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For Trans Awareness Week our Comms Officer Leo (he/they) spoke to Ocean (he/they) of Mr Leo Mateus Art about trans bodies in art, the representation of plus size people and much more!

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In this episode of The LGBT+ Consortium Podcast, Ray Carter (they/them), National LGBT+ Partnership Stakeholder Officer speaks to Darren Brady (he/him) and Ade Adeniji (he/him), founders of The Quest Collective about Mental health, Loneliness and Isolation.

The Quest Collective C.I.C is a social enterprise with the intention of transforming the relationships gay, bi and queer men have with themselves, others and the world they inhabit, through a range of personal development initiatives and events.

Check out The Quest Collective’s Programs here

Thank you to The Rainbow Lottery – the UK’s first and only lottery supporting LGBTQ+ good causes – for supporting this episode of the LGBT+ Consortium Podcast!

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In this episode of The LGBT+ Consortium Podcast, Laura Clarke (she/they), National LGBT+ Partnership Coordinator speaks to Ray Carter (they/them), National LGBT+ Partnership Stakeholder Officer about Bi+ Health, our Bi Fund and much more!

The National LGBT Partnership was established in early 2010, in order reduce health inequalities and challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia within public services. The Partnership combines the expertise of thirty-eight key LGBTQIA+ organisations across England, and works closely with many more.

Thanks to a partnership with BiPride UK, we are delighted to be launching a small grants fund specifically for Bi Organisations across the UK. More information will be shared soon – watch this space!

Thank you to The Rainbow Lottery – the UK’s first and only lottery supporting LGBTQ+ good causes – for supporting this episode of the LGBT+ Consortium Podcast!

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In this episode of the Consortium Podcast, Jamie Wareham (He/him), Founder of Queer AF speaks to our Communications Officer Leo (He/they) about the work Queer AF does, Pride Month, the importance of supporting queer creatives and much more!

Queer AF is a newsletter for LGBTQIA+ people who want to understand the news without doom scrolling for quality queer content. Every Saturday we explain the headlines and a different underrepresented writer shares their unique queer gaze.

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Today we mark International Non-Binary People’s Day

by sharing some thoughts from the Consortium Team 

 

Ray (they/them) National LGBT+ Partnership Stakeholder Officer:

“To all people who are nonbinary, genderqueer, agender, bigender, genderfluid or have any other gender identity that lies outside the gender binary, in solidarity and celebration:

I’ve identified as non-binary since I was 16, and since then I’ve used lots of different words to understand and express myself, each as true as the last. I currently describe myself as genderqueer and trans-masculine.

As well as enduring invisibility and invalidation, I’ve experienced the joy, creativity, and freedom of non-binary existence. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing lots of fantastic non-binary people and I’ve witnessed an incredible constellation of embodiments, expressions, and ways of being.

I want to appreciate our diversity, authenticity, courage, joy, open-ness, and the imagination that we can apply to our identities, ways of being and the world around us.

I want to recognise the self-knowledge that we have as non-binary people, however much our identities are in flux, whether and wherever we decide to come out, and however we choose to present.

I want to acknowledge the erasure, invalidation, questioning and violence that comes at us in many different ways, and the courage inherent in our existence.

I want to say that we are not just valid; we are valuable, vital and whole!”

 

Camillea (they/them) Racial Justice Engagement Officer:

“I love everything about my presentation being ‘femme-presenting’ – which gives me such a proud sense of JOY and comfort. Being this way hasn’t always been easy, especially in a society that solely focuses on binary factors. Just over a year ago, I identified and shared with others that I am ‘non-binary.’ due to this, it has been challenging, to say the least, not being recognised as I don’t fit into the ‘gender norms’. I have become resilient by treating myself to tender moments of joy, care, and comfort.“

 

Leo (he/they) Communications Officer:

“I discovered I was non-binary when I was about 18 years old. I’d struggled with my gender identity for many years up until that point and I remember scrolling through Tumblr at the time, going through LGBTQIA+ blogs to see if anyone felt the way I did. I came across a post about someone who identified as non-binary and I would say this was my ‘light-bulb moment’. It was like someone had switched on the light to who I was in that moment and the feeling was indescribable; I finally had been given the words to something that I had never had the language for. Like many other non-binary people, my pronouns have changed and evolved over the years.  I used to only use they/them pronouns, then I changed to he/him and now I use he/they. I describe myself as non-binary trans masculine, but over time the way I feel about these labels may change. For me, there is no one way to be non-binary; your presentation, pronouns and how you perceive your gender can change over time and the most important thing is doing what feels right to you. 

The joy I find from being a non-binary person is the feeling of being at home with myself and within my community… it’s where I feel the most safe and comfortable. Non-binary people can express and present themselves in whatever way we choose, and I think that it’s so beautiful to be surround by so many diverse people. I know that however I feel or however I change my presentation, I am always valid in my non-binary identity and have a place in this community.”

 

Here are some resources from our members:

AKT NB media resource list

Stonewall Top Tips for NB Allyship

Last week, Consortium Team members joined the Mayor of London’s Pride Reception at the new City Hall in East London.

The Reception was in association with EuroPride, and featured veterans and allies of the UK’s Gay Liberation Front (GLF), marking the anniversary of London’s first pride march and protest in 1972.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan (he/him) said in his speech: ‘Such an honour to once again host my annual Pride Reception at City Hall—celebrating 50 years of #Pride and 30 years since the inaugural @EuroPride in London. London is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with LGBTIQ+ communities around the world.’

Paul Roberts (Consortium CEO) said:

‘Events like the Mayor’s Pride reception are important opportunities to meet up with orgs we aim to support every day of the year. This year, more than ever given the pandemic, it was wonderful to spend time chatting to people in real life and hear about their priorities. Am excited to get out to more events over the year and catch up with as many members as possible. It is so important for us to hear first hand where support is most needed.’

Shaan Knan (TON Officer) added:

‘It was fantastic to celebrate The London Pride launch with some of our London member groups. Also, I’ve had some really important conversations with London Authority stakeholders in view of bringing forth actions around our LGBTIQA+ Action Plan for London and last year’s City Hall event about ‘making London the most trans-inclusice City by 2025.’