Stemme #8

WHERE STUD MEETS FEMME A MAGAZINE FOR QUEERS ISSUE 8

BEAU JANGLES CATHERINE BOHART FOX FISHER HIV HOUR QUEENIE & WILDBLOOD PASSION FRUUT COVER ART BY HIZZE FLETCHER-KING

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MEET THE TEAM stemmemagazine.com @stemmemagazine

Editor Freya Hughes Design Amy Rumble Contributors Aisha Weise- Forbes Daisy Quinn Kate Wildblood Queen Josephine Fox Fisher Madi Gianfrancesco Alex Adams Christina Doyle Cover art Hizze Fletcher-King With special thanks to everyone involved!

We’re always looking for writers, artists and advertisers. Drop us an email at stemmemagazine@gmail.com

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DECEMBER 2019 How’s your year been? It’s quite scary to think we’re at the end of 2019 already – time sure does fly.

For most, it’s a year that’s had its highs and lows. Our future feels far from certain in a lot of ways, so let’s use this opportunity to review our sense of self – that includes our self esteem, self worth and how we treat others.

Because without kindness and consideration, what do we have?

This edition of Stemme is an attempt to connect us all. And to remind us all that there’s a community out there that can and will support us.

Let’s enjoy a season of goodwill and joy, no matter our differences.

Welcome to the eighth edition of Stemme.

Freya Hughes Editor

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BEAU JANGLES DRAG KING 4

is incredibly important. The Cocoa Butter Club isn’t specifically a space just for drag, but they’re great at booking kings and granting their performers some wonderful opportunities.

They’re two sides of the same coin. Beau Jangles is super strong, a bit of a dick and hails from the 1940s. Madi Gianfrancesco, however, is the brains of the operation and has a lot to say about inequality in drag.

Beau: Again, what is this drag you speak of?

I’ll perform at whatever juke joint pays me though.

WHEN DID YOU START DRAG AND WHAT MADE YOU TAKE THE LEAP TO START PERFORMING?

WHAT MAKES YOU PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY?

Madi: I’ve been performing for as long as I can remember in some capacity – my parents encouraged it but I was never allowed to think of it as a potential career.

I only started drag about a year and a half ago. The drag king collective Pecs were holding a series of workshops and when I heard about it I had never been so sure of anything in my life. I met my collective – The Family Jewels – there and made an amazing group of close friends and collaborators.

Madi: The drag king community (and a wider community of people who identify as drag things/drag in-betweens/genderfuck artists) are ridiculously, incredibly supportive. I guess we’re marginalised in drag so we have to support each other.

I think sometimes cis male drag queens are surprised by the lack of ‘reading’ and competitiveness in our community, but that’s the way I like it. We’re also inherently more political, because we have to be.

Beau: I don’t know what you mean – I’m a cis man. I’ve been performing forever, though. It’s in my blood. My Mama and Papa were these high society types in New Orleans and they used to hold these big ol’ parties. Mama would sit me on top of the piano from the age of five and we’d do lil duets together. Even then the ladies couldn’t get enough of me.

Beau: I happen to roll around with a bunch of crazy cats. We jam together and go out on the town causing trouble. And the ladies can’t get enough of us.

DID YOU EVER STRUGGLE TO FEEL A SENSE OF SELF PRIDE? Madi: No. And this is despite things like the drag pay gap (white cis male drag queens get paid ludicrously high sums compared to the rest of us), and spaces that are hostile to performers of colour and AFAB performers trying to bring me down. I just trust in my craft and my community.

TALK TO US ABOUT THE DRAG NIGHTS YOU’RE INVOLVED IN Madi: I perform all over the place! I always love performing with Lese Majeste, the night hosted by Prinx Silver that raises money for Friends of the Joiner’s Arms.

And having spaces like the KOC Initiative

Beau: No – I’m a cis man.

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that, when we as fellow queers/PoC form communities where we can feel safe and proud, we can ride that energy to take up space, support each other, and demand positive social change.

DO YOU THINK THERE’S ANYTHING WE SHOULD ALL BE DOING TO IMPROVE THINGS FOR ONE ANOTHER? Madi: Absolutely! White drag artists NEED to uplift, platform and support performers of colour in a way that doesn’t feel tokenistic. Drag queens need to uplift other forms of drag, and cis performers (myself included) need to uplift our trans and nonbinary siblings. We need to actively challenge prejudice in drag (and in the wider world, of course) and help make those more marginalised than us feel loved.

