The Music of Ru Paul’s Drag Race

The Music of RuPaul’s Drag Race

RuPaul’s Drag Race, and spin off series All Stars, has became extremely popular in recent years, and advocates for the LGBTQ+ community through the use of their music. It is necessary to allow for much more inclusion, and a creative space for the gay community, without the fears of having to hone in on their expressions. The show celebrates the art of drag while addressing the problems associated with the culture, but highlights the fun and glamorous side of camp culture. The stigmas that surround the LGBTQ+ community are beginning to be challenged, and the programme itself contributes to activism and real living, by representing and normalising queer figures in a safe environment. Break Up Bye Bye, a song that was performed on the UK version of the show by the ‘Frock Destroyers’ a.k.a, Blu Hydrangea, Baga Chipz and Divina de Campo, was one of the most successful songs out of Drag Race, as it managed to reach number 10 in the Official Big Top 40 show last year. It was also a really important moment as Brett Leland McLaughlin, one of the songs co-writers is the described as being the one of the “most prolific out gay musicians” according to Vulture. McLaughlin, better known by the mononym Leland, has written for high profile musicians such as Ellie Goulding, Selena Gomez, BTS and Troye Sivan and intertwines pop with classic comedy films from his childhood. The song itself refers to important messages such as Blu priding herself by being the “hero for the gays back home” as gay marriage is not legalised in her home country, Northern Ireland. By layering the catchy bassline with hilarious anecdotes, it made history by furthering drag and LGBTQ+ culture into the mainstream.

A regular feature on the show is Ru-sicals, a portmanteau of ‘musical’ and ‘RuPaul’, which promotes the contestants and their astonishing ability to combine lip syncing, live singing, and dancing. Since Season 6, there have been a host of Ru-sicals, themed around everything from the Kardashians, Cher and Donald Trump. One of my favourites was the more recent one, which was coined ‘Social Media: The Unverified Ru-sical’. Not only is the title engaging and comedic, each contestant has a social media platform which they then have to elevate onto the screen with a character persona. It’s fun and quirky, and the music is fantastic, parodying Barbra Streisand’s iconic Don’t Rain On My Parade, as well as other Broadway songs such as The Cell Block Tango from the legendary musical Chicago and I Am the Very Model of a Modern MajorGeneral from comedic opera The Pirates of Penzance. There’s a lot of variety in the topics too. ‘Trump: The Ru-sical’ was a political spoof built around the story of Grease, and ‘Madonna: The Unauthorized Rusical’ had so much brilliant composition, as the parody evoked a large host of her songs and featured vocals inspired by her major performances, whilst embodying her with their stunning outfits. References throughout include Madonna’s 1985 single Material Girl which Madonna resembles a young Marilyn Monroe, the 1989 single Express Yourself and the 1990 single Justify My Love, which was recorded in Paris. The video itself was actually deemed “too sexually explicit” for MTV, and was thereby banned. It was later released on VHS and was the first best selling video single ever, and reached the top of the Billboard Charts. The importance of including explicit references to videos from icons such as Madonna, was due to the controversy of the time including explicit sex, sadomasochism and cross-dressing. It serves to show breaking boundaries of the rigid mainstream, which RuPaul’s Drag Race certainly never ceases to do with it’s highly fashionable costumes and gowns. This flows through the composition of the Madonna Ru-sical by mentioning a lot of her more censored and controversial moments.

One of the most popular songs to come out of Drag Race, is undeniably Sissy That Walk, recorded by no other than RuPaul himself. The phrase refers to the exaggerated strut that drag queens are known for cultivating on stage, which refers to a traditionally feminine method of moving, but is slowly developing to refer to a method for both males and females. The style of walk that catwalk models evoke is selfconfident and assured, so the song serves to command the listener to strut their stuff with no fear, and to reclaim the word “sissy”. In the video itself, Ru highlights the importance of the phrase that a writer used when working on a story about child pageants, and it’s significant methodology of not letting others tell you what to do, and serves to empower those who listen, and those who feel guilt in their unconventional identities, which are actually, completely conventional in our everchanging society. words by: Megan Evans design by: Sandra Mbula Nzioki

Pride Preserved: A History of Queer Zines

My fascination with comic books as a kid, as well as studying graphic memoirs as part of my degree inspired me to explore other alternative mediums of literature and led me to discover zines. I have to say, there’s something so enchanting about these incredibly unique creations that makes you feel so connected to the artist. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I was particularly drawn to queer zines which have historically covered a range of topics from both personal and political perspectives, which have helped document our culture.

A Brief History:

A zine, (pronounced zeen, short for magazine or fanzine) is a handmade, self-published booklet produced in limited numbers and circulated at little or no cost to specific communities and networks. Their purpose is to provide a vehicle for expression of thoughts and ideas. Often carrying anti-authoritarian messages, self-publishing allowed marginalised voices to express themselves beyond the constraints of mainstream media. Published in 1930, The Comet by the Science Correspondence Club in Chicago is regarded as the earliest example of a zine. This sparked a trend of sci-fi influencethat enabled fans to develop networks through until the 1960s. Zines began to expand again throughout the 1970s and 80s with the birth of the punk scene from New York to London. Punk zines had a grungier aesthetic to reflectthe music genre. Popular punk zines like Slash and Sniffin’ Glue helped promote upcoming bands, bringing the underground scene to light. They reflected the ideals of the punk subculture and their revolt against authoritarianism.

The technological advancements of the 70s also aided zine creators, with the rise of photocopy shops making it easier and cheaper for artists to reproduce their work. Similarly, subversive to punk mentality, the Riot Grrrl movement of the 1990s developed a more personal experience-based zine culture of its own. The focus shifted to the feminist movement and engaged with sexuality, body image, and issues such as sexual violence. Culturally and historically, zines have always served as a powerful outlet for content considered inappropriate for more traditional publications.

Zines & the LGBTQ+ Community:

A key component of zine culture is that they provide a safe and independent platform of expression for underrepresented and marginalized voices. As platforms for free thought, queer zines have served as a protest against normality and censorship for the LGBTQ+ community within a heteropatriarchal world.

Through highlighting inequalities associated with protests and movements and archiving personal experiences, zines have also been vital in documenting queer culture and history. Queer zines are a celebration of voices who are often denied a platform to speak from, enriching and celebrating their lives .

At the same time, queer zines continue to challenge the demonisation of queer culture in mainstream media. For example, at the height of the AIDS epidemic, the US and UK governments refused to publicly acknowledge the crisis whilst the media presented apocalyptic messages in association with the crisis. In response, educational zines like Yell were used to help spread awareness and information on safety, to humanise gay men particularly those infected, and to elevate the voices of gay POC who were ostracised from the narrative. Queer people have been telling and preserving their stories through the physical evidence of zines. They not only provide a response to inequalities from voices that deserve to be heard, but they also preserve queer lives, solidifying our place in history.

There is no one definition of a zine. A publication has to simply identify as one. The power of a zine therefore lies in its inability to conform to one definition. This is something that many queer people will likely identify with; there is no one way to be queer and all identities are valid. The lack of structure of zines can be considered a reflection of the people who make them. People who exist outside of society’s oppressive binary ‘norm’. Due to their DIY structure creators are also far more motivated by self-expression and the desire to share their artistic passion than they are by profit. Queer audiences are therefore aware that creators have something they want to say that needs to be heard. They give artists who don’t conform to the expectations of mainstream media a chance to share their art with like-minded audiences. By being circulated underground outside of oppressive systems, zines also provide an alternative mode of communication that helps bring communities together.

The Online Revival:

Through the development of the digital age, the internet and social media have evolved to become platforms for social justice. They exist as safe, accessible, and interactive platforms for zines to be shared, with the ability to reach an online audience of millions at the click of a button. Digital zines continue to provide a creative outlet for frustrated generations. In a time of political tension and untrustworthy news sources, zines today have retained their significance as instruments for protest and change, particularly for the voices of those who continue to be overshadowed. Digital zines like Black Voices have responded to the protests and riots of the Black Lives Matter movement, gaining significant attention online and raising funds for mutual aid. Zines have been revived by the internet and social media, where they continue to help connect communities and strive for social change.

Queer Zines to Read:

Gaps in your queer history, or simply inspired to findout more? Zines are a great way to support queer artists’ work while educating yourself too. Whether you’re deep into zine culture already or you’ve never picked one up before, here are five fantastic zines made for and by queer people to check out!

1. Hard Femme - Kirsty Fife

This zine deals with the creator’s identity as a queer femme, tackling issues of body image, abuse and trauma, dating, and expression through clothing.

2. Fear Brown Queers - Jacob V. Joyce

Joyce combines illustrations with quotes from queer, trans people of colour to interrogate and deconstruct the white gaze.

3. Shotgun Seamstress - Osa Atoe

This zine presents a bold voice contending for spaces for women and queer POC within punk communities.

4. Spork - Jeff Zick

Zick portrays the ambiguity of gender and sexuality, along with the use of language, dress, and art as modes of self-expression and acceptance.

