The Spanish designer’s bejewelled t-shirts have become a staple for London’s queer party-goers. He gives GAY TIMES the lowdown on the scrappy story behind their cult status.

WORDS BY JAMIE WINDUST 
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RODRIGO BRANCO

Welcome to Queer By Design, a monthly column by Jamie Windust. Here, Jamie profiles emerging designers about the intersections of style, identity and expression and how these factors inform their creative practice. 

Many strive to capture the hedonism and freedom that queer folks experience on the dance floor. Few do it as well as Spanish-born, London-based designer and DJ Chema Diaz. 

Dive into London’s nightlife scene and you’ll see his iconic ‘J’adore Hardcore’ t-shirt stretched across sweaty torsos everywhere you turn at the city’s warehouse parties and basement clubs. A tongue-in-cheek riff off of the aughts ‘J’adore Dior’ slogan tees from John Galliano’s Dior tenure, the garment was initially a one-off which Diaz printed for £10 before a DJ gig. 

But the irreverent energy of Diaz’s tee quickly caught the attention of party-goers, who wanted to know where they could get their hands on one themselves. The organic demand led Diaz to print a small selection for sale – all of which sold out in a day. Long before brands like Heaven and Praying jumped onto the slogan-mania train, Diaz displayed a cheeky way with words – expanding his initial tee into a range of vests and t-shirts emblazoned with epithets like “Fashion victim” and “F*ck me I’m an immigrant”. Today, the multi-hyphenate is one of the UK capital’s favourite scene stars.

To learn more, GAY TIMES sat down with Diaz to find out more about his fashion design journey and gain his thoughts on how nightlife has changed post-2020.

Hi Chema! Your work explores partying in such a unique way – what drew you to want to showcase queer nightlife through your designs and imagery?

Music and fashion always go hand in hand. I started designing and customising pieces and styling my friends in them to go out to London raves, which helped me kickstart my career as a fashion stylist in London. The dance floor is one of the few remaining spaces for full self-expression, where you can transform into whoever you want to be that night. I have always been very interested in the sociological aspects of costume and identity, person vs persona, and the rave is the perfect stage for your fantasies to come true.

I went to Camden with a USB, £10 and a dream.

Your J’adore Hardcore t-shirt has become so hugely popular among the queer community here in London. What was the process behind its creation?

It came naturally, as Selena Gomez would say. I am a working-class immigrant in London and years ago I was invited to DJ at a Balenciaga party in Paris. I literally had nothing to wear, so I went to Camden with a USB, £10 and a dream. I printed that tee to wear during my set and everyone was like “ooh la la la, j’adore le t-shirt”, so I printed 10 more [for sale]. They sold in one day and, well, the rest is history. I am very proud and thankful for the response the t-shirt had. I think it encapsulates the core ethos of my brand: music, fashion and tongue-in-cheek erotica.

Back in 2019, you released your BANDIDO collection. At the time, you described it as aiming to “re-appropriate traditional imagery historically linked to far right movements”. Would you still say your work is political?

Coming from an academic background of race and gender studies, I always focus on the sociological and cultural impact of my actions as a designer and company owner. But I think it is also important to relieve pressure from queer artists to always be protesting or fighting for a cause. I don’t think everything should always be politicised, or that we should carry the responsibility of saving each other, or the world. I am advocating for a future in which we can just exist, create, and have fun – and make money – whilst doing it. Our existence, self-expression and appearance are already political enough – let us just have some fun and look hot for a minute. That’s what I intend [with my work], to release weight from my customers shoulders and help them have a great time and love themselves when they look in the mirror.

Queer parties are still the only interesting parties to attend.

Your work is mostly closely associated with the club. Have you noticed any changes in how the queer community exists in nightlife spaces since 2020? 

This is something that I have been thinking about deeply over the last few years. Being truly honest, I miss pre-pandemic nightlife. I have the feeling everything has become very sanitised, and very segmented lately. As important as it is to have specific spaces for queer people, I can’t avoid spotting a dissonance between the marketing of queer parties, and the actual dynamics that happen in them – specially when it comes to the venue’s management and security, and sometimes its attendees. 

How can you call your party a safe space when the security is blatantly queerphobic? How can we feel safe when we’re surrounded by hyperbolic hyper-masculine men off their faces on G? How can we feel invited to a party when the entry fee alone is £25 minimum, plus cloakroom, plus drinks, plus the ride back home? Queer parties are still the only interesting parties to attend and they will always be the only interesting parties to attend. But especially in London, unfortunately, I have the feeling everything has become very corporate and profit-driven.