Beau: When we feel proud of our work it imbues us with that confidence that enables us to take risks and elevate what we do. And when we feel pride in ourselves it shows all those racist motherfuckers that they ain’t winning.

WHAT’S YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT? Madi: My photo (as Beau), along with photos of other Man Up 2019 finalists, appeared in Vogue Italia. That was pretty damn cool. I also just launched my very own drag king night in South London – it went really well and felt amazing.

Beau: Share the love... speaking of – hey, girl.

“WHEN WE AS FELLOW QUEERS/ POC FORM COMMUNITIES WHERE

Beau: My daddy once almost told me that he loved me, I think.

WE CAN FEEL SAFE AND PROUD, WE CAN RIDE THAT ENERGY TO TAKE UP SPACE, SUPPORT EACH OTHER,

ANYTHING TO PLUG?

AND DEMAND POSITIVE SOCIAL

Madi: My drag night! It’s called ‘Royal Roost’ and it happens at The Chateau in Camberwell (South East London). It’s got a vintage feel but showcases exactly the kind of performers we should be seeing everywhere in 2019. The next one’s on Friday 13th December.

CHANGE.”

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLE OF PRIDE IN GENERAL?

Beau: There’s a juke joint called The Chateau where I get together a bunch of hip cats and we show what we got. The night’s called ‘Royal Roost’ and the next one’s on Friday 13th December – if y’all are nervous about that inauspicious date, just shake off the bad juju and come anyway.

Madi: To be honest, pride’s a flimsy thing if it isn’t backed up by action and positive change. I can feel proud to be a queer PoC inside, but if spaces exclude me because of these facets of my identity, that’s going to chip away at me. And it’s harder to feel proud if you don’t feel safe. Having said

@BEAUJANGLESDRAG

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CATHERINE BOHART

BY CHRISTINA DOYLE

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of women in clubs shout out when I ask if there’s any bis in – there’s also a whole lot of us who need to feel seen.”

Rising star Catherine Bohart is bringing her second solo show, Lemon, to Brighton’s Komedia on 8 Feb. You may know her dulcet tones from podcast The Guilty Feminst, a particularly successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe and as finalist of Funny Women.

And it goes further than that even, “postBrexit, people feel emboldened in their hatred for sure. But the queer community and our allies are also louder than we’ve ever been.”

As a bisexual woman with OCD who’s the daughter of a Catholic deacon, Bohart’s first show was a show about her identity.

Lemon, however, acts as a response to an audience member’s disgust of that first show. She tells us, “Lemon is my second show, and it’s been so fun to do so far. I did it at Edinburgh and Soho Theatre and it feels like it’s finally in my bones. The show is largely about love, sex and relationships from the perspective of a bi woman who dates a lesbian and has a mum who loves to talk about sex. (spoiler: I’m the woman)”

It’s heart-warming to see that time and time again in Brighton: the allyship between different tribes often so prevalent. We see a touching unity of people across a wide spectrum in this part of the country. Bohart agrees, telling me, “we still have a long way to go, especially for our trans counterparts to be seen and treated with respect.

I’m tremendously proud of the queer community – we’ve changed the world.

That’s incredible.”

This sense of community we see in our city is a big reason we can enjoy Lemon in February. “I love Brighton. It’s a stunning, vibrant, beautiful place to be, so I’ll go on any excuse. As it happens, the Komedia is also one of my favourite venues in the country because they put on a lot of comedy so the people who come to shows there are comedy savvy and always up for a good time.”

Bohart come out 12 years ago in Ireland, when society looked a lot different to now and was far less accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. So it’s amazing to have bisexuality at the heart of her show, especially as it works to combat bierasure, which is a huge issue in both straight and gay communities.

“Straight people and gay people alike will often prefer to live without the ambiguity of bi or pansexuality. I used to use gay and bi interchangeably to describe myself but I’m really trying not to anymore.”

Yeah, that sums up Brighton.

CATHERINE BOHART BRINGS LEMON TO BRIGHTON KOMEDIA ON SAT 8 FEB.

It’s interesting to hear – many people in our community are guilty of not giving bisexuality the respect its due. “I also get messages from people who came out after seeing my show, and have tables full

CATHERINEBOHART.COM @CATHERINEBOHART

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THE QUEER GUIDE TO HAVING ECO PRIDE!

