LASSES

LASSES ZINE ISSUE 01 HOME BIRDS

L A S S E S Z I N E I S A C O L L E C T I O N O F I N T E RV I E W S AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF QUEER WOMEN CAPT U R E D R E M O T E LY OV E R FAC E T I M E . T H I S P U B L I C AT I O N A I M S T O C E L E B R AT E F E M A L E Q U E E R N E S S OF ALL FORMS AND INCREASE THE AUTHENTIC R E P R E S E N TAT I O N O F Q U E E R W O M E N . T H I S I S S U E , H O M E B I R D S , F O C U S E S O N T H E C A N D I D N AT U R E O F T H E I N T E RV I E W S S H A R E D B E T W E E N M Y S E L F A N D T H E W O M E N F E AT U R E D , A N D R E F E R S T O T H E I N T I M AT E , P E R S O N A L S PAC E S O F T H E H O M E S I N W H I C H T H E S E I M AG E S W E R E C A P T U R E D . T H A N K YO U T O T H E A M A Z I N G W O M E N W H O C O L L A B O R AT E D W I T H M E O N T H I S P U B L I C AT I O N .

P h o t o g r a p h y, D i r e c t i o n a n d Wo r d s b y B e t h G a r r i g a n @bethgarriganx / @beth_garrigan @lasseszine

J O S E P H I N E B RO O M E

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JESS BARNES

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E L E A N O R W R I G H T & M O RG A N K I B B L E

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JADE BEADLE

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M E G A N PA R RO T T

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LASSES ZINE ISSUE 01 HOME BIRDS

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LASSES ZINE ISSUE 01 HOME BIRDS

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A C H AT A B O U T VA L I D I T I T Y, Q U E E R S E L F P R E S E N TAT I O N A N D F E E L I N G E M P O W E R E D W I T H J O S E P H I N E B RO O M E ( S H E / H E R ) .

Josie: I feel really honoured to be part of the project! As a bisexual woman, I don’t often feel included in the bracket o f q u e e r, a s m u c h a s t h a t ’ s h o w I c o m p l e t e l y f e e l i n m y s e l f .

I came out at such a young age in school and I felt like I got quite a lot of backlash for it and I was labelled as weird, then as I’ve came into the real world and got to really know myself - it’s went the other way around. It’s kind of like I’m not q u e e r e n o u g h t o b e r e c o g n i s e d w i t h i n t h e c o m m u n i t y, w h i c h is sometimes difficult. I think that because I’m in a long term relationship with a cisgender man, people often don’t view my queerness as valid.

Beth: I completely understand how important feeling valid as a queer person is and how it can really have an impact on how you present yourself.

Josie: It’s a complex thing, the way you present yourself as a queer woman and I love how you’re exploring that. I’ve just had my hair cut and I often feel quite ‘butch’ and I often wear three piece suits and all that kind of shit and I love that, but i t d o e s m a k e t h e t i m e s w h e n I w a n t t o w e a r a b r i g h t p i n k c o rset a bit harder - people go OH and they look at you and can’t quite work out what your identity is. I can be lots of different things and I can wear what I want and still be valid.

Beth: How relevant do you think the terms butch and femme are today? Are they terms you identify with?

Josie: I don’t think butch and femme are relevant terms and I don’t identify with them, more I identify with everything in b e t w e e n . I t h i n k t h e c a t e g o r i s a t i o n a n d t h e e i t h e r- o r m i n d s e t is outdated. If you want to claim those identities then great, but I also think it’s important to view gender expression as a spectrum. I think appearance-play is an enormous part of queerness, but it shouldn’t be about labelling, it should be empowering - we should wear what we want to wear and not what a label dictates. Sexuality is a huge spectrum and I think every individual has a different sexuality and a way of expressing that, regardless of whether they wear jeans and a t shirt or full drag.

B e t h : T h e r e’ s b e e n t i m e s w h e n I ’ v e b e e n c o n f u s e d a b o u t how to present myself as a queer woman, I don’t want people to think I’m not being true to me, but in reality I don’t quite know what that is yet and I’m only just trying to figure that out in my 20s.