5. Not Straight Not White Not Male - Rosi

Angered by the lack of diversity in media that gay, Vietnamese-American rosi feels she can relate to, this extremely candid zine details her struggles with assimilating into American culture, internalized racism, and shame.

words by: Sarah Rawle design by: Amelia Field

literature I Ship It! Shipping, Fan-Fiction and the LGBTQ+ Community

I was 12 years old when I joined Tumblr, and firstexperienced fanfictionand the ‘shipping’ phenomenon. As a pre-teen, I was still confused about my sexuality, not unlike many others my age. Suddenly I was thrown into a black hole of fan-art, fanfiction,and fan content revolving around all of my favourite shows. Now, ten years later, I realise how unhealthy that was. How heavily I relied on these communities to give me what I was lacking at home and in my real life, but at the time it seemed as if a whole new world was ahead of me, and I needed to absorb everything in. Fandoms are, to a lot of people, a safe space to emerge yourself in. Which is why the majority of fandoms are composed of young, queer people. Surveys have shown that only 38% of users of Archive of Our Own, a fan-fictionwebsite, are straight and that more people identifiedas genderqueer than male. This leads to a space where people can express and explore themselves and their sexuality, without feeling the need to abide to certain social expectations. This leads to the concept of shipping: a phenomenon that brings two or more characters together romantically, whether their relationship was confirmed canonically or not As a teenager of a young adult, it’s hard to come to terms with your sexuality or your gender identity. It’s even harder when none of the content you consume, whether that be books or shows or movies or songs, portrays a character or a person who is like you. That is why fandoms have a history of ‘shipping’ two characters of the same gender - to help themselves feel normal, feel seen. However, this leads to a problematic solution that authors and creators of the original content have found: queerbaiting. Queerbaiting is a marketing technique for fictionand entertainment in which authors and creators hint at queer relationships, without said relationships ever coming to fruition. Famous examples of this are Dean and Castiel from Supernatural, Keith and Lance from Voltron, or Sherlock and Watson in BBC’s Sherlock. Another point to note with queerbaiting, as well as fanfictions as a whole, is how most ships usually comprise of two cisgender men. Whether this has to do with the internalised homophobia directed specifically towards women, misogyny, or simply because shows have more male characters, this is still an important issue that needs to be highlighted. The frustration that comes from queerbaiting is usually what leads to fanfictions being written, people are upset that they have been repeatedly lied to and want to create their own narrative. Queer relationships, and writing these queer relationships from scratch, allow for members of a community to create their own world, and to project what they want onto those characters. It’s also giving a voice to the voiceless - lots of shipping happens between secondary or tertiary characters, characters who are barely mentioned in that way in canon. By writing and then uploading stories on Wattpad, Archive of Our Own, or fanfiction.net, members of the community can express their anger by creating an entire storyline. This leads to numerous types of stories: -Alternate Universe: where the characters remain the same but are placed in a different universe to the one they were originally created in. -Canon-divergent: where the story and characters remain identical up until a certain part of the story, and then it diverges completely. -Canon-compliant: where the storyline and characters remain nearly identical, and only a few details differ. Fanfictionshave also created a lingo describing relationships that is now adapted into mainstream forms of media, such as the ‘enemies to lovers ‘or ‘friends to lovers’ timelines. This just goes to show that fanfictionand fandom creations are more serious than someone from outside the fandom might think. Indeed, there is a preconception about fanfictionthat it is a lowly piece of literature, and that is at times should not even be considered as literature, but I beg to differ.

I have spent many nights of my teen years reading fanfiction on Archive of Our Own, fanfictions filled with metaphors and similes, with analogies and song. I have spent nights and days reading stories that are 300,000 words long, longer than Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The emotion that comes from fanfiction, the love and hate and sadness and laughter that these stories bring out, should not be reduced to irrelevant just because they come from reading a fanfiction. In contemporary mainstream media, we can find a few examples of content that used to be fanfictions: After by Anna Todd, a Harry Styles fanfiction from Wattpad, or 5 0 Shades of G rey by Erika Leonard James, a Twilight fan-fiction originally called ‘Master of the Universe’. Though these specific fanfictions didn’t receive the best reception from audiences, and they aren’t representatives of fanfiction and shipping phenomenon as a whole, they are still important examples to remember as they seem to have crossed boundaries between the fictive and the real. Fanfictions and shipping is an art form and should be considered as such. They allow for teenagers and young adults to find a safe space from a world that often seems too cruel and bleak, and they allow for them to see representation, to see a queer character being happy, in love, and alive. Disregarding the impact of fanfictions simply because they are fan-made, is a disservice to others as well as yourself. words by: Scarlet Charles design by: Sandra Mbula Nzioki

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The Lost and Found LGBTQ+ Gaming Hit Players:

words by: Marcus Yeatman-Crouch design by: Lucy Battersby

It’s been around 7 months since the Netflixdocuseries High Score released, with episodes covering several of the core foundations of modern gaming, from console wars to the RPG. One story that was included in the RPG episode was that of Ryan Best, and GayBlade. The action role-playing game released in 1992 is considered one of the earliest LGBT-themed video games. It wasn’t much to look at, featuring amateurish graphics and a generic room-to-room dungeon system. But the content is what caught the eye. First, a party had to be formed, consisting of your choice of drag queens, lesbians, muses and more. The enemies you would face included STIs, priests, and skinheads. For weapons: purses and press-on nails, while armour included tiaras and leather jackets. And the final boss?Homophobic politician Pat Buchanan, who at the time was a big conservative commentator and repeatedly branded the AIDS epidemic as nature’s retribution against gays. In short, GayBlade can be seen as almost a microcosm of the LGBTQ+ community in the late 80’s and early 90’s, with all its stereotypes, heroes, and villains compressed into an adventure where your goal was rescuing Empress Nelda ‘from the forces of homophobia’. Best said “when I finishedthe game, it was like a therapy for me. A lot of the anger that I’d carried with me for years was gone”, and in a time where the gay community was being hounded and blamed for the AIDS crisis, it’s no surprise that the developer began receiving letters of thanks and praise for how the game provided catharsis for others.

Not only was GayBlade shaping up to be a cult classic amongst gays and straights alike, it was also getting some decent coverage from the press, especially for an indie LGBTQ+ game in the 90’s. There were interviews with USA Today, Howard Stern, and even internationally with news sources as big as Der Spiegel in Germany. It was blowing up, generating controversy (naturally, with religious and conservative groups that found themselves vilifiedfor their hate speech) but equal amounts of praise and admiration for its incredibly direct reclamation of stereotypes in positively promoting the LGBTQ+ community.

And then, it all disappeared. Best said on High Score that he lost all his copies of the game, plus the original source code, in a move years ago, and had spent his time since searching for any trace of the game and possible hidden copies. As it would turn out, the docuseries would provide Best with the attention he needed to attract someone who did have a surviving copy of GayBlade. The word got out, and the Schwules Museum in Berlin - the firstLGBTQ+ museum in the world - were able to provide Best with an original copy of the game.It was then digitally preserved with the help of numerous archiving groups like the LGBTQ Video Game Archive and the Internet Archive, who also made the game available to download last year. This was a massive victory for the LGBTQ+ community, and gaming. To uncover one of the earliest titles focused on the community, with such an obvious narrative relating to the treatment of queer people at the time, GayBlade is both an instrument of cultural understanding and, in many ways, an empowering tool that could have become a marker of LGBTQ+ representation in gaming very early on. You may wonder, why did it take so long for anyone to catch on and start searching for GayBlade? Mainly, it’s because High Score was the firstaccount of the story of video games that saw fitto truly include marginalised groups and their importance to the industry. Ryan Best and his contribution as an LGBTQ+ developer was not the only one: there was also focus on the importance of a woman developer in pioneering the massive RPG genre, the black engineer who can take credit for the cartridge system, and plenty more scattered through the series. High Score was the firstdocumentary to really celebrate the way these marginalised developers pushed the boundaries of video games and get their stories into the mainstream. If attempts had been made to uncover the story of the first LGBTQ+ games sooner, we could have been enjoying the revived version of GayBlade far earlier, and Ryan Best would have got his closure on a culturally significant game that he thought was lost. So what next? GayBlade is just one of many LGBTQ+ focused games that was lost in the margins of the gaming industry. High Score shed some light, but there is yet to be a full beam cast over LGBTQ+ game development or its community. The LGBTQ+ Video Game Archive and other such groups are doing excellent work in preserving and promoting titles that put queer characters and stories front and centre. Perhaps with the little push of another big money doc like High Score, there can be proper recognition of the efforts of marginalised communities in furthering the gaming industry.

words by: Emily Bryant design by: Ersila Bushi LGBTQ+ representation has increased significantly in the media in recent years. Video games are no exception; queer and trans characters have been popping up in our games more and more over the past decade. Over time we have been introduced to fleshed out, multi-dimensional characters who are grounded in their respective worlds. Games have made great strides in how queer and trans characters are presented, allowing their presence to become normalised to the average consumer. Such normalisation of queer and trans characters is aided by having LGBTQ+ characters. A prime example of this is Bioware’s Dragon Age series. The party based mechanics of these games enables Bioware to produce a diverse cast of characters, and the presence of LGBTQ+ characters only increased as the series progressed. Bisexuality is prominent throughout these three games; companions like Leliana and Zevran in Dragon Age: Origins and almost all the companions in Dragon Age II offer the potential for bisexual romances, presenting the idea as normalised within the world of Thedas. In addition to bisexual options, Dragon Age: Inquisition also provides the series’ first same sex romances through Dorian and Sera.

These representations provide queer characters from a variety of backgrounds and races, allowing players to understand and relate to them as they play. This combined with a plethora of queer background characters - like Empress Celine of Orlais - grounds queerness within these games and creates a space that is surrounded by such characters. The series also broke boundaries with trans representation, as Cremisius ‘Krem’ Aclassi from Dragon Age: Inquisition was the first trans male character presented in a video game. Krem’s story and role within the game shows him as a well developed character and individual, rather than feeling forced in for the sake of representation. Queerness in these games is grounded and realistic, establishing it within the world as normal and accepted.

Furthermore, we see LGBTQ+ characters being normalised when queer and trans protagonists are introduced in games. Placing LGBTQ+ characters in central roles allows them the space to develop and be something beyond their sexuality or gender. A strong example of this is Ellie from Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us. While being gay is an aspect of Ellie’s character, we learn much more about her throughout the course of those games. She grows as the games progress, and her queerness adds a layer to her complex character. These complexities are also reflected in Max and Chloe from Dontnod Entertainment’s Life is Strange. While being queer is not a major part of the main plot of Life is Strange, it shows us how it influences these characters and how it affects their decisions. Max and Chloe are at the root of the story and their queerness only adds to their individuality, rather than detracts from it. There is also progression with trans characters, as Dontnod Entertainment’s Tell Me Why had the first trans protagonist in a video game, Tyler Ronan. The game’s GLAAD consultant Nick Adams described Tyler’s place in the game as “a nice balance of not shying away from the fact [...] and showing the way it affects him, and [...] how other people react to him”. These present how queer and trans characters can be at the core of the story without that being the only aspect of themselves.