BY DAISY QUINN 10

Generally speaking, we’re part of a community that’s great at coming together for important causes – from pride events to providing solidarity to minorities.

Many of us have been involved in the Extinction Rebellion protests and the School Strikes that have taken place in previous months too, in this turning point in the planet’s history.

But, from personal experience there are quite a few people in our community who need a little push in the right direction when it comes to caring for our environment...

Of course some people won’t be able to avoid driving but the less cars on the road, the better!

Follow these steps towards a better future for all of us!

3. AVOID THE SKIES

1. MAKE THE CHANGE TO VEGAN

Pledging to go meat free on Mondays is a great first step, or if you’re feeling like a big change why not try Veganuary? You’d be surprised at how much you won’t miss meat.

The alternative options, like hazelnut milk and veggie sausages, are actually real good. And you’ll be so excited by trying delicious new food that you’ll forget to crave animal alternatives.

You live in Brighton, why are you thinking of driving?! Unless you’ve got a good reason, this town’s public transport should be reliable enough for you to not need to use your car.

Join the hordes of cyclists whizzing about in the city’s broad cycle lane network, or stretch the old legs and walk from A to B – take the seafront route for added beauty.

Both options are better for our environment, and both our physical and mental health.

We’re in one of the most liberal parts of the country so this won’t be groundbreaking stuff for a lot of people.

This is a big step if you’re a meat eater but it doesn’t have to be an overnight change.

2. STEP AWAY FROM THE FOSSIL FUELS

As we’re all aware, flying is one of the worst things we can do for the environment. Jet fuel is terrible for it, and there are so many flights per day it can feel like we’re fighting a losing battle.

The best thing to do is to limit yourself as much as possible – can you get a ferry or a train to your holiday destination? Or maybe you can stay in the UK for a year to save adding to the problem – our town is basically like being on holiday when the sun’s out after all.

Of course, just like with driving, it can be unavoidable. But let’s all try and reduce our carbon footprints.

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4. REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

5. SWITCH OFF

I’m sure we all remember this phrase from our childhoods. It’s time to take it more seriously, though. There are little things you can do to make a big difference, for example:

Done watching the telly? Standby mode isn’t good enough. Phone fully charged? Leaving the charger plugged in isn’t helping. Turn things off at the plug socket, take the plugs out or use the actual off switch.

Reduce – aim to leave the supermarket with as little plastic packaging as possible (made easier when you don’t eat meat, just saying). If you’re feeling extra, bring some paper bags with you to get your veg and reuse or recycle them after.

This one’s super easy to get complacent with as you can’t really see any tangible results. But believe you me, the conservation of energy will seriously reduce your carbon footprint.

Reuse – if you must have a plastic bag, I hope you’re going to use it to an inch of its life

6. SHOP ETHICAL AND LOCALLY SOURCE

Recycle – it’s already a big part of life for many Brighton and Hove residents. Make sure you’re on the right side of history and get familiar with what you can and can’t recycle, and where.

The smaller the distance your purchases travel, the better for the environment it is as there will be less carbon generated from transport.

Bonus point – our city’s recycling schemes aren’t perfect, so using your vote and support a government which will make a difference.

And you’ll be helping local businesses, which is always a plus. The local economy is important – especially in Brighton. It’s our home and the local business owners are our friends and family. There are some seriously cool shops in town and hidden just outside of the centre, so get exploring.

“THE LOCAL ECONOMY IS IMPORTANT – ESPECIALLY IN BRIGHTON. IT’S OUR HOME AND THE LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.” 12

7. SLOW DOWN ON FAST FASHION Try and get into the habit of buying second hand clothes from shops like To Be Worn Again, for example. Or hunt down some sustainably produced garms to look and feel great.

And when you’re done? There are recycling points around the city for fabrics and shoes that you can donate a broad range of textiles to, perfect for when a charity shop can’t take something.

Be mindful of where you’re shopping and where you’re recycling so we get the best results available.

8. ADD TO THE GREENERY Got a garden? Lucky you! Use it to plant some trees to offset your carbon footprint.

I do realise that a lot of us in the city won’t have the option to do this right now. But, that doesn’t mean things won’t change in the future. Maybe you know people with gardens or allotments who you can encourage to ditch the decking and make wildlife preservation areas.

