual female, you are a lesbian, and

“It carries gay pubs in the city centre, almost

exclusively full of men, and then there
was the one lesbian bar, hidden down
you carry all the stereotypical baggage that
comes along with that.
I am a gay woman, but I am not a

a weight winding streets near the train station. This

segregation never sat quite right with me.
It said: if you are a lesbian, this is where
lesbian. To me, there is a subtle difference
between those two labels. When I was in
school, “lesbian”, “lezzer”, “lez” were all

of identity you must go and the only place you belong.

That rigid stamp of identity became more
painfully apparent in my third year when
hurled around as insults. This word – what
I was supposed to be – entered my lexicon
as a slur, not as something to be proud of. I

that I’m un- I lived with a new group of friends, some I

knew better than others. I overheard one of
these friends on the phone talking to her
sometimes feel the lesbian identity in the
UK can be split into pre- and post- L Word.
The L Word opened up the myriad pos-

comfortable parents about who she was living with, and

it went something like this: “There’s Emma,
she studies French and bakes at 2am.
sibilities of what lesbians and gay women
could be. When I was a teenager, to be a
lesbian was to cut your hair and dress in a

bearing” There’s John, he is an architecture student

BETH LEWIS
is an Oxford-based
writer. Her third
novel, The Origins
Of Iris, is out now
and plays board games. And there’s Beth,
she’s a lesbian.”
The shock of that statement stuck with
me for years. I was newly out, not hugely
confident, and to have my entire person
reduced to who I was attracted to made me
feel like I was not allowed to be anything
more than that one label. From that mo-
ment, I stopped using the word. Despite
being one, now being married to one, writing
books featuring them, I have not used that
certain way. It was to go to your designated
bars. In essence, you had to look and act
like a lesbian to be one. And I never did, so
I never developed a strong connection with
that identity.
Labels can be wonderful, they can allow
people a sense of belonging, community,
trust, give others an insight into their
personality, and give a strong sense of
identity to those who need it. But they can
also be limiting and put us in boxes that
might not quite fit. While I feel empowered
PHOTO JANNINE SAUNDERS

word since to describe myself. It carries
@BethKLewis
a weight of identity that I’m uncomfort-
able bearing.
For me, being a writer, it comes down to
grammar. In the LGBTQI acronym, lesbian
is the only noun. The others are adjectives,
to choose my labels, I also now feel
empowered not to, and that is just as
wonderful.
The Origins Of Iris by Beth Lewis (Hodder Studio,
£9.99) is available in paperback now.

16 JULY 2022

#HotEnbySummer
After a lockdown of PJs and pants,
NIC CROSARA is summer-ready
S
ummer should be a time for hav-
ing fun and getting some much
needed sun-induced serotonin.
However, as always, headlines,
social media posts and adverts
pressuring people to “get summer
body-ready” have left many of
us longing to be reunited with our winter
wardrobes. I can’t help but eye-roll every
time I see the phrase used. The only thing
our bodies need to be “summer-ready” is
extra hydration, sunscreen and vitamin D.
A few years ago, when I started to
see #HotGirlSummer trending on various
platforms, I assumed it was just another
term used to perpetuate the expectations
put on people (especially women) to lose
weight. Little did I realise that the term
was actually coined by the iconic Megan
Thee Stallion. The meaning behind it be-
ing: “To be you, just having fun. Turning
up, driving the boat and not giving a damn
about what nobody’s saying.”
Whilst I stopped masquerading as
a girl many years ago, it wasn’t until we
were (understandably) forced inside due
to lockdown that I examined how the
patriarchy was still impacting the way I
presented myself when I left my home.
With no one to perform for, I stopped
wearing make-up, binders or bras and
shaving my legs.
Fast forward to 2022, and I’ve decided
that jeans are, in fact, the devil. I sigh
every time I leave the flat and have to get
out of my PJs from the waist down, some-
what presentable from the waist-up attire
that has become the norm since working
from home. I long for a world where we
can live like the free spirits depicted in oil
VOICES | NIC CROSARA
paintings that would frolic nude around
a tree.
There are a multitude of reasons why
wearing weather appropriate clothing in “Say it with
the warmer seasons can be a daunting
task for many. In pre-rona years, it was an
inevitable event which filled me with dys- me now:
phoria. I knew how to dress in a way that
filled me with joy for the colder months,
but I was yet to get my heatwave style ‘Every body is
down. When spring ‘22 reared its head and
I whipped out my tank tops and shorts,
I realised there was still a nagging inner
voice that was criticising my body. I was
beautiful’”
self-conscious every time I had to lift my
arms over my head in public, revealing my
hairy armpits and worried that someone
would stare at my bristly legs.
This year, as soon as I started seeing
#HotGirlSummer posts, I decided to look
up what my fellow trans and non-binary
siblings were up to. When I searched
#HotEnbySummer (enby being short
for non-binary) I was overjoyed to see
fabulous people of all different body types
and gender expressions posting snaps of
themselves soaking up the sun, smiles
plastered on their faces and captions filled
with euphoria and pride.
Summer ‘22 is here. I’m triple vaxed,
ready to turn up, have fun and not give a
NIC CROSARA
is DIVA’s staff
damn. I hope the CEO of #HotGirlSummer
writer. They are
will be proud. After the tumultuous years
a bookworm
we’ve all shared, there’s a lot of lost time and plant parent
to make up for. This summer, I hope that who fills their
people remember to be kind and gender-fluid soul
non-judgemental when it comes to people by playing way
doing the simple act of existing outside. too much Sims 4.
Say it with me now: “Every body is @niccrosara
beautiful.”
17
 FEATURES Young
M.A
The
26
Meet MUNA
The trio championing queer
euphoria in alt-pop music
Kween
THE ACCLAIMED LYRICIST AND BROOKLYN RAPPER TALKS LOVING WOMEN,
SHUNNING LABELS AND STAYING TRUE TO HERSELF
WORDS NIC CROSARA

At 30 years old, Katorah Marrero – and trauma. She’s appeared in popu-

known to the world as Young M.A – lar shows, such as Mr. Robot and even
has forged a captivating career. She’s tried out life behind the camera when
worked her way to the top, becoming she directed a porno (more on that
one of the most iconic rappers of our later). One of her most recent pursuits

28
Growing it out
Why I’m leaving short
hair behind for good
time. The Brooklyn artist dials into our
Zoom call from New York and I try my
best not to swoon over her gravelly
voice and dazzling smile. It’s been a
long day of back-to-back interviews
has been the launch of the Herstory
In The Making NFT capsule released
with eco-conscious music NFT plat-
form Serenade. What inspired her to
create the collection? “It really came

30
The transgender for M.A, yet she carries herself with Hear more from about through my team,” she says.
tipping point a relaxed confidence that seems to Young M.A on “We wanted to stamp the steps and
Trans onscreen podDIVA.
come to her with ease. some of the biggest moments in my
representation
Over the years, M.A has gone life that pushed me to the next level
PHOTO ANDREW MORALES

from 1999 to
present from strength to strength when
it comes to her music. She’s also
taken on philanthropy by founding
KWEENZ, a foundation that helps East
New York residents overcome grief
and share that with my supporters.”
M.A clearly has a lot of love for
her fans. Scrolling through the com-
ment sections of her music videos
and interviews you’ll see people >>>

18 JULY 2022
 FEATURES | COVER STORY

“M .a
stands for
‘Me Always’”

19
20 JULY 2022
PHOTO CAMERON KIRKLAND
 FEATURES | COVER STORY

o w w h at a n
“I don’t kn
LGBTQI artist is. If they
artists, they artists.
If they dope, they dope”
>>> hailing her as a Kween and From there, M.A started to gain see her ass in it.” PettyWap is featured
coming to her defence when the more attention and then came in M.A’s hugely successful debut al-
dark side of fame rears its head. It’s out with the game-changing track bum, Herstory In The Making. She has
no surprise she wanted to go above Ooouuu. She doesn’t shy away from lived a life filled with trials and tribu-
and beyond the norms of hoodies her own success, calling it: “one of the lations. In the album she recounts a
and t-shirts when it came to creating hottest records in the world ever to raw and detailed autobiographical
merchandise for her followers. “I saw be made”. M.A also never shies away depiction of her experiences. It’s no
that you call your fans THE MAB,” I from sexually explicit language, as surprise that she based an NFT on it
say (pronouncing it like “dab” with an this lyric from her breakout hit shows: and titled the entire capsule after this
m) as I ask her how this name came “You call her Stephanie? I call her milestone moment. In 2018, she’d go
to be. A smile tugs at her face as she Headphanie (ooh).” on to direct a pornographic film, The
confirms, “Do you mean THE MAB?” Another item in the collection Gift, which she views as part of her
(Pronounced Ma-uh-b). I try to play it commemorates her track PettyWap. Herstory album. It’s an erotic fantasy
cool as I apologise for my pesky Brit- The accompanying music video has which features seven women and
ish accent and it’s all warm laughter amassed over 120 million views on zero men and follows a virginal girl as
in return. “I really don’t believe in YouTube and is filled with women in she discovers “paradise”.
fans. Because fans sometimes get you bikinis shaking what their mamas The final NFT pays tribute to Hello
one minute and then the next minute gave them along to the lyrics: “Bought Baby, a track from M.A’s latest album,
another way,” she says. “My support- that bitch a Fashion Nova dress just to Off The Yak, which perfectly en- >>>
ers is like my family. So any time I’m
taking a break or anything like that,
they’re well aware. They can’t wait,
[but] they literally be patient for me. I
get a lot of support. A lot of love,” she
smiles. “It’s just a dope experience
to know that I still got my day ones
and they’re always there. So that’s
why I call them THE MAB. Because it’s
like family.”
I don’t know about you, but I
struggle with simply deciding what
cereal to have for breakfast. So how
did M.A decide which five moments
to base the collection on? The first is
inspired by Brooklyn Chiraq: the free-
style that went viral in 2014. “I’ve al-
ways been the person to know about
the whole digital platform of moving
PHOTO MARC DIAMOND

my music, and selling my music,” she

reflects. “It was on Facebook, when
Facebook was a platform where you
could promote music but it wasn’t as
fake as SoundCloud and YouTube.”

21
 m u s i c i s
“M y
My diary.
it’s an open book”
>>> capsulates why, all these years
later, she’s still dubbed as “the Kween
of New York”.
Throughout her career, M.A has
received much recognition and praise
as an acclaimed lyricist and trailblaz-
er. However, some critics have called
her songs misogynistic and she’s
faced accusations of perpetuating
sexist stereotypes within the genre.
In an interview with The Fader, M.A
said: “At the end of the day, men can
be described the same way as men
describe women. A man can be a ho,
just as much as a woman can be a ho.
And I’m a woman myself! I respect
women. I respect my mother.”
Thriving within a cishet male-
dominated industry, many fans have
found inspiration from M.A’s success.
She’s achieved it all as an independ-
ent artist to top it all off. She remains
true to herself and rejects being cat-
egorised as a female or lesbian rapper.
“I’m just Young M.A the artist. That’s
why M.A stands for ‘Me Always’.
I never put that tag in front of my
name because that’s not what defines
me,” she says. “I’m a lot of things. I’m
not a lesbian.”
Regardless of labels, I tell her that
I appreciate her authenticity and how
she creates art that is unapologeti-
cally about dating, loving and having
sex with women. “My thing is just
being real,” she says. “I love women
and that’s just me.” But it hasn’t all
been sunshine and rainbows. M.A has
come up against plenty of homopho-
bia within the industry. I’m curious to
22 JULY 2022
find out how she deals with it. “Just
drink some Yak,” she chuckles before
becoming serious. “I have my ways.
I don’t always say too much because
people will have their own way of go-
ing about that.”
The music industry has become
more progressive, with queer artists
such as Hayley Kiyoko and Lil Nas X
receiving much celebration. When I
ask if there’s anything she’d like to see
change when it comes to the treat-
ment of LGBTQI artists, her answer
is she’d like us to move away from
such phrasing. “I don’t know what
an LGBTQI artist is. If they artists,
they artists. If they dope, they dope.”
She feels as though, “That becomes
the part of you that takes away from
your artistry, because now people
are looking at you for your focus that
you’re trying to promote a label of a
movement to get into an industry,
when all you gotta do is promote your
talent.” In a world full of tokenisation,
I can respect M.A’s desire to focus on
the technical side of creative life over
the persona.
Black and Brown people often
have our stories taken from us. I
admire how much M.A claims power
over her own narrative in not only her
debut but her work at large. But what
was it like opening up about her life
in such a raw way in Herstory? “My
music is my diary. It’s an open book.
I thought I would be real. This is my
way of expressing myself without
More info on
feeling like I had to go to therapy.” She
Contents page 3 explains that as a headstrong person
she exists a lot within her mind. She
used to believe overthinking was an is-
sue before figuring out how to shift her
philosophy. “Thinking isn’t the prob-
lem, it’s thinking thinking is the prob-
lem,” she laughs. Now she accepts that
her thoughts are how she is where she
is right now and it’s all about “thinking
as we keep moving”. “That’s why I like
expressing it and letting it be known,”
she adds. “Everybody acts like they
happy all the time. Sometimes you got
to say it and let other people realise
and they can reflect on it.”
M.A has reached the top all
on her own, without the help of a
record label. Does she think that
being an indie artist grants her more
control over how she expresses
herself? “Yeah. I think that’s why I
stay independent. I control myself.”
Whilst many artists are pressured
into focusing on the speed of their
careers, for M.A: “I look for it to be
much more like longevity.”
And what does the Kween of New
York think about the NYC rap scene?
“I love everything about it. It’s my
city.” M.A has certainly earned her
title, and I must find out her thoughts
on the influence she’s had. “I know I
did a lot and people look up to me,”
she says. “When you come from the
city, you just gotta do something, no
matter what it is. You gotta make
PHOTO TIFFANY CHAPMAN
some type of impact, no matter if you
know it or not.”
Young M.A’s Herstory In The Making NFT
collection is available now at serenade.co
FEATURES | COVER STORY

23
 P H A S E 1 - A V A I L A B L E N O W

Show Home

The first phase of Millstream Tower

offers a collection of beautifully
designed one and two bedroom
apartments in Tottenham Hale for
Shared Ownership sale. Conveniently
located just 2 minutes from Tottenham
Hale Station with a priority to buyers
who live or work in Haringey.

Prices starting from £88,750 for a one

bedroom apartment (25% equity share
based on a full value of £355,000) giving
you an unmissable opportunity to join in
the Millstream Tower journey.