J o s i e : I t h i n k i t ’ s i m p o r t a n t t o t a l k a b o u t , a s t h i s i s a c o n v e rs a t i o n b e t w e e n y o u a n d I a n d w e’ v e b e e n t o s c h o o l t o g e t h e r s i n c e y e a r 7, t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f g r o w i n g u p q u e e r w h i l s t i n a n all girls school kind of fucks with how you perceive yourself.

And for you, I know you felt like you could only freely be yourself once you’d left there. It was a difficult environment t o e x p l o r e y o u r s e x u a l i t y, I t h i n k a n y s c h o o l i s a d i f f i c u l t environment in those terms, but especially a single sex school.

School definitely shaped me in a way that when I left I was determined to be absolutely and completely authentic.

@juicybroome

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LASSES ZINE ISSUE 01 HOME BIRDS

GETTING TO KNOW JESS BARNES (SHE/HER) AND HER THOUGHTS ON GENDER TERMS FOR QUEER WOMEN.

Beth: What would you say to your younger self?

Jess: Don’t feel as though you have to surround yourself with people who don’t allow you to be your whole, complete self around them.

Beth: What’s your favourite thing in your room?

Jess: At the moment, my signed Halsey record.

Beth: Who’s your favourite musician?

Jess: Halsey, Billie Eilish and Twenty One Pilots. Those are my top three, and Halsey is like my queer icon.

Beth: You’ve mentioned to me that you’re not explicitly ‘out’ to your family, how visible do you feel as a queer person?

Jess: To the people that matter, I feel completely visible. The main reason I don’t talk about my queerness to my family is because I’d rather know how they truly felt about queer subject matters, unfiltered, without knowing it would effect me. To my friends, and people who I’m comfortable with, I feel visible one hundred percent.

Beth: As a queer person, do you think the terms butch and femme are relevant and are you able to identify with these terms?

Jess: I kind of think gender is just a social construct and doesn’t actually exist, it’s just about how people feel comfortable presenting and if you feel comfortable labelling yourself with those terms, that’s great for you. If you don’t feel comfortable labelling yourself with any terms, that’s great for you.

It’s very personal and different for each person. I just - am. My sexuality, who knows? Gender, same thing. Presenting in traditionally masculine or feminine ways can be so different to how you feel inside.

@jessbxrnes

LASSES ZINE ISSUE 01 HOME BIRDS

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@elliempw_ / @_youthvisuals.com_ @fairygothmotherr

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I N C O N V E R S AT I O N W I T H G I R L F R I E N D S E L E A N O R W R I G H T ( S H E / H E R ) A N D M O RG A N K I B B L E ( S H E / H E R ) , D I S C U S S I N G G RO W I N G U P Q U E E R , B E C O M I N G YO U R A U T H E N T I C S E L F A N D Q U E E R L OV E .

Beth: How long have you been together and how did you meet?

M o r g a n : We m e t o n T i n d e r a t t h e start of the first lockdown in March.

We t a l k e d o n l i n e f o r t h e w h o l e o f l o c k d o w n a n d f i n a l l y m e t u p . We m a d e it official about three months ago but E l l i e’ s b e e n l i v i n g w i t h m e f o r t h e past month.

Ellie: It’s going great!

Beth: When did you both come out?

Morgan: I came out to my friends as bisexual first when I was about 16 and then came out to my family when I was 18 as bisexual, but I am a lesbian.

I came out as bisexual first because I t h o u g h t i t w o u l d b e e a s i e r. I t w a s n ’ t until I got my first girlfriend that I came out to my family because I d i d n ’ t f e e l a n e e d t o c o m e o u t . . . h e terosexual people don’t come out so why should we.

Ellie: I was about 15 when I came out.

My family knew but I also never felt a need to come out, I’ve never really agreed with having to come out. It wasn’t until I was with Morgan that I felt the need to tell people because she was the first girl that I was in a relationship with.

Beth: What’s your favourite date night?

B o t h : We h a v e s o m a n y !

Morgan: I’d probably say when we do a r t t o g e t h e r.

Ellie: I would say when we have a bath!

Morgan: Oh yeah! When we have a b a t h a n d a g l a s s o f w i n e t o g e t h e r. We went to this hotel in town just before lockdown and it was gorgeous, it had beautiful bathroom that was pink and blue and we had loads of candles lit and a glass of wine each.

