REPARATIONS the firstĀ fundraiser organised by QTIPOC Narratives, will celebrate all things queer and melanin in Brighton at the Marlborough Pub on November 11.
REPARATIONS will be presenting an authentic and contemporary offering of world music selected by three, Brighton’s based POC DJās –Ā I AM FYA – KASHFI and PUSHY C.
The entertainers will be sharing a cultural assortment of flavours from Afrobeats and Dancehall to Bollywood and Bhangra, with Middle Eastern pop and old-school R&B, to leave you invigorated and breathless from their generous musical input and pushing the boundaries of Queerdom while theyāre at it!
There will be a raffle with prizes on the night!
REPARATIONS will operate a safer space policy for queer/trans/intersex and people of colour to dance and be themselves to their fullest!
Allies are encouraged to respect the safer space policy and help maintain it, while community guidelines will be posted on the Facebook page in advance of the event, and be signposted at the venue throughout the night.
Organisers says that abuse and discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated.Ā If you witness any harassment or inappropriate behaviour, report it to staff or one of the stewards who will be wearing bright holographic armbands on the night.
QTIPOC Narratives are fundraising for a community library at New Writing South and DJ workshops to bring you more events like this one!
They will also be taking contributions for marginalised trans and non-binary siblings to get home safely.
The Marlborough has gender neutral toilets and is wheel chair accessible.
Brighton’s own Queer As Day festival comes to the Green Door store, today, November 3, celebrating all thats good on the queer music scene.
BRIGHTON’S OWNQueer as Day festival is coming to the Green Door Store,Ā tomorrow, Saturday, November 3.
Celebrating all that’s queer in the music scene, the event will go on from 2pm and will feature acts such as: Zand, itoldyouiwouldeatyou, Wolf Girl, Byenary, El Morgan and the Divers, Jemma Freeman and The Cosmic Something, IRN Brunette, Psychofag, and Bee and Jackrabbit.
And if that’s not enough to fill your queer hearts, the festival will also feature a Zine and illustration fair with art from local LGBTQIA+ artists.
For all the Vegans out there thinking “I wish I could go, but what vegan food is there?” they’ve got you covered. There will be vegan food stalls dotted about the event to cater to your grumbling stomaches.
The event comes to you from the fabulous minds of DJ Vicki Cook (or Rebel Girl as she’s sometimes known) and Effie Fowler.
Accelerating and scaling up local HIV/AIDS responses.
So what is Fast Track Cities?Ā
At last a new high-speed rail link between London and Brighton I hear you cry; well no, unfortunately not. However it is an exciting new Ā international initiative which Brighton & Hove City Council signed up to just over one year ago to look with fresh eyes at HIV prevention and HIV treatment as well as a real commitment to tackling HIV stigma in our communities.
The initiative was launched on World AIDS Day 2014 in Paris, where mayors from 27 cities in over 50 countries met to sign the Paris Declaration on Fast-Track Cities committing to accelerate and scale-up their local HIV/AIDS responses.
Brighton & Hove was the first city in the UK to sign up, joining many other cities across the world; recently London and Manchester have also signed up.
But I thought HIV wasnāt a problem any more?
Wrong! An estimated 12% of people living with HIV donāt know that they are HIV positive. Things have improved hugely in many ways but we still have a long way to go to stop new cases of HIV and ensure that people already living with HIV can live freely without fear of discrimination.
However, you may already be aware, or have heard in the news or from friends, that things ARE changing in the world of HIV and AIDS. The efforts of healthcare professionals, health promoters and advances in medicine, mean that fewer people are being diagnosed with HIV. New figures, published in September by Public Health England (PHE), show a 17% decrease in HIV diagnoses in the UK in 2017 and a drop of more than a quarter in the last two years (28%). HIV treatments are also highly effective and when taken daily mean that those of us living with HIV can expect to live as long as someone without HIV.
So whatās happening?
HIV treatment has undoubtedly played a significant role in this decline. Now, when someone is diagnosed, they are encouraged to start treatment as soon as possible. This enables them to more quickly achieve an undetectable viral load, which means HIV canāt be passed on.