Register your interest

Visit: millstreamtower.london
or call: 0800 058 2544
 Meet MUNA
Leather jackets. Face frames. Mullet
haircuts. Doc Martens. These were the
scenes I encountered whilst queu-
ing for alt-pop band MUNA’s sold-out
London gig and I’ve never felt so at
peace. Every now and then, a band
comes along that changes your orbit.
MUNA is one of those bands, return-
ing with a third album, the self-titled
MUNA. The trio’s music – which spans
electropop, dark pop, synth-pop and
more – is a safehaven for LGBTQI
people, so often lost souls looking for
a place to call home.
Meeting at a vastly “heteronor-
mative” college, as the band jokingly
describe it, MUNA released their first
single, Winterbreak, back in 2016. Their
debut album, About U, arrived in 2017,
with the hugely successful second
album, Saves The World, following in
2019. Formerly signed to RCA Records,
the band joined Phoebe Bridgers’
newly inaugurated Saddest Factory
Records between the second and third
album. Their first release to mark this
new era was Silk Chiffon, featuring
Phoebe herself. Closely inspired by
But I’m A Cheerleader (1999) - star-
ring none other than honorary lesbian
Natasha Lyonne - the music video
follows MUNA as they bring queer joy
to an otherwise oppressive situation.
Set in religious conversion “therapy”-
like surroundings, Jo (Josette Maskin)
reveals: “It encapsulates where we
wanted the cycle to go. We wanted to
show that queer joy is possible and
that not every narrative in main-
stream media has to depict queer
love as something that ends in a dark,
twisted storyline.”
Queerness was also explored in
the Kind Of Girl music video, in which
the trio dragged up cowboy-style in a
move that encapsulated true gender
euphoria. “We all have different gen-
der identities and gender expressions.
I’m genderqueer non-binary, so I have
26 JULY 2022
ELEANOR
NOYCE
CHATS WITH
THE TRIO
a different relationship to feminin-
ity,” Naomi (McPherson) states. “The
lyrics of the song are quite gendered,
but I feel such a connection to it.
CHAMPIONING We wanted to play with the super
QUEER heteronormative Americana cowboy,
EUPHORIA hypermasculine aesthetic.”
IN ALT-POP MUNA have a way of curating
MUSIC songs that feel so deeply personal;
as though they’re written just for
you. The band joke that their shows
are like “gay church”, describing
their London gig as a “rowdy little
venue” with a “very communal vibe”.
MUNA’s music has always created a
safe space, so taking that sentiment
into a physical setting – where MUNA
fans old and new could scream along
We have this shared queer
experience with each
other”
to the lyrics, together – was pure,
unadulterated magic. Debuting songs
from the album that, at that time,
hadn’t yet been released, the band ex-
press that whilst their sound remains
largely the same, this is a new era for
MUNA. “Saves The World was a very
introspective, therapising album. This
one is a little bit more exploratory,
and I think there is some investiga-
tion as to like, what it would be like
if I, you know, had a good day every
once in a blue moon,” Naomi shares.
“Our community means every-
thing. One of the special things about
being in this band is that we have this
shared queer experience with each
other,” Katie (Gavin) adds. “We’re not
superhumans. We can just show up as
More info on
ourselves.” MUNA’s music has always
Contents page 3 been authentic: it’s very much an
open book. “We want to make music
that feels purposeful in the sense that
maybe it can be useful for someone,
whether that’s helping them through
a heartbreak or soundtracking a night
out,” says Naomi.
Known for their emotion-
ally charged music, MUNA have
been lauded for being the ultimate
soundtrack for sad sapphics. There’s
nothing like a good sob into the pillow
to the sweet tune of the gut-punching
Everything, taken from their debut,
About U. “This is the next chapter in
the MUNA story of self-actualisation
and self-love,” vocalist Katie shares.
“Each record encapsulates where we
were in our lives. We’ve grown into
more developed people who have the
capacity to love ourselves and that
allows us to be more involved in the
human experience. Being in relation-
ships and experiencing jobs, pain and
sorrow, but we’re not so deep in pain
as we were with About U and Saves
The World. This record does have
pain, but it’s a more nuanced perspec-
tive.”
MUNA is a band that truly
channels queer euphoria. A MUNA
album isn’t just a collection of notes:
it’s a diary entry, a confessional, a
therapy session. Their music is
introspective, and yet, never isolating:
these tracks are instantly relatable for
so many queer fans, navigating the
ebbs and flows of relationships, of
chronic anxiety, of break-ups. Much of
their back catalogue might be
saturated in sadness, but it’s
necessary sadness. There is much to
lament, but there’s also so much joy
to be had: this new, self-titled album
has this sentiment at its very core. It’s
PHOTO FRANK OCKENFELS
something to cry to, to fall asleep to,
to dance to.
MUNA is out now on Saddest Factory Records.
Catch MUNA on tour across the UK in November
FEATURES | MUNA

27
28 JULY 2022

Growing it out: why I’m
leaving short hair behind
I was 14 when I chopped off all my
hair. I had a vague idea that this
was what lesbians did, and, since I’d
recently landed on lesbian as an iden-
tity, my teenage brain joined the dots
and decided I needed short hair. Plus,
all I did with my long hair was tie it
back into a ponytail, so really, what
was the difference between that and
having it cut short? I figured the worst
that could happen was that I’d imme-
diately start growing it out again.
When my mum took me to the
hairdresser, everyone insisted on
calling the hairstyle I wanted a “pixie
cut”. That sounds like coded language
for “short hair, but not in a gay way”.
Even at the time, I found the cutesy
language frustrating. It didn’t sit right
with who I am – unfussy, practical,
slightly masculine-of-centre.
The first evolution of my short
hair was a big, floppy fringe, à la
Justin Bieber. It wasn’t a great look. If
there was slightly too long between
haircuts, it got quite dicey. Just having
the short hair that I had desperately
wanted didn’t mean that I suddenly
knew what to do with it. After a few
years, I started pushing it back off my
face more, but hair products honestly
scared me a little bit. If I messed up,
I felt like I had to wash my hair and
start all over again.
Short hair did the job, though. At
school, it made me stand out a bit –
there was only one other girl in my
year with short hair – but I felt like it
affirmed my sexuality in a way that I
didn’t totally understand at the time.
My vague sense that lesbians had
short hair was partially correct. There
is a long history of queer, gender non-
conforming women with short hair,
stretching back into the 18th century.
I suspect at the time my aware-
FROM A ness of the link between short hair
BUZZCUT TO and lesbians was formed by celebri-
LONG LOCKS ties, rather than any historical knowl-
WORDS CAIT edge. For many women, throughout
FINDLAY time, short hair is an integral part of
their queer identity. That has been
true for me, too.
I was so keen to be seen
for who I was that I forgot
that it wasn’t all about
how I looked”
Then why, after 10 years, have I
decided to grow my hair out? It’s actu-
ally the second time I’ve made the
decision. The first time was during my
final year at university, when I fancied
a change. It’s quite an awkward,
lengthy process, and I’d made it to a
stage that could tentatively be called
a “beginner bob”. But then, on a day
just before my final exams, I bumped
into an ex-girlfriend and spent the
day crying. That evening, I ended up
sitting in an empty bathtub while my
friends cut off handfuls of my hair
before buzzing it down to my scalp.
Back to square one.
The main reason that I’m grow-
ing out my hair now is that I want
a change. I’ve put my hair through
quite a lot in the last decade (includ-
CAIT FINDLAY ing bleaching it, the classic lockdown
is a writer
buzzcut, and painting it silver for a
whose projects
include an futuristic-themed night out). Now I
LGBTQI+ culture want to experiment with longer locks.
newsletter called Nothing too crazy – I won’t suddenly
Lavender Letters. have hair that I could sit on. God only
@cait_findlay knows how long that would take.
FEATURES | HAIR
But I want it to be long enough to be
able to try some different hairstyles.
French plaits, perhaps, if I’m feeling
particularly wild.
My understanding of what it
means to be queer, and what it means
for me specifically, has evolved a lot
since I first sat in that hairdresser’s
chair and watched my long hair pud-
dle on the floor around my feet. These
days, I see it first as an essence or an
attitude, which can then inform how
someone dresses or styles them-
selves. When I was younger, I was so
keen to be seen for who I was that I
forgot that it wasn’t all about how I
looked. And I do look pretty gay with
short hair, but now I’m confident that
my favoured audience – other queer
women – will recognise me as part of
the community, no matter the length
of my hair.
But what about other audiences? I
am curious about how longer hair will
change people’s perceptions of me. In
particular – will I get hit on by men?
That’s something I’ve never experi-
enced before, so it will be interesting
to see whether it changes. It’s not
that I want them to, but I think it is
inevitable that people will read me
differently. There are so many cultural
implications around the way that we
wear and style our hair and no one
can escape that.
It is strange that we read so much
into someone’s hair, when it is so easy
to change with dye or styles or wigs.
One of the main things I’ve learnt
over the last 10 years, since I was a
baby gay with too much fringe, is that
self-expression doesn’t have to be
permanent and that the self
underneath it all is most important.
So if I hate my long hair – I’ll just chop
it all off again.
29

solation, suffering and death.
Trans characters onscreen were
a rarity growing up and, when they
were portrayed, these themes were
at the core of their arcs. At a time
in my life when I was old enough
to start watching grittier films
with my dad, we sat down to
see Kimberly Peirce’s Boys Don’t
Cry (1999). The biographical story fol-
lows Brandon Teena (Hilary Swank),
a young transgender guy who’s lived
a life full of trials and tribulations. I
remember his character resonating
with me. His experiences finally put a
word to some of the feelings I’d been
having, though I wouldn’t be brave
enough to utter them until many
years later. I was rooting for him.
Brandon manages to find love with
a woman who accepts him, but like
many stories with queer characters,
30 JULY 2022
The transgender
tippinonscreen
g point
FROM BOYS it ends in tragedy. Brandon’s identity
DON’T CRY is discovered and he is brutally gang
TO HEART- raped and murdered. How poignant
STOPPER, it was that one of the first times I felt
HOW HAS seen onscreen was also a moment
TRANS that made me absolutely terrified of
REPRESEN- myself. Dallas Buyers Club, 14 years
TATION later, brought Rayon (Jared Leto) to
CHANGED our screens. With the plot revolving
OVER THE around the Aids epidemic, there was
YEARS? little hope in sight. Two years after
WORDS NIC that, we saw Eddie Redmayne step
CROSARA into the role of Lili in The Danish Girl,
who dies of complications through
her gender-affirming surgery. Eddie
has since commented that playing
the role was a mistake.
What do all the above films have
in common? Other than the tragic
fates of these trans characters? They
were all portrayed by white cisgender
actors. All of whom went on to receive
praise for their “bravery” and awards
for their performances.
Of course, the above films are
some of the “better” representations
the trans community has received
throughout the history of cinema.
And by that I mean, these characters
were not presented as mentally ill or
serial killers like in Hitchcock’s Psycho
wherein the antagonist who goes
PHOTOS FX, PAUL SCHIRALDI/NETFLIX, SAM TAYLOR/NETFLIX
around killing women is presented as
a guy who thinks he is his mother.
Over the decades, there has been
a call for cis actors to no longer be
offered such roles, as well as for better
representation in general. Debates
from oppositions online have ranged
from these roles being too triggering
for trans actors, to there not being
enough actors with lived experiences.
So what do trans stories look like with
authentic casting?
 FEATURES | TRANS ONSCREEN

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

2013 - 2019
In the same year that Dallas Buyers
Club premiered, we were introduced
to the Netflix show which instantly
gained a cult following. In Orange
Is The New Black (OITNB) we’re led
to believe that the privileged white
cisgender lead, Piper, will be at the
centre of this story which follows the
lives of incarcerated women. It was
a welcome surprise that the arcs of
many Black and Brown women were
at the heart of the show. Trans women
Clockwise: MJ Rodriguez in POSE;
Dua Saleh in Sex Education; Laverne
in prison is a heated debate amongst
Cox in Orange Is The New Black.
transphobes, so it was powerful to
see Laverne Cox bring Sophia to life.
Watching Laverne in OITNB made me
realise how important it is for trans
roles to be portrayed authentically.
As previously stated, many have
argued that depicting transition
onscreen could be triggering. Well,
Laverne Cox happens to have a twin
brother who helped portray this part
of the plot. Though it should be noted,
for me, there are far more interest-
ing things to explore about “the trans
experience” than our transitions. If
the argument is that these stories
have to show medical transition, and
therefore we cannot have trans actors,
I would point out that there are so
many other aspects of our lives that
deserve to be told.
OITNB opened up important
dialogues through Sophia’s arc, such SEX EDUCATION
as trans parenthood and, of course,
the injustices faced in incarceration.
What do trans stories 2019 - PRESENT
Since its very first season, Sex
In 2014, Laverne became the first
openly trans TIME cover star and was
look like with authentic Education has served up tons of
queer visibility. However, many fans
credited as ushering in “the transgen-
der tipping point”. This was published
at an optimistic time and since then
casting?” commented on the lack of trans and
non-binary representation in the early
seasons. So we were overjoyed when
there have been many rights stripped the third instalment introduced Cal
from the community. But I do believe At the start of this year, MJ Rodri- (Dua Saleh), a Black non-binary stu-
that this role was indeed a massive guez made herstory as the first trans dent who is comfortable with taking
shift in onscreen representation. actor to take home a Golden Globe up space.
win for her role as Blanca Evangelista. When misgendered, Cal casu-
POSE Whilst trans actors still deserve a lot ally corrects their classmate on their
2018 - 2021 more recognition at this scale, it feels pronouns and identity. I loved how
Ryan Murphy’s ballroom drama like we are at a tipping point where the show didn’t treat Cal as a way to
dropped the mic to anyone still under an Afro-Latina transgender woman explain to cis audiences what being
the false belief that there aren’t can receive the flowers that have non-binary means. Instead, we get to
enough trans actors to take on au- for too long only been afforded to see what it’s like for Cal navigating
thentic roles. POSE features the larg- cisgender actors telling trans stories. an environment with gender-divided
est cast of trans actors in TV history. It Watching POSE inspired me and classes, uniforms and binary struc-
follows the evolution of New York ball made me realise how many contribu- tures. When Jackson begins to fall for
culture and the rise of the Trump era. tions to queer culture, and the world Cal, they let him know that if they
Whilst many of the characters face at large, QTIBPOC (Queer, Transgender were to start a relationship it would
hardships, the show is full of resist- and Intersex Black people and People be a queer one and allow him room to
More info on
ance, love and trans joy. Contents page 3 of Colour) have made. process this. We see a beautiful >>>