It may seem like a small thing to have a bit of wildlife in a garden but if everyone did it, imagine the difference it would make.

Besides, who doesn’t love a bit of nature?

And, finally, recycle this magazine once you’re done with it!

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FOX FISHER ACTIVIST, ARTIST AND QUEER ICON

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branding (as illustrations) for a short film about Isis King, DC Pride, Brighton Pride 2020 and a youth organisation in Australia.

I’m extremely proud to have created the Trans Pride logo and merchandise, as well as logos for various LGBT groups and Trans Rights stickers and banners.

I’ve always had a love for art. I won the art award (and the English award) for every year of my secondary school education. I initially started my career as a journalist, and then ended up working at the British Consulate in Seattle, after initially visiting for a music festival Homo-a-gogo. While I was living there, I started having panic attacks. I thought it was because I wasn’t being creative enough but it’s more likely that I wasn’t dealing with my issues around my gender identity.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE MEDIUM TO USE? I’m passionate about screen-printing, which I also teach at Ink Spot Press. The best thing about screen printing is being able

So I returned to the UK to do an MA in Sequential Design & Illustration. I did medical testing to pay for my MA, which was a strange experience at Guy’s Hospital in London Bridge, and not one I’d ever repeat. Just after the MA, I did a course in screen-printing and that really got me excited about art.

“I DID A COURSE IN SCREEN-PRINTING AND THAT REALLY GOT ME EXCITED ABOUT ART.”

From then, I started making mostly screen-printed art as limited edition prints. While taking part in a documentary series My Transsexual Summer (C4) I was living for six months at the Artist Residence hotel while planning for my first solo show. It was around the start of my medical transition and there was a lot going on.

Since then, I’ve been part of loads of shows and have screen-printed live at the Tate Modern and the V&A. I’ve also created a few books, where I did the illustrations. Recently, I have created the

to take text, line drawings or photography and setting up a screen to print multiple versions. I feel connected to Andy Warhol, who was also queer, a film-maker and a screen-printer.

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IS CREATING SOMETHING YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT? Yes absolutely. I’ve always had a passion for art and creativity in general. As a kid, I’d make up my own radio shows and loved playing with lego. I get a bit panicky if I’m not making new work. At the moment, I’m working on a new kid’s book, a Workbook to go alongside the Trans Teen Survival Guide, some work for a charity art show, as well as all the films for My Genderation, our ongoing trans film project.

DO YOU FIND IT’S A GOOD WAY TO CHANNEL THE STRESSES OF BEING A PUBLIC FIGURE?

ANYTHING TO PLUG? Art www.salutehq.bigcartel.com www.saatchiart.com/thefoxfisher Books (available on Amazon) Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl Trans Teen Survival Guide Films www.mygenderation.com @mygenderation Social media @thefoxfisher

There is definitely a blurred line. I use a lot of my creativity for trans activism, from stickers, t-shirts, banners and animation on films. Three things really ground me. One is walking my dog. The second is working out or yoga. The third thing is going to my screen-printing studio and messing around with personal work, adding layers, choosing inks. I love using neons and golds and printing onto wood for the texture.

Unfortunately, with so much time being taken up with trans based projects, I don’t have a huge amount of time to play around in the studio.

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HIV HOUR ON RADIOREVERB We caught up with the presenters of RadioReverb’s HIV Hour to get the lowdown on the show.

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WHO IS INVOLVED IN THE SHOW AND HOW DID YOU ALL MEET? We are Sue, Josh and Carl and we’re all involved with presenting the show. We all met from using HIV services in Brighton.

WHY DID YOU START THE SHOW? The show first started in October 2015. We wanted to challenge some of the negative thinking that many people living with HIV hold about themselves.

The show is a platform for people living with HIV – we want our audience to play a major role in the output and direction of the show.

HIV Hour and RadioReverb work in conjunction with Work Positive, a Terrence Higgins Trust project, offering a voluntary placement each year to a participant who’s on the project. They’ll learn everything involved with Community Radio from presenting to producing and editing the show.

TELL US IN YOUR OWN WORDS THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATING PEOPLE ON HIV. Educating people about HIV and the new medical advances is key. We want to encourage people to get tested and learn about the medication required to stop the virus from being transmitted. Knowledge about how to not pass the virus on is key to people knowing they can still have a normal life even if they have contracted HIV. WHY IS THERE STILL A STIGMA SURROUNDING HIV?

