A note from us.
As LGBT History Month comes to a close in the UK, I hope like us you’ve enjoyed discovering more about the queer pioneers who came before us – or even been made aware of someone who has had a profound impact on our journey to this moment that you weren’t familiar with before.
For me, it’s been a period of reflecting on the people who are making a difference now – the historical figures and stories that will be looked back on in the future. Over the past month, three conversations in particular come to my mind that have showcased people working hard to ensure a better future for all LGBTQ people. The first, I’m proud to say, is in this very issue of Gay Times Magazine.
Last September I was lucky enough to be a guest panelist on LGBTQ podcast Qmmunity, which is where I met fellow guest and filmmaker Steffan Zachiyah. We got talking after the recording and he pitched an incredibly important idea to me that I knew instantly we needed to feature. As a black trans man living in the UK, Steffan said to me that he has never seen himself represented within LGBTQ media. I agreed with him – save a few prominent trans men of colour from the US, British trans men have rarely been given a platform, let alone trans men of colour.
Steffan brought together six (including himself) men of colour who are living the trans experience for a feature we’ve titled Brotherhood.
The result, I think you’ll agree, is incredibly inspirational. Speaking about being trans in the workplace, the lack of visible role models, and dating as a trans man of colour, each of the guys have been candid about their journey, and their hopes to become visible figures for young trans men out there like them to connect with and see themselves in. Their conversation isn’t limited to the pages of this magazine either, so keep an eye on our socials for some great filmed moments from the photoshoot.
The second conversation was for our new regular digital cover story feature Amplify, which you can read now over on gaytimes.co.uk. Following Manchester Pride’s decision to officially adopt the More Colour, More Pride eight-stripe flag, we had its originator, Amber Hikes, in conversation with UK Black Pride’s Chloë Davies. Amber and her team first debuted the flag back in June 2017 as a symbol to better recognise LGBTQ people of colour in the community. Initially, there was an overwhelmingly positive response to the extra black and brown stripes, but soon after came a negative backlash that ranged from ignorance to blatant racism. What I learned from listening to these powerful and successful women speak with each other is how, more often than not, large portions of our community fail to do the easiest thing possible: simply listen and understand.
This flag is in addition to all of the other flags we embrace at Pride parades, including the original six-stripe, the trans flag, the bisexual flag, the intersex flag and so on. As a community, now more than ever, we need to stop and listen to those most marginalised and understand the context of the conversation, rather than shout over those who are most vulnerable and underrepresented. We all hold privilege – some much more than others – but we need to recognise it and use it to lift each other.
Which brings me to the final conversation that touched me this past month. “If you are in a position of power, and you hate people, and you want to cause suffering to them, you go though your career trying to cause suffering, what do you think is going to happen?” Ellen Page said during an impassioned speech during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. “Kids are gonna be abused, and they’re gonna kill themselves, and people are gonna be beaten on the streets.”
Ellen delves further into the destructive nature of the current anti-LGBTQ rheotric coming from the Tr*mp administration in her cover interview for this issue. What struck me most about the star’s fiery speech, however, is her acknowledgement of privilege and awareness of platform, a platform to use and speak out for those most at risk in society. We don’t need to remind you that plenty people of colour have spoken out in similar ways in the past, and the level of news coverage generated didn’t even touch that of Ellen’s. That’s a societal problem within itself. But Ellen is a visible LGBTQ role model and ally who has recognised her privilege and is working hard to challenge people both within, outside and who are against the community.
Alongside the Canadian actress, we have a wealth of talent in this issue of Gay Times, all doing their bit to fight for a more progressive and equal world. Monét X Change has just become the first All Stars queen of colour to be inducted into the Drag Race Hall of Fame; Mj Rodriguez wowed us during her turn as Blanca Evangelista in Ryan Murphy’s groundbreaking television series Pose, proving why she’s a trans talent to be celebrated; and Strictly Come Dancing’s AJ Pritchard is a true advocate when it comes to same-sex pairings in the ballroom, while challenging the very notion as to why we each feel like we have to label our identity.
There are plenty of conversations to dive into in the freshly redesigned pages ahead – and indeed across all of Gay Times’ channels – and I hope they inspire you in the same way they have us.
Lewis Corner
Chief Content Officer