31
 FEATURES | TRANS ONSCREEN
Top: Jamie Clayton and Kate Moennig in
The L Word: Generation Q. Bottom: Yasmin
Finney and William Gao in Heartstopper
>>> moment of euphoria when Cal
teaches a peer how to bind their chest
properly and says, “Wow, you’re glow-
We’ve come a long way
ing!” Watching Cal’s arc taught me
that I should move through the world
without shame.
since Boys Don’t Cry”
THE L WORD GENERATION Q
2019 - PRESENT
The reboot of everybody’s fave show
was unapologetically inclusive from
the get-go. Through Asian-American
trans man Micah (Leo Sheng), we get
to see familial acceptance and an
evolution of sexuality.
But what I really appreci-
ated about the show was how Jamie
Clayton was chosen to play Tess, a
cis female character. For anybody
thinking: “I thought people were
upset about cis people playing trans
roles? Isn’t this hypocrisy!?” Breathe.
There is an abundance of cisgender
roles available for actors. Trans people
have had to navigate a cishet world
and therefore understand the subject
32 JULY 2022
matter very well. Whilst we’ve proven
there is a plethora of talented trans
actors available, trans roles are very
limited. And when portrayed poorly,
they can add to a history of stigma.
When we live in a world where many
transphobes think that trans women
are just cis men in a dress, it can be
demeaning to portray them as such
on the screen. However, in a world
where we assert that trans women
are women, surely we should put our
money (and casting choices) where
our mouth is.
HEARTSTOPPER
2022 - PRESENT
And of course, I have to talk about
everybody’s new favourite queer
show. Heartstopper has allowed queer
love, joy and friendship to be truly
celebrated in the mainstream. Trans
viewers immediately felt seen and
represented by Elle (Yasmin Finney).
What is quite radical about the show
is how we are never told that she is
trans. She never has to come out or
explain her experiences. We simply
see Elle navigate the world as a trans
girl. She’s obviously been through
hardships such as bullying, but her
arc in the first season centres on her
joy. Heartstopper teaches us that
we are deserving of friendship, love
and respect.
Kizzy Edgell, who plays Darcy, is
also non-binary in real life. In a video
released by Netflix on the making of
the show, director Euros Lyn said: “We
wanted to find a cast that was truly
diverse. That represented the charac-
ters authentically.” Executive producer
Patrick Walters added, “The spirit of
the piece is all about making people
who don’t feel seen feel seen. In
terms of actors embodying the roles,
a character like Elle, there’s only one
way you can cast that character.”
It should be noted that the major-
ity of the roles I’ve addressed here
have been portrayed by BPOC actors.
After the overwhelming white cishet
lens that trans stories have been told
through, it fills my heart with hope
that many of the biggest trans and
non-binary roles of the last decade
have been taken on by BPOC actors
(with many more in the works as I
write this). As we all know, Black and
Brown trans women are an especially
marginalised and endangered com-
munity. Whilst there is so much more
that needs to be done to protect them,
I hope seeing these roles helps them
walk with their head a little higher.
We’ve come a long way since Boys
Don’t Cry. I have big hopes for the
future. We’re starting to see more
trans and non-binary actors break
into different genres outside of
drama, such as Elliot Page in The
Umbrella Academy, Vico Ortiz in Our
PHOTOS PAUL SARKIS/ SHOWTIME, NETFLIX
Flag Means Death and Ivory Aquino in
Batgirl. I long to escape into an
abundance of worlds. We need to see
trans and non-binary people from all
walks of life having epic adventures,
saving the day and being the chosen
one. We deserve to see ourselves
reflected not only in realistic pieces,
but in all genres onscreen.
 You’ve read it,
now hear it!
Each week we serve up extra content, feature amazing
guests and sometimes even answer your dilemmas.

Meet the team

Rachel Shelley, Victoria Broom, Roxy Bourdillon,
Char Bailey, Nic Crosara, Eleanor Noyce

#QueersForYourEars
Subscribe today and support
podDIVA
Out every Wednesday on your go-to
podcast provider
Scan the code with your phone or type
aca.st/e6365a in your browser.
 This page: Vesta Tilley
Over page: Gladys Bentley

Queer women are

at the forefront
PHOTO DISTRIBUTED BY HARRY WALKER AGENCY, CREATIVE COMMONS

of drag, actually

34 JULY 2022

This year, International Drag Day falls
on 16 July. The first ever episode of
RuPaul’s Drag Race aired on 2 Febru-
ary 2009, over 13 years ago. Inspired
by the format of America’s Next Top
Model, performers that once paraded
across the glittery dancefloors of their
local bars were now celebrities, with
the original LogoTV-commissioned
episodes filtering through to alterna-
tive audiences that might not have
encountered drag in their daily
lives. Now, RuPaul’s Drag Race is an
international franchise, with popular
spin-offs commissioned in the UK,
Australia, Thailand, the Netherlands,
and more. Drag Race is not just a TV
programme: it’s an institution.
Many attribute RuPaul’s Drag
Race to having brought drag into the
“mainstream”, whatever the defini-
tion of that is. But the reality is that
drag has been subtly present in media
throughout the 20th century, and drag
itself has been performed, whether
overtly or subliminally, for hundreds –
if not thousands – of years. Before Ru-
Paul’s Drag Race there was Lily Savage,
Dick Emery, Kenny Everett and Monty
Python. Lily Savage might have been
a self-declared drag queen, but Dick
Emery and Kenny Everett disguised
their drag as comedy on prime-
time British TV. Monty Python was
comprised of male comics dragged
up as women, with one infamous
line featuring Terry Jones dressed
as the Virgin Mary, leaning out of
a window to declare, “He’s not the
Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!”
These instances of drag weren’t
labelled or declared as such, but
they were drag nonetheless.
Importantly, RuPaul’s Drag
Race didn’t create or mainstream
the art of drag. Drag is more than
a man dressing up as a woman;
drag can be performed by any
gender. Drag takes gender norms
and subverts them, enhances them,
throws them out the window. LGBTQI
women and non-binary people have
often been overlooked by mainstream
media and TV programmes like
RuPaul’s Drag Race, but actually, they
are a driving force behind drag. The
historical receipts prove it.
In 1874, Matilda Alice Powles
performed her first season in London,
DRAG ISN’T becoming known as Vesta Tilley from
JUST DRAG 1878. A music hall artist embodying
RACE. a male persona, she disrupted the
THERE’S staunchly aggressive gender bounda-
A RICH ries endemic in Victorian society
HISTORY with her striking top hats and sharp
AND tailored suits. Famous for Burlington
DIVERSE Bertie and The Army Of Today’s All
SCENE Right, from a young age she found
WORDS ELEANOR that she better expressed herself
NOYCE in male attire. Vesta Tilley is one
of the most famous names in drag
Drag is more than a man
dressing up as a woman”
king circles, labelled one of the first
“professional” drag kings, but early
forms of drag can be traced back to
the Yuan Dynasty in China (1279-1368
AD). Here, women would cross-dress
to perform male roles, as immortal-
ised by the diaries of theatre-goer Xia
Tingzhi. Women working in Chinese
Opera were permitted access to liter-
ary education denied to the major-
ity of women and would portray
male military figures in their work.
Likewise, in 17th-century
France and Italy, comme-
dia dell’arte encompassed
an improvised version of
comedy in which it was
common for women to
perform male roles.
In the US, Gladys
Bentley pushed bounda-
ries during the Harlem
Renaissance of the 1920s.
She left home at 16 to
live as a “bulldagger”, a
colloquial term used to
describe a butch lesbian.
DID YOU KNOW?
The word “drag” is believed to originate from theatrical
circles in the late 1800s, before women were allowed
to perform. Male actors would dress up as women, and
their dresses would “drag” along the floor. They called
this practice “putting on their drags”, a term which
started to infiltrate into gay male circles in the 1920s.
FEATURES | DRAG
Highly successful, she was infamous
for wearing white tuxedos, bow ties
and top hats, reportedly taking home
$125 per week. Later marrying a white
woman in New Jersey in the 1930s,
Gladys was a trailblazer not just in
terms of her work as a drag artist, but
as a visible lesbian. These are stories
omitted, censored even, from so many
history books.
In wider popular culture, pop stars
like Lady Gaga and Charli XCX have
arguably performed drag in many of
their statement looks. From Gaga’s
all-metallic outfit debuted at the VMAs
in 2020 to Charli’s Renaissance look
in the Used To Know Me video, it’s all
there. It’s drag, through and through.
In a similar vein, one of history’s most
unbelievable stories lies in the bricks
and mortar of the Royal Vauxhall Tav-
ern: in 1988, Princess Diana dragged
up, moustache and all, to attend the
historic South London-based pub
alongside Freddie Mercury and Kenny
Everett. Apparently, no one batted
an eyelid.
So, with all that in mind, it’s time
for the narrative to change. It took the
best part of 12 years for RuPaul’s Drag
Race to cast its first cisgender lesbian
drag queen in the form of Victoria
Scone, and there has never been a
drag king cast in its 13-year tenure on
global television screens. One
contestant alone cannot carry that
amount of responsibility. We need
more LGBTQI women and non-binary
people on Drag Race, but we also need
to reinforce the version of history that
we know to be correct, and that’s the
version that acknowledges the central
role of women and non-binary drag
artists like Vesta Tilley and Gladys
Bentley. Drag is everywhere, darling,
and it’s not just what you’ve seen on
the telly.
DEFINING DRAG
One of the first definitions of drag
was given by A.J. Rosanoff in the
1927 Manual Of Psychiatry, which
defined it as “an outfit of female
dress worn by a homosexual” or as
“a social gathering of homosexuals
at which some are in female dress.”
35
36 JULY 2022

Protect reproductive rights
“I had an abortion when I was 16,
it was very painful,” my therapist
repeated these words again and again,
for what felt like hours, as my eyes
tracked the movement of the pen in
her hand. We were two sessions into
my EMDR treatment (Eye Movement
Desensitisation and Reprocessing),
a method of therapy given to people
with PTSD, anxiety and depression
to help recover from trauma. I was
extremely sceptical. How could this
work? Repeating a statement of fact
whilst my eyes darted around in dif-
ferent directions. She had explained
that my brain would essentially
rewire to the point where I could hear
someone talk about anything relating
to pregnancy without reliving the
procedure, the years of events leading
up to it and the ones that followed. I
wasn’t convinced. But by some odd
scientific magic, it worked.
One day after finishing EMDR, I
was talking about my abortion with
my current partner, as you do, when
out for a walk. I was describing the
process and the toll it took on my
body and mind. There’s something
you should know about my part-
ner. He’s not just pro-choice, he’s
adamantly pro-abortion. There is no
hypothetical situation in which he
wouldn’t support and validate some-
one deciding to end their pregnancy.
But then he said: “Oh, I thought when
it was that early, you just took a pill
and it kinda… evaporated… and
didn’t cause you any pain.” And that
ladies, gentlemen and friends beyond
the binary, is why no man without
a womb should ever have a say on
whether or not someone should have
access to safe abortions. Can you im-
agine how clueless on anatomy some
anti-choice lawmakers are if this is
what my partner believed? And yet,
it’s 2022, and it’s happening again.
Back in May, a leaked draft
WE MUST opinion showed that the US Supreme
STAND Court was set to upend abortion
TOGETHER: rights by overturning Roe vs Wade.
WOMEN’S Men in power are flippantly deciding
RIGHTS what women can do with their bod-
AND TRANS ies, which is ironic, considering how
RIGHTS many of them are under the false
DEEPLY belief that women flippantly decide
INTERSECT to have abortions. On 3 May, Alex-
WORDS NIC andria Ocasio-Cortez also tweeted a
CROSARA reminder and warning that the Su-
preme Court is “coming for” same-sex
marriage and civil rights next. We’ve
already seen anti-LGBTQI law-making
rise both in the UK and US, and
multiple states have approved legisla-
tion making it a felony for doctors to
provide life-saving gender-affirming
treatment to trans youth. As someone
who can get pregnant, and is also
queer and non-binary, it scares me to
see how much misogyny, homophobia
and transphobia is on the rise within
rulings and society in general.
No man without a womb
should ever have a say on
whether or not someone
should have access to
safe abortions”
If you spend too much time on
the internet (no judgement, me too)
then you may be under the belief that
the rights of women and trans people
are diametrically opposed. That one
group cannot gain freedom without
endangering the other. But as you can
see from the current political climate,
our fights definitely intersect. We both
FEATURES | ABORTION
have people who do not share our
lived experiences deciding what we
do not only with our lives, but with
our bodies. We both have to fight for
our bodily autonomy. We both have
religion used against us. We both have
people offering alternatives that do
not necessarily resolve our problems,
such as adoption or “loving yourself”.
Both come up with debates that
women will regret their abortions, and
trans people will regret their transi-
tions. This is despite studies finding
that almost all women who have had
abortions say it was the right decision
five years later, whilst only 0.47%
of trans people have been reported
as detransitioning.
For me, I definitely regretted my
abortion for many years – or at least,
believed that I did. I tortured myself
for not being ready to be a parent. I’d
always wanted children one day, so
why wasn’t I ready when the
unexpected opportunity arose? I lost
many hours of my life spiralling into
an alternate reality where I had seen
my pregnancy through. Turns out, this
was just internalised guilt from living
in a society that told me I had failed
at my “sole purpose” to reproduce. But
10 years later, I know it wasn’t just the
right thing, it was the best decision
I’ve ever made. It was the first time
my previously suicidal ass chose life,
my life, and I’ve chosen it every day
since. But even if I had continued to
regret it, that’s the poignant side of
fighting for autonomy. Everyone
should have the right for control over
their bodies, whether they live to
regret it or not. There is a small but
powerful number of people out there
who are, and have always been, our
enemy in the fight for freedom and
autonomy. We need solidarity. We
need to stand together and work
towards a world that is safe for the
next generation.
37
38 JULY 2022