Some people think HIV happens ‘in other communities’. It’s seen as something that happens to other people. And some people still think it’s still a death sentence, which has created a massive (and unfounded) fear of being test.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG PERSON WHO IS CONSIDERING USING A DRUG LIKE PREP? Our take on Prep is that it should be accessible to all who need it. Unfortunately, most people who need it will have to fund it themselves until it becomes available on the NHS. We would recommend visiting the Terrence Higgins Trust website to get more information and where they can purchase it.

WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HIV? There are many places people can find information about HIV. The best places to start are The Terrence Higgins Trust, The Sussex Beacon and the National AIDS Trust.

AND WHEN AND WHERE CAN WE CATCH THE SHOW? The show is recorded every week, it goes out on Thursday at 7pm, Monday at 4pm and Tuesday at 12pm on RadioReverb.

We’re always looking for great stories and interviews from people who are affected by HIV. RADIOREVERB.COM 97.2FM DAB+ @HIV_HOUR

KATE WILDBLOOD & QUEEN JOSEPHINE 20

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELVES QJ: I arrived in Brighton in 1982 to study Expressive Arts at art college and since that September day I’ve loved being able to walk around the city, sipping coffee one moment, being blown away (literally sometimes) on the beach the next – murmurations and local characters and all. Waves crashing on Brighton’s pebbles is the soundest soundtrack to life I know.

KW: I turned up hungover the morning after a wild night in Brixton at The Fridge’s Venus Rising in 1990 and have been here ever since. For me, it’s all about the disco family I have made, my nearest and queerest, be it at Shameless Hussies, Patterns, Sunday Sundae, B,Please!, The Tempest, Decent, Brighton Pride, or Club Barbra. Thanks to 4am random chats with strangers or dancing till dawn beachside with loved ones, Brighton keeps my soul grinning, one 12” at a time.

I WAS BEGUILED AT AN EARLY AGE BY WONDER WOMAN,

AS A PARTNERSHIP OF MANY TALENTS, WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE WAYS TO EXPRESS YOURSELF? QJ: I’ve always loved to sing, be it live, in the studio, bath or all-night diner! I’ve sung and written songs as Queue Dance, the Sunshine Sisters and with my band XiXi, the city’s first lesbian house music outfit. I’ve also worked alongside Goloka, Chris Coco (acid house DIY club banger anyone?) and Tru Thoughts goddess Abi Constance. I’m also partial to a little Wuthering Heights, karaoke style. Wiley, windy moors and all that.

KW: For me, it has to be the radio. It is my castle and my comforter, where I can experiment and play (and watch my Queenie gallop!). Radio Reverb and now 1BTN have provided us with an opportunity to be who we are and bring the disco to our darling listener. There’s no judgement, just joy as Queenie and I share our love of disco and bring the lives of an Aspie lass and her camp Brighton wife to the airwaves. It has become my scheduled mental health saviour thanks to our 1BTN family’s support.

It is our (soundproofed) bunker of love.

DESPERATE TO BRING HER

WHAT DRAWS YOU TO COMICS?

SUPERPOWERS TO MY LIFE

QJ: I was beguiled at an early age by Wonder Woman, desperate to bring her superpowers to my life and as my drawing days developed I realised the pleasure of drawing a crowd in pen and ink. Over the years I’ve created characters and stories I hope connected to my readers, including

AND AS MY DRAWING DAYS DEVELOPED I REALISED THE PLEASURE OF DRAWING A CROWD IN PEN AND INK.

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Bootsy Sue, through Diva and GScene magazines or with Queenie’s Strip Service.

A service I hope captures the immediacy of storytelling that had me falling for comics all those years ago.

Horse Meat Disco at Patterns. 21st March 2020. Patterns, Brighton.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE CONTENT AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU?

WILDBLOODANDQUEENIE.COM

FOR MORE INFO, QUEENIE’S STRIP SERVICE AND DISCO DATES CHECK OUT

KW: Having created Me, The Missus and BPD cartoon for GScene and The Huffington Post, we felt it was important to update my Asperger’s tale. Like so many others, finally discovering I had ASC (Autistic Spectrum Condition) in 2016 was a liberating moment but trying to describe the reality of my atypical brain to others can be frustrating. Cartoons and Queenie’s pen give me the freedom to declare with pride that autism and Asperger’s is not a label to be afraid of. My wiring may be gloriously wonky (something this queer lass loves) but ASC is a unique superpower. A superpower I hope will see the creation of many more proud Super Aspie Souls!