To conclude, LGBTQ+ representation in video games has evolved and developed into a level of normality. Queer and trans characters are becoming increasingly popular in our games, and such representation doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Who are some LGBTQ+ characters that you love?

design by: Shafia Motale words by: Lewis Empson

A GENDER EXPRESSION REVOLUTION IN GAMING

Character creation menus have been a staple of varying game genres and franchises, from shooters to strategy games. It is most lauded in the role playing game genre, although as of late, the options surrounding gender expression in RPG games have felt limiting and do not accommodate transgender and non-binary gamers. Some of the biggest RPG franchises like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series have only offered a male or female option in their character creation suite, leaving transgender and non-binary players with confinedoptions to express themselves with outside of the traditional binary gender options. Thankfully, the last year has provided a more updated and relevant way to express gender through character customisation and gameplay mechanics that accommodate gender expression outside of the traditional binary. Firstly and arguably most surprisingly is Call Of Duty Black Ops: Cold War. I’ve highlighted this one as it is perhaps the most intriguing. It is primarily a firstperson shooter and a Call Of Duty game at that, so character customisation has never particularly been a staple within this series. However, in Black Ops: Cold War’s campaign, you create a member of the United States secret service to undertake covert (and sometimes not-so-covert) missions. As part of this character creation you can select “Classified”to have an ambiguous character or select they/them pronouns for a non-binary character. Throughout the game other characters will refer to you with your chosen pronouns and this greater level of control can allow players to freely refinethe extent to which they express their gender in the game. This is particularly refreshing to see in one of the biggest game franchises of all time, as it helps to bring these advancements in gender expression to the forefront of the industry in an unapologetic way - especially considering how the stereotypical Call Of Duty player can become… “fragile” when it comes to progressive changes within their games. Next up is Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which offers an interesting take on gender fluidit. You can play the game as either a male or female Eivor (both options are canon in the overarching story) and you can change this at any time in the options menu. However, there is a third option that lets the “Animus” choose. This option fluidlychanges the gender of Eivor depending on the mission; no spoilers but it retains significanceto the story and is technically the best way to play if you want the most immersive experience. Not being locked into the gender that you picked right at the beginning of the story is liberating, especially in a game so huge in scope like Valhalla. It’s once again refreshing to see studios like Ubisoft taking initiative to create accessible and fluid options fora wider range of players. Finally is Cyberpunk 2077. Now, say what you will about any other aspect of the game but its fantastic character creation suite is one of its few positives. Cyberpunk 2077 gets into the nitty gritty with full genital customisation (yep), voice selections with masculine and feminine options, and general customisation options that can make your character present either more masculine, feminine or neither regardless of sex or gender; meaning you can mix and match voice and body types to finda suitable way to express yourself in Night City. It also features a plethora of romance options throughout the game, so players can affirmgender and sexuality in any way they choose, making it one of the most inclusive games in recent memory when it comes to customising your gender and sexuality. What’s key to remember is that these are huge, triple-A titles. They are at the forefront of the industry and have garnered huge attention, putting these new gender expression options in the spotlight and setting an example for the future of the industry. With plenty of more RPG’s on the horizon, we hope to see more of this progress to ensure all players have the chance to express themselves in various gaming worlds. So, it’s up to the developers now; with new Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age and Mass Effect titles on the way, we hope to see this trend continue and evolve to represent all gender identities and expressions.

How would you describe your style/aesthetic?

Honestly, I don’t really have a set style. My wardrobe is extremely varied and different variations of outfitsappear at different points in time, it usually depends on what shows I’m watching or what music I’m listening to, and if there’s any particular link from that into my style. Away from University I live in quite a rural area near the sea, so my clothing choices regularly have to be focused on practicality as much as they are on style.

Who is your biggest fashion icon?

I feel like my fashion icons are constantly shifting, some honourable mentions go to Jonah Hill, Tyler The Creator, and Kanye. I feel like that street style has always been a base for me to work from, but the one constant inspiration for me has to be Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy. I remember buying a jacket similar to a Gucci one he wore when I was seventeen from Zara because I wanted something similar, without spending £2000.

What is your relationship with fashion?

I was a late bloomer with fashion, I used to skate a lot when I was younger and so it was always a mix of band merch and comfort. Usually, this meant cargo trousers and chunky DC shoes. Streetwear is what sparked my love of fashion at around sixteen, because personally I think fashion has always been about expression and your taste can quite often be a good reflection of who you are as a person; it’s part of your identity.

Where are your favourite places to shop?

It sounds cliché but a really large portion of my clothes are from Depop, I’ve picked up all sorts of stuff from there and if you know how to filterthrough the drop shippers, as well as the people who hike up the prices of vintage stuff, then there’s some gems to be had. I look on Instagram quite a bit too. Shopping in person is fun (albeit impossible at the moment) but Hobo’s and Route One are personal favourites in Cardiff.

What is your favourite item of clothing and why?

Picking an overall favourite item is incredibly tough, at the moment it’s the Carhartt jeans I picked up from Depop last week, which can be seen in both outfits one and two, they’re so versatile and such high quality and the fact I managed to get them for only £20 makes it even sweeter!

What is your favourite colour to wear?

Black is honestly my default colour choice for most things fashion wise, it’s slimming and incredibly versatile. Plus, it is usually an easy colour to wash without worrying about any colours running and ruining the clothing. If I had to choose something else, it’d probably be purple, it’s my favourite colour overall and often stands out from the usual reds, blues, and greens.

What is a fashion trend you love and a fashion trend you hate?

I’m not usually one to hate on fashion trends because I always like to give new things a go, at the moment though I’d say I’m not personally a fan of varsity jackets, but that is probably down to the fact that they don’t suit me. However, a trend I love has to be the athleisure wear that has become so prominent since the pandemic, I love baggier trousers and joggers.

What influences your style and the way you dress?

I think both skate culture and streetwear culture has played massive roles in influencingthe way I dress, and also what the bands or artists that I listen to wear have always been massive factors in my fashion influenes. Pinterest and Instagram fashion pages do have a slightly smaller influencein what I wear but I usually use those for vague inspiration rather than deciding what needs to be in my wardrobe.

What is your number one fashion tip?

Be yourself, it is always so clear to me when someone is wearing something purely because they feel like they will get validation for it. Developing your own style and expressing it is exactly what makes fashion so fun in the first place, so constantly following trends and what other people wear is just a waste.

Talk us through one of your outfits (image one).

So, in this outfitI’m wearing a Burberry Nova Check Longsleeve shirt, Uniqlo x Kaws Sesame Street T-shirt, Carhartt jeans and White Adidas Supercourt RX’s. I feel like the outfitexpresses a nice, artistic and creative vibe; it is also nice to wear more colour as spring becomes to edge closer. I accessorised with a black cap from Over Sea’s Apparel in Cardiff, a RONIN Silver Pendant necklace, two silver rings and a brown leather bracelet.

words by: Henry Bell design by: May Collins

fashion Ball Culture

Created as an escape from a world fuelled by discrimination, which attacked not just who they were as individuals, but also as a collective, “ball culture” was created by a young African American and Latin American underground LGBTQ+ subculture in New York City. Left homeless after being kicked out by homophobic or transphobic relatives, groups of teens and young adults began to form their own families, known as ‘houses’, in which they all lived and competed in at underground balls. Beginning in Harlem Circa 1960, the ball culture community began throwing charity galas in clubs such as the “Hamilton Lodge”. These charity events soon turned into extravagant masquerade balls which due to their exhibitionist nature allowed for the ball culture community to express themselves in a new and freeing way. These balls eventually began to be held in gay bars, which expanded the community and transformed into an inclusive space for all participants known as “Kings” and “Queens”. In 1970’s Harlem, drag Queen star Crystal LaBeija became a Mother to many after famously creating her own house, “House of LaBeija”. This resulted in the creation of many more houses, a great deal also named after their founding Mothers and Fathers such as, the Houses of Dior, Wong, Corey, Plenty, and Pendavis to name a few. Even though, they all competed relentlessly against one another to win titles and trophies the houses lived in harmony. When the song “Vogue” by Madonna reached the top of the charts over 30 years ago, many fans were unaware of that Madonna’s iconic “voguing” dance originated in one of the balls in Harlem itself. Named after the fashion magazine of the same name, which contained flamboyantposes and facial expressions the ballroom scene created dances mirroring these images, allowing them and us today to “strike a pose”. To truly master vogueing to its full potential, the action was categorised and judged through five key elements: duckwalk, catwalk, hands, floorwork, and spins and dips. Vogueing was not the only event which houses were judged upon, there were countless categories such as, “executive realness”, “femme queen realness”, “butch queen in drags”, “commentator vs. commentator” (this allowed aspiring (and current) emcees to showcase their ability to rap and rhyme over a beat) and “bizarre” (judged on participants’ creativity to design a costume based on a requested category). Within each of these categories, they were judged on all manner of topics from costumes to attitude, which is a testament to how challenging they were. These balls were not only a form of escapism for the abandoned but provided the LGBQT+ community with a support system and home. This suffering was heightened even further as the AIDS crisis grew, which meant many houses lost friends and family. In the beginning years of ball subculture and the AIDS epidemic, hostility towards homosexuality and the links to the illness were high, causing the deaths of many to go unnoticed and the illness itself to be unspoken of. President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, didn’t publicly mentions AIDS until 1985 by which time 12,000 people had already died. The illness did not just threaten the the lives of many, but the ball scene itself, as many members of the LGBTQ+ community fell victim to hate crimes, sexual assaults, and untimely deaths. As many LGBTQ+ voices were left unheard, or ignored through much of the ballroom era, it has had a profound influenceover not just Drag culture, but the entire LGBTQ+ community, even today. Language such as, ‘shade’, ‘werk’ and ‘spilling tea’ have filtered into mainstream cultures, popularised by television shows such as, Ru Paul’s Drag Race. This television series in particular is very influencedby ball culture, with a wide variety of competitions that are performed on a stage and judged on very similar categories such as, realness and dance. However, it does not just stop there, even the iconic American singersongwriter Beyonce has mentioned the inspiration drag-house has had on her performance style and confidence on stage By accepting ballroom culture into mainstream media, an underground exhibition which was once hidden and frowned upon can now be celebrated for its innovation, energy and generosity, which will welcome and support many more lives for years to come. words by: Amy King design by: Sandra Mbula Nzioki

What I’m Wearing: 21st June

foreword by: Jasmine Snow design by: Elly Savva As I’m sure all of you know, June 21st is the day that the government has predicted all COVID-19 restrictions will cease. As the vaccines continue to roll-out on schedule, many of us are hoping that this will finally be the day we can return back to our new normal. Upon the announcement of this day, there was no shortage of memes, anticipation and outfit inspiration to be had. Which is why, we thought it’d be fun to see what our Quench contributors will be wearing and even if the date is pushed back who says we can’t look really nice on our daily walk?