The queer allure of the vampire
First Kill is Netflix’s new high school
sweetheart drama. But, there’s a twist.
Sarah Catherine Hook and Imani
Lewis play star-crossed lovers Juliette
and Calliope. One is a vampire, and
one is a vampire hunter. Classic, eh?
Just what you need when you’re try-
ing to maintain an impeccable GPA.
Hailed as Gen Z’s answer to Buffy
The Vampire Slayer, Juliette faces in-
tense pressure to make her “first kill”
as it were, enabling her to establish
a legacy within her long-standing
family of vampires. Surprise, surprise:
the couple find that actually, it’s
rather difficult to kill someone when
you’ve got a huge queer crush on
them. Based on a short story penned
by Victoria Schwab, the novelist has
described this unique story as “Buffy
The Vampire Slayer meets Killing
Eve.” A unique crossover, if you will,
but my excitement for this show got
me thinking: why are LGBTQI women
so obsessed with vampires? It’s defi-
nitely a thing.
My fascination with vampires first
began, dare I say it, when I picked up
a copy of Twilight back in 2007. Intro-
duced to the cult film franchise by an
older family friend, the cool teenage
babysitter who I no doubt had a crush
on, I was immediately enthralled.
Twilight might have been written off
for its arguably sub-par narrative, but
the cast exuded such intense bisexual
energy that I completely attribute my
bisexual awakening to the first Twi-
light movie. A large statement, I know.
I had a crush on all of the Cullens: I
was Team Edward first and foremost,
but Rosalie and Alice seemed so
ethereal to me. Alice was pure, with a
heart of gold, and I was oddly attract-
ed to Rosalie’s cold, abrupt manner.
For a while, I think I subconsciously
shipped her with Bella, but that’s a
story for another day.
Kristen Stewart now has a cult
following of LGBTQI women and non-
binary people across the globe, but I
remain convinced that a great deal
ELEANOR of Twilight fans – collectively known
NOYCE as Twihards – were and are LGBTQI.
EXAMINES Although some viewers felt that Bella
OUR SUPER- was an extremely annoying character,
NATURAL I still had photos of her and Edward
FASCINATION, adorning my walls. When she eventu-
FROM ally transformed into a vampire, that’s
BUFFY TO when my Bella-shaped crush took its
FIRST KILL full form: her vampire stare and strik-
ing, colour-changing eyes levelled her
up considerably, in my opinion. There
was something so deeply attractive
about the fact she now seemed more
dangerous; she was more unreachable.
There’s an inherent
sexiness and
subversiveness about
vampires”
So, why do queer women love
vampires? Because, dear reader,
they’re sexy as hell. There’s a certain
amount of subversiveness and non-
conformity about vampires. Add
queerness to the mix and it all goes
wild. LGBTQI people have long been
fascinated with horror and fantasy
shows alike. From a psychological
perspective, this may be linked to
feeling a sense of affinity with
characters that do not conform to
societal norms. And, to put it bluntly,
blood-sucking, eternal recluses that
tend to swan around dramatically
in dark clothing definitely qualify as
“not conforming”.
Stephanie Burgis is a bisexual
fantasy writer in her mid-40s. Coming
of age reading the original Sheri-
dan Le Fanu novella Carmilla, later
transformed into a vastly popular
web series starring Elise Bauman and
Natasha Negovanlis, Stephanie found
solace. “Reading Carmilla was a huge
More info on
Contents page 3 moment for me as a teenager. It was
FEATURES | VAMPIRES
just as I was first trying to figure out
my own identity – I couldn’t work out
whether I was straight or a lesbian.” In
fact, the novella had such an impact
on Stephanie that her most recent
adult book, Good Neighbors, featured
a sexy, sinister character named Car-
milla as a tribute. “I think there’s an
inherent sexiness and subversiveness
about vampires. Their bite is such a
metaphor for sex – it’s all about the
gorgeously passionate and compelling
intimacy that’s irresistible, and yet, so
powerfully dangerous that it can also
kill you if you give in,” Stephanie con-
cludes.
Louie Stowell is also a bisexual
author, penning children’s novels.
Meeting her wife on a Buffy fanfic
forum, she is the embodiment of
my theories on queer women and
vampire stories. “With Buffy, what
drew me in was the subversion of
genre tropes – I love it when a story
expectation gets messed with. What
made Buffy special wasn’t so much
the canon queerness – though there
were huge issues with how Willow
and Tara’s story played out with the
bury your gays trope – but the way
vampires are used to explore what it
means to be human,” Louie states. “I
love vampires, but the draw of Buffy
is, in the end, the humanity. It was the
first lesbian storyline I’d seen on TV,
and the first story that didn’t involve
only miserable lesbians. Allowing
Willow and Tara some happiness was
progress. Killing Tara, less so.”
For me, I was drawn to Twilight
despite its lack of queer storyline, so
when I discovered Buffy The Vampire
Slayer and Carmilla in all their canon
sapphic glory I was overjoyed. Louie
puts it succinctly: “I’ve always
perceived vampires as fundamentally
queer. All of them. Perhaps because
they’ll bite anyone and like it. It’s
desire disconnected from compulsory
heterosexuality.” Plus, it’s fun to make
everything queer. It’s my favourite
hobby.
39
 CULTURE
G Flip
THE AUSTRALIAN MUSICIAN TALKS COMING OUT AS
NON-BINARY, MAKING MUSIC FOR QUEER HUMANS
AND DATING SELLING SUNSET’S CHRISHELL STAUSE
WORDS ELEANOR NOYCE
Ever since releasing their debut
album, About Us, back in 2019, Aus-
tralian musician G Flip has been on
an upwards trajectory. Collaborating
with Lauren Sanderson on GAY 4 ME
earlier this year, G Flip is changing the
game for queer representation in the
music industry through overt lyrics
documenting their experiences. It’s an
ode to the LGBTQI representation they
never experienced growing up.
Coming out as non-binary in 2021,
45
As Love Goes
Introducing the new G Flip opens up about “coming out
queer web series twice”. “First, I came out as gay, and
then non-binary,” they share. In fact, G
Flip laughs that it took so long for the
penny to drop internally for them. “So
many conversations were being had
amongst my friendship groups about
what being non-binary was, and a lot
of people not understanding. I was
the one that would break it down for
46
Juno Dawson them and I would almost use myself
The magic of female solidarity, as an example,” they explain. “I then
and her latest book had a really important person in my
life who was educated on what it was
to be non-binary. Just having a simple
conversation with her just confirmed
in me, ‘Oh my god, I am non-binary’.
Now I’ve come out, I fully under-
stand myself and all those thoughts
I had as a kid.” Since then, G Flip has
51
Brighton & Hove Pride penned a track on navigating their
An epic line-up to celebrate 30 identity, drawing on their memories
years of Pride in Brighton from childhood. “It was very clear
40 JULY 2022
that I didn’t fit on the male side or the
female side. It still makes me smile
thinking about that journey. I really
strive to be a voice for the non-bina-
ry community.”
To this end, providing that vital
LGBTQI representation is integral to
G Flip’s music. The result is endlessly
authentic. “For me, sharing my queer
stories and my authentic relation-
ships is so important. When I was
a kid, I didn’t have queer music or
access to queer storylines on TV. I
know that content like Heartstopper
would’ve darkened the bad voices
in my head growing up that said it
wasn’t ok to be queer,” they reveal.
“My whole album is just a queer love
album.” G Flip shares a fantastic story
about walking into an LGBTQI bar in
Los Angeles to the bartender playing
their song. “I walked in and they
started playing GAY 4 ME. I’m not a
big artist over here in the States so no
one knew it was my song. I just sat
quietly at the bar having a shot. I was
on the other side of the world, away
from Australia, and they were playing
my song,” they laugh.
Notably, as the reunion special
of cult Netflix series Selling Sunset
aired – documenting the lives of
luxury real estate agents based in Los
Angeles – G Flip’s relationship with
More info on
Contents page 3 Chrishell Stause made headlines
 CULTURE | G FLIP

worldwide. In the episode, actor, real-

ity star and realtor Chrishell opened
up about her sexuality, confirming
her relationship with G Flip. The pair
have since gone Instagram official.
“We met very briefly late last year,
but it was just through friends. A I want to make
‘hi and bye’ sort of thing. And then
earlier this year we were at a party
together and then it just kind of
any queer
evolved from there. We really enjoy
each other’s company and she’s one
human feel
of the raddest people I’ve met in a
while.” On sharing their relationship
valid in their
with the world, G Flip hints that it
wasn’t much of a secret before it
hit the press. “It wasn’t daunting.
own skin”
We were running around Holly-
wood together. I’m not used to this
paparazzi world, and we were very
surprised that no one caught us
hanging out. We weren’t really hiding
it around town.”
“But then, obviously, Chrishell got
asked the questions on the reunion
show. I really respect her and I’m very
proud of her for speaking truthfully.
If I was a dude, I’m sure it would’ve
been way easier for her and she
wouldn’t have got so much media
backlash. It got a lot of attention and
she was very aware of that, so I’m
proud of her for treating our relation-
ship just like any other.”
Shortly after the reveal, Chrishell
starred in the saucy music video
for GET ME OUTTA HERE. Speaking
to G Flip’s views on representation,
the majority of crew members who
worked on the project were LGBTQI.
“The song is actually about peacing
out of a relationship that might be
a bit chaotic, so obviously, the video
wasn’t going to be a really nice love
story. It’s more of an aggressive tune,
aesthetically and musically.”
In the midst of the writing
process, G Flip has new creative
projects on the horizon. Touring the
US and Australia during Pride season,
they’ll be hitting full “album mode”
upon their return. One thing’s for
sure, they’ll be channelling that vital
authenticity for their fans. “I only
want to tell real stories. That’s all I
know how to do. I want to make any
queer human feel valid in their own
skin.”

To keep up with G Flip, follow them

on Instagram @gflip or visit their
website at gflip.komi.io

41
 CULTURE | MUSIC
Pick of the Month
MUSIC BY ELEANOR NOYCE
ALBUM
LIZZO
Special
The fourth studio
album from body
positive rapper and
singer Lizzo, Special
builds on an already
illustrious portfolio. Having
previously collaborated with
the likes of Charli XCX and Cardi B, Lizzo
dropped lead single About Damn Time
back in April with accompanying remixes
by Purple Disco Machine. In 2018, she
opened up about her sexuality in an
ALBUM interview with Billboard, revealing, “I
personally don’t ascribe to just one thing.”
BEABADOOBEE Out 15 July
Beatopia
Fresh from alternative pop goddess Beabadoobee, Beatopia is
the singer’s second album. Signed to Dirty Hit alongside contem- ALBUM

poraries, The 1975, Rina Sawayama, Pale Waves, Wolf Alice and NOSO
more, Bea’s debut album Fake It Flowers earned her the staunch Stay Proud Of Me
support of Gen Z audiences across the globe, hailed as accessible,
confessional bedroom pop. Featuring singles Lovesong, See You
Soon, and Talk, Beatopia has all the classic 00s-soaked, nostalgic
nuts and bolts that we’ve come to recognise as archetypically
Beabadoobee, from Pictures Of Us to Broken CD. All in all,
Beatopia is a sonic thank you; an ode to Beabadoobee’s global
fanbase.
Out 15 July

Releasing opening track, Parasites, back

ALBUM
HAYLEY KIYOKO
PANORAMA
The highly anticipated second album
from lesbian Jesus, Hayley Kiyoko,
PANORAMA features sapphic-saturated
tracks For The Girls, Chance and Found
My Friends. In May, Hayley confirmed
that she had been dating former
Bachelorette contestant Becca Tilley for
four years, with Becca making a surprise
cameo in the For The Girls video. An
exciting new chapter, PANORAMA is set
to be the hottest release of the summer.
Let’s go, lesbians!
Out 29 July
in May, non-binary Korean-American
guitarist NoSo shared a heartfelt message
to their younger self. Penned in the
wake of recovering from top surgery, this
celebratory track is accompanied by a
deeply moving self-directed music video.
Catch NoSo on tour with Lucy Dacus this
summer.
Out 8 July
ALBUM
MAGGIE ROGERS
Surrender
Since releasing Heard It In A Past Life
in 2019, Maggie Rogers has produced
forward-thinking music resting
somewhere between art pop and folk
pop. Back in 2020, she embarked on an
endearing collaboration with bisexual
queen of the sad bop, Phoebe Bridgers,
producing an alternative cover of Iris by
The Goo Goo Dolls. Maggie returns with
the cutest pixie cut in the world, an array
of fantastic jackets and an awesome
sound.
Out 29 July

42 JULY 2022

Call 015394 45566
for more information or visit
www.broadoakscountryhouse.co.uk
The Butch Clothing Company
Bespoke Clothing
www.thebutchclothingcompany.co.uk
Windermere, Cumbria info@thebutchclothingcompany.co.uk
5 mins from Lake Windermere
Mob: 07851 227669 Tel: 01892 836936
Don’t make-do when
it’s time to say I do!
Bespoke tailoring
is You
BRIDAL SUITS | BUSINESS WEAR
www.goodrichbespoke.co.uk
0118 979 3880
Shop 10,
Bush Walk
Wokingham
Berkshire RG40 1AT Kerry the Tailor
Goodrich Bespoke
1hour from London
Just 15mins from Reading @GoodrichBespoke
 CULTURE | SCREEN

SCREEN BY NIC CROSARA

Pick of the Month HACKS: SEASON 2
Created by Lucia Aniello,
Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky

With transphobia and homophobia being

prevalent in stand-up comedy, it can be
hard for LGBTQI viewers to escape into
that world. This hilarious, witty and queer
AF comedy-drama is a much needed
breath of fresh air. Comedy-diva Deborah
Vance (Jean Smart) and self-centred Gen
Z writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) are the
most unexpected dynamic duo. Both are
reluctant to work together, but throughout
the episodes their relationship develops,
THE BABY in a rather non-linear way, as they begin to
Created by Lucy Gaymer and Sian Robins-Grace respect and like each other. Continuing to
News Expecting parents may want to give this one a miss… This challenge each other, it seems they have
new horror-comedy is here, queer and full of fear (and plenty more in common than they first thought,
and both could learn a thing or two from
of laughs) as it examines the terrors of motherhood, from the other. Like all of my favourite stand-up
the perspective of a woman who doesn’t want to be one. At acts, this series is jam-packed full of
TV
38 years old, Natasha (played by bisexual actor Michelle de ab-building laughter as well as hard hitting
Swarte) is frustrated that her closest friends are all having emotional truths.
babies. But then The Baby crash lands into her life, uprooting Available on Amazon Prime Video

Film
everything. Before long, the manipulative, sinister and eerily
cute baby twists Natasha’s life into a waking nightmare. THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER
Once Natasha grasps the deadly reality of the baby’s lethal Directed by Taika Waititi
nature, she desperately tries to get rid of it and get her life
DVD back on track. It’s by no means an easy task. How exactly
does one get rid of a baby that wields the power to reappear
and cause chaos in your life at will, and would you really
want to vex him?
Stream Premieres on Sky on 7 July

Last year, Eternals made history by

depicting the first MCU (Marvel Cinematic
DONNA Universe) onscreen kiss between a
Directed by Jay Bedwani same-sex couple, Loki was confirmed
as bisexual, and Doctor Strange: Into
Directed by an award-winning
The Multiverse Of Madness introduced
filmmaker, Donna offers a slice of
America Chavez. Finally LGBTQI MCU fans
PHOTO ROSS FERGUSON/SKY, JASIN BOLAND/MARVEL STUDIOS

life and a serving of history. The film

are getting the chance to see ourselves as
follows Donna Personna, trans activist,
the heroes. Canonically bisexual, Valkyrie
artist and performer, as she forges
(Tessa Thompson) has been a fan favourite
ahead on her journey to live her truth
throughout the Thor films. When asked
and reconnect with her family. The
what’s next for Valkyrie in this coming film,
documentary begins with Donna
Tessa said: “First of all, as a new king [of
being offered a chance to co-write a
Asgard], she needs to find her queen. So
play about a pivotal moment in queer history, the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, where
that will be the first order of business.” If
transgender women Donna knew growing up stood up against police harassment.
Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok is anything to
In her seventies, Donna proves that it is never too late to chase your dreams. The film
go on, this is sure to be a truly epic addition
beautifully portrays the importance of community and acceptance, and makes viewers
to the franchise.
long for a better future where trans lives can be celebrated, cherished and loved. In cinemas 8 July
Donna is released in UK & Irish cinemas and on Bohemia Euphoria 15 July 2022