If there was one thing that you’d want to tell someone who’s new to your work – what is it about the brand that makes Chema Diaz unforgettable?

The power of dreams. I hope that everyone that follows my work and wears my creations feels empowered to dream. You don’t have to go to fashion school to be a fashion designer, you don’t need to have a mezzo soprano range to be a singer. To be an artist, you just need a pen and some paper. Feel free to create, and feel free to make your dreams come true. Don’t limit yourself by your past, your wallet, or your environment. If I could do it, then you can too. Be free and have fun.

Check out more of Chema Diaz’s work here 

The post The £10 bootleg tee that helped Chema Diaz tap the queer zeitgeist appeared first on GAY TIMES.

As trans athletes continue to be subject to discriminatory bans elsewhere, motorsport’s proudly inclusive stance feels like a breath of fresh air. 

WORDS BY JAMIE WINDUST
HEADER BY YOSEF PHELAN

This is State of Play, a new column by Jamie Windust. Every month, Jamie will be jumping, running and diving head-first into the world of sport, movement and fitness.

Exploring queer sporting excellence at every level, they’ll also be reporting on the changes that need to be made in order to make the world of sport fully accessible to all within the community.

Motorsport in the UK is emerging as a potential leader for LGBTQIA+ participation in sport, standing by the trans community at a time when it’s more vital than ever.

Unlike other governing bodies such as World Aquatics or the Rugby Football Union who, in recent years have announced trans-exclusive rules, motorsport is welcoming trans people with open arms. 

Specifically, during Trans Awareness Week in 2023 Motorsport UK launched a brand-new ‘Transgender Inclusion Policy’ committing Motorsport UK to the inclusion of non-binary, gender fluid, intersex and trans people including those on the track, as well as marshalls, officials and even committee members and partners of the governing body. 

Commitments include allowing individuals the right to self-identification irrespective of whether or not they have a gender recognition certificate, as well as creating resources and tools to help clubs and championships to safely implement the new policy.

How has motorsport in the UK become more trans-inclusive?

However, this progress didn’t happen overnight. As LGBTQIA+ activist and motorsports racing driver Charlie Martin shares with GAY TIMES, there was a lack of awareness on trans experiences at the beginning of her transition. Despite this, the impact of public allyship has helped to transform the way she and other trans women are treated in motorsport.

“I think the gradual impact of visible LGBTQ+ people, advocates like Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, and outreach projects within the sport from organisations like Racing Pride, in the UK at least, are starting to have a positive effect,” Martin explains.

Racing Pride works with ambassadors like Martin to engage them in conversation with mechanics, engineers and coaches in order to create a safe environment for queer and trans folk, no matter their role in the sport. The group, founded by motorsport journalist Christopher Sharp and driver Richard Morris, have explained that the network is “not about any one person or series, but what motorsport can do when we all pull together”.

Indeed, a truly affirming sporting culture isn’t just about having visible trans athletes – but also about cultivating an ecosystem where they can be supported at every level. This is embodied in the ethos of John Cowan, team principal of Norfolk-based Spirit Motorsport, who coached Deborah Stokes during her bid to become the first trans person to race in the British Touring Car Championships. “Deborah has been a joy to work with and we are positive about building diversity in the sport,” Cowan shares. “The car doesn’t care whether you are trans.”

From Martin’s point of view, trans inclusion is about creating a cohesive environment where a driver’s identity isn’t a barrier to their professional growth. “From 2015, I raced in France for three years and it was during this period that I really came into my own in terms of my performance,” she shares. “In no small part, I put this down to feeling comfortable both in myself and with all the people around me, who knew I was trans.”

Trans and behind the wheel

And it’s not just in the UK. New Zealand, too, is pushing for an inclusive motorsport culture. At least this is what 2022’s Indoor and Outdoor Rental Kart (IORK) Women’s Open Champion, Alice MacLachlan – who is from New Zealand – describes. “Nobody has batted an eyelid at my participation, and even people who I’ve known for most of my life have happily accepted me as Alice,” she says.

When discussing her experience within competitive karting, she explains that her inclusion was a given, rather than a point of contention  “When I reached out to the organisers of the [Indoor Kart World Championship] to ask whether my entry could be in the women’s category, I expected, at the very least, to be questioned about how far through my transition I was,” she recalls. “They simply said, ‘Of course, that’s fine’. That was easily the most affirming experience I’ve had in motorsport – simply being quite casually accepted for who I say I am.”