After the initial shedding of tears when Boris announced that we would be free on June 21st, my immediate thought was: What am I going to wear? So, after some careful consideration, I arrived at two designated outfitsfor that wondrous day. Ever since I bought a pair of stripy trousers in Cornwall last year, I have been absolutely desperate to wear them out. Stretchy and lightweight, they are perfect in summer to keep me cool. I love how floatythey are and I am ready to wear these to dance across the beach. Combined with the lace-up top, this yellow outfit screams ‘fun in the sun’, and the heels take the fun into the evening; drinking with friends in beer-gardens whilst watching the sun go down. For my second outfit,I thought about what I’ll be wearing when I’m going to a friendly picnic in the park or to hanging out in the back yard. To capture the chilled vibe, I opted for baggy yellow joggers, and I carried this through to the basic black crop. Finally, I chucked on the “Dynamic Yellow” Nike Air Jordan 1 Mids I have had since July last year yet have only worn out of the house twice, as I think they are possibly the most beautiful shoes I own.

With the long-awaited end of lockdown coming closer and closer, I’ve already been daydreaming and preplanning the outfitsI’ve been waiting months and months to finallywear. I hope to see the loungewear and ‘stay at home’ clothes switched for fresh new trends filledwith vibrant colour and patterns, and the idea of being ‘overdressed’ being left behind us in our past ‘lockdown life’. Taking inspiration from many influencers on Instagram such as @cinziabayliszullo, @ sophiatuxford and @oliviagraceherring, I’ve slowly been pinning together what I’ll be wearing once we are able to socialise again. For when the bars and clubs finallyre-open again, I’ll be straight in my Motel Rocks zebra trousers, which have only been able to be worn in my living room and local Lidl at the moment. For some colour to pair with the patterned trousers, I’ll be wearing a berry pink corset top and matching pink mini bag both from Urban Outfitters.I wish I could say I’ll be wearing a pair of high heels, but I most likely will be sticking to comfort and practicality by wearing my go-to Doc Martens boots. To finishthe outfit,I’ll add an oversized black leather bomber jacket from Missguided.

words by: Manon Jones

2021- the year where checking the weather forecast for your government regulated walk turned into an essential part of outfitplanning and preparation. Even though I have developed serious trust issues this year, it is nice to pin down a date when things will (fingerscrossed) return to some sort of normality again. Personally, I believe that June 21st should be a national holiday. In between University deadlines I have found myself browsing through the likes of ASOS, Depop and Zara to hunt down the latest fashion trends or to get that new-in coat. June 21st brings both hope and promise of a time when the sun will be shining, so we are guaranteed vitamin D, and hopefully there won’t be a ‘shacket’ in sight. For my June 21st outfit,I will be wearing some knee high boots inspired by the Mavis Jimmy Choo leather boot (RRP £690!); except, mine are from ASOS. The knee or thigh high boot is a fantastic option if your feet are getting used to heels again. Mine will be styled with a camel corset style dress. We’ve also seen the sweater vest make a comeback, so I’ll be wearing mine over a white shirt dress. I will wear these outfitsto Tesco if I have to, because there’s no stopping me now. words by: Clara Boom

Gender Neutrality in Spanish

As the sensitivity surrounding sex and gender issues increase, so do the voices advocating for the use of genderneutral language. While some see it as a significantstep towards eliminating gender stereotypes and prejudices, others see it as insignificat in eliminating wider issues concerning gender. But let us firstexplore what a genderneutral language really is. According to the definitiongiven by the European Parliament, “Gender-neutral language is a generic term covering the use of non-sexist language or gender-fair language”. They further describe the purpose of gender-neutral language as a way to avoid word choices that may be interpreted as biased, discriminatory or demeaning, as it avoids language that implies that certain characteristics belong to specific genders The increased use of pronouns on social media is just one thing that has shown us that there is a greater acceptance and acknowledgement in society that gender and sexuality sits on a spectrum. However, for some languages, like Spanish, feminine and masculine cases are added to many words. Nouns, adjectives and pronouns all differ depending on the gender of the person. In Spanish, words like doctor/a and abogado/a (lawyer) vary depending on whether they are a man or a woman. This leaves a very clear clue of the other person’s gender.

Under normal circumstances there seems to be no issue with this, but there can be occasions when this distinction can be problematic. For example, a secretario (masculine form) refers to a minister in the government, whereas the female equivalent of this word, secrataria, would normally refer to a secretary or typist. Thus, it can be argued that the feminine word is less prestigious. In January 2020, the newly elected socialist government proposed to erase gender bias by rewriting the nation’s constitution using gender neutral language. However, Spain’s conservative language academy, The Royal Spanish Academy, has the finalword on the correct use of Spanish. This event ignited the debate not only in Spain but across the world about gender neutrality in language and grammar. Let’s explore both sides of this debate.

Why use gender-neutral Spanish?

The importance of this topic could be accessed from the fact that Gender Equality is one of the 17 Sustainable Development goals set by the United Nations to be achieved by the year 2030. The UN has shown special emphasis on using gender neutral language in Primary and Secondary Textbooks, and has set guidelines for inclusive language in the curriculum. The way gender is represented in textbooks currently, shapes the minds of students from a very young age and leads them to build stereotypes related to gender, which heavily impacts their cognitive growth. Like many other romantic languages, Spanish is also rooted in a highly gender sensitive base, which is difficult but essential to correct. While using a highly gendered language it is impossible to not think about gender while conjugating a verb or using a noun, so it is very likely that stereotypes and power structures relating to gender would affect our opinions about the sexes.

Masculine is also the default gender in Spanish, which means that whenever the gender is unclear, the male default would apply. A male friend would be amigo, a female friend would be amiga but a group of friends where the gender is unknown would be amigos. A study conducted by Rhode Island school of Design in 2011 found that countries with gendered languages have a higher average gender inequality. Language is a constantly evolving subject and reforming gendered languages, such as Spanish, would help eliminate the base for inherent gender bias and disparity.

Why is it not possible to make Spanish genderneutral?

The conservative Spanish linguists and academicians argue that a gender-neutral Spanish would be grammatically incorrect. It is impossible to use Spanish without gender. Every noun is tied to ‘el’ or ‘la’ and each adjective differs to its noun by feminising or masculinising itself. The Royal Academy of Spain also disagree with incorporating a gender-neutral language and have replied with ‘absolutely not’ when questioned if an x, @ or e ending is possible. Academician Pedro Luis Garcia expressed his views over the issue by saying: “The use of @ sign at the end of the word to suggest the double value of both feminine and masculine is a monstrosity because the @ sign is not a linguistic character and cannot be integrated into words... As for the ‘x’, it does not allude to any double meaning but rather to an unknown, as it is a symbol of an enigma to be solved”. So, it could be said that for a language with both feminine and masculine forms, even with non-living objects, it would be difficultto fundamentally change it. But language as an ever-evolving concept is subject to changes, especially in crucial cases like addressing gender inequalities and creating an inclusive language for transgender people or for those who do not relate with any particular sexuality. words by: Shivika Singh design by: Anna Kerslake

A Guide to UK Pride 2021

According to the COVID-19 response roadmap, large events are schedule to reopen from June 2021, just in time for Pride season! So here are the best and the biggest Pride events across the UK, including a few online options for those who might not be able to or don’t feel comfortable attending in person.

National Student Pride

Early in April there is the National Student Pride which is taking place online from the 19th to 25th April. Tickets are free and there are promises of club nights and talks which are sure to kick off the season! Last year there were appearances from Tayce, Cheryl Hole and Mark Anthony, with talks from Dustin Lance Black and Lady Phyll, so hopefully this year will have some amazing guests as well.

Dublin Pride

This year Dublin Pride is taking place online, which means everyone can attend the wide variety of events on offer. Dublin Pride is creating its own broadcasting channel, which from May 17th will offer debates, discos, ceili dances and a lot more. There will also be a virtual Pride parade on Saturday June 26th which will be free to attend and was attended by over 100,000 people in 2020.

Worthing Pride

Worthing Pride is taking place on the 10th of July and will include amazing performances from Spice Live and Cheryl Hole. Although there will be no parade, there will be stalls and events and even an after-party.

Newcastle Pride

Newcastle Pride is taking place online on the 24th of July and is being hosted by the fabulous Gok Wan and Miss Rory.

Brighton Pride

Brighton Pride is happening on the 6th to the 8th August. The events on offer include: Fabuloso, Pride in the Park, the Pride Parade, the Pride Pleasure Gardens, the Pride Village Party and the Pride Dog Show. Fabuloso will be held in Preston Park and in the past has hosted stars such as Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears and MNEK. The new theme for the Pride Parade will be OVER THE RAINBOW and will celebrate the NHS and key workers. The Pride Village Party will also include drag artists and cabaret, so there will be something for everyone! It is quite a unique Pride as it has a Pride dog show which lets our best friends join in as well.

Manchester Pride

Manchester Pride is taking place from 27th to 30th August and will feature the famous gay village party and MCR Pride Live. The 2019 MCR Pride Live featured artists such as Years and Years and Ariana Grande, so hopefully the 2021 version will be just as incredible. Not only do they have these amazing events, there will also be events dedicated to reflection.Some examples include the Candlelit Vigil on 30th August, which will remember those who were lost to HIV, and the Human Rights Forum on 29th August. Not only are there party events and memorials, there will also be a Family Pride MCR, which means that families can attend and celebrate as well.