44 JULY 2022

As Love Goes
In 2014, the award-winning web se-
ries, Red, was first released. Germana
Belo was one of the writers behind
this queerstory-making show, which
was the first lesbian-themed series
to come out of Brazil. Now, Germana
has teamed up with actor, writer
and podcast host, Nicole Pacent to
write As Love Goes. The show takes
place in Los Angeles and Brazil and
follows Laura, a 43-year-old Brazilian
psychoanalyst who travels to L.A. to
take a break from her failing marriage
with Beatriz. When she gets caught
up with an inescapable attraction
to Marina, a 19-year-old psychol-
ogy student, a life-altering romance
reframes how the women will see
love and their relationship with their
own queerness.
Our Zoom interview is gloriously
international. I’m checking in from
England, Germana from Rio and
Nicole from L.A. It seems impossible
that the dynamic duo are yet to meet
in person. “We were Zooming before
it was cool! We would do hours-long
writing sessions on WhatsApp and
video chat,” Nicole tells me. “I feel like
our tiny writers’ room of two has been
NIC a wonderful case study in represen-
CROSARA tation, and in what we’re trying to
MEETS THE create. You want characters who are
WRITERS authentic to the queer scene in L.A.
BEHIND A and queer life and life in general in
NEW QUEER Brazil, across generations.”
WEB SERIES
SERVING UP
A BILINGUAL,
CROSS
Representation
GENERA-
TIONAL,
saves lives”
“COMING- Onscreen representation of mul-
OF-MIDDLE- tidimensional women over the age of
AGE” STORY 30 is lacklustre, both in mainstream
and queer media. So I’m excited when
the pair use the term “coming-of-mid-
dle-age” when referring to Laura’s arc
in the series. One of the things Ger-
mana loves about As Love Goes is the
intergenerational aspect of it. “We are
able to explore what it is to be queer
today. People who had to go through
their personal development as queer
people in the past, and how it is,
and how it sometimes conflicts with
themselves and with the younger
generation.” Germana expresses that
in her work, it’s not just about queer
representation, it’s about intersection-
CULTURE | AS LOVE GOES
ality. “Representation saves lives,” she
says. “That’s why I think we have the
great responsibility. And at the same
time, it’s what moves me, I want to
create those stories.”
Before our call comes to an end,
Nicole teases that: “If you’re simply
looking to have some queer eye candy,
not only are our leads super talented,
they’re absolutely gorgeous.” The
cast are also all people of colour. “It’s
something we’re proud of that also
happened accidentally. Those were
the people who were the best.”
This show is very much needed
with a message that can resonate
with an abundance of LGBTQI view-
ers, whilst serving up some inter-
national queer visibility. In a world
where infighting and misunderstand-
ing takes place between generational
lines, I can’t wait to see how the series
explores its themes.
As Love Goes will be launching its
Crowdfunder on 12 July. Support
independent queer media and stay up
to date on socials.
Follow the series on Instagram @aslovegoes_
and Twitter @AsLoveGoes
45
 The magic of
female solidarity
“I
don’t know how she
does it” is a phrase
that comes to mind
when I think of Juno
Dawson. She is a
scriptwriter, actor,
activist and the
author behind over 20 books. To top
it all off, she’s impressively witty and
charming straight away on our Zoom
call, despite being uncaffeinated
ahead of a marathon of interviews
for her debut into adult fiction, Her
Majesty’s Royal Coven (HMRC).
During the first lockdown, when
the British press still found time to
negatively debate trans lives, writing
the novel was Juno’s way of process-
ing the oppression that trans people
face, with the coven being a metaphor
for womanhood. What does she hope
readers take away from the story?
“The word is coalition,” she says. “I
believe that women have to work
together, because there is always this
much bigger threat.” HMRC is the first
in a fantasy trilogy and Juno explains
how each book will explore feminism.
The first deals with division amongst
women and the way they approach
the inclusion of transgender. The sec-
ond looks at the conflict between men
and women, and the final explores
the partiarchy. Despite tackling some
big topics, Juno smiles as she tells me
she was just as inspired by Wonder
Woman and X-Men as she was by the
conversations around transphobia.
“It has something very serious to say
about intersectional feminism, but
also, it’s a lot about flying women!”
Juno is particularly excited for
DIVAs to read the book. “I think I’ve
46 JULY 2022
AUTHOR, created my favourite lesbian couple
SCRIPT- of all my novels, Leonie and Chinara.”
WRITER AND The love she has for these charac-
ACTIVIST ters is clear on her face. “I will state
JUNO now, at the very beginning, we’re
DAWSON not going to be burying those gays!”
OPENS UP We’ve certainly seen a rise of sapphic
ABOUT THE characters in fantasy, but Juno wasn’t
THEMES OF interested in presenting these char-
HER LATEST acters as elves. “They’re modern day
BOOK IN THE London gay women. They’ve got their
LEAD UP TO cats. They’re trying to start a family.
HEADLINING And they’re two of the most power-
PRIMADONNA ful witches in the United Kingdom
FESTIVAL as well.”
WORDS NIC If, like me, you’ll devour anything
CROSARA depicting witches and are always
hungry for more, you’re in luck. This
year’s highly anticipated Primadonna
Festival features a panel where Juno
will join Zoë Howe, exploring the en-
during appeal of the witch in pop cul-
ture and literature. For Juno, witches
are never in or out of fashion. “There’s
something about the feminine divine,”
Hear more from she says. “Any woman knows that
Juno on podDIVA. when women come together in coali-
tion, there is something magical there.
Whether it’s a hen do or whether it’s
agitating and organising… there is a
strength in female solidarity that can
only really be described as magic.”
Fear not Whovians. We, of course,
discuss Doctor Who: Redacted. How
I will state now, at the very
beginning, we’re not going
to be burying those gays!”
did Juno feel when she found out
she’d get to write the spin-off? “I
never thought it’d see the light of day,”
she confesses. “I was commissioned
to write episodes one to three, way
back in 2019. I was like, ‘Well, this is
brilliant because it’s never gonna get
made, so you can just do what you
want. Have a trans main character,
three queer women as main charac-
ters – nobody said no!’” she laughs.
The stressful part for Juno was last
winter, when it was green lit. It all
paid off though, and as anyone who
has tuned in will know, it’s truly an
epic audible experience.
Whilst there have been LGBTQI
characters and actors sprinkled
throughout Doctor Who’s history,
it’s certainly becoming increasingly
queer, especially following the news
that Sex Education’s Ncuti Gatwa and
Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney will
join the cast. What does Juno think
about the rise of representation on
the show? “When you look at the DNA
of the series, it has always been so
forthright with its anti-fascist philoso-
phy. The Daleks, first introduced in
1963, represent fascism,” Juno geeks
out in a contagious way. Whilst she
notes that for too long it’s been far
too white and straight: “There have
been LGBTQI characters now trac-
ing back to 2005. But the answer is
always more. If we have more queer
characters and characters of colour,
it takes the pressure off those actors
PHOTO EIVIND HANSEN
and performances, because it means
the actor or character doesn’t have to
be everything to everyone.”
Sex Education and Heartstopper
are both shows that have served up

trans joy. Yet the world is increasingly
transphobic. Does Juno have any
advice for trans or non-binary readers
who may be struggling? “That is the
catch-22 of representation. When I
came out to my friends in 2013, it felt
like the world was ready to talk about
and embrace trans people. But with
that rise in representation and
conversation, then very quickly came
the backlash,” she reflects. “In terms
of what’s the remedy to that, I don’t
know. I think things like Heartstopper
help. You’d be really hard pushed to
watch Yasmin Finney in Heartstopper
and feel anything but joy and
sympathy. That is one of the ways
forward, not just seeing these toxic
CULTURE | JUNO DAWSON
talking points. Just get to know your
local trans person. Get to know us,
because I’m not a talking point.”
Her Majesty’s Royal Coven is out 21
July. Primadonna Festival is taking
place in Stowmarket, Suffolk 29-31 July.
Find out more at primadonnafestival.
com and junodawson.com
47
 CULTURE | BOOKS
Book of the Month
BOOKS BY NIC CROSARA
FICTION
THE QUEENS OF
SARMIENTO PARK
ICYMI
In case you missed it,
here are some must-read
By Camila Sosa books out this year
Villada
This mesmerising Content Warning: Everything
debut is full of By Akwaeke Emezi
A bold debut poetry collection
poetic prose and that explores belonging
larger than life char- Copper Canyon Press, £10.66
acters that will stay
with readers long I Kissed Shara Wheeler
after the last page By Casey McQuiston
has been turned. She kissed a girl, and then
she vanished. Chloe must
Auntie Encarna’s hunt for answers
boarding house is Macmillan, £11.20
a queer safe haven
for Camila and the The Anxious Person’s Guide
group of women To Non-Monogamy
who gather within By Lola Phoenix
An all-you-need-to-know
its walls. When the guide to exploring polyamory
sun goes down, and open relationships
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, £14.99
they head to the
park to earn money. One cold night, Auntie Encarna hears Slip
crying from the brushes and finds an abandoned baby boy
By Marika McCoola
whom she decides to bring home. Life for Camila and the A sapphic YA graphic novel
others will never be the same. Camila is a writer, actor, singer perfect for summer reading
and previously earned a living as a sex worker, street vendor Algonquin Books, £14.37

and maid. This novel is a love letter to those on the outskirts of Just Your Local Bisexual
society and masterfully combines realism and magical realism
to tell a story about sex work, gender and chosen family.
Disaster
Virago Books, £13.99 By Andrea Mosqueda
Out 14 July This pageturner is filled
with chaotic bi energy
St Martin’s Press, £15.01

FICTION
THE VERY NICE BOX
By Laura Blackett and
Eve Gleichman
Inbox zero, tracing circles and walking
the dog are all things which soothe
Ava Simon’s mind. She’s hard-
working, obsessive, and struggling to
recover from the tragedy that killed her
girlfriend. She designs storage boxes
for STÄDA and struggles to connect with people or let them in.
She’s dismayed when her new boss, Mat Putnam, seems set on
getting close to her. Can she learn how to open up again? This
darkly comic office satire is co-written by two writers who keep
readers turning the pages of this genre-blending book. The Very
Nice Box serves up romance and thrills whilst exploring toxic
masculinity, grief and friendship. Full of wit, this is one you’ll
want to immediately add to the bedside table to-be-read pile.
Verve Books, £9.99
Out 26 July
POETRY
CHARRED: A SURVIVOR SPEAKS
HER TRUTH TO INSPIRE
By Andreena Leeanne
As the dedication in this poetry col-
lection reads: “The most radical thing
you can do is speak your truth and
be your authentic self because there
will only ever be one YOU.” Within
the 50 poems in this book, Andreena
explores trauma, identity and honesty.
Chronicling her journey of hardships and rebirth, she explores
topics such as abuse, abortion and Black Lives Matter in a way
that evokes imagery of rising from the flames like a phoenix,
alive, loud and unapologetic. This is a read that shows the potent
power of the pen as a therapeutic tool. It’s about claiming your
past, owning your narrative and your future. It reminds us all that
we have the right to live, to be heard and to be our true selves.
Team Angelica Publishing, £7.99
Out now

48 JULY 2022

Double Booked
AUTHOR LILY LINDON ON BI
REPRESENTATION AND QUEER
JOY IN HER MUST-READ NEW
NOVEL WORDS ROXY BOURDILLON
PHOTO CECILE PIN
Lily Lindon’s debut novel is the
bisexual romcom of your wildest
dreams. When Lily joins our Zoom
Being
queer is
one of the
biggest
joys of my
life”
call, espressoed up and “ready to go”,
she declares, “Romance and comedy:
those are the two best things in life.”
You’ll find bags of both in Double
Booked, which stars Georgina, a
27-year-old piano teacher who lives in
London with her long-term boyfriend.
CULTURE | DOUBLE BOOKED
Lily explains, “She thinks she’s got her
life all sorted out.” That is until she
sees a cult lesbian pop band at a gay
bar and has an epiphany. “She realises
that she wishes she was performing
and also that she might be queer,
because she has a massive crush on
the very hot drummer.” Convinced
she has to live a double life, she “splits
herself in two. She’s gonna be straight
Gina by day, gay George by night.”
What follows is a hilarious
and ever so heartwarming story of
bisexual awakening. The laughs come
thick and fast, and it’s little wonder
that Lily hosts a podcast called Wit Lit
and was awarded a Comedy Women
In Print prize for “funniest sex scene”.
It’s also brilliant to read about such a
fully realised bi character. I won-
der, what are Lily’s thoughts on bi
representation in books? “Well, I’m
probably not going to be surprising
anyone, if I say that there is definitely
a bit of a dearth! There are amazing
bi characters out there, but where
they tend to not be seen as much is in
contemporary women’s fiction.”
Lily, who has a background in
publishing, has always been a creative
soul. At school she adored music and
at one time seriously considered a
career as a professional trombonist.
While studying English at Cambridge
she was in famed comedy troupe
Footlights, and she’s even dabbled in
drag. Her drag king name? Willy Nilly.
She’s excited for her first novel
to be out in the world, and is already
working on her follow-up. Does she
have any advice for budding au-
thors? “Don’t panic about it being
perfect right away. Double Booked
went through, oh, an embarrassing
amount–” She corrects herself. “No,
an empowering amount of drafts! And
that’s completely normal and good.”
She emphasises the importance of
choosing subject matter you care
about. “It’s a long old haul. Write
something that makes you interested
in getting back to the page every day.”
Double Booked is a rare treat,
offering a relatable bi perspective
seldom seen in modern fiction while
serving up an abundance of queer joy.
“Being queer is one of the biggest joys
of my life,” beams Lily. “I didn’t want
to write a book that didn’t express
that.”
Double Booked is out in hardback now
49
 CULTURE | NFW

Get ready
for Northern
Fashion Week
A PIONEERING FASHION EVENT
WORDS ELEANOR NOYCE

Northern Fashion Week (NFW) will be taking over

Manchester from 7 to 9 July, and it’s set to be the
biggest fashion event to ever hit the north. This
three-day extravaganza promises passion, fun,
culture and a lot of fashion, placing diversity and
culture at its heart.
NFW’s mission is to promote northern tal-
ent, highlight the importance of diversity and
showcase that fashion is fashion no matter who
you are, what you look like, your gender or your
culture. Fashion can be whatever you want it to
be and Northern Fashion Week is working hard to
spotlight the amazing talent that the north holds.
The event is conducted in partnership with LG,
Secret Spa, The Alan Hotel, Vuse, Juuj and Unlock
Your City.
So, what highlights should you look forward
to? Well, you’re in for a treat! Global brands such as
LG will be present, alongside outstanding design-
ers, catwalks and fashion shows. For those looking
NFW’s mission
to enter the industry, there will be model casting
and beauty workshops, with celebrations taking
is to promote
place afterwards at VIP bars and after parties con-
ducted in partnership with Unlock Your City. Northern
If you’d like to learn more about the fashion
industry, there will be influential speakers giv-
ing their advice on beauty diversity and LGBTQI
talent and
inclusion, featuring designers, fashion brands and
more. Jane Shepherdson CBE, formerly of Topshop
highlight the
and Whistles, will be speaking, alongside FACE, an
organisation founded to challenge the lack of Black
importance of
and Brown academics in the fashion industry. Also
attending will be Klarna’s head of partnerships
Anisha Mohammed, and Sass Brown, formerly
diversity”
the founding dean of the Dubai Institute of Design
and Innovation.
Northern Fashion Week will platform
incredible opportunities and is ready to stand up
and put more groundbreaking northern talent on
the map.

