This Pride month is going to feel different.
This Pride season is going to be charged with a palpable anger, passion and vigour that is unparalleled to recent years.
It will be driven not just by a Supreme Court decision that is being used to segregate Trans+ people in an apartheid move we haven't seen since the end of racial segregation.
Instead, it will represent - as Freddy McConnell set out for us during Trans+ History Week - a response to over a decade of concerted efforts by anti-Trans activists, media and politicians to infiltrate and poison the institutions that once protected our community.
The long-discussed and often trite 'is Pride still a protest?' conversation, has a clear and present answer this year - fuck yes.
As a cis disabled, not so occasionally camp, queer man. I'm under no illusion that all of this anti-trans rhetoric doesn't affect me either. Beyond the argument that, gays will be the next target, we already are.
Because no matter what kind of queer we are, we challenge the status quo.
As contributor to the QueerAF podcast Kit Heyam says in our latest episode out on Monday, "What history tells us is the backlash doesn't last forever, and it's for specific reasons".
They explain that's usually, that's about how Trans+ people represent ideas of bodily autonomy that challenge gender roles, "it's because we're challenging constructs which are harmful to everyone."
We can't get anywhere without this bigger-picture context.
Without the investigations that reveal the information, we need to fight back.
Without connecting the dots between the stories as we do in this newsletter every week.
When I launched QueerAF, a lot of people either laughed off or called the work I planned 'admirable' with a tone of: 'Lovely, but it will never work.'
But I set out to model the change, to create a media company orientated around delivering for our community. One that legally locked its profits and assets into the queer community. Since launching, two of the UK's most significant legacy gay media have announced a shift in our direction.
One recognised the power of being a non-profit and has shifted to a charity foundation model. The other just announced that after years of divesting from news coverage, they would be crowdfunding to follow in our footsteps in being one of the few brands delivering LGBTQIA+ investigative journalism. This is incredible news. A stronger queer media is good news for us all.
So much is the power of our model, our journalism, and our work investing in queer creative talent - the biggest players are joining us.
And this Pride month, as the small but mighty queer media player, who without big budgets, shareholders or institutional support that, has been consistently showing up and doing the work week after week for over three years: We need your help to do more.
Change the media, change the country.
If you find our journalism and investment in queer talent valuable. Imagine what more QueerAF could do for LGBTQIA+ people with a little extra capacity?
The more perks you choose, the better the discount you can grab:
- 10% off 'Supporter': Monthly / Annual
- 15% off '100% QueerAF': Monthly / Annual
- 20% off 'Editor': Monthly / Annual
We know all too well how terrible so many of the mainstream media titles have been to our community. And while they lean into anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric to chase clicks and rage bait, some of the gay news sector has been left with little choice but to go against its natural instincts thanks to market forces.
Despite positive news from the gay media sector, we're still hearing in our meetings with activists, community groups, and journalists about the shift you’ve noticed away from original news and investigations.
Despite dedicated LGBTQIA+ journalists working hard across the sector to prioritise our news – editors and titles are telling them it's celebs, gossip and clickbait first, news, investigations and investing in the community last.
No news is bad news. And I don't use this word lightly: this is a crisis issue for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Understand the LGBTQIA+ headlines and keep track of the latest queer content and perspectives. The QueerAF newsletter is written by Jamie Wareham and a different queer creative each week.
💬 This week:
- Download Festival: The music festival became one of the few organisations to adopt interim draft guidance banning trans people from using toilets publicly. It partially rolled back the decision after a backlash.
- Cis Women: 14K have signed a petition signalling their support for Trans+ people, showing how many support Trans+ rights
- Hungary: The country is facing increasing European focus for its anti-LGBTQIA+ measures, with coalitions forming all over the continent.
Skip the doomscrolling and support queer creatives instead. We are QueerAF – and so are you.
Download Festival partially rolls back plans to ban trans people from toilets
TL;DR: The festival confirmed it will not police toilets, after facing backlash for adopting the EHRC’s interim update, which isn’t legally binding and is currently facing a judicial review.
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