In recent years Sport New Zealand announced that trans athletes will be able to participate in community sports as the gender they identify as, without the need for justification – a win for many trans athletes. However, the guidelines themselves do not apply to elite sport meaning there is still scope for ‘trans bans’ to come into place.

Despite this, MacLachlan’s positive experiences paint a positive picture of where motosport is at in terms of trans inclusion. Both on and off the track, the kart driver’s transness hasn’t been a problem. “Even in social contexts off the track, I have experienced none of the shunning I had been worried about. I’m just Alice now, and that seems fine by everyone else.”

What can other sports learn from Motorsport UK?

As trans athletes continue to be subject to discriminatory bans, motorsport’s proudly inclusive stance feels like a breath of fresh air. 

Not only does it provide a shining example to the wider sport world, it allows drivers like Martin and MacLachlan the chance to devote more time to perfecting their craft in a welcoming atmosphere. 

Motorsport UK’s clear, confident and unequivocal stance on LGBTQIA+ inclusion is the way forward – let’s hope that other organisations follow suit, and soon. 

Alice MacLachlan is currently fundraising in order to be able to take part in the 2024 Indoor Kart World Championship in Brazil. Support her here. 

The post How motorsport is quietly leading the way for trans inclusion in sport appeared first on GAY TIMES.

GAY TIMES highlights historic sporting trailblazers – from Dora Ratjen to Chris Mosier – ahead of the Paris Olympics.

WORDS BY JAMIE WINDUST
HEADER BY YOSEF PHELAN (IMAGES: TOP LEFT: BUNDESARCHIV, RIGHT: @THECHRISMOSIER ON INSTAGRAM, BOTTOM: KYE ALLUMS VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

This is State of Play, a new column by GAY TIMES Contributing Editor Jamie Windust. Every month, Jamie will be jumping, running and diving head-first into the world of sport, movement and fitness.

Exploring queer sporting excellence at every level, they’ll also be reporting on the changes that need to be made in order to make the world of sport fully accessible to all within the community.

Now, here at GAY TIMES we know that trans people have been around for centuries, and we know that you know that too (duh!). But, did you know that in the world of sport, trans people have been hitting it out of the park – sometimes literally – for nearly decades?

Ahead of the Paris Olympics in July, let’s make sure we celebrate our trans history and learn about the trans sporting pioneers you need to know.

Dora Ratjen

In the language of today, champion high jumper Dora Ratjen would be considered to be intersex. However in 1938 the athlete’s identity was widely misunderstood.

Ratjen was raised as a girl, and competed in the high jump at the 1937 German Athletics Championship, where they won gold. In 1938, they broke the world record but the accolade was rescinded 20 years later after it was claimed that Ratjen was ‘a man’ by fellow competitors who deemed their win to be fraudulent. 

According to a 1966 article in TIME, Ratjen was forced to ‘appear as a woman’ by the Nazi regime to ensure Germany won more medals at the 1936 Olympics.

Keelin Godsey

Ahead of preparations for their participation in the 2012 London Olympics, Keelin Godsey became the first openly trans contender for the US Olympic track and field team. Perhaps a sign of the lack of accessibility for trans athletes, he shared that he would compete in the women’s category despite identifying as male. 

In a feature for Sports Illustrated, writer Pablo Torre explained that after the Olympics were over in 2012, Godsey would “start to medically transition and his career as an elite athlete will end’, highlighting the difficulties trans athletes faced in their respective sports even in recent history.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by NESCAC (@nescacathletics)

Miss Gaviota

Set against the backdrop of an alarming rate of transphobic violence in Mexico, Miss Gaviota (aka. Wendy Martinez) has become the first trans lucha libre wrestling star in the country.

Lucha libre, a type of professional wrestling originating in Mexico, has been around since the 20th century and is commonly known for its intense lifts and colourfully camp masks and costumes.

Martinez has said that the discrimination she faces on the streets has ‘served as fuel for her career as an athlete.’

Chris Mosier

As well as being an unstoppable force as a triathlete, duathlete and racewalker, Chris Mosier used his position as a world-class athlete and four time national champion to push the door wide open for future generations of trans people.

As well as becoming the first openly trans athlete to make it onto the Team USA sprint duathlon men’s team for the 2016 World Championship, he challenged the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) policy around trans inclusion in sport in 2015.