Tickets are available via northernfashionweek.co.uk.

Students get a discount with the code ‘NFW22’.
Follow @northern_fashionweek on Instagram
and @NorthernFW on Twitter.

50 JULY 2022

30 years of Brighton & Hove Pride
2022 marks the 30th anniversary of
Brighton & Hove Pride. Taking place
between 6 and 7 August, it’s sure to
provide attendees with an unforgetta-
ble summer. After two years of being
unable to celebrate in person, we’re
delighted to see services returning
to normal.
PRIDE COMMUNITY DAY
& DOG SHOW (24 JULY)
One look at our DIVA Community
Facebook group tells us there’s a lot
of canine lovers reading these pages.
Praised for being one of Brighton
Pride’s most accessible events, there’s
plenty of fun to be had for all. Get
ready to pamper those pooches, meet
PHOTOS CHRIS JEPSON, SCORPIOWORLDWIDE
fellow dog lovers and come together
with pride.
brighton-pride.org/pride-dog-show
PRIDE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
PARADE “LOVE, PROTEST
& UNITY” (6 AUGUST)
Prepare your banners and whip out
your flags and comfortable shoes as
FROM you don’t want to miss this event.
CHRISTINA Showcasing the city’s charities, com-
AGUILERA munity groups, small businesses and
AND CAT invaluable emergency services, the
BURNS TO NHS and statutory partners, this glo-
THE DIVA rious parade is one of the highlights
DANCE TENT of the weekend. There have been a
AND THE number of changes made for the 2022
DOG SHOW parade following consultation with
OF DREAMS community groups and activists to
– THIS IS ensure it will be more diverse and
NOT TO BE inclusive for all. Join the hundreds
MISSED! of thousands marching, singing and
WORDS NIC dancing through the glorious city
CROSARA whilst celebrating the community.
brighton-pride.org/pride-parade
WE ARE FABULOSO
(6-7 AUGUST)
Regarded as one of the country’s
most popular LGBTQI events, this
year’s two-day fundraiser for the
Brighton Rainbow Fund is sup-
ported by Yahoo! On 6 August, head
to the main stage to see the likes of
Christina Aguilera, Ella Henderson,
Todrick Hall, Raye, Bimini and L
CULTURE | BRIGHTON & HOVE PRIDE
From top: Emeli Sandé with the
crowd and singing; the Pride
parade; Todrick Hall; Christina
Aguilera; the Pride dog show
and parade. Inset: Paloma Faith.
Devine, followed by Paloma Faith, Jake
Shears, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Cat Burns
and Björn Again the next day.
Featuring over 100 LGBTQI artists
in total, the park will see the return of
the Gaydio Dance Tent, headlined by
Gorgon City, the Legends Cabaret Big
Top, the QTIPOC Stage hosted by The
Cocoa Butter Club, the DIVA Dance
Tent and more.
brighton-pride.org/pride-festival
PRIDE VILLAGE PARTY
(6-7 AUGUST)
Taking place in Brighton’s famous
Kemptown, businesses across St
James’ Street and Marine Parade come
together to celebrate and raise extra
funds for the Brighton Rainbow Fund
and Pride Social Impact Fund. So at-
tendees can be proud and loud for a
good cause.
With all this to look forward to
and more, we are counting down the
days to join in the celebrations. Stay
up to date and find out more at
brighton-pride.org.
51
 REALTALK

54
Out at work
Being my whole self and
finding my voice

58
Valentino Vecchietti
Why the intersex community
needs allyship and solidarity

59
Dear Ali
Ali discusses reprogramming
cognitive distortions

52 JULY 2022

The Don’t Say Gay Laws
are eerily similar to Section 28
Don’t Say Gay. Those three words
made headlines across the world in
March 2022 as Ron DeSantis, governor
of Florida, signed the so-called Paren-
tal Rights Education Bill into Floridian
law. “Reinforcing parents’ fundamen-
tal rights to make decisions regarding
the upbringing of their children”, the
bill “prohibits classroom instruc-
tion on sexual orientation or gender
identity in kindergarten through third
grade”, presenting an outright attack
on LGBTQI teachers, parents and
students alike.
Sadly, Florida isn’t the only state
introducing laws of this kind. With
existing versions of this legisla-
tion having pre-dated this event,
more than 12 states, including Ohio,
Alabama, Texas and Louisiana, have
since proposed plans for similar laws
– and these aren’t always making
the headlines. Alabama advanced
a proposal to prohibit early years’
instruction on sexual and gender
identity. Arizona is seeking to change
the sex education curriculum to
focus on biological sex rather than
gender identity. One senate bill in
Iowa proposes that parents should
be required to opt into any instruc-
tion “relating to gender identity”.
Laws in Oklahoma and Tennessee
seek to ban books and educational
materials exploring “the study of sex,
sexual lifestyles or sexual activity” or
“promoting, normalising, supporting
or addressing” LGBTQI issues. The list
goes on, and this is in the US alone.
In the UK, we’ve seen this before.
Sadly, what is striking about these
legislative measures is their similarity
to Section 28. Introduced in 1988 by
the Conservative Government under
the leadership of Margaret Thatcher,
Section 28 prohibited the “promotion
of homosexuality” by local authorities.
Revoked in 2000 in Scotland and in
2003 in England and Wales, this clause
NOW IS stated that a local authority “shall not
THE TIME intentionally promote homosexuality
TO MAKE or publish material with the inten-
YOUR VOICE tion of promoting homosexuality”
HEARD or “promote the teaching in any
SAYS ELEANOR maintained school of the acceptability
NOYCE of homosexuality as a pretended fam-
ily relationship”.
Although there were no success-
ful prosecutions under Section 28, it
forced many LGBTQI teachers to stay
quiet about their identity for fear of
losing their jobs. Books containing
LGBTQI themes were swiftly removed
from classrooms, sparked by the
sense of moral panic that books like
Susanne Bosche’s Jenny Lives With
Eric And Martin – the story of a little
girl raised by a same-sex couple – cre-
ated. Children that would later come
out as LGBTQI – and their allies – were
ill-equipped to deal with queer and
trans issues, myself included.
Our rights are not
guaranteed; they could, can
and have been revoked”
I started school in 2002, one year
before Section 28 was repealed in Eng-
land by the Labour Government. The
legislation might have been removed
as I was coming of age and starting to
explore my sexuality, but its legacy re-
mained. Teachers lived in its shadow,
unsure of the logistics of calling out
blatant homophobia. Stumbling upon
the realisation that I was bisexual at
17, I embarked on a steep, self-admin-
istered learning curve: I knew nothing
about LGBTQI history, and I didn’t
know what “trans” meant until I was
16. My education was sub-par, and
REAL TALK | DON’T SAY GAY
that had an impact.
So, with this history in mind,
how can LGBTQI teachers protect
themselves from the Don’t Say Gay
laws? And how can people both in
and outside the US demonstrate
their solidarity? LGBTQI rights activ-
ist Sue Sanders is Professor Emeritus
at the Harvey Milk Institute, chair of
Schools OUT UK and founder of both
LGBT+ History Month and Classroom.
Proudly out for the entirety of her
career as a secondary school teacher,
she emphasises the importance,
firstly, of LGBTQI teachers in the US
joining a trade union, and secondly,
in US citizens registering to vote in
the upcoming primaries. “The impact
of these laws will be two-fold. It will
galvanise the LGBTQI+ community
and its allies to fight the bill, and
many creative projects and cam-
paigns will emerge. The downside
will, unfortunately, be the court
cases, and teachers and kids hiding
who they are. As long as people see
the media in full throttle, they will be
supported in their hate,” Sue states.
Our rights as LGBTQI people can
easily be revoked, and must always be
fought for, even when it might appear
that the fight has been won. In the US,
Congress has yet to pass the Equality
Act into law, which would protect
LGBTQI people across all states in
employment, housing, benefits, edu-
cation and more. Pushing Congress to
sign this, through the Human Rights
Coalition (hrc.org/campaigns/equality-
act), is part of the fight.
Our rights are not guaranteed;
they could, can and have been revoked.
So, join that union. Register to vote.
Support LGBTQI teachers. Empower
and embolden LGBTQI kids, and
donate to queer charities. And as these
horrific legislative measures ravage
across the US, we will say gay. We will
continue to say gay. Forever.
53
 REAL TALK | OUT AT WORK
Being your whole self at work
B
eing yourself at work
can be hard when you’re
LGBTQI or belong to other
marginalised groups. So
when Bryony Jackson-
Doward joins our Zoom
call with a rainbow lanyard
around her neck and pride
across her face, I’m excited
to find out more about
what her work life looks like.
Bryony joined BT 10 years ago, as
an advisor and has progressed into the
role of operations manager. As she tells
me about the work that she and the
company do, I wonder whether she
always wanted to work within the sec-
tor. “When I was 18, I actually wanted
to follow in the footsteps of my dad. I
wanted to be a police woman,” she ex-
plains. “It wasn’t until I started work-
ing in the contact centre that I realised
I love customer service. Then when I
started managing people, I discovered
my love for people management.” It’s
clear how rewarding Bryony finds her
work and how it allows her to influ-
ence and impact others.
Bryony came out before working
for BT. But many LGBTQI people have
to come out again and again, so I’m
curious to find out what the process
was like doing so at BT.
“I don’t actually think I had to
come out as such, which was quite
good in itself.” She shares the impact
this had on her as someone who grew
up in a smallish Northern town. “I was
with my then girlfriend, now wife, and
I would just reference her and people
wouldn’t even bat an eyelid.” Bryony
is currently working with a number
of colleagues on educating people on
what is okay to ask, what’s not accept-
able, and why people feel they have to
54 JULY 2022
BT’S BRYONY come out. “I think through education, the community didn’t occur to me
JACKSON- we’ll definitely get there.” until 12 to 18 months ago.” Bryony
DOWARD ON And whilst we’re talking about shares that she’d always said that
FINDING HER bringing our true selves to the office, she’s “Bryony, not Bryony the lesbian”,
VOICE AND what does she do for fun when she’s but as she’s progressed more she
USING IT not at work? “I can’t not mention my realises the power of representation.
TO IMPACT wife. My two English Bulldogs, Myrtle “In five years time I see myself
OTHERS and Wilma are my life. They bring me continuing the people stuff because
WORDS NIC a lot of joy. I have step daughters and that gives me my energy, but definitely
CROSARA a grandson as well,” she smiles. “A working more towards a diversity and
good horror film brings me a lot of joy, inclusion point of view.”
bingeing on Netflix as well.”
Bryony reveals that she can’t ever
EE, BT & Plusnet have lots of amazing
see herself leaving BT. So where does
roles available right now across almost all
she see herself in five years and does
of their sites. Come and join an inclusive
she have the support she needs to get
family and take control of your career:
there? “I’ve found a new love for
diversity and inclusion, and champi-
oning all things that encompass that,”
she enthuses. She proudly tells me
that her boss Mark Armario was short- BT: bt.com/ EE: apply. Plusnet:
listed for Inspirational Role Model of careers/ ee.co.uk/ plus.net/
the Year this year’s Rainbow Honours. careers-at-bt/ vacancy/ careers/jobs
“With somebody like that as my role contact- find/results
model, I look at him and go wow. He’s centres/
pushing me in all the right directions. search-and-
Using my voice as a representation for apply
THREE QUICK QUESTIONS WITH BRYONY
What is it like working for BT? similar role? We’ve also got a Pride network,
I know that we get a lot of people Be yourself. If you try and put a which has over 1000 people
that when they come in on the first different you in place, it’s a very included in it, that’s not just
day go, “I imagine everybody to be big lie to have to continue to tell. people from the community, but
in a suit and tie”. It’s not like that. allies as well. BT has also been a
BT was shortlisted for Brand of the
You are encouraged to be whoever gold sponsor for Pride in London
Year at this year’s DIVA Awards. Can this year. It’s also done local Prides
you are individually. I’m a people you tell me about how the brand
leader. So I am given the space to as well over the last few years. And
champions inclusivity and diversity? the BT Sport side of BT has done an
lead my people basically however I We’ve just recently launched awful lot certainly over this year,
want, whatever bonkers ideas I can something called Allyship especially with lots more people
come up with - as long as it’s within Ambassadors, which are a group of coming out in sport as well. BT
health and safety. people across our whole network Sport has really used its platform
What advice would you give to that will help people engage in for good when it comes to the
someone wanting to take on a those different conversations. LGBTQI community.
Be yourself. If
you try and
put a different
you in place,
it’s a very big
lie to have to
continue to
tell”