The other game changer is PrEP (Pre exposure prophylaxis), which is basically a pill of HIV medicine which is almost 100% effective at preventing someone contracting HIV when taken as prescribed. The community response to PrEP has been enormous with high demand for NHS trials as well as people buying PrEP online via online pharmacies advertised on sites such as āPrEPsterā and Ā āI Want PrEP Nowā.
So whatās Fast-Track Cities all about and where does it fit in?
In a nutshell; the aim is to attain the UNAIDS global target of 90-90-90 and zero stigma and discrimination by 2020. The 90-90-90 targets are:
ā¢ Ensure that at least 90% of people livingĀ with HIV know their status;
ā¢ That 90% of people diagnosed with HIVĀ are receiving Ā treatment;
ā¢ That 90% of those on treatment haveĀ undetectable HIV virus in their bloodstream.
We know that Brighton is already doing well in meeting these targets with:
ā¢ 88% of people living with HIV know theirĀ status (based on national data);
ā¢ 98% of people living with HIV are onĀ treatment;
ā¢ 98% of those on treatment have undetectable virus in their blood stream.
Well were doing great arenāt we?
Well certainly the two targets relating to HIV treatment are looking good but we know that there are still hundreds of people out there who donāt realise that they have HIV; we have to do something about this. Thereās also so much more to do to meet the Martin Fisher Foundationās ambitious targets of ZERO HIV stigma, ZERO new HIV infections and ZERO deaths from HIV in Brighton & Hove.
So over the next few years we have some urgent challenges that will require the whole city to come together to ensure that we can effectively meet the targets; stop new HIV infections, get everyone living with HIV on treatment, and really start to tackle HIV stigma comprehensively across all our communities.
OK I get it, so how can I help?
There are a number of different ways to get involved; if you want to find out more, the Fast-Track Cities Task Force are holding a community engagement event on Friday, December 7 at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church from 2.30-4.30pm. We would love you to come along and share your ideas of how we can stop HIV in its tracks and wipe out HIV stigma. If you canāt make the event then there are loads of other ways you can help, big and small; we are particularly interesting in hearing about any of your own ideas; things which you think would work for you, your friends, your partners, your community. We invite you to get involved where possible by contacting us and sharing this journey.
TheĀ strains ofĀ āPack up your troubles in your old kit bagā will echo aroundĀ Hove on Thursday November 15 as locals gather to share their family memories and memorabilia of the First World War on boardĀ Brighton & Hove Busesā Heritage Bus.
THE Brighton & Hove Soiree Rotary ClubĀ hasĀ invited all the neighbours around for a chat and a singĀ songĀ while The LooseĀ Canons Choir will sing First World War songs next to the bus, which will be parked outside the Hove Club.Ā Everyone is welcome is welcome to attend.
ClubĀ President, Ann Dieckmann, said membersĀ wanted to do something special to mark the centenary of Armistice Day and the end of WW1.
She added:āWe thought it would be amazing to get the Heritage Bus to come to the club.Ā Seeing the visuals on the bus brings it home to people and stimulates discussion.āĀ
One localĀ Rotary member is related to the famous WW1 artist, Sir William Orpen, and heāll be bringing along some of his great uncleās work from the Western Front. Another remembers his injured grandad being treated in the WW1 hospital in the Royal Pavilion.
Brighton & Hove BusesāĀ Managing Director Martin Harris said:āItās such a lovely idea to get people together and reminisce on our bus, which is dedicated to the fallen in WW1.Ā
āBuses are social spaces and theyĀ lend themselves toĀ sharing memories and buildingĀ camaraderie.Ā Weāre proud to help Rotary host this eventĀ so locals can share their memoriesĀ and honour the service men and women and civilians involved in past and present conflicts, whileĀ looking towardsĀ a more peacefulĀ future.āĀ
The heritage bus will be parked outside The Hove Club, 28 Fourth Avenue, Hove BN3 2PJ between 6.15pm and 7.15pm on Thursday, November 15.
There will be a talkĀ about Sussex and WW1Ā by local historian ChrisĀ KempshallĀ and dinnerĀ in The Hove Club afterwards.
Places must be reserved by Monday, November 12.Ā Tickets costĀ Ā£19.