Ellie: Baring in mind you’re 6ft and we had to fit in this tiny bath!

Morgan: It was great, we did face masks and had a really nice chat, we talked about everything. I feel like it doesn’t matter where we are because w e’ v e g o t e a c h o t h e r. E v e r y d a t e n i g h t t h a t w e’ v e h a d t h a t ’ s b e e n m y f a v o u r i t e , i s b e c a u s e w e’ v e t a l k e d f o r like 4 hours. Those are my favourite times, when we talk about anything and everything.

Ellie: And I love when we cook because we love food!

Beth: As creatives, do you think your queerness effects your creativity?

Morgan: I think growing up queer in t o d a y ’ s s o c i e t y, e v e r y q u e e r p e r s o n has been through some shit and I think that often fuels your artwork.

Ellie: I think my creativity is espe-

cially how I express myself, as well as what I wear and how I present myself to the world. I think it’s a massive part of who I am.

Morgan: I think a lot of the time you always find yourself gravitating towards queerness within your crea t i v i t y. I d o n ’ t k n o w w h e t h e r t h a t ’ s b e c a u s e f o r s o l o n g o f m y l i f e , p e rs o n a l l y, I w a s r e p e l l i n g a n d r e s e n t i n g t h e i d e a o f m y o w n s e x u a l i t y, a n d n o w I want it in everything.

Ellie: I think it gets to a point where when you’re out and you’re in such a h e a l t h y, l o v i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p t h a t y o u want people to know that this is how good it can be and how good it should be.

B e t h : Ye a h , e s p e c i a l l y g o i n g f r o m b e ing young and closeted thinking that your life is going to be awful and then realising that queerness is an amazing thing, now it’s one of my favourite things about myself.

Morgan: Growing up, I knew I loved girls but I never thought I’d be able to be in a woman loving woman relationship. So now I want to include that in everything. I also think that queer representation in the arts is such a needed thing. Now I see TV

programmes and artwork, photographs like what you are doing of queer people together and I think if I’d have had that when I was younger I would’ve been out so much sooner and I would’ve been so much more confident in myself - it would’ve saved me a whole lot of pain thinking that I couldn’t have that.

Ellie: I feel that when you see women loving women or same sex relationships and you are closeted, you have something to look to and give you hope for the future.

Beth: If you could say something to your younger closeted self, what would you say?

Ellie: It’s not going to be as bad as you think it’s going to be and those who don’t accept you aren’t worthy of a place in your life. And don’t care about what other people think!

M o r g a n : Ye a h , d o n ’ t c a r e a b o u t w h a t other people think and do whatever you have to do to be unapologetically you. The amount of times I tried to date guys and blend in, it just made m e u n h a p p y. . . b e u n a p o l o g e t i c a l l y y o u from the get go and people will love you because they will see you being authentic.

LASSES ZINE ISSUE 01 HOME BIRDS

Beth: Do you think there is enough accurate lesbian representation in the media?

Morgan: God, no!

E l l i e : I t h i n k t h a t i t ’ s g o t t e n a l o t b e t t e r. B u t i t a n n o y s m e t h a t s p e c i f i c a l l y i n f i l m s l e s b i a n i s m i s r e a l l y s e x u a l i s e d .

Morgan: And very obviously written by men who are representing lesbians for the male gaze.

Ellie: I would love to see more authentic representation.

Morgan: Also, media representation tends to be either highly feminine or super masculine, but that’s not how it always is.

Beth: Do either of you identify with the terms butch and femme?

Both: No! E l l i e : We a r e b o t h r e a l l y f l u i d t h o u g h . We a l w a y s h a v e r e a l l y g o o d c o n v e r s a t i o n s a n d b e c a u s e w e a r e s o o p e n w e c r e a t e s p a c e f o r e a c h o t h e r t o b e e x a c t l y w h a t t h e o t h e r w a n t s t o b e o n t h a t p a r t i c u l a r d a y.