55
 REAL TALK | OUT AT WORK
Out at work
How did it feel to
be nominated for
Diversity Champion
of the Year at the
DIVA Awards 2022?
It feels like a huge
achievement. I am
incredibly proud of
the D&I (diversity and
inclusion) network
groups in TSB.
Without them and
our allies, we wouldn’t
be making such huge
strides forward to drive
change. I have had the
pleasure of meeting with
the DIVA Award winners
and listening to their
stories, which are truly
inspirational. Being with
like-minded people gives
me fire in my belly!
What advice would you
give to DIVA readers
wanting to pursue
a similar career?
Marketing is an exciting
area to work in and no
two days are the same. It
is always evolving as new
channels and technologies
emerge. The most
important traits I look for
in anyone seeking a career
in marketing: candidates
who have passion for the
brand, a thirst for learning
and a collaborative style
of working.
56 JULY 2022
What does leadership mean to you?
It’s about being a role model and
demonstrating great behaviours every
day. It’s coaching, empowering and
upskilling teams in order to
deliver great work, and finally,
it’s ensuring D&I exists and is
considered across every level
of the team.
What do you do for fun
when you’re not at work?
Outside of work my focus is 100%
on my family: my wife Rebecca and
our twin girls, Emily and Jessica who
are just entering their teenage years!
We enjoy travelling when we can, and
being outside in the fresh air walking
the dogs. I seek out laughter and love in
my life.
“Being with like-
minded people gives What attracted you to
joining the team as TSB?
me fire in my belly!” The people and their vision
for TSB. I was interviewed by
executives and board members,
TSB’S CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER EMMA including the CEO, Robin Bulloch
SPRINGHAM (PICTURED ABOVE, LEFT) IS and the HR Director, Liz Ashford.
CHAMPIONING DIVERSITY AND DRIVING I questioned them hard on their
CHANGE D&I strategy and commitment
WORDS NIC CROSARA to drive real change and I was
When Emma Springham was a child in the 80s, she was very impressed.
the kid who sold Jaffa Cakes in the school playground. It’s
TSB is on an incredible journey
safe to say, she’s always had a business mentality. Now
having worked in marketing for over 20 years, she still gets
with a clear vision and I’m proud
a buzz and learns something new every day. Emma is Chief to be part of it. I have a strong
Marketing Officer at TSB, a retail and commercial bank com- work ethic and a passion for
mitted to trust and transparency. change, and the people at TSB
Find out more about working at TSB at tsb.co.uk share those values.
 Show your true
colours and
#SubscribeWithPride

Print subscription Digital subscription Visit our website Join the DIVA
divadirect.info divadigital.co.uk divamag.co.uk Community
on Facebook

r fr i e n d s!
Tell all you
Follow us on social media
 REAL TALK | VALENTINO VECCHIETTI
Allyship and solidarity
VALENTINO VECCHIETTI calls
for IRL representation
I
t was amazing to see the intersex
“I am asking inclusive Pride flag being carried
along The Mall in the Jubilee Pageant
on 5 June. Friends contacted me, and
for more than shared clips on Instagram stories
tagging me and congratulating me.
visibility on the
Watching the clips, I felt overwhelmed,
tearful, joyful, and grateful. And I thought:
how amazing it would have been to be
flag, I am asking there. How amazing it would have been to
be invited. How amazing it would have felt
to be part of the parade, and how proud
for real inclusion” I would have felt to march alongside
the flag I created. But I reminded myself
that someone like me would never have
been invited.
I am a lesbian, I am intersex, I don’t
conform to gender stereotypes, and I am
mixed: my father was a working class,
brown, immigrant and my mother was
white. I am used to not being invited. In
public, I am more likely to be noticed and
singled out for hate crimes motivated by
interphobia, than I am for my intersex
equality campaign work or for creating the
new Pride flag.
Just as it is for all marginalised groups:
being included, being seen, being visible,
and being recognised is so important to
the intersex campaign for equality. By
including the intersex flag on the Pride
flag I am inviting everyone who is open
VALENTINO to supporting LGBTIQ+ rights to include
VECCHIETTI us, to invite us, and to offer us platforms
is a writer, academic, to speak.
intersex human But there is still a very long way to go.
rights campaigner, I know that intersex being overlooked is
and a lesbian. They not surprising, and I am not criticising the
founded Intersex
organisers of the pageant for not knowing
Equality Rights UK.
who created the new Pride flag. It is quite
@ValentinoInter
likely that they know very little about the
LGBTIQ+ community, and perhaps don’t
58 JULY 2022
understand much about intersex inclu-
sion.
But I do feel sad that large LGBTIQ+
organisations that were included in the
pageant didn’t extend that inclusion by
contacting me when they knew the flag
I created was going to be used. It seems
that despite my flag going viral on the
internet last year, and being welcomed
internationally as the new Pride flag, those
in positions of power still aren’t seeing us.
It is up to the LGBTIQ+ organisations who
are currently being included to stand with
us and recommend to organisers of events
that they include intersex, particularly
as our intersex inclusive flag is now be-
ing used.
It is exhausting to repeatedly discover
that intersex people have not been invited
to large events which use our new Pride
flag. It is so draining to feel invisible
and overlooked.
I am asking all LGBTIQ+ organisations
and LGBTIQ+ media to do the work to
ensure that intersex is included this Pride
season, and throughout the year. Since
last year, there have been news articles in
all the major news publications and media
platforms about the new Pride flag. I am
here, I founded intersex Equality Rights
UK, and I am happy to speak about what
intersex inclusion means, and to also en-
sure that events are intersex inclusive.
I am so very grateful for the massive
increase in visibility that the intersex
inclusive Pride flag brings my community,
but I am asking for more than visibility on
the flag, I am asking for real inclusion. We
PHOTO DANI COYLE
need to start working together. Please
remember the intersex inclusive Pride flag
is an invitation for allyship and solidarity.
#LGBTwiththeI
 REAL TALK | DEAR ALI
DO E A
YOU HMAVWE CAN

Dear Ali...
THIS MONTH, ALI SHEDS LIGHT ON COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS
PROBELLEP WITH?
H rali@
divama
ea
Email d .co.uk
g

Dear Ali,
The last two women I’ve dated have both
ended things, saying words to the effect that
they were either too busy or in the wrong place
emotionally for a relationship. In both cases
everything was good-natured, there were no
arguments and I thought we were getting on
well. However, in both cases I spotted them very
soon afterwards with an updated profile on the
dating app where we met. Obviously they did
want a relationship, just not with me! I feel I
must be doing something to put people off, but I
have no idea what it is.
L me because I did something wrong.”
Dear L,
I’m so sorry this happened. There
are loads of dating apps so perhaps
neither fully considered the impact
of their actions. We can’t control
these two women. Do you want to
freshen things up and change apps?
Let’s explore more ways to help you
move forwards.
E.g. Attending to “They didn’t
want a relationship with me” (nega-
tive thinking) and ignoring “Things
were good-natured and we got on
well” (positive thoughts).
What if… you wrote down eve-
rything that happened, and grouped
it into things that were ok and the
things that weren’t ok? You might be
surprised with the results!
Emotional reasoning. Making nega-
tive personal judgements based on a
strong feeling when the cause/effect
may not exist in reality.
E.g. “I felt shocked and upset
when I saw them on the app; clearly
they didn’t want a relationship with
What if… you go back to the
facts? You said they were too busy or
in the wrong place emotionally. How
great that they saved future you a
whole lot of time and heartbreak.
You mentioned things were good-na-
tured and argument-free. Did any of
this lead to taking things for granted?
Would you have worked harder if
there was conflict? These questions
allow healthy exploration of how you
want to live your next relationship.
I wonder where your feelings are
around “letting go” of each relation-
ship. Sometimes we focus on the
new while ignoring the past. Is there
any unprocessed breakup energy
you want to explore before your
next relationship? Study the Feeling
Wheel (see Ali Recommends) resource
and identify:
1. Which feelings relate to the
two relationships?
2. Which feelings will you bring into
your next relationship?
It is clear you are committed to work-
ing on yourself and whoever gets to
be in a relationship with you is lucky.

Cognitive distortions are unhelpful,

automatic thought processes. We
could make up a gazillion reasons
why you are not in a relationship with
these women, and your mind will try
to validate each of them. The good
ALI HENDRY
news is we can reprogramme cognitive
is a Holistic
distortions. Which of these resonate?
Relationship
Coach helping
Personalisation. Attributing personal womxn in the
meaning to events that may not relate LGBTQIA+
to you.
E.g. “The last two women ALI RECOMMENDS community to
move through
change. Book
ended the relationship because I put
them off.” ARTICLE BOOK LIVE COACHING your free session
What if… things went the way
Cognitive Distortions: How To Do The Work PROGRAMME at: alihendry.
Unhelpful Thinking by Dr Nicole LePera Living Loss: co.uk. Follow
they were supposed to, and it raised
Habits Moving Through Ali on Twitter
important questions that support you
psychologytools.com/ RESOURCE Heartbreak and Clubhouse
in making new choices next time? articles/unhelpful-thinking- The Feeling Wheel alihendry.co.uk/living-loss @ali_hendry, and
styles-cognitive-distortions- tinyurl.com/ on TikTok and
Mental filtering. Focussing on nega- in-cb DearAliFeelingWheel Instagram
tives and ignoring positives. @alihendrycoaching

59
 SEX
How do you navigate
sexual health when
you’re non-binary?
I was hungover in a sex clinic, squint- A TRIP TO twisted the swab. Oh, and in case you
ing in the brightly lit room as I looked THE GP CAN were worried, it wasn’t painful at all,
for the at-home STI test kits. An assis- BE BOTH other than a slight tickle. Covid tests
tant waltzed over to me and asked if ANXIETY- are 100x more uncomfortable!
she could help. I discreetly mumbled INDUCING Last year, a survey released by
what I was after in the way one does AND TransActual showed that 45% of
when asking for things such as thrush AFFIRMING respondents believed their GP did not
cream, viagra or laxatives in a public WRITES have a good understanding of their
setting. She said, “Oh”, before disap- NIC CROSARA needs as a trans person. A greater
pearing and quickly coming back with proportion – 55% of non-binary people
a kit wrapped in shiny blue packaging. – felt this more than other identities.
When I got home, I opened the 87% of those answering the question
test and realised that I didn’t recog- said that this had impacted them to
nise many of the contents. Baffled, some extent. Whilst my experience at
I read through the instructions, and the doctors was affirming, respectful
that was when I realised what had and safe, what would I have done if
happened. She had assumed I had things hadn’t gone so well?
a penis. Part of me was frustrated
that I’d have to go through the ordeal
again, and the other was noting that
this was a unique way of experiencing
gender euphoria.
We all deserve to be
Fast forward to the day of my
understood, listened to,
62
Sexting cervical screening. I was sitting in
The queer appeal of virtual sex
and how to do it with confidence
the waiting room bouncing my knee
up and down. Whilst my friends had and treated with empathy
spent the lead up to their appoint-
ments fretting over whether it would
be painful, my main concern was
when accessing
how nauseating it would feel to be
constantly misgendered whilst having
healthcare”
someone scoop around my insides.

65
Sexy bits Usually when I go to the doctors and When you are trans, non-binary
The hottest they call out “Mx Nic Crosara” they or intersex, you will likely come
toys, tips and
stumble over the pronunciation of my across professionals who lack knowl-
temptations
this month title – as if I am the first Mx they’ve edge of your specific needs. Back in
encountered. This time, the nurse November 2021, I interviewed Elz, a
ILLUSTRATION PEPA GORMLEY @PEPSARTWORK

got it right straight away. She didn’t student studying medicine to be a

assume my gender or pronouns. I
didn’t come out to her, but the nurse
treated me with a dignity I had never
experienced in a healthcare setting.
During the examination she didn’t
use language that could be dysphoric
physician associate, for a DIVA inves-
tigation into the obstacles QTIBPOC
(Queer, Transgender and Intersex
Black people and People of Colour)
face when accessing affirming health-
care. They encouraged people to

66
My secret sex diary when explaining what she was doing. “know yourself medically so you can
A date in the dark turns She simply told me to relax and put stand up for yourself when you know
steamy for this reader my legs up and counted down as she something is wrong.” This advice also

60 JULY 2022

works when thinking about sexual
health. How does contraception
impact you? If you are a transmasc
person, have they forgotten to ask
you to take a pregnancy test before
prescribing medication?
Since my cervical screening, I’ve
been motivated to do what I can to try
to ensure every experience in health-
care is as positive as it can be. When
necessary I add disclaimers about my
pronouns or needs when booking. I
also mentally prepare to report any is-
sues or feedback after an appointment.
Thankfully, the healthcare indus-
try is starting to adopt more inclusive
language. In March, the NHS released
an advert encouraging people to book
their cervical screening appointment
with text reading: “Trans men and
non-binary people aged 25-64 are
eligible for cervical screening if they
have a cervix.” Whilst many have cel-
ebrated this step forward, some Twit-
ter users responded with comments
such as “oh dear oh dear” and “Why
am I paying towards this bs?”
In the same month, hysteria took
hold online when it was revealed
that doctors have been asking men
if they are with child. One Daily Mail
headline read: “Asking men if they are
pregnant is part of an NHS obsession
that puts patients at risk, writes Dr
Max Pemberton.”
It seems that some people fear
SEX | NON-BINARY SEXUAL HEALTH
that if health services become more
inclusive, then those who are
cisgender will be treated with less care.
However, I am relieved to see the
recent progress made. It spreads
awareness of the needs of trans and
non-binary people. Many of us have
cervixes, have sex, have periods, suffer
with endometriosis, have abortions,
give birth and undergo different
experiences that require treatment.
Campaigns such as the one mentioned
previously allow us to feel more
confident in asserting our needs when
seeking help from medical profession-
als. We all deserve to be understood,
listened to, and treated with empathy
when accessing healthcare.
61
 Sexting 101
NIC CROSARA LOOKS INTO THE QUEER APPEAL OF VIRTUAL SEX
AND GETS TIPS ON HOW TO SEXT WITH CONFIDENCE
“You can successfully sext a cishet-
ero man, one-handed whilst stirring
pasta, incredibly drunk, and also
talking to your bestie,” says non-
binary erotica enthusiast Tyr. “But
queers? You have to have a fucking
novel drafted before you even start.”
I’m emphatically finger clicking. The
pressure is real! When LGBTQI folk get
behind the keys, short bog-standard
sentences can turn into paragraphs
that are equal parts emotional and
out-of-this-world spicy. Oh, and we
know how to provide virtual after
care, as bisexual babe Avril perfectly
describes: “I vividly remember sexting
a girl who said all the right things
and then she said she’d make me
mac’n’cheese afterwards. I swear to
god, I think that turned me on more
than anything else she said to me.”
Whilst some folks spend hours ago-
nising over every erotic emoji, others
just go for it. Sex educator Eva Bloom
(@whatsmybodydoing) advises that: “No
one expects you to be a professional
erotica writer when you are explor-
ing sexting! When people are horny
their sense of perfectionism in writing
tends to wane.”
62 JULY 2022
SO WHAT’S SO APPEALING relationship ended, she longed to feel
ABOUT SEXTING? wanted again but was mortified at
Self-described “tender queer” Olive the thought of being seen naked by
shares that she likes getting caught someone new. She set out download-
off guard, feeling flustered in a ing every single dating app. “It rarely
seminar or a room full of friends. led to sexting because most matches
“I love being able to message my were dull. But when it did, it was excit-
partner something, knowing they’ll be ing because it was such a confidence
instantly turned on just going about boost to hear what someone else
their day-to-day errands. There’s al- wanted to do to your body. I like the
most an element of humour in being mystery and lack of commitment
able to say the thing I know will get involved in it.”
them instantly horny and imagining
their face trying to hide it in public.” WHAT’S THE ALLURE
When Avril’s first long-term WHEN IT COMES TO
QUEER RELATIONSHIPS?
Eva points out a number of reasons
WORDS OF SEXTING WISDOM why sexting is appealing or may be
more frequent within our community,
from LGBTQI people being more likely
If you’re sexting Whilst you don’t Looking for
with someone have to be an increased to find sexual and romantic partners
new, warm erotica writer, security when online, to us being more creative
up. Get to always check it comes to your when it comes to sex. “Queer people
know them. Be for typos! You data? Platforms are forced to create their own sexual
playful, flirty don’t want to like Signal and experiences outside of cisheteronor-
and have fun, say “combing” WhatsApp offer mative scripts. They might need to
and remember, instead of more encryption. develop better social skills.” On the
consent is SEXY! “coming” or topic of communication, Tyr shares
“duck yeah, like
that when sexting fellow queers, they
that.”
will say something along the lines of,