Pictured: Members of Royal British Legion withĀ Brighton & Hove Buses’Ā Heritage Bus in front of the South African War Memorial (whichĀ honours the men of the Royal Sussex Regiment who died in the Boer War).
Violet Valentine (Zoe Anslow-Gwilliam) – I guess it is time to introduce myself to Gscene readers.
IāM also Violet Valentine, an AFAB queen. For those wondering what AFAB means; AFAB means āassigned female at birthā, however, it can mean a fab(ulous) queen if you want it to!Ā Iām here to represent and showcase the new era of all things queer and creative on behalf of Gscene.
I work across many creative fields, from photography, graphic design, make-up art and add drag to the list. Despite being quite new to the scene, Iāve made a name and a base for myself in a little over a year, spanning cabaret shows, bars and clubs from London to Brighton. Iāve even hosted my own cabaret night called Battle! With Violet Valentine, a tournament style drag show, a few times too.
With a little over a yearās drag experience, Iām relatively new to the gig, letās be honest. My first encounter with drag was probably in some random pub many years ago on karaoke night where a Dame Edna like older lady offered up offensive jokes and free drinks tickets per rendition of musical theatre classics. That was my preconception and misconception of drag. I, like many people, assumed drag was old men dressing up in a frock and singing mediocrity for the entertainment of drunken punters on gay night for cheap laughs. Apart from these assumptions, drag had never really been on my radar.
I moved to Brighton in 2014 to study textiles at the University of Brighton. Cut to the copious nights out and newfound freedom in Brighton, I became inexcusably gay and proud in āthe gay capital of the UKā.
My first true encounter with drag was that year in Club Revenge on a Thursday night for the infamous FOMO club night where I happened to be greeted on the dancefloor by a mysterious but brash blonde wielding a bottle of tequila and clear expression of what can only be described of loving disgust. Lydia LāScabies, indeed. I became surrounded by drag inadvertently.
My first time in drag wasnāt as a drag queen but as a drag king in 2016 when I attended the yearly King of Fringe show at the Marlborough Theatre. I had no drag name, no drag back story, but I wanted to exude that confidence, dress up as a lad and cause mischief. I won best dressed, I might add. The confidence that those kings, such as Louis Cyfer, displayed truly made me fall in love with drag for the first time. The drag king scene is a magical place where the rules are flipped and toxic masculinity is banished.
I then realised that situation probably wasnāt my first time in drag, it was in fact in Wolverhampton, around 2010, when I played Ferdinand in The Tempest and I pretended to be uncomfortable with having to kiss a girl. It really was a tragic comedy. The heteronormative āsingle sexā selective grammar school had unknowingly created the space for a very gay story line to occur. I was realising more that Iād always been surrounded by drag, in some way or another. Soon after my first appearance in drag, I wanted to explore drag more.
For Halloween, the same year, I attended work at Club Revenge (shocking, I realise) in drag as The Joker. Fast-forward a few months and various performances later, I had a drag king persona, Zack The Lad. I thought Iād truly discovered drag by this point. I was definitely wrong.
I found about queens such as Victoria Sin and Tete Bang, fellow AFAB queens. I discovered more about the true gender bending nature of drag. I didnāt need to be a drag king; I could be a drag queen too.
Like many baby queens, I blocked my brows questionably, shoved on an unstyled wig, constructed a camp and feisty ego, made a terrible mix featuring Charli XCX and the Cash Me Ousside girl and off I popped to the local gay bar to perform.
Violet Valentine was created. I performed more and with each performance I became more confident and comfortable, in and out of drag. I still adored drag kings, but I discovered that I, personally, could be more creative with presenting as Violet than Zack.
With relentless research into drag, also known as āpartyingā, I started exploring new scenes. I went to club nights such asĀ Wut?Ā Club and Dollar Baby. I found extraordinary spaces where people were like me; very queer. I made friends with people such as Prince Jay Jay, who was the first person to introduce me to the club scene of London, full of unique club kids, the eccentric party attendees of infamous club nights. Gluing paper to my face and dancing to Sophie? Sign me up.
The attraction of drag and queer performance for me is the outlet to be artistic. Anything I do, I like it to be creative; Iām an Aquarius if you hadnāt guessed by now. I like creating new concepts to use for looks and characterful performances and if this can have a political importance to all the better.