M o r g a n : We a l l o w e a c h o t h e r t h a t s p a c e - I d o b e l i e v e t h a t g e n d e r i s f l u i d a n d i t i s o n a s p e c t r u m a n d s o m e d a y s I wake up and want to wear more masculine or typically butch clothing but I wouldn’t associate myself with the term. I don’t really like the terms butch and femme.

Ellie: It’s very segregating.

Morgan: I think because of that, when I first came out as a lesbian and I was going to gay bars, I felt that because I didn’t identify with either butch or femme, that I didn’t fit in. I started dressing more masculine because I wanted to fit in and be recognised as a lesbian but then I realised that wasn’t me. So I dressed really femme and didn’t feel c o m f o r t a b l e w i t h t h a t e i t h e r. I t d e f i n i t e l y i s o l a t e d m e g r o w i n g u p b e c a u s e I d i d n ’ t f e e l l i k e I f i t i n t o e i t h e r o f t h e c a tegories you had to be in to be a lesbian.

Ellie: I absolutely relate to that and I think it’s something that I still sometimes struggle with. I felt like I didn’t fit in to that bubble. When I first started going to gay bars I felt the need to adjust myself, but now I’m very comfortable and carefree.

Beth: Has your way of presenting yourself changed since coming out?

Morgan: One hundred percent! I used to be a proper Deansgate girl with long blonde hair and tight fitting dresses, now I wouldn’t dream of that. I think I went through stages with my sexuality of figuring out how to dress. I was foc u s e d o n h o w I s h o u l d d r e s s b u t n o w, t h i s i s h o w I w a n t t o d r e s s .

E l l i e : I t h i n k I ’ v e c h a n g e d b u t n o t b e c a u s e I ’ m g a y, b e c a u s e I ’ v e w a n t e d t o . N o w t h a t I f e e l m o r e c o m f o r t a b l e w i t h m y s e l f . R e a l i s i n g t h a t y o u ’ r e n o t o u t t h e r e f o r t h e m a l e g a z e a n d y o u d o n ’ t n e e d t o g e t a n y o n e’ s a p p r o v a l o r a p p e a r t o b e s e x y.

Morgan: I’m the textbook case of coming out and changing your appearance. When I was in the closet I didn’t know how to dress because I knew I wasn’t comfortable, I just mirrored the people around me. The people I surrounded myself with then were straight people, I didn’t know any gay people when I was growing up.

E l l i e : F o r m e , a l o t o f m y f r i e n d s n o w a r e g a y a n d w e a r e a l l v e r y a c c e p t i n g a n d e n c o u r a g i n g o f t r y i n g t h i n g s a n d d i fferences, having creativity and going for whatever is encouraged.

M o r g a n : Ye a h , i t ’ s a v e r y n u r t u r i n g s p a c e t o t r y n e w t h i n g s a n d b e w h o y o u a r e . G a y V i l l a g e i s w h e r e I f e e l m o s t c o m fortable, you could step out in literally anything and someone would be like “fucking queen!” It’s such a nurturing environment and a safe space because you know that no matter what you’re not going to be judged or sexualised. The a m o u n t o f f i t s I ’ v e g o n e o u t i n t o V i l l a g e , I l o o k b a c k n o w a n d t h i n k ‘ d e a r l o r d w h a t w e r e y o u d o i n g ’, b u t a t t h e t i m e I needed that environment to be able to express myself and that’s not something I could do when I was in the closet. In m y h o m e t o w n i f I w e n t o u t i n t h e c l o t h e s I d o n o w, p e o p l e w o u l d s t a r e a n d m a k e c o m m e n t s , a n d w h e n y o u ’ r e g r o w i n g up that’s something that can knock your confidence. Coming out of the closet and going to gay clubs, to that welcomi n g s p a c e , m a d e m e e x p l o r e d i f f e r e n t a v e n u e s o f m y p e r s o n a l i t y a n d m y s t y l e s o t h a t I c o u l d b e w h o I a m t o d a y.

B e t h : I c o m p l e t e l y r e l a t e t o m o v i n g a w a y f r o m y o u r h o m e t o w n a n d f i n d i n g y o u r o w n s p a c e i n M a n c h e s t e r. M y h o u s e i s m o s t l y q u e e r, I l i v e w i t h a n o t h e r l e s b i a n a n d a d r a g q u e e n a n d m o s t o f o u r c l o s e s t f r i e n d s a r e g a y - i t ’ s g r e a t .