Cornwall Pride

Cornwall Pride is happening on Saturday the 28th of August and will include a parade, Rainbow Fest and Moonbow Party. Rainbow Fest will be held at Killacoourt in Newquay and is a family-friendly event. It is an open space and attendees can get their faces painted, whilst soaking-up the atmosphere. There will also be live music and stalls. Moonbow Party is for those who want a slightly more lively night, as the lonely setting of Tall Trees in Newquay offers the perfect setting to celebrate Pride.

London Pride

No doubt it may look slightly different this year, but London Pride is happening on the 11th of September. London Pride is one of the biggest Prides in the world and is London’s third biggest annual event and the world’s largest LGBTQ+ fundraising event. London Pride is trying more than ever to become as diverse as possible, so everyone should be welcome at this unmissable event. There will be a whole range of ways to celebrate Pride this year, so even if you can’t attend in person, you will still be able to celebrate from home. So, make sure to get involved in any way you can!

words by: Lottie Ennis design by: Priyansha Kamdar

It is so important for us to honour and help the LGBTQ+ community grow and thrive after the multitude of setbacks they have faced. Here at Quench Food, we wanted to provide a list of LGBTQ+ led food companies for you to support and help to continue to spread the love!

Big Gay Ice Cream

Starting as a seasonal food truck in 2009, they have managed to grow their empire to cover multiple locations in the States, as well as being awarded best ice cream parlour and best food truck! Their philanthropy has no end, but a significantportion of their support goes towards LGBTQ+ organisations such as the Ali Forney center which helps to place LGBTQ+ youth into safe environments. If you can’t get your hands on their ice cream, you should definitelycheck out their book, Big Gay Ice Cream: Saucy Stories & Frozen Treats: Going All the Way with Ice Cream: A Cookbook to offer your support!

The Gefilteria Lagusta’s Luscious

The Gefilteriacongratulates themselves on their ability to empower the community through food! When Jewish delis began to close, the founders believed Ashkenazi cuisine to become a thing of the past and they weren’t ready to say goodbye to this aspect of their community’s culinary history. Liz Alpern, the co-founder of the company spends her free time running Queer Soup Night, which is described as a “queer party with soup at its center and a commitment to resistance.” You can support the company by buying their gefiltefish,or their book The GefilteManifesto which contains 100 recipes that anyone can cook.

Coachella Valley Coffee co.

Founded in 2003, these artisanal chocolates “combine a deep commitment to social justice, environmentalism, and veganism with a love of bold flavourand obsessive commitment to artisan techniques.” They work closely with their small farmers and producers to make sure they are sourcing truly ethical ingredients. All the products are vegan and they are packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled paper. This is definitelya company committed to the environment! The company is extremely generous towards the LGBTQ+ community in their donating, having supported organisations such as Trans Queer Pueblo, Black Trans Protestors Emergency Fund, Pulse Victims fund, Newburgh LGBTQ+ center, Hudson Valley LGBTQ+ center and many more.

A sustainable and well-respected coffee company, they aim to raise the level of what people should be expecting from their coffee. They are “down to earth, good for the earth, and one of the best coffee roasters on earth.” They, like Big Gay Ice cream, are extremely philanthropic and donate to numerous non-profits,including Sanctuary Palm Springs. This charity provides LGBTQ+ teens in Foster Care a family home environment, making Coachella Valley Coffee a great company to buy from in order to help support these charities.

18.21 Bitters

This company prides itself on its dedication to crafting the best cocktail kits with their handcrafted bitters, tinctures, shrubs, syrups, tonics and more. Their name is based on the 18th Amendment’s enacting of prohibition and the 21st eventual repeal. So get onto their website and order some cocktail ingredients, and maybe even some merchandise.

words by: Sasha Nugara design by: May Collins

Food Insecurity in the

Food insecurity is the experience of not being able to reliably have access to affordable, substantial, and nutritious food in a sufficientquantity for yourself or for your family. During the coronavirus pandemic, the severity and high prevalence of food insecurity is one of the many social inequalities that has been brought to light. More specificall, the pandemic has shown us just how disproportionately affected the LGBTQ+ community in the USA is by food insecurity, and how reliant some members are on food banks and pantries.

Food Insecurity in the American LGBTQ+ Community

The Oregon Food Bank has been quoted saying that “LGBTQ+ Americans are hungrier than nearly any other demographic”, which they have subsequently proved by sharing data from a 2016 study by the UCLA Williams Institute — the findings of which are as follows Food insecurity within the LGBTQ+ community is more than double the national United States’ food insecurity rate. 27% of LGBTQ+ people in the USA reported not having enough money to pay for enough food to feed themselves or their family between 2015 and 2016, compared to 17% of non-LGBTQ+ people at the same time.

BAME LGBTQ+ people were found to be twice as likely to experience these higher rates of food insecurity and hunger than white LGBTQ+ people in the USA.

LGBTQ+ Obstacles to Accessing Food

Banks or Obtaining Food Equality

LGBTQ+ employability is a large obstacle for many in communities across the USA that do not earn enough to afford sufficientfood for themselves or their families. Whilst raising awareness of food insecurity, the Oregon Food Bank reminded readers how in 2019, 30 States could deny employment to transgender people and how 28 States allowed employers to deny employment opportunities for any LGBTQ+ people. Not only does this make it extremely worrying for any LGBTQ+ person (especially those who are transgender) who are seeking employment, but also promotes the wrongful stigmatisation of being LGBTQ+ amongst communities across the USA. Another concern is the stigmatisation of being a part of the LGBTQ+ community in some areas of faith across America. Church halls and religious community centres are often the perfect space in an urban area to facilitate communal food banks and pantries, though these places of worship are sometimes not open to all so willingly.

LGBTQ+ Community

Acknowledging this concern, the June Williams Institute report showed how 14% of LGBTQ+ people in the United States felt as if they could not safely access (and thus avoided) “faith-based” food banks or donation pantries due to the escalating concern that there would be a stigma raised due to their sexual or gender identity. This findingled to WhyHunger’s US program Director admitting that they were “very aware that some places aren’t as open to everyone”, and subsequently adding exclusive information to indicate which of their registered pantries (out of its then 32,000 registered food banks) were open and safe for LGBTQ+ peoples and families.

Homelessness is also a key issue that translates to food insecurity or unequal access in the USA.

The University of Chicago’s Chapin Hall has found that LGBTQ+ young people in the States are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than non-LGBTQ+ peers; as well as the UCLA Williams Institute findingthat 8% of transgender adults and 17% of sexual minority adults in the USA have experienced homelessness between 2019 and 2020. These figuresare compared to 6% of cisgender and straight people experiencing homelessness in the same time period. This study also indicated that BAME LGBTQ+ people were disproportionately affected, with higher rates of homelessness and housing insecurity experienced by this group.

What are the Consequences of LGBTQ+ Food Insecurity?

There is cause for concern that besides hunger, the impact of food insecurity can cause detrimental complications and impacts on many chronic illnesses and/or illnesses caused directly by inequalities in access to resources in society - including, worsening effects of physical chronic illnesses such as diabetes or HIV, and even exacerbating mental health difficultiessuch as depression and anxiety.

Are Similar Trends Occurring in the UK?

Though there are no conclusive figuresin the UK to show whether there is disproportionate access to food banks by members of the LGBTQ+ community, we do know that during the Coronavirus pandemic there has been an 18% increase nationally in food bank use as a record 1.9 million people in food poverty crisis were supported by the Trussell Trust.

words by: Caitlin Parr design by: Madeline Howell

With Pride Month less than a month away, it’s a great time to start planning how you are going to celebrate. And what better way than through food? So, here’s a couple of my favourite recipes to brighten up your kitchen.

The key lesson that I learnt when trying out these recipes is that dye gets everywhere. If you’re planning to make anything rainbow themed, make sure to separate your colours (red especially). Also, ensure that you have exceptionally clean hands when you start working with a new colour or you’ll get cross-contaminated; a lesson I learnt the hard way! If you’re looking to avoid artificialdyes, most colours can be made using vegetable extracts. A particularly good alternative is using strained beetroot juice for red. If you are looking to go in this direction, make sure you don’t leave any bits in your dye, as pulp can mess up the weight of a recipe and cause it to sink. Recipe: 1 Empty your carton of any liquid it previously had in it and then pour your red liquid in until it reaches a third of the carton’s capacity. 2 Get your lolly stick and rest it in the middle of the lolly before freezing for five minutes. This helps to keep the colours separate. 3 Once five minutes is up, pour the orange liquid on top of the red, and freeze again for five minutes. 4 Then fill up the carton with green and put the carton wedge-down into the freezer. 5 Freeze until lolly is solid. If you want to eat them during the day, make them the evening before. 6 Remove from the carton. If they aren’t coming out (badum tss), try rinsing the carton gently under warm water for a few seconds.

Top tip: The kids Innocent Drinks smoothie cartons are perfect for making ice lollies. Just make sure to put the lolly stick at the chunky end.

Fruit Ice Lollies

This is by far the most student friendly recipe for anyone wanting to celebrate Pride Month. All you need are red, orange and green squashes or fizzy drinks. I used diluted Vimto, orange squash and lemonade with green dye in it. However, for the more ambitious cooks, I suggest using three different colours of Fanta: blood orange, normal orange, and sweet apple.

Rainbow Macarons

If, like me, you look at the word ‘macaron’ and feel a sense of impending dread, then this recipe is for you. Though macarons seem scary, all they really need is good timing. The most important part is leaving your macarons out after you have piped them. Without a dry layer on top they will spread out.

For this, I adapted a recipe from Nigella Lawson’s book, Domestic Goddess, but used vanilla and cinnamon instead of chocolate.