WHERE CAN WE NEXT CATCH YOU PERFORM? The Wildblood and Queenie Show. Every 1st & 3rd Friday 13:00-16:00 101.4FM DAB+ and online 1btn.fm Queue Dance’s Full Stop compilation is out now on Firestation Records Decent at Xmas. 21st December. Tempest Inn, Brighton. Fundraising for The Whitehawk Foodbank.

Patterns NYE with Joy Division, Éclair Fifi and Wild Family. 31st December. Patterns, Brighton.

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AISHA WEISE-FORBES FOUNDER OF PASSION FRUUT A DATING APP FOR WOMXN

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My name’s Aisha. I’m from Orpington, Kent. I have a 6 year old chihuahua called Teddy, who I adore. Ironically though, he is everything but cuddly and friendly. I studied Musical Theatre at the Brit School which was a great experience. It was there that my passion for theatre grew whilst also discovering that I actually couldn’t sing. I absolutely love yoga and go to a Dharma class twice a week. I also have a terrible sweet tooth and I eat about two packets of strawberry laces a day!

And, I’m the Co-Founder of PassionFruut.

WHEN I CAME ACROSS THE NAME PASSION FRUUT, IT JUST FELT LIKE THE PERFECT FIT. I TOOK AN INSTANT LIKING TO IT. FOR ME, PASSION FRUUT CHARACTERISES THAT PLAYFUL, CHEEKY ENERGY REALLY WELL.

The app is aimed at Lesbian, Bisexual, Bicurious and Queer Womxn in the UK, aged 18 and upwards. The inspiration for the app was based on my personal experiences being a bisexual girl in Kent. There weren’t many examples of women who had the same sexuality as me around. Almost all of my friends were straight and so I feel that was most people’s natural assumption about me.

PassionFruut is run by myself and Cofounder Piou Mudimu. The majority of the business is handled by us, down to funding, content creation and marketing. When I started to think about names, I felt like it was important to choose one that would be fun and inviting – from the design of the app to the names of its features, I think the app is very playful. So, when I came across the name Passion Fruut, it just felt like the perfect fit. I took an instant liking to it. For me, Passion Fruut characterises that playful, cheeky energy really well.

I struggled to find places where I could meet women who liked women and when I would occupy queer spaces, women where hesitant to approach me. I went to university and met women that had similar experiences. Then I realised there would probably be a lot more like-minded women across the UK too. I thought, a safe, nonjudgemental and accessible platform would be a great way for queer womxn to find a sense of community, be themselves and to even find love!

What’s really nice to see is that so many women of all ages and walks of life are now using the app. Based on a vast percentage of the community being between the ages

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of 16-24, we anticipated having a user base that would reflect this, but in fact I would say over half of our users at the moment are aged 30+.

STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT WOMEN VALUE DESCRIPTIONS AND BIOS OVER A SELFIE.

Studies have shown that women value descriptions and bios over a selfie. As much as putting a face to the name is important, finding similarities in interests and forming a genuine understanding of someone is very important to women. Most of the women that I spoke with vouched for this, but the delayed responses that some received would cause the conversation to fizzle out.

It was pretty nerve-wracking for me to actually launch the app. But since launching, the community has been so supportive and receptive which has been really encouraging. We’ve had some great input which has given us some food for thought moving forward.

The women I spoke with were also more reluctant to arrange a date, mainly out of fear that they could be catfished.

We set up our Instagram account when we were just at the ideation phase. Because of this, we’ve been fortunate enough to build genuine relationships with some of our followers and learn first hand about their dating experiences. My anxiety came from not wanting to disappoint them.

I figured, if I could create a feature that would provide instant validation on who someone actually is, as well as provide the opportunity to keep the ball rolling in terms of responses, maybe this could be the head start that would facilitate frequent contact afterwards and even an actual date.

This thinking birthed the Fruut Salad feature. Here, users can actually choose to enter into a live date with another user who is on the feature at the same time.

The speed date is three minutes long. After this, users can request to match with one another, or enter into another live video date with a different user. We also have a Speed Messenger option for users who may not be able to access video or who are a little camera shy.

