Existing within cultural intersections, the concept of representation often feels like sitting in front of an old television. You have to twist the antenna to the left, say a brief prayer, and give the shell a whack before you get the fuzz out of the picture – only then can you squint your way into […]
On a Balmy Thursday night, I make the long(ish) journey to Stratford East theatre, to see Yummy. Lured by the promise of babirye bukilwa’s writing, malakai sergeant’s direction and a sparse but intriguing show summary – I hurry. The 30-minute play is a part of Stratford East’s Burn It Down series, where theatre makers respond […]
If I count the time from when I first became conscious of myself in relation to sexuality, it has taken me 17 years to accept that I am a Black non-binary lesbian. Even now, to say I ‘accept’ this feels static; ‘accepting’ might be a more apt word choice. Everyday I wake up I’m reminded […]
“There’s so much in being able to write to and through a place” – Andrés N. Ordorica Andrés N. Ordorica is a Queer Latinx writer and poet whose debut collection, “At Least This I Know”, came out in January. The collection is an eclectic exploration of ideas around ancestry, belonging, nationhood, activism and queer identity. […]
It is a Wednesday evening and the second week of Glasgow’s COP26 Summit. At this point, I am becoming increasingly numb to certain phrases like climate action, green energy, and sustainability. The climate change ‘debate’ feels a bit removed from me, I do my bit, I do not drive, recycle, turn off the lights and […]
Pier Kids is a documentary film by Elegance Bratton. The film interrogates the meaning of community within at-risk LGBTQ+ youth of colour and also the larger gay community. It’s not uncommon for those within the arts to immerse themselves into the environment they wish to film – but for Elegance, Pier Kids was an extremely […]
‘1% is a state of mind,’ Jaz says breezily as she re-enacts her South London Bestie, Mon, leading her through a field towards a queer rave in Croydon on precarious battery percentage. ‘Remember when I made 1% last like 3 hours? / That was a Nokia still.’ As the audience and I burst into laughter […]
Jamie Chi is an independent filmmaker and LGBT+ rights activist of Filipino and Chinese heritage. Jamie’s most recent project is a documentary called ‘Safe Distance’ which explores the lives of queer Chinese people living under lockdown in the UK. In this interview, Jamie talks about the inspiration behind their documentary, the challenges of filming in […]
I was delighted to receive an invitation to watch Overflow at The Bush Theatre. I had seen a lot of buzz about it online prior to lockdown closures and then again with its online streaming debut. Despite this, I went into the play knowing little about it, save that it was written by the award-winning […]
Set in Dublin, Ireland, Adiba Jaigirdar’s YA romance novel holds the story of Humaira “Hani” Khan and Ishita “Ishu” Dey. The two teenage girls attend the same all-girls school and, like many other immigrant children, are expected to befriend one another. Despite ethnicity, the girls share little else in common. Hani is easy-going, extroverted and […]