“I’d like to sit on your lap, kiss your
neck and dip my fingers under your
waistband…” which often leads to a
conversation about what vocabulary
to use for genitals.
HOW HAS LOCKDOWN
IMPACTED THE WORLD
OF VIRTUAL SEX?
Lockdown saw a rise in non-monog-
amy, so it should be no surprise that
the pandemic also caused an increase
in virtual sex, with one in five people
trying something new sexually. Over
50% of them embarked on some form
of virtual sex, with sexting being the
most common. “When public health
organisations across the world are
recommending sexting as a pub-
lic health measure, that’s a pretty
staggering change to how we think
about sex and pleasure.” Eva shares
their hopes that this means we are
broadening our definitions of sex.
“Sexting and the many different types
of virtual sex can also provide access
to sexual expression to folks with dis-
abilities, or when, for other reasons,
in person sex is not possible. We’ve
seen sexting be highlighted in this
SEX | SEXTING
way over the course of the pandemic
No one expects you to be when close contact carries a risk of
transmission. This continues to be the
a professional erotica case for people who wish to reduce
community transmission and people
writer when you are who are immunocompromised.”
And whilst we’re talking about
the pandemic… my humble brag of
exploring sexting!” 2021 was that I was in the top 1% of
Bo Burnham listeners in my >>>
SEXPERT TIPS FROM EVA BLOOM
Get creative Say the thing you want Psst, here’s a secret formula for
Explore different media (audio, Sexting is a powerful tool for sexting success
video, texts, photos) and communication and can make I often cite great, straightforward
platforms. Personally, I think it less scary to share fantasies or advice from Dan Savage on dirty
voice notes and audio sex is wildly desires! talk and sexting. That is to “say
underrated. Sexting for the first time? what you want to do, say what
Check-ins are sexy It’s important to check in you’re doing, say what you did”.
“How does that feel?” “Do you with your boundaries before For example: “Wow it would be
like that?” proceeding. What types of media so hot if you/we____, omg it’s
do you feel good about engaging so hot when you____, wow that
in? What words do you like to use was so hot when you_____.”
for your body?
Eva Bloom co-runs a queer community space for people who have recently come out or are diving into greater
depths of their queerness (or just want community). The F*ck Comphet Support Club is an international club
where folks gather monthly to laugh and find queer friends. You can join via Patreon:
Patreon.com/fckcomphetsupportclub
63
 SEX | SEXTING
Spotify Wrapped. Which means I
know all the words to every song on
his album and Netflix comedy special,
Inside, which documents life in lock-
down. And yes, that includes Sexting,
where Bo sings: “Sexting, it isn’t sex,
it’s the next best thing.” There are of
course drawbacks of virtual sex, such
as the absence of physical closeness,
touch, taste and smell. Some also re-
quire physical sensation to experience
emotional intimacy. And as Avril says:
“I like the sexual energy and frustra-
tion that gets pent up with sexting – it
can be really exciting. But if it ever
leads to the real thing, it can often be
disappointing when compared to the
illustrious pictures they’ve painted
previously to you.” But is Bo wrong?
Are there ways in which sexting could
actually be the best thing?
I have to ask Eva about whether
there are benefits from sexting that
we can’t get, or are harder to get, from
physical sex. “Sexting can be a venue
for people to communicate their
desires and boundaries! We know that
there is pretty robust research con-
necting sexual communication and
sexual satisfaction.” Eva points out
64 JULY 2022
the benefit of being able to explore
fantasies that you don’t want to or
can’t explore in person. “If you are
a short person and have a fantasy
HANDY CONVERSATION
about throwing your much taller and
heavier partner into bed, you can ex-
perience that via sexting.” Phone sex
STARTERS
also carries benefits when it comes to “I saw that picture you posted
today. You looked great.”
I love messaging my “Do you want me to tell you what
partner, knowing they’ll be I’d do to you if I was there?”
instantly turned on just “I want to tell you how good
you make me feel. Is that ok
going about their errands” with you?”
“I was just thinking about when
consent and safety. “It can be easier to
put the phone down than to advocate
we did ____. It was so hot. Do
for yourself and leave.”
you remember that?”
So DIVAs, if you feel nervous the
next time you want to pick up the
phone and get sexty, remember: you Be sure that any conversation starters
don’t have to be a wordsmith, aftercare aren’t extremely explicit off the bat and
is important, consent is sexy and – also have a clear way for people to respond
most importantly – be open about your with “I’m not into this right now”.
desires.
 SEX | SEXY BITS

BY ELEANOR NOYCE

SEXY BITS
TOY
GOOD VIBRATIONS
What’s your favourite emoji? The heart-eyes emoji?
That cute doe-eyed one? Whatever your preference,
now you can get sexy with toys from Emojibator.
With a total of 30 pleasure settings, the Paula Kitty
Cat Kegel Ball Vibrator comes with a wireless remote
for hands-free control. Waterproof and rechargeable, it’s
the perfect kegel vibrator. This company has toys shaped like
everything from the swan emoji to the infamous eggplant. Take your
pick. emojibator.com, £42

FACT
PODCAST
CARROTS DON’T JUST HELP YOU SEE IN THE DARK… THE SEX AGENDA
Feeling sexy? The world’s leading sexual A podcast by Decolonising
Contraception, The Sex
wellness brand, Satisfyer, has unveiled a Agenda focuses on sexual
menu listing its top libido-boosting foods. In health inequality amongst
Black people and people
conjunction with Megwyn White, certified of colour. Hosted by Dr
sexologist and director of education at Satisfyer, Annabel Sowemimo and
Edem Ntumy, the pair tackle
the project unveils just how much diet can have an myths, misconceptions,
taboos and difficult
impact in the bedroom, recommending conversations. Thus far,
chocolate, watermelon, nuts, the podcast has covered
everything from kink and
salmon and pomegranate as BDSM, to menopause,
muscle-boosting, orgasm- to Black HIV prevention.
It’s available across all
intensifying foods rich in podcasting platforms.
nitric oxide. It also suggests
eating one to two carrots –
with peel – per day to increase
sex hormones, help alleviate
premenstrual syndrome and lift
mood. #SatisfyerEffect
PHOTO THE GENDER SPECTRUM COLLECTION/ZACHARY DRUCKER

NEWS
THE LOCKDOWN EFFECT
If you thought COVID didn’t impact
your bedroom habits, you thought
wrong. The pandemic has actually
boosted our sex lives: according to a
study led by Lovehoney and the Kinsey
Institute, 30% of people are having
more sex than before the pandemic,
36% are masturbating more frequently
and 25% are using sex toys more often.

65
 SEX | MY SECRET SEX DIARY

My I have always been reluctant to go on blind dates. Generally, first dates invoke a huge

secret amount of anxiety for me. Being dyspraxic, I’m constantly knocking over my drink or
tripping over a table, so adding romance – and a first meeting, at that – to the mix is
enough to make my stomach turn. My flatmate works in events, and when she informed
me that she was working on a new blind date concept for LGBTQI women, I placed my

sex invite at arm’s length. The idea she was working on involved placing a bunch of queer
women in a room together and matching them at random, but there was a twist: the lights
were to be turned off, and we’d be in complete darkness.
After a great deal of convincing, I decided that I would attend, just for a laugh. My

diary flatmate promised to pair me with someone that was my type and I laughed, remarking,
“How am I supposed to know if she’s my type on paper? I won’t be able to see her!”
Shallow, I know.
When I arrived at the main entrance, I was blindfolded and led downstairs into the
dining room. The event was a cheese and wine tasting, which felt odd considering that I
LEISHA REVEALS couldn’t see any of the food or drink I was consuming. The first woman I was matched with
HOW A DATE was lovely, but I quickly realised that I’d – surprise, surprise – already matched with her on
IN THE DARK Tinder. And we had an ex in common. It was a no go.
TURNED
STEAMY After a few drinks and a few rounds of
AS TOLD TO meaningless chat, I was matched with a lady named
ELEANOR NOYCE Jen. We hit it off right away, and within minutes I “The orgasm
knew all about her career history, her blood group
and, importantly, her sexual preferences. It was dark
in this dingy room, but my senses informed me that
was one of the
we had been sat in tiny booths for added intimacy.
Chatting away for hours and hours, we were one of
most intense
the final couples standing. We’d been engaged in
conversation for so long that even the waiting staff
I’ve ever
had vacated to clear the upstairs bar, and we were –
momentarily, at least – left alone. experienced”
It started off with a playful footsie under the table,
and then she moved her foot and started rubbing between my legs. Things escalated after
that. She moved to my side of the booth and started kissing my neck, slowly edging her
way down. Giving me the best head of my life, my senses became heightened in the dark:
I couldn’t see anything, but that almost made it sexier. I wanted her even more, and the
*NAME CHANGED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ANONYMITY

orgasm was one of the most intense I’ve ever experienced.

That night, I unlocked a secret fetish of mine. My entire life, I’d – unlike most – been
Want to share surprisingly reluctant to have sex in the dark. I’d found it claustrophobic. But now, it’s all I
ever want to do. That element of secrecy, that urgency, is such a turn on for me. Thank you,
your secret Jen, for unleashing it.
sex diary?
Email eleanor@divamag.co.uk

66 JULY 2022
 PRESTON PARK • BRIGHTON OFFICIAL PRIDE FUNDRAISER FOR
BRIGHTON-PRIDE.ORG THE BRIGHTON RAINBOW FUND

R DA Y 6 T H A
A U
U G
G U
U SSTT DA Y 7 T H A
AU
U G
G U
U SSTT
SSAATTU H
URDAY 6T 12NNOOOONN--1010.3.300PPMM N
UNDAY 7TH 1.1.0000PPMM--99.3.300PPMM
SSU
12

CHRISTINA PALOMA
AGUILERA FAITH
ELLA HENDERSON
ELLA HENDERSON JAKE SHEARS
JAKE SHEARS
TODRICK
TODRICK HALL
HALL SOPHIE ELLIS
SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR
BEXTOR
RAYE •• BIMINI
RAYE BIMINI CAT
CAT BURNS
BURNS
LL DEVINE
DEVINE BJÖRN AGAIN •• LYRA
BJÖRN AGAIN LYRA
GORGON CITY •• FAT
GORGON CITY TONY •• DJ
FAT TONY DJ PAULETTE
PAULETTE
BABY QUEEN •• LIZ
BABY QUEEN LAWRENCE •• ELIZA
LIZ LAWRENCE ELIZA LEGZDINA
LEGZDINA
GIRLI •• BISCITS
GIRLI BISCITS •• PROK FITCH •• JESS
PROK || FITCH JESS BAYSBAYS
THE COCOA BUTTER CLUB • THE BITTEN PEACH • QUEEFY • POLYGLAMOROUS • BITCH, PLEASE!
THE COCOA
HANNAH BUTTER CLUB
HOLLAND • PAUL • THE
HERON BITTEN
• JAYE WARD • PEACH
SHAY MALT• •QUEEFY • POLYGLAMOROUS
CARROT • MISNIE • BITCH,
• ROSS JONES • OXYLION PLEASE!
& DANGER
HANNAH HOLLAND • PAUL•HERON • JAYE WARD
• SIPPIN • SHAY MALT• • CARROT • MISNIE • ROSS JONES • OXYLION• & DANGER
SUMMER GHEMATI T TOBY LAWRENCE • ALEX BAKER AFFY GO-BANG! • ARXX • DYLAN HOLLOWAY SUZE ROSSER
SUMMER GHEMATI • SIPPIN• T • TOBY LAWRENCE • ALEX BAKER • AFFY GO-BANG! • ARXX • DYLAN HOLLOWAY • SUZE ROSSER
CHANGING CURRENTS LCB • AMYL • LIAM JOSEPH • SAMI KUBU • LOLA • LEVI OSBOURNE • WILDBLOOD AND QUEENIE
CHANGING CURRENTS
• • LCB • AMYL
• • LIAM JOSEPH • •SAMI KUBU • LOLA• • LEVI OSBOURNE • • WILDBLOOD
• AND QUEENIE
BILLIE GOLD PAUL DIELLO LAMONT RICKETTS ROSE RANDLES ALAN BONNER DJ TRICK LINZI SYMONS
•
GOLD PAUL
BILLIEFULLER DIELLO • • • • •
CLAIRE • MISSY B • DANLAMONT RICKETTS
AURA • BEE ROSE RANDLES
& JACKRABBIT ALAN
• NAZ & ELLA BONNER
• ESME DJ TRICK
ANDERSON LINZI SYMONS
• BASHEMA • DRYADIC
CLAIRE FULLER • MISSY B • DAN AURA•• BEE•& JACKRABBIT • NAZ•& ELLA • ESME ANDERSON • BASHEMA • DRYADIC
HANNAH BRACKENBURY MIRI SHERIKA SHERARD KHANYISA • LOADS MORE TO COME
HANNAH BRACKENBURY • MIRI • SHERIKA SHERARD • KHANYISA • LOADS MORE TO COME
PRIDE DANCE BIG TOP • BREAK-OUT STAGE • 90S/00S STAGE • BRÜT DANCE TENT • DIVA DANCE TENT • LEGENDS CABARET BIG TOP
PRIDEQUEER
DANCETOWN
BIG TOP • BREAK-OUT
• SHEILA MCWATTIESTAGE
STAGE• 90S/00S STAGEAREA
• FAMILY PRIDE • BRÜT DANCE TENT
· STREET FOOD •VILLAGE
DIVA DANCE
• FUNTENT
FAIR• LEGENDS CABARET
• COMMUNITY BIG TOP
VILLAGE
QUEER TOWN • SHEILA MCWATTIE STAGE • FAMILY PRIDE AREA · STREET FOOD VILLAGE • FUN FAIR • COMMUNITY VILLAGE
#SUPPORTING LGBTQ+ ARTISTS
#SUPPORTING LGBTQ+ ARTISTS

MEDIA PARTNER
MEDIA PARTNER