Being an AFAB artist, Iāve been surprised by the welcoming responses I receive from an audience. However, sometimes short-lived because of comments such as: āYou look good in drag but I donāt really agree with women doing drag in generalā, or āI can so tell youāre a woman thoughā are made. Whilst I might receive passing comments of adoration for looks, there is a negative undertone attached to countless remarks. Thereās also an overall negative response to the art form; reaffirming the concept that the stereotypical style of feminine polished cis male drag was the only valid form of drag.
Drag has become a way for me to utilise gender in art but more importantly discover the importance of queer culture and the political significance this has. Iām fascinated by the dynamics of the queer scene. Queer nightlife may pass as frivolous and fun but the fact is that queer nightlife is extensively important in the ways in which queer culture functions. Without the Stonewall Inn, an underground gay bar in NYC, we wouldnāt enjoy the same rights today. Without Sundays at Legendsā¦ Okay, you get the idea.
Iāve grown to be more unapologetic with how I navigate as a queer AFAB person helped by the decision to design my looks and art to be how I want, not how theyāre expected to be and with this actually comes better and truer art.
For those who read Gscene regularly, I aim to provide entertainment with exciting stories of new work being produced within the queer scene. I want to expand the knowledge of gender and sexuality and how this impacts the work created by minority groups and the spaces in which they exist. I aim to showcase the shocking complexity and creativity that the new era of the LGBTQ+ scene has to offer. I hope youāre excited as I am.
Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, welcomes Government’s commitment to end the hierarchy in Hate Crime legislation in forthcoming review.
Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham.
THE GOVERNMENT hasĀ identified that two gaps in existing hate crime legislation should be included in a forthcoming review.
Ms Champion wrote to the Ministry of Justice to highlight two specific gaps and anomalies in existing legislation.
Firstly, at present there is a legal distinction between racial and religious hate crimes and those which are homophobic, biphobic, transphobic and disability related. Racially and religiously related hate crimes are seen as an aggravated offence, allowing for longer sentences to be added to the basic offence. Hate crimes which are homophobic, biphobic, transphobic and disability related are not seen as aggravated offences.
Secondly, Sarah raised āStirring Upā offences, which are not currently extended to disability and transgender identity.
‘Stirring Up’ offences relate to conduct which is likely to stir up hatred. Ms Champion believes that the nature of hate speech has mutated over recent years, and the increased prevalence of online abuse around these identities needs to be addressed.
In response, Lucy Frazer MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, has confirmed that these elements will be considered as part of the review.
Commenting on the review, Sarah said:āIt is imperative that hate crime legislation applies equally robustly to defend all protected characteristics. Existing legislation simply does not do that, by imposing a wholly artificial hierarchy. Hate crime based upon disability, sexual orientation and gender identity is as wrong as that based upon race or religion and should be treated as such under law.
āI am pleased that the Government has agreed that these inconsistencies need to be considered by the forthcoming review, and I hope that changes will soon be implemented to better tackle hate crime in all its forms.ā
Community groups and good causes across the city are invited to bid for grants to put ‘Pride in our city.’
Brighton & Hove Parade 2018: Image James Carey
FOR one weekend every year, hundreds of thousands of people flock to Brighton and Hove to mark the LGBT+ celebration, which is Brighton Pride, one of the biggest Prides in the UK.
Community groups are now being invited to bid for money raised from the event to ensure that the positive message of Pride has an impact on areas of the city all year round.
Now in its fourth year, the Pride Social Impact Fund is accepting applications from groups or organisations which need a helping hand in making a difference in their communities.
And for the first year ever, the independent panel has the potential to consider one or two larger projects with a grant of up to Ā£10,000 – but only if the independent panel feels the bid meets the criteria and objectives of the fund.
Tim Ridgway
Tim Ridgway, chairman of the Pride Social Impact Fund, said:“In just a few years the Pride Social Impact Fund has given dozens of grassroots groups across Brighton and Hove invaluable support, ensuring that Pride has a positive impact on residents across the city all year round.
“I am delighted to say that this year we have a record amount of money to distribute. This includes the potential to support one or two larger bids, providing they can prove they comprehensively meet the fund’s criteria and will directly supported residents who live in or near the footprint of Pride.