This led to updated guidelines issued in January 2016, which allowed trans men to compete “without restriction” in male competitive categories and removed surgery as a prerequisite for trans women to compete in female categories (though requiring them to undergo HRT).

Sadly, IOC guidelines have since been updated yet again, allowing individual sporting associations to set their own guidelines (including those which disqualify trans women in female categories).

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Chris Mosier | Trans Athlete (@thechrismosier)

Kye Allums

Kye Allums came out in 2010 as a trans man and became the first publicly trans person to play NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division I College Basketball.

As a star of Laverne Cox’s documentary The T Word, Allums travelled across America speaking to young trans people about what it means to him to be an out trans athlete.

To this day, Allums still speaks out openly for LGBTQIA+ folk in sports, using their voice to advocate for trans-inclusive change across all sporting disciplines.

The post Trans sporting pioneers you need to know from the past century appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Get to know the Institute of Digital Fashion, the architects of a new digital culture with diversity and inclusivity – and zero tech bros – at its heart.

WORDS BY JAMIE WINDUST
HEADER IMAGE IODF TEAM MEMBERS – NOOR DHANJU, PARKER GIBSON, IODF CO-FOUNDER AND CEO LEANNE ELLIOTT YOUNG, IODF CO-FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR CATTYTAY WEARING 001 IODF COLLECTION

Welcome to Queer By Design, a new monthly column by Jamie Windust. Here, Jamie profiles emerging designers about the intersections of style, identity and expression and how these factors inform their creative practice. 

Helmed by Leanne Elliot-Young and Catty Tay, The Institute of Digital Fashion (IoDF) are self-professed “architects of a new digital culture”, with their sights set on creating a world that “utilises digital advances to drive inclusivity and diversity”. Working with brands such as Prada and Nike, the institute creates bespoke creations by manually adapting fabric properties – creating garments which truly defy convention.

In an era when tech bros reign supreme, this queer-led collective have disrupted the digital world and brought this subversive energy to the upper echelons of the fashion world. They have multiple  ‘world firsts’ under their belts, including creating the first-ever red carpet NFT (Non-Fungible token) ensemble at the British Fashion Awards,  as well as producing the first ever non-binary digital double avatar with Daz3D. At the 2023 Oscars, they brought their IRL X URL activation to the red carpet, dressing Bailey Bass in an eco-conscious digital garment inspired by Zac Posen

If that wasn’t enough, through their free-to-access IRL X URL academy, they are weaving inclusivity into the digital fabric of the future; ensuring that the tools and resources they use in their design process are available to all and flattening hierarchical structures of production in the process. 

As Leanne and Catty sat down to speak with GAY TIMES about their work, we unpacked their radically inclusive vision and the interplay of digital and the physical in their work. 

When working with designers, or designing yourself – what is the first step to creating digital fashion? 

Conceptualisation stands as the cornerstone of digital fashion creation. It’s about envisioning the idea and ensuring it aligns with our ethos of inclusivity and innovation. The digital fashion products that we create focus on the specifics, manually adapting fabric properties to create a truly responsive garment. It reflects our dedication to detail. We’re committed to democratising fashion design, making it achievable for anyone inspired to explore their creativity. Our platforms and tools are designed to lower entry barriers, ensuring that the realm of digital fashion is open to all.

We also have our IRL X URL academy that’s teaching those to be a part of this new movement. It’s free and open to all and is on a first come first served basis with places for those within the LGBTQI+ community and those who are POC or from disadvantaged backgrounds. These groups always have the first priority because they are our community and the innovators of our times.

Some of your best known work has involved the metaverse, but I know your remit goes beyond that. How would you describe the environment that you work in, and what role does the Institute play in that space?

We do not work solely within metaverse spaces; in fact, we are building a reality where physical and digital are together and support one another; IRL x URL in unison. We’re not just navigating this space; we’re actively shaping it. The IoDF was founded by us to re-frame the system; to drive innovation through our practice to rewrite and restructure a broken system. As co-founders, we built our business around the ethos of wanting to create space for marginalised communities to thrive and be represented.

The metaverse hype is now over, so we can really get back to discuss what’s important: community, human interactions, diversity issues in fashion and sustainability. Basically how can we put the people and the planet first? This approach not only fosters a more inclusive and ethical fashion ecosystem but also positions us as architects of a new digital culture, where creativity and innovation flourish unrestricted.