Ellie: It does make such a difference!

B e t h : Yo u f e e l l i k e y o u ’ v e f o u n d a q u e e r f a m i l y.

E l l i e : I t h i n k i t ’ s b e c a u s e y o u ’ v e a l l e x p e r i e n c e d t h e s a m e s h i t a n d y o u c a n r e l a t e t o e a c h o t h e r.

M o r g a n : Yo u c a n a l l r e l a t e o n a l e v e l w h e r e y o u ’ v e a l l h a d t o c o m e o u t , i n s o m e c a s e s n o t , b u t y o u a l l u n d e r s t a n d w h a t i t ’ s l i k e t o b e a n o u t s i d e r.

B e t h : F i n a l l y, w h a t ’ s y o u r f a v o u r i t e t h i n g a b o u t b e i n g q u e e r ?

Ellie: Loving women!

Morgan: Loving women! Loving Ellie.

Ellie: I think it’s crazy because I never thought this was possible.

M o r g a n : Ye a h , a t o n e p o i n t I l e g i t i m a t e l y t h o u g h t I ’ d n e v e r f i n d l o v e . T h a t s o u n d s s o d e p r e s s i n g , b u t I d i d n ’ t k n o w I was capable. I struggled with my sexuality for a while and I just wasn’t attracted to men but because I was so in my h e a d I d i d n ’ t e v e n c o n s i d e r t h a t I w a s g a y. I w a s j u s t l i k e ‘ I ’ l l n e v e r b e l o v e d , t h a t ’ s i t .’ B u t n o w, l o o k !

Ellie: I don’t even think it’s about being in a relationship, it’s more about being in a healthy relationship. When you’re in a healthy relationship you’re unstoppable and it kicks everything else to the curb.

Morgan: I think my favourite things about being queer are being unapologetically me and being able to love who I want to and being able to give such love, and having that sense of community and family that you do find within your f r i e n d s w h e n y o u a r e a l l q u e e r.

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LASSES ZINE ISSUE 01 HOME BIRDS

I N D I S C U S S I O N W I T H P H O T O G R A P H E R J A D E B E A D L E ( S H E / H E R ) O N AC C U R AT E R E P R E S E N TAT I O N , D I S C R I M I N AT I O N A N D P E R S O N A L S T R U G G L E S A S A QUEER WOMAN OF COLOUR. Beth: When did you come out?

Jade: I came out at birth. It wasn’t ever a thing of necessarily coming out, it was more a suppression of who I was. I was denying myself for a long time, in my culture being queer is viewed as wrong so I was denying who I was because I was taught it was wrong and I didn’t see anyone else who was like me. I didn’t have any black, masculine presenting queer women to look up to when I was growing up. I suppressed myself for a long time until I thought fuck this, if people don’t like me or want to speak to me then that’s how it’s going to be. I didn’t want to be unhappy being someone who I’m not. I’d rathe r b e w h o I a m a n d b e h a p p y. T h e o n l y w a y I w o u l d s a y I ‘c a m e o u t ’ w a s w i t h m y m u m , e v e n t h o u g h s h e k n e w I t h i n k s h e d e s e r v e d m e t e l l i n g h e r. B u t I d o n ’ t n e c e s s a r i l y believe in coming out, straight people don’t come out. It was difficult but I got through it.

Beth: As a creative, do you think your queerness affects your creativity?

J a d e : I w o u l d s a y t h a t m y q u e e r n e s s a f f e c t s m y o p p o rtunities. In the way that I present, a lot of people are confused by me - am I a boy or am I a girl? Am I gay?

A m I a gay ma n? Peo ple ar e con fuse d, an d I thin k p e op le f e a r w h a t t h e y d o n ’ t u n d e r s t a n d . I w o u l d s a y i t ’ s a f f e c ted a lot of opportunities for getting photography work, especially high end clients, because those kind of people d o n ’ t u n d e r s t a n d p e o p l e l i k e m e . E s p e c i a l l y c o l l a b o r a ting with people who are completely different to me, it can impact that. I don’t base a lot of my work around my queerness, I don’t tend to centre everything around that because it doesn’t define me. It has sometimes defined me in ways that I haven’t wanted it to, now I don’t want it to be my defining point.