Ingredients: • 250g icing sugar • 125g ground almonds • 4 large egg whites • 25g caster sugar • A range of food dyes (natural alternatives are available) • 90ml double cream • powdered cinnamon, to taste • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Recipe: 1 Preheat oven to 180° and line your baking sheets. Spraying them with anti-stick might make the macarons too greasy. 2 Sift icing sugar and ground almonds together in one bowl. 3 In a separate bowl, whisk the egg until it’s white and only slightly stiff. 4 Pause whisking and sprinkle the caster sugar over the top. 5 Carry on whisking until egg is very stiff, but still wet. 6 Gently fold the icing sugar and ground almonds into the whisked egg, making sure to keep the air in. 7 Use 5 individual piping bags (plastic ones are cheap from a supermarket), put a smidge of a dye in each bag. Then, add an equal amount of mixture to each one. Piping the mixture ensures the rounds are neat and contained. 8 Making sure the dye and the mixture are combined, pipe 5cm circles onto the baking tray. Leave standing for 15 minutes- this ensures the mixture grows a ‘skin’ on top. 9 Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the circles have slightly browned. If your macarons start cracking significantly or separating, take them out. 10 Leave until cool to the touch. For the filling: 11 Pour the cream into a jug and whisk until thickened. This is easier with an electric whisk but can be done manually (good arm exercise!). 12 Add vanilla extract and cinnamon to taste. 13 Spread the cream onto one of the cooled circles and sandwich with a second circle. 14 Serve in rainbow order to amazed friends and family.

Tip no.1: A few recipes suggest making a ganache for the filling. However, from my experience, adding butter with cream is a no-no. You run the risk of ending up with something that looks like pale scrambled egg. Tip no.2: The colour that worked best was undoubtedly yellow, although red was a close second. I would recommend using a strong green dye as green can be one of the colours that fade the most after baking.

words by: Katherine Wheeler design by: Sebastian Jose illustrations by: Amelia Field

words by: Rhiannon Jones design by: Elly Savva

HANES CRANOGWEN

Mae ‘Cranogwen’ yn enw barddol i Sarah Jane Rees, a chafodd ei geni yn Llangrannog yn 1839. Fodd bynnag, nid menyw gyffredin oedd Cranogwen o bell ffordd ac roedd nifer yn ei hystyried hi’n anghonfensiynol ar y pryd. Roedd Cranogwen o flaenei hamser mewn sawl agwedd, yn enwedig wrth ystyried eu hagwedd tuag at rolau ystrydebol i fenywod. Er bu farw hi yn 1916, cafodd ei henwebu i fod yn un o ‘Ferched Mawreddog’ Cymru yn 2019. Felly, mae ei dylanwad hi yn dal i fod yn gryf hyd heddiw am y sawl rheswm y byddwn yn trafod. Roedd Cranogwen yn anturus a doedd hi ddim yn poeni am gyd-fynd gyda disgwyliadau, felly mae stori ei bywyd hi’n arbennig o ddiddorol. Un o’r pethau a wnaeth ddenu sylw at Cranogwen i ddechrau yw’r ffaith y roedd hi’n prif forwraig, swydd nad oedd yn arferol i fenyw yn y cyfnod. Roedd ei rhieni yn eisiau i Cranogwen fod yn wniadwraig, swydd a oedd yn ddisgwyliedig i fenywod ar y pryd, ond perswadiodd hi ei thad i adael iddi hi fynd ar y llong gyda fe.

Yn wahanol i lawer o ferched yn y cyfnod hwn, cafodd Cranogwen ei haddysgu yn yr ysgol leol gyda’i brodyr. Roedd hi’n ferch i gapten a dechreuodd ymuno â’i thad ar y môr pan roedd hi’n 15 oed, rhywbeth a oedd yn arferol ar y pryd. Hefyd, dysgodd ychydig am longwriaeth yn ei hysgol leol, a pharhaodd gyda’i haddysg yn Lerpwl a Llundain.

Yna, gyda’i chymhwyster newydd fel prif forwraig, roedd hi’n cael arwain llong i unrhyw le ar draws y byd. Pan roedd hi’n 21 oed, cafodd Cranogwen swydd fel Prif athrawes yng Ngorllewin Cymru. Hefyd, wnaeth hi addysgu Llongwriaeth a Mathemateg i ddynion ifanc lleol ac felly’n aml-dalentog. Yn ôl Yr Athro DeirdreBeddoe, roedd Cranogwen yn ‘ferch dal, tywyll, trawiadol, penderfynol a hynod hyderus, oedd yn meddu ar hiwmor hyfryd, heb amheuaeth, Cranogwen oedd merch Gymreig fwyaf nodedig y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg’. Cafodd Cranogwen fwy o sylw eto ar ôl ennill cyntaf yn Eisteddfod 1865 am ei cherdd ‘Y Fodrwy Briodasol’ a oedd yn trafod pedair gwraig dosbarth gweithiol yn myfyrio ar eu priodasau. Sarah Jane Rees (o dan yr enw Cranogwen) oedd y wraig gyntaf i ennill yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, felly daeth hi’n enwog yng Nghymru ar ôl ei buddugoliaeth.

Parhaodd ei llwyddiannau hi a chyhoeddodd casgliad o 40 cerdd yn 1870, wedi’i ymroi i’w mam. Enillodd mwy o wobrau hefyd, gan gynnwys ennill y gadair yn Eisteddfod Aberaeron yn 1873, fel y fenyw gyntaf i wneud hynny. Ar ben hyn, yn 1879 dechreuodd olygu cylchgrawn ‘Y Frythones’ - Cranogwen oedd y fenyw gyntaf i olygu cylchgrawn Cymraeg i fenywod. Roedd gan y cylchgrawn tudalen broblemau lle rhoddodd hi gyngor i fenywod ynghylch eu priodas a’u rolau fel menywod. Ymgyrchodd Cranogwen yn gryf dros addysg i ferched trwy’r cylchgrawn. Mewn amser lle nad oedd e’n dderbyniol yn gymdeithasol i fenywod siarad yn gyhoeddus, roedd Cranogwen yn hyderus wrth rannu ei barn ac ysbrydoli eraill i feddwl yn wahanol. Wrth ddarlithio, ymgyrchu a phregethu, profodd Cranogwen hyn. Yn ôl y BBC, doedd rhai pregethwyr gwrywaidd ddim yn cynhesu tuag at Cranogwen ac roeddent yn gwrthwynebu ei phregethu hi gan mai menyw oedd hi. Fodd bynnag, roedd hi’n siaradwraig bywiog a felly’n boblogaidd gyda’r gynulleidfa. Mewn ymateb i ddwy fenyw yn Nolgellau a oedd yn pryderu am addasrwydd pregethwyr benywaidd, dywedodd Cranogwen: ‘Dylai bawb sydd eisiau pregethu’r efengyl, pawb sy’n gallu pregethu’r efengyl a phawb sy’n gallu cael pobl i wrando, wneud hynny.’. O ran ei bywyd personol, roedd Cranogwen yn Gristion ac yn rhan o’r gymuned LHDT+. Ar un adeg, roedd hi mewn perthynas gyda Fanny Rees, a oedd hefyd wedi cyhoeddi gwaith ysgrifenedig a symud i Lundain. Yn Llundain, daliodd Fanny Rees yr haint TB a symudodd hi yn ôl i Gymru. Pan roedd hi ar finmarw, aeth hi i dŷ Cranogwen yn hytrach na thŷ ei theulu hi. Yn ôl cofiannyddCranogwen, bu farw Fanny Rees ym mreichiau Cranogwen, sy’n awgrymu perthynas sy’n ymestyn tu hwnt i gyfeillgarwch. Mae sôn nad oedd Cranogwen yn gallu wynebu mynd i weld bedd Fanny Rees i roi blodau am 12 mlynedd ar ôl ei marwolaeth. Felly, mae’r cariad a oedd rhwng y ddwy ohonynt yn glir. Hefyd, roedd Cranogwen mewn perthynas gyda Jane Rees am y mwyafrif o’i bywyd hi. Mae pobl yn amau bod Cranogwen wedi cyfeirio ati yn ei cherdd Fy Ffrynd (Fy Ffrind). Yn y llinell, dywed Cranogwen: “Edmygaf hwy, ond caraf di, Fy Ngwener gu, fy ‘Ogwen’”. Mae’r gerdd yn un serch sy’n dangos rhywioldeb Cranogwen yn glir, heb ei chuddio.

Roedd dirwest yn bwysig i Cranogwen, ac roedd hi’n rhan fawr o’r symudiad dirwest. Fel person a oedd yn teimlo’n gryf am bethau, roedd hi’n un o sefydlwyr Undeb Dirwestol Merched y De yn 1901 oherwydd gwelodd yr effaith o gor-yfed ar fywyd teuluol. Yn ystod ei hamser gyda’r Undeb, wnaethon nhw sefydlu 140 o ganghennau ar draws De Cymru. Mae’n amlwg roedd Cranogwen yn benderfynol iawn wrth weithio tuag at yr hyn y roedd hi’n angerddol amdanynt. Bu farw Cranogwen yn 1916, yn 81 oed. Yn dilyn ei marwolaeth, cafodd lloches i ferched a menywod digartref o’r enw ‘Llety Cranogwen’ ei sefydlu yn Rhondda yn 1922, er cof amdani. Mae hi dal yn cael ei hadnabod a’i chofioheddiw am yr holl wahaniaeth achosodd hi a’r gwahaniaeth ysbrydolodd hi mewn eraill. Heb ei dylanwad, ei dewrder a’i pharodrwydd i sefyll yn gefn i’r hyn yr oedd hi’n ei gredu ynddynt, mae’n deg i honni byddai ein cymdeithas yng Nghymru heddiw yn edrych yn wahanol.

words by: Dafydd Orritt design by: May Collins

Mae’n deg dweud fod Cymru yn llawn talentau, o’r canu corawl, i’r rygbi ffyrnig, i’r ffermio caled. Yn yr erthygl yma bydda i yn edrych ar rhai o grewyr LHTD o Gymru sy’n arbenigo mewn drag, gwaith celf, creu tiktoks a llawer mwy.