Queer folks are often at the heart of innovation – and this feels no different. How important is it for you both to have LGBTQIA+ people at the centre of what you’re creating?

There has always been cultural osmosis directly from queer narratives historically. The once others and outsiders really drive the heart of fashion and innovation. We are a queer team, our values run through the hiring process. An important part of the work is pushing characterisation to representation, we believe that the voices of the individuals from the cultural background should be the voices within the design process as that has not been happening. For example, working with Daz3D to create a non-binary digital double avatar is a testament to this commitment, where we developed a digital double avatar that allowed for dual sliding genitalia, and gender-non-conforming compatible digital clothing. 

Users shouldn’t have to demand to be included; the industry should already be there for them, ready and waiting. Centring LGBTQI+ individuals in our creative process is paramount as their experiences, often marked by a rich tapestry of resilience and innovation, infuse our projects with unparalleled depth and perspective. By amplifying these voices, we’re not just creating digital fashion; we’re nurturing a space where every identity is celebrated and valued. 

Where do you see the current ‘traditional’ fashion industry in 10 years time?

In a decade, we envision a fashion industry transformed by its embrace of digital and sustainable practices. No one brand can fix fashion’s sustainability problem, but together as an industry, we can make conscious steps towards a cleaner future. The integration of AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), and on-demand production will blur the lines between digital and physical fashion, leading to a more inclusive, diverse, and environmentally responsible industry.

Learn more about The Institute of Digital Fashion IRL x URL Learning Academy here and follow the IoDF on Instagram. 

The post The digital fashion disruptors gleefully prising tech from gatekeepers’ hands appeared first on GAY TIMES.

The accessible aqua sports club invites swimmers of all gender identities, ages and abilities to find community in the water: here’s how they’re pushing inclusion forward.

WORDS JAMIE WINDUST
HEADER IMAGES SUPPLIED BY OUT TO SWIM, DESIGN BY YOSEF PHELAN

This is State of Play, a new column by GAY TIMES Contributing Editor Jamie Windust. Every month, Jamie will be jumping, running and diving head-first into the world of sport, movement and fitness.

Exploring queer sporting excellence at every level, they’ll also be reporting on the changes that need to be made in order to make the world of sport fully accessible to all within the community.

Despite swimming’s mental and physical benefits, the pool can be a triggering space for trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming folk. 

Interview-based research from sources such as the charity Mermaids and the University of Bournemouth has shown that young trans people have negative associations with swimming – seeing the pool as a space of exclusion and intimidation. 

A major deterrent to trans and non-binary folks is the degree of body exposure involved in the sport – often due to the form-fitting swimming trunks or suits required for swimming – as well as binary changing rooms. 

And it’s not just restricted to research – many of us know the struggle first-hand. No matter where we identify under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella, plenty of us will have memories from our youth of being bullied in pool changing rooms for simply being queer and expressing ourselves in ways that defied societal norms. 

Alongside the name-calling and physical violence, there’s the psychological violence of the gendered norms around swimwear, creating painful dysphoric memories that hindered our ability to feel joy in our gender identity as well as confidence in our abilities to learn a new skill. 

The transphobic tide in swimming and beyond

These historical experiences often stay with us into adulthood, creating negative connotations around swimming as a sport. However, recent moves at an institutional level are only consolidating – rather than challenging – these associations.

So, time for some context. Traditionally, from 2016, trans inclusion in elite sports was primarily determined through the monitoring of hormone levels. Namely, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) required all female competitors to prove they had testosterone levels below 10 nanomoles/litre (later reduced to 5 nanomoles/litre in 2018) and stipulated that transfeminine athletes undergo hormone therapy for at least a year. 

The fixation on hormones came with plenty of negatives – its invasive nature, for one, as well as the fact that athletes such as Caster Semenya and Francine Niyonsaba were found to exceed the required levels and were barred from competition. Perhaps as a result of these drawbacks, the IOC then released new guidance, allowing individual sports associations to set their own rules regarding trans inclusion.

In the case of swimming, and various other sports, this has opened the door to bans which disqualify all transfeminine individuals from competing – arguing that “male development” creates an innate biological advantage. (FYI, this is contrary to the IOC advice, which advocates that sporting bodies make no “presumption of advantage”.)

So, in 2022, the World Aquatics Association (WAA – formerly FINA) effectively banned trans women from participating in women’s swimming categories, disqualifying all trans women and transfeminine people who physically transitioned after the age of 12. For those excluded from the women’s category, they created an “open” competition for trans and non-binary people.