Both features give you the benefit of quicker responses and a chance to meet more women in less time.

It has all been a learning curve for us. It’s important that we create a dating app that womxn in the community enjoy. We listen to everything our users say and we do our best to implement the feedback we receive to make Passion Fruut all it can be. I feel really grateful for the experience we’ve had so far and we have the community to thank for that!

We’ve had a lot of followers express an interest in speed dating/mingle nights. We really love the idea and will be working on getting some Speed Dating events arranged in 2020! @PASSIONFRUUTAPP

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SIGI MOONLIGHT DRAG KING 28

HEY, SIGI! TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR DRAG JOURNEY.

grown massively in confidence and selfesteem since I found Sigi.

I’ve been doing drag way before Sigi was officially ‘born’. I loved performing but was never comfortable in typical female roles, so always played male characters in school productions.

I still get shy sometimes. But I’ve learnt to accept that’s just a part of what makes me, me.

Then back in 2017, I saw my first drag king, Johnsmith, and wondered why I hadn’t done this before. So, I entered Man Up! Contest at The Glory a month later and landed third after my second live performance as Sigi Moonlight.

ARE YOU INVOLVED IN RUNNING ANY DRAG NIGHTS? None so far; I’m keeping fairly performancefocused as my muggle job keeps me busy most of the time but I’m hoping to give it a try in the future so watch this space!

WHAT MAKES YOU PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY? I can see beauty and uniqueness in each and every one of the stories we tell; whether it’s on stage or through other visual means.

It’s unlike any other community. It’s fierce and unapologetic and there’s room for every possible identity in this spectrum.

AS A PERFORMER, HAVE YOU EVER STRUGGLED WITH YOUR SENSE OF SELF-ESTEEM? I was shy and socially awkward since childhood, wore baggy oversized clothing throughout my teens because I had body dysmorphia and often felt like a weird alien among others at school and into uni. I’ve

I CAN SEE BEAUTY AND UNIQUENESS IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE STORIES WE TELL; WHETHER IT’S ON STAGE OR THROUGH OTHER VISUAL MEANS. IT’S UNLIKE ANY OTHER COMMUNITY.

BE BOLD, FIND SOMETHING YOU LOVE, AND YOU’LL BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE BEING YOURSELF

DO YOU THINK DRAG HAS HELPED YOU COME OUT OF YOUR SHELL? Yes; drag has in many ways converted my view of how I see my body from being a prison to a canvas. I remember for one thing being terrified of revealing my open chest binding in my first live performance in front of 100 people but after taking that leap, it was incredibly exhilarating and empowering. Performing as part of The Bitten Peach, a collaborative of Pan-Asian Cabaret Performers, the KOC (Kings of Colour) Initiative and WOOF has also made me appreciate how narrow-sighted society and the media’s definition of sexiness really is, and everyone has agency over their own desirability.

WHAT SHOULD WE ALL BE DOING TO IMPROVE THINGS FOR ONE ANOTHER? Let’s not turn on each other or spread negativity about one another. Give everyone

the benefit of the doubt, and, though it’s based around our social life, it’s best to always stay professional. We’re one of the safest, most accepting communities out there but even we can be susceptible to bouts of ignorance and unkindness. It doesn’t hurt to be nice!

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR SELFESTEEM? Nobody or thing is more responsible for improving that than yourself. Try new things, be daring, but stay true to who you are. One day you’ll stumble upon something you didn’t realise you needed and will forever wonder what you’ve been doing all this time without it.

AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE STRUGGLING TO ACCEPT THEMSELVES? Same vein as last question – be bold, find something you love, and you’ll become more comfortable being yourself. Not one of us is the same as the other, we’re all unique and it’s good to take a moment every now and then to appreciate that.

WHERE CAN WE CATCH YOU NEXT? Friday 13 December – Royal Roost at The Chateau, Camberwell Friday 10 January – The Apothecary Cabaret at the Albany, 240 Great Portland Street

@SIGIMOONLIGHT

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KID SQUID ILLUSTRATION

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ONLINE

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i • Run by and for LGBTQ people • Free instant message service • Confidential, anonymous, non-judgemental • Safe space to share how you feel • Get support and information • Open most evenings and at weekends

To find out more go to

www.mindout.org.uk 32

Registered charity number:1140098