Cwmni annibynnol gan ferch o’r enw Mari yw Myths’n’tits sydd yn dathlu merched traddodiadol Cymreig mewn ffordd... gwahanol. Mae Mari yn ferch queer sy’n mwynhau dylunio merched traddodiadol Cymreig gyda ‘edge’ Myths’n’Tits’aidd! Mae ei chyfrif Instagram bellach gyda dros 10,000 o ddilynwyr, ac mae ei grid yn llawn merched hyderus, sy’n herio’r norm, ac sy’n rhannu negeseuon positif o amgylch merched a’r gymuned LHDT! Un o’r gweithiau sydd yn sefyll allan yw dyluniad Mari o’r cymeriad hynod enwog o’r gyfres ‘Gavin and Stacey’ sef Nessa. Mae’r dyluniad yn rhoi sbin ar y cymeriad yn ogystal â rhoi sbin ar y ferch Gymreig draddodiadol. Artist cyfoes iawn sydd ddim yn ofn herio’r norm yw Mari felly. O’r gwaith print i’r digidol, mae’n deg dweud bod twf wedi bod yn y crewyr digidol o Gymru, gyda gwefannau cymdeithasol yn fwy dylanwadol nag erioed, un person sydd wedi derbyn cryn dipyn o sylw ers y cyfnod clo nôl ym mis Mawrth yw’r myfyriwr Cymraeg, Ellis Lloyd Jones.

Mae Ellis Lloyd Jones yn adnabyddus am ei gynnwys doniol tu hwnt ar TikTok, ac mae Cymreictod a’r gymuned LHDT yn themâu amlwg yn ei gynnwys. Fel rhan o hynny, mae’n esbonio rhai traddodiadau Cymreig mewn modd sy’n llawn dychymyg a hiwmor. Ar Ddydd Santes Dwynwen, adroddodd Ellis stori Dwynwen i’w 130,000 o ddilynwyr. Rhoddodd stamp ei hun ar y stori pan roddodd enwau cyfarwydd fel Ruth Jones a Mark Drakeford i gymryd lle prif gymeriadau’r stori – ac Ellis chwaraeodd bob un rôl!

Ar ben hynny, cydweithiodd Ellis gyda Hansh, cyfrif sydd hefyd yn llawn cynnwys digrif o amgylch traddodiadau Cymreig. Yn anhygoel, cyfunon nhw chwedlau’r Mabinogi gyda steil y rhaglen deledu realiti enwog, ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’. Ar ôl gwylio’r clip a chwerthin cymaint â hynny, mae’n annhebygol iawn y byddech chi’n anghofi’r chwedlau fyth eto.

Mae’n deg dweud bod Ellis yn ymddiddori ym myd drag yn ogystal â chreu cynnwys digri drwy’r Gymraeg. Mae’r sîn drag yng Nghymru yn sîn sydd yn dechrau dod yn fwy adnabyddus ac mae hynny o achos Tace, sef brenhines drag a ymddangosodd ar ail gyfres o RuPaul Drag Race eleni a gwneud hi i’r rownd derfynol. Yn wreiddiol o Gasnewydd, magwyd Tace yn yr ardal cyn symud i Lundain i wireddu ei freuddwydion o fod yn frenhines drag llawn amser. Rhai o’r cwins fwyaf arwyddocaol yng Nghymru yw Maggi Noggi a Connie Orff.

Mae Maggi Noggi yn frenhines drag hynod adnabyddus yma yng Nghymru, gyda’i chlustlysau anferth yn dwyn unrhyw sioe! Mae’n deg dweud bod Maggi Noggi yn frenhines hynod ddoniol a hoffus. Daeth yn adnabyddus iawn yn dilyn cyfres ‘Gwely a Brecwast Maggi Noggi’ ar S4C. Roedd y gyfres yn cynnwys rhai o enwogion mwyaf Cymru gan gynnwys Elin Fflu. Cyfres llawn hiwmor, chwerthin a thynnu coes! Cwîn arall adnabyddus sydd yn ymddiddori ym myd y drag yw Connie Orff. Mae’n anodd methu Connie Orff gyda’i gwallt chwilboeth coch yn fynydd ar ei phen, ond yn debyg i Maggi Noggi, mae Connie Orff yn frenhines hoffus, a doniol sy’n cynnig gwledd o adloniant yn ei sioeau drag! Yn wreiddiol o Abertawe, mae’n deg dweud fod Rusell T Davies yn ddramodydd teledu hynod arwyddocaol a dylanwadol i’r gymuned LHDT. Wedi ennill llu o wobrau teledu am y dramâu gorau, mae gwaith Rusell T Davies yn waith dylanwadol iawn. Yn ddiweddar, cafodd ei gyfres newydd ‘It’s A Sin’ ganmoliaeth enfawr am ail danio’r fflam yn y drafodaeth o amgylch Aids/HIV. Roedd y ddrama yn dilyn bywyd grŵp o bobl ifanc oedd yn byw yn Llundain pan oedd y salwch ar ei waethaf. Mae’n ddrama bwerus, sydd â neges hynod o bwysig – byddwch yn barod i grio! Rhai o’r dramâu arwyddocaol eraill sydd yn gysylltiedig â Russel T Davies yw ‘Queer as Folk’ a’i gyfraniad i’r ddrama Brydeinig ‘Doctor Who’.

Mewn cydweithrediad â’r Eisteddfod, ac elusen Stonewall Cymru, mae Mas ar y Maes yn cynnig arlwy o weithgareddau, sgyrsiau a dramâu ar gyfer y gymuned LHDT yn ystod wythnos Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru, yn yr un modd a cynnig gweithgareddau rhithiol. Mae rhywbeth ar gyfer y teulu cyfan drwy’r bartneriaeth arbennig yma! Dydi Cymru ddim yn brin o dalent yn enwedig talent sydd yn deillio o’r gymuned LHDT. Fel yr uchod, mae Cymru yn llawn cwins drag, tic tocwyr doniol ac artistiaid sy’n herio’r norm ac yn creu gwaith anhygoel.

Beginners’ Guide to

This Quench issue is based solely round LGBTQ+ identities and lives. As an active member of the community, I welcomed this news with excitement, but I recognise too that not everyone has been lucky enough to be surrounded by an understanding, diverse group of LGBTQ+ people. I thought I’d create this guide as a reference point, so that people may understand which terms to use for their LGBTQ+ friends and family, as well as, perhaps, gain some understanding of themselves.

Sexuality

Sexuality, or sexual orientation, is sexual attraction towards others. Straight or heterosexual people have attraction to the opposite gender, whilst gay or lesbian people are sexually attracted to the same gender. This is fairly common knowledge nowadays, but it’s important to stress that sexuality can be fluid,and if your lesbian friend is kissing boys on nights out but says they’re a lesbian, that is their right to label themselves as such. It is also common knowledge that the ‘B’ in LGBTQ+ stands for bisexual, but this term can be misunderstood by some members of the LGBTQ+ community and the straight, cisgender community. Bisexuality refers to the sexual attraction of more than one gender. It doesn’t necessarily mean that every bisexual person is only attracted to two genders, and it doesn’t mean that every bisexual person is just attracted to cis men and cis women. The label has been adapted to be much more inclusive as society grows more progressive in its understanding of various gender identities. It is now generally accepted that ‘bisexuality’ refers to the attraction to multiple genders, but a bisexual person may feel attraction in different ways for different genders. ‘Pansexuality’ refers to the attraction to multiple genders too, but the way pansexual people may feel attraction to others does not change dependent on gender. There are a number of terms that people with attraction to more than one gender may use to describe themselves, so it’s important to ask, and, if they are comfortable with it, ask what that label means specificallyfor them. Humans are incredibly idiosyncratic, so no one label will ever work for all those that show similar attractions.

‘Asexuality’ can often be used as an umbrella term, a label to signify that someone feels little to no sexual attraction at all. Under this umbrella, there may be terms such as ‘demisexual’, where a person needs to feel a strong emotional connection to someone before they will feel any kind of sexual attraction. In much the same way as sexual orientation works, asexuality differs for each and every person who identifieswith that label. Asexuality does not equal a lack of romantic attraction, either. Asexual people can enjoy romantic relationships with others and may be romantically attracted to people of all genders. However, if a person is ‘aromantic’, this means that they feel little to no romantic attraction to others. Again, each person who identifieswith this label has a different understanding of what it means for them.

LGBTQ+ Identities

Gender

Gender and sexuality shouldn’t be conflated.A person’s gender identity is not linked to their sexuality, and assuming someone’s gender based on their sexuality, or the other way round, can be offensive. If a person is transgender, this means that they identify with a different gender than the one that they were assigned at birth. For example, a transgender man would be somebody who was assigned female at birth but identifiesas male. Despite what you might have been taught at GCSE, gender is much more complex than simply ‘man’ or ‘woman’.

There are three intersecting aspects of gender and sex: biological sex, gender identity, and gender expression. Only one of these terms refers to a person’s gender, and the pronouns they might wish for you to use, and that is gender identity. A person’s gender expression (clothes they wear, for example) has no bearing on their gender identity. A binary view of biological sex ignores the massive range of variation that happens on a genetic and physical level. The suggestion that there are only men or women in the world from a “biological” standpoint excludes intersex people, who have characteristics that aren’t limited to one gender. An intersex person may have both female and male sexual anatomy, or they may have a high amount of testosterone despite having female reproductive anatomy. To take the stance that binary biological sex is the only decider of gender is not only scientificallyincorrect, it also ignores the lives of intersex people entirely, who make up 1.7% of the population. So, gender identity can perhaps be most simply described as the gender you feel within yourself. If you are a cisgender man reading this, for example, have a think about how you feel male. The feeling someone has of their gender goes beyond the physical traits they might have. The term ‘non-binary’ can be an inclusive term for those whose gender identity doesn’t sit within the boxes of male or female. A person who is ‘non-binary’ may have aspects of their gender identity that fitwith either male or female, or their gender may relate to neither. There are many terms that somebody whose gender does not fit into the binary may use, such as ‘genderqueer’, ‘agender’ or ‘genderflui’. It is important to ask to make sure you are using the term that they feel represents them best. Getting into the routine of using ‘they/them’ pronouns before you legitimately know a person’s pronouns can also be really helpful. If you meet someone new, do not assume their gender based on how they appear, as their gender expression may not align with their gender identity. When a person tells you their pronouns, make sure you are respectful of this, and if you slip up, correct yourself quickly and move on. Don’t linger on the error, as no matter how uncomfortable it is for you, it is much more uncomfortable for them.