Beth: If you could say something to your younger self what would you say?

J a d e : I w o u l d s a y, h a p p i n e s s i s o n t h e o t h e r s i d e o f f e a r. I a l w a y s s a y t h a t , b e c a u s e i t ’ s t r u e . Yo u ’ v e g o t t o s t e p o u ts i d e o f y o u r c o m f o r t z o n e t o b e t r u l y h a p p y. I f w e s h i e d a w a y f r o m s o m a n y t h i n g s b e c a u s e w e w e r e s c a r e d , w e’ d n e v e r b e h a p p y. Ye a h , I ’ d s a y h a p p i n e s s i s o n t h e o t h e r s i d e o f f e a r.

Beth: Do you think there is enough accurate lesbian representation in the media?

J a d e : A l o t o f q u e e r k i d s w h o a r e y o u n g a n d o f c o l o u r, when they’re looking in the media for someone they can identify with they can’t find anyone. Maybe one rapp e r, t h a t ’ s i t . I t h i n k i f t h e r e w a s m o r e p o s i t i v e m e d i a representation of all races and gender presentations then there wouldn’t be as much discrimination. I get discriminated against all the time.

Beth: How relevant do you think the terms butch and femme are currently?

Jade: I identify with neither of those terms. I think the t e r m b u t c h c a n b e r e a l l y d e r o g a t o r y, a n d I ’ m c l e a r l y n o t f e m m e . I ’ d s a y I ’ m f e m i n i n e i n m y e n e r g y. I ’ d p r o b a b l y identify as androgynous, the best way to describe myself to other people would be masculine presenting. But, I don’t really believe in labels because I am who I am. I think people who do categorise themselves do it because it’s easier for other people to understand them. Sometimes they want to reclaim terms like dyke and they take power from that.

Beth: Has your way of presenting yourself changed since coming out?

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Jade: I’d say I’ve grown into myself as a person and I know how I want to be, how I want to dress, who I want to be. I don’t want to be that little girl who was lost and didn’t know if she should wear a skirt to make her mum h a p p y. N o w, I ’ m f e a r l e s s l y m y s e l f .

Beth: Do you feel visible as a queer person?

J a d e : Ye s , h o w c o u l d I n o t b e ? B u t a t t h e s a m e t i m e , I don’t feel recognised as the identity that I am. So, yes and no.

Beth: What’s your favourite thing about being queer?

J a d e : F o r m e , t h e r e’ s m o r e c o n s t h a n p r o s . B u t , m y f a vourite thing is, looking absolutely sexy in a tracksuit.

That’s my favourite thing.

Beth: How do you experience life as a queer masculine presenting woman?

J a d e : E v e r y d a y, I g e t c a l l e d b o y, m a t e , f e l l a , l a d . I g e t denied access to clubs, I get dragged out of the wome n ’ s t o i l e t , t h e r e’ s l o a d s o f s h i t t h a t h a p p e n s . I g e t q u e s t i o n s a b o u t m y s e x u a l i t y, s t a r e s . T h e r e w a s a t i m e when a guy tried to beat me up at pride and the police came. If I go to a restaurant, I try not to go to the toilet in case someone accuses me of using the wrong bathroom. Sometimes bouncers don’t believe my ID is mine.

T h e r e’ s b e e n b a r e s h i t , i t h a p p e n s a l l t h e t i m e . I ’ v e become numb to it and I think I’ve grown thick skin. I found it hard to think of my favourite thing about being q u e e r, b e c a u s e I d o n ’ t e n j o y g e t t i n g c o n s t a n t l y d i s c r i m i n a t e d a g a i n s t . I t ’ s e v e r y s i n g l e d a y, b u t I g e t o n w i t h it.

@pndajayd

LASSES ZINE ISSUE 01 HOME BIRDS

20

I TA L K T O M E G A N PA R R O T T ( S H E / H E R ) A B O U T B E I N G A T H I R D Y E A R FA S H I O N A RT D I R E C T I O N S T U D E N T AT M M U , Q U E E R C R E AT I V I T Y A N D I N C L U S I V I T Y.

