You, like me: intimate portraits of farmed animals runs at First Out Café Bar in central London from October 3-31. The exhibition has already received support from Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of Camden, Viva! and Animal Aid.

Photographer Neil Young explores the relationship between people and farmed animals given how little contact there is between the two.

Neil has over a decade’s experience representing LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people and developing projects to tackle homophobia, as a youth work manager and then for both Mayors of London.

Neil said:
"The gay community’s complex identities are too often lost within the strict conventions of being LGBT. I am as much an animal lover, vegan and photographer as I am a gay man. I hope that the exhibition helps us look anew at farmed animals and at ourselves as LGBT artists, by allowing the true diversity of our interests to emerge.

"What is it like for us to look an individual cow, sheep, pig or chicken in the eye? How do we imagine farmed animals experience the world? And how can these animals, especially those living on animal sanctuaries that have experienced great acts of violence themselves, spark memories, empathy and imagination in us all?”

The exhibition has support from high profile politicians, LGBT and mainstream arts organisations, animal welfare campaign groups, animal sanctuaries and activists. The Mayor of Camden, Councillor Jonathan Simpson, will be opening the exhibition’s private view.

Ken Livingstone said:
"Neil is an excellent campaigner whose photography presents a strong case for improved animal welfare and the need for greater understanding of how animals live their lives.”

David Cook, Coordinator, Gay Photographer's Network, said:
"Neil approaches his photography with passion and energy… his images bring the subject to life, transformed from animal to friend and the result is a body of work that people really connect with."

The exhibition can be viewed any time during First Out's opening hours, which is Monday Saturday 9am-11pm and Sunday 10am-10.30pm at 52 St Giles High Street, London.

Framed prints are available for £150 and £90 unframed. All profits from sales of prints will go to animal welfare charities Animal Aid, Viva! and farmed animal sanctuaries.