“So whether your idea is big or small, I urge groups across the city to submit their bids as soon as they can and look forward to being able to help some amazing grassroots groups put a little bit of Pride back into our city.”
Launched in 2016, the Pride Social Impact Fund has so far distributed more than Ā£40,000 to groups in Brighton and Hove.
Projects put forward do not have to be LGBT related; they don’t even have to be directly-linked to Pride (although applicants directly impacted will be favoured).
However big or small, the only criteria is that it will brighten up people’s lives by the time Pride comes round again next year.
This year, up to Ā£45,000 is available for groups to bid for.
Funding comes from a ring fenced Ā£1 per ticket from LoveBn1 festival in Preston Park of Ā£14,415 and contributions made by businesses within the Pride Village Party in the St Jamesās Street area of Ā£9,584.58, as well as extra top up funding of Ā£4,669 from Pride CIC.
The application process for this year’s fund is open now and bids will be considered by a panel made up of representatives from The Argus, BBC Sussex, Capitol Brighton, Brighton and Hove Independent, Sussex Life, Brighton & Hove News,Ā Gscene, Latest magazine and Latest TV.
Last year the panel handed out nearly Ā£20,000 to nearly 30 community groups and charities across Brighton and Hove.
This included supporting projects as varied as funding to the Friends of Dorset Gardens to improve accessibility of a park, Ā£450 to Creative Cascade Recovery to support the creation of free community performances for a group which supports people in recovery from addictions; and Ā£500 to Saltdean Lido towards plants for garden beds at the heart of the pool and community centre.
One of the grants awarded was Ā£1,000 to towards the running of Tarner Young Women, which was set up to meet the needs of local girls and young women aged 12 upwards, many of whom are deemed at risk.
Emma Jacquest, of the Tarner Community Project, which runs the group, said:Ā “Thank you for your support, this funding has made a huge differenceĀ for our especially vulnerable young people. It has averted many serious incidents taking place all of which would have put young people and others at serious risk.”
Another grant saw Ā£400 awarded to Crew Club United, a newly-founded youth football team based in East Brighton. The grant went towards new tracksuits for a under-11s football team and also supported the clubās end of season awards.
Sharon Miller, of the club, said:Ā “The team love their new tops which have kept them warm on these now crisp mornings while training. Thank you once again, we really appreciate it.”
Hangleton and West Blatchington Food Bank benefited from a Pride SIF grant
The panel also awarded Ā£500 to Hangleton & West Blatchington Foodbank to allow trustees to give out vouchers of Ā£10 per client per month to a local butcher to ensure the provision of fresh meat for those in need.
Zoe Smith, of the food bank, said:Ā “We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Brighton Pride Social Impact Fund. As a local Foodbank we work hard to support the needs of all members of the community and this grant will enable us to assist and make a positive impact to the health and wellbeing of people living in food poverty in the Hangleton and West Blatchington area of the city.”
How to apply
TheĀ SocialĀ ImpactĀ FundĀ has been set up to provide small grants for communal good. Grants are awarded annually to organisations or groups within the city with particular emphasis on areas directly affected or in the footprint of Brighton and HoveĀ Pride.
Submissions should be a maximum of 400 words mapping out how the money will be spent and why the cause is deserving. Please note the maximum award will be Ā£1,000. There is no lower limit.
The panel also has the potential of awarding one or two larger grants of up to Ā£10,000 for 2018, but these bids need to comprehensively meet the criteria, namely supporting good causes in areas directly impacted by Pride.
There is no restriction on ānumbers of entries by individual groups.ā However, the emphasis is on supporting community and grassroots groups, rather than individuals.
REPARATIONS the firstĀ fundraiser organised by QTIPOC Narratives, will celebrate all things queer and melanin in Brighton at the Marlborough Pub on November 11.
But I thought HIV wasnāt a problem any more?
So over the next few years we have some urgent challenges that will require the whole city to come together to ensure that we can effectively meet the targets; stop new HIV infections, get everyone living with HIV on treatment, and really start to tackle HIV stigma comprehensively across all our communities.
Violet Valentine (Zoe Anslow-Gwilliam) – I guess it is time to introduce myself to Gscene readers.
You must be logged in to post a comment.