Beth: how would you describe your sexual orientation and what are your pronouns?

M e g : M y p r o n o u n s a r e s h e / h e r, s e x u a l o r i e n t a t i o n - I d o n ’ t k n o w, I d o k n o w but I don’t know - I feel like as I’ve gotten older I don’t feel the need to label myself. But for me, I would call myself queer because that word used to have such negative connotations and I see it now as very empowering, I f e e l p r o u d t o c a l l m y s e l f q u e e r.

Beth: What impact has moving to Manchester had on you?

Meg: I’m from the middle of nowhere, my queerness was very much talked about and my family don’t care but for me there was no support in terms of sex education or anything like that. I don’t think it hindered me but I think i t k i n d o f r e p r e s s e d m e i n a w a y. W h e n I came up here, I had no idea Manchester had a queer scene and I didn’t know The Village was a thing, which sounds stupid now because I go all the time. For me, Manchester has helped so much, in terms of meeting people and having a safe space.

Beth: How would you describe your experience being a queer creative in Manchester?

Meg: I do really prefer to work and collaborate with people who are in the queer community because of the way w e c a n s u p p o r t e a c h o t h e r, I t h i n k i t ’ s r e a l l y l o v e l y. I ’ v e h a d t h e p l e a s u r e o f working with models and designers w h o a r e i n t h e c o m m u n i t y, w h i c h i s really nice. I don’t feel ostracised and I definitely feel supported but I know there are a lot more things I could be doing as a white queer women to support people who don’t have as much of a platform - for example trans people, e s p e c i a l l y t r a n s p e o p l e o f c o l o u r.

That inclusion is something I know I can improve on and focus on in every project that I do. I think that comes with education and being mindful with each project that you do, we all have t o w o r k h a r d e r.

Beth: What is your creative specialism and do you have a favourite project?

Meg: I feel like I’ve really struggled with this because Fashion Art Direction is so broad. I really love writing, so probably journalism and art direction. I don’t really like to pigeon-hole myself. As long as it’s something I’m really passionate about I’ll try it out. I think my favourite project during uni has actually been the one I’ve found most difficult - we had to source two graduate collections. I was so nervous and thought I wouldn’t be able to do it but I went in to it and thought fuck it, let’s run with it. I ended up loving the images, it was t e r r i f y i n g b u t i n a g o o d w a y.

Beth: How visible do you feel as a queer person?

Meg: I remember when I first moved to M a n c h e s t e r, i n f i r s t y e a r m y q u e e rness wasn’t a part of myself that I

was comfortable with yet. I used to go out to Deansgate with a lot of friends and I’d have a good time but I never felt like I could completely be myself whereas when I went to Village for the first time I felt very comfortable and seen. I felt visible in the sense that if I wanted to I could get with someone and not fear that I would be shouted at or unsafe. I do feel seen in Village, but there are still problems with that space - I think that it is mostly white people who go there and I do think that in terms of a community it could b e m o r e i n c l u s i v e . L o o k i n g a t m y s e xu a l i t y j o u r n e y, w h e n I s t a r t e d f e e l i n g more comfortable in myself I started d r e s s i n g s l i g h t l y d i f f e r e n t l y, I ’ d w e a r more suits and things like that, things I feel good in which is something I’m now prioritising. In my community I

feel seen, in wider society I’m represented in the media so I don’t feel ostracised but when it comes down to it I don’t feel completely safe sometimes. Then I imagine what it’s like for someone who is a minority within a m i n o r i t y.

Beth: What would you say to your younger queer self?

M e g : Yo u ’ r e g o i n g t o f i n d y o u r p e o p l e and in the grand scheme of things, people don’t really give a shit about y o u r s e x u a l i t y s o y o u s h o u l d n ’ t e i t h e r.

D o n ’ t r u s h t h i n g s , I t h i n k t h e r e’ s t h i s general rule of thumb that if you’re LGBTQIA+ you’re kind of living your teen life in your twenties. Calm down and breathe. If you’re a dyke it’s absolutely fine!

@mgprrtt