This guide has only described a small part of the myriad identities of the LGBTQ+ community. In each of these definitions,it’s so important to recognise that what works for each of us differs. In much the same way that neither sexuality nor gender identity is binary, our understanding and use of these terms evolves and changes every day. You are allowed to make new discoveries about yourself in relation to your gender and sexuality, no matter how old you are, or how settled you previously felt in a label. No one can experience your sexuality or gender for you, and no one should be able to dictate how you’d like to refer to your own identities. So make sure you are respecting others’ identities.

words by: Kate Waldock design by: Kacey Keane

When it comes to political and legal support for the LGBTQ+ community, whilst the situation is better than say, fiftyyears ago, it has started to move backwards in the past year regarding transgender and nonbinary people’s rights.

A leak published in the Sunday Times in June 2020 revealed the government’s plans to scrap proposals, suggested under Theresa May, that would make it easier for transgender people to change their legal gender without going through the medical process. Theresa May’s plan of self-identificationwas to be put aside in favour of protecting ‘safe spaces for women’, such as public toilets and refuges for victims of domestic violence. This now seems ironic, considering the way women’s safety has been treated lately in light of Sarah Everard and the aggressive response to her vigil. The plan is also transphobic, as it implies that a trans girl who needs refuge could be denied it if she has not completed certain medical procedures. This also seems a strange way of prioritizing who gets help and who doesn’t, considering the Equality Act 2010 has already stated that women-only refuges must include trans women.

Regarding self-identification,the current process for a person to change their legal gender is to show proof that they have identifid as their new gender for two years, that they will continue to do so, as well as get a diagnosis of gender-dysphoria from two different doctors. The process has often been criticized for being too bureaucratic and rendering transitioning harder than it needs to be. There is also the criticism that such a long analysis is not necessary because being trans is not a health issue, physical or mental. The government also denied the fact that 70% of the people taking part in the Gender Recognition Act consultation supported introducing self-identification.They believed trans rights groups skewed the responses, which disregards the fact that it is trans people that are affected by this consultation. In September 2020 ministers officiallyruled out reform to the Gender Recognition Act 2004, deeming legal self-identificationto not be a ‘top priority’ for trans people, instead they pledged to help make the existing process ‘kinder’. Strangely, there is a lot of emphasis on countering the rise of gender-neutral bathrooms, as the government wants to have more places with gender-segregated toilets. From my personal experience, gender-neutral toilets are the safest approach for everyone and lead to less chance of harassment. The school I went to until I was fourteen had gender-segregated toilets and it created a space where kids could bully each other, or even harass gender non-conforming people, with the teachers unable to supervise for privacy reasons. Once I went to sixth form, there was a long row of fully separated cubicles, which meant students had full privacy and no one cared which bathroom they used. One of the only positive recent changes is that this year’s census will include a question on gender identity for the firsttime, alongside one regarding the person’s legal sex. The 22nd September decision also pledges to cut the time and cost of applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate,as well as cutting waiting times at NHS gender clinics. However, considering the disappointment regarding the NHS ‘pay-rise’ it seems unlikely that a decrease in waiting times could be achieved with current under-staffing and low pay. LGBTQ+ rights organisation Stonewall also criticized the proposed measure as ‘inadequate’, saying that ‘while these moves will make the current process less costly and bureaucratic, they don’t go anywhere near far enough towards meaningfully reforming the Act to make it easier for all trans people to go about their daily life’. Scottish plans to allow selfidentificationhave also been put on hold in response to criticism across the political spectrum, including the Scottish National Party. No change has yet been pledged, however, Scottish ministers state that they are still ‘committed’ to gender recognition being made less stressful.

The law has never fully served the LGBTQ+ community, after all it is only now that the government is actively working to make conversion therapy illegal. However, it cannot be disputed that through the laws they pass, or the ones they refuse to, the government discriminates against people who do not identify as the gender they were assigned at birth. Trans people are fightingevery day for things as simple as using the toilet for the gender they identify as, while non-binary people are ignored entirely. It was only in September 2020 that non-binary people were confirmedto be protected under the Equality Act 2010, and they are still being excluded from conversations surrounding issues such as gender-neutral bathrooms. The government needs to be held accountable, but they are dictated by people’s opinions, treating trans and non-binary people as a debate as opposed to real human lives. More people should care about the threat to trans and non-binary people’s safety, not just because their siblings, friends, and colleagues may be affected but because it is common decency to care about the human rights of others.

spotlight Louka Perderizet

‘‘Changing country, culture, and meeting more open people changed my life.’’

Louka is a 21 years-old French photographer and artist – who happens to be trans. He doesn’t want to be defined as simply “the trans photographer”, because as he says, he’s a human with emotions above everything. He and I met while when we were in high school, in a small town in the east of France. Through this interview, we got to catch up on his work and inspirations, and talk about trans activism and documenting a transition through photography

To start simple, can you tell me about your artistic and professional journey?

I started photography as a hobby when my grandpa offeredme a small camera. I liked it a lot, but the quality wasn’t great, my fingerswere on every frame, I was just inexperienced you know. Around the age of 9, I started urbex photography, and it’s all I did for a while. During that time of my life, in early teenagerhood, I was in a really dark place. My pictures’ aesthetic reflectedthat. Because I wasn’t happy in my body, I started to want to convey messages to my family through photos. I wanted to show I wasn’t doing well, since I wasn’t able to put words on what I felt. I was staging pictures with fake blood, skulls, and all that. My family was a bit like “huh, well, your pictures are beautiful but… are you okay?”

Originally, my mum thought I was just really into a gothic aesthetic. But there’s one picture that really made her think twice and realize I wasn’t doing well. I had staged two people laying down in an abandoned morgue with rabbit head costumes. I was only 14, and it really shocked her. So yeah, originally photography was only to convey messages to my close circle, I didn’t think it’d have such an impact on my life.

Since then I started doing a few exhibits when I was 16/17, but it was mostly urbex pictures and it wasn’t incredible.

It really clicked for me in highschool, when I started doing fashion pictures, and my creativity completely changed. But my pictures went from dark and depressing to bright and full of colours when I moved to Belgium to study photography. It was a turning point for me. Changing country, culture, and meeting more open people changed my life. I know I’m more inspired when I feel bad, but my overall style is noticeably more positive rather than always referring to death. The only thing that didn’t change is I still use photography to convey messages.

For example, in my Trans identity project entitled “Boy Assigned Girl at Birth”, I’m really striving to educate people. But it’s also for me, to have archives of my transition. It’s a project that’s gonna last my whole life. I’m only at the beginning of my transition, and there are still steps ahead. Documenting this process allows me to relax and be in my world.

How did you go from photographing others and the world, to photographing yourself?

I realized: “I’m gonna change.” And not everyone changes in this way. And other trans people don’t know how much they

spotlight Trans Identity & P h o t o g r a p h y

are gonna change. When I started my transition, I was alone. Obviously, my close circle was here to support me, but no one was able to tell me what effectshormones would have on my body. Sometimes, in a matter of weeks, a major change happened, and I wasn’t psychologically ready for it. I was really happy, but I was not ready. For example, when I had my mammography, my firstreflexwas to pass out of shock. So my responsibility is to prepare others.

About surgical operations, it may be the most vulnerable state you show yourself in? How do you deal with showing yourself like that?

Actually, it makes me feel good. Being able to reflectback on my journey makes me think “I know why I’m alive, I’m constantly evolving.” A transition is really hard, it’s not instant magic, there are lots of hard moments. Photography helps me realize where I’m coming from, and educate people at the same time.

How do you deal with showing yourself online despite transphobia? Have you ever been afraid of it?

No, because it’s online. Transphobia online doesn’t affectme as much because it’s not from people I know, and they are not speaking it to my face. I learned to protect myself from it. It pains me more for these people that they are so ignorant, than it affects me

So internet was an escape door?

Yes, and it allowed me to meet exceptional people. I’m very lucky to have the network I have, especially artistically speaking. Internet is where I have the most visibility.

Do you consider yourself an activist?

I do, even though I had to take a break because it’s really tiring. I still answer every message, and make a post once in a while, but I had to take a break. But obviously, I am an activist, because I don’t have the choice to be one. If I’m not an activist for trans people, who will be? My work is profoundly advocating for trans rights.

Do you feel that being so open about your trans journey also means you sometimes get outed against your will?

No matter where I go, I’m outed against my will. Every party I’m at, people will talk about it, and friends will introduce me as their trans friend. People think that because I show it online, they can show it too, but it’s not the case. I’m trying to educate my friends about it. intend to, my work is very much linked to my transition. I also work a lot around bodies, changing bodies, and the LGBT community. And even outside of my personal work, when I work for others, I will always privilege the LGBT community and trans artists in particular. It’s what I fightfor in my life, and it’s what I fight for with my art

How does your experience as a trans man affect your professional life?

One of the main negative points is that being a trans artist, I’ll always come after cis heterosexual people. I don’t introduce myself as a trans man, but I’ve already been refused projects because of it. Another example, sometimes cis people do project on transidentity, and are given more credit than I am as a trans man. Someone I know did a project on transidentity and branded it as ‘breaking codes.’ I was like: “You’re white, cis, heterosexual, you’re not breaking anything.” When it comes to representation in art, we need to let people speak for themselves. You can be an ally, but you need to know your place in a fight

For you, what’s happiness?

Professionally, I want to have a gallery in Tokyo. I want to live from my art, while making projects on the side like books etc. Love is one of the pillars of my work. I think it’s the most important thing in my life. Feeling loved by the person I love takes a big space in my life and my work.

But overall, I think I’ll never taste real happiness. I’m not saying this so people feel bad for me. But the truth is, no matter how many operations I go through, I will never be a ‘man like I’d want to be.’ Being trans is also the harsh reality that I will have to take hormones my whole life, and that my life expectancy is shorter. My daily life is about enjoying each day as if it was the last. It’s not some bullshit saying, I’m really living each day as an extreme, and experience everything, good or bad, to the max. I survive every day, and surviving every day is not being

words by: Laura Dazon design by: Madeline Howell

Many trans people choose to hide pre-transition pictures, why did you decide to leave yours online?

Because I know where I’m coming from, and I don’t want to be ashamed of it. It gives people hope and shows them it’s possible.

You talked a lot about transmitting messages through your art, what’s your message right now?

Everything I do is based on how I feel. So even if I don’t always

words by: Jasmine Snow and Elly Savva design by: Priyansha Kamdar