However, much like a dad at a poolside resort in Benidorm after a couple of beers, the new category flopped. At the close of registration for the new category there were a total of zero applicants. Why? Because there aren’t any trans women competing at this level of swimming. 

Here in the UK, Swim England seemed to go a step further – excluding anyone “born male” from the women’s category and, following the WAA’s lead by introducing an “open” category for trans and non-binary swimmers. 

For trans and non-binary folks, these kinds of measures – and the attendant tabloid fixation on trans athletes – represent a walk back on inclusion and sends a clear message to gender diverse folks of all swimming abilities: you aren’t welcome.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Out To Swim (@outtoswim)

Out To Swim is a life raft amid in queerphobic waters 

As ever consistent transphobia continues to pollute the pool, grassroots groups are a beacon of hope in what has become murky waters. 

Out To Swim (OTS), founded in 1992, is an aquatics club that invites swimmers of all gender identities, ages and abilities to find community in the water. Whether it be water polo, artistic swimming or just plain old swimming lessons, the group has locations in Bristol, Brighton and London to help queer swimmers rediscover the joy of the pool that may have been lost in their youth.

As Lucy Galoppa – the chair of OTS water polo team London Orca – puts it, the consistency that comes with being part of a group helps her not just physically, but mentally. “It provides a constant which doesn’t budge. It also has so many physical benefits,” Galoppa explains. “In particular, [swimming] helps with my cardio, reflexes, and just overall fitness.”

As Galoppa shares, some members have joined Out To Swim as a result of feeling discouraged or fearful of non-queer water polo clubs. “We have definitely had members join after attempting to join non-queer swimming/waterpolo spaces,” Galoppa explains. “Team sports and waterpolo can be particularly macho spaces making it difficult to feel comfortable and yourself.” 

Jasmine*, who is a member of Out To Swim in Bristol, explains that training as part of a queer-focussed swimming group has made them feel more comfortable in their body as a non-binary person. “The training itself has made me feel more comfortable and confident in a pool setting,” they say. “Improving my technique and feeling stronger has made me more comfortable in my body.” 

For Jasmine, swimming provides an escape from the often loud world outside.  “When I swim I don’t have time to think about how I’m being perceived since I’m focused on the task at hand, and that is quite freeing. That is especially the case with Out to Swim.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Out To Swim Brighton & Hove (@outtoswimbrighton)

Trans pride, in the pool

Across all locations Out To Swim’s core messages of inclusion is focused on allowing their queer and non-cis members to train in a skill that they love. 

In 2022, Out To Swim Bristol teamed up with Trans Pride South West for a “give it a go” session allowing trans and non-binary beginners to safely step into the water, as well as providing them with a sober space to connect after. 

But the efforts towards queer inclusion go much deeper, with the group seeking to challenge the pre-existing norms in the swimming world. 

Bill Holmes has been a member of OTS for over twenty years and sees the group’s ability to listen and adapt as one of the most important things it can do for trans+ members. “As an LGBTQ+ club, Out to Swim puts an emphasis on outreach to the trans+ community,” Holmes explains. “Our trans+ members are as diverse as the club, some are in the most competitive parts of the club, others are beginners. The important thing is that they are with us and I have found OTS to be willing to listen on how to make the club as inclusive as possible.”

Already, members of OTS are free to wear whatever swimwear they feel most comfortable in at the pool, and coaches are trained to use ‘gender agnostic’ language. Members and coaches alike are encouraged to share their pronouns, no matter what their gender identity is, to create an open space for those who wish to share their chosen pronouns/name. 

As a non-binary person, Jasmine explains that this trans-friendly environment allows them to focus on the sport they love. “It’s quite a liberating and freeing experience to participate in my favourite sport with a group of people I know I don’t have to hide myself from,” they say. “In other spaces it can often feel like my identity and how I’m being perceived is constantly on my mind. I can just focus on the sport I love and spend time with friends.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Out To Swim (@outtoswim)

Swimming as a sober space

With many queer spaces having a focus on alcohol or nightlife, the community of fitness minded swimmers in a body-diverse, non-sexualised space that OTS have created is positively radical. 

Tom McCormack, a member of the group since 2017, explains that OTS has created a space to connect with other queer folks in a sober atmosphere. “Out To Swim is a non sexualised space where you can meet other people from your community,” he shares. “A lot of other places you go to, speaking as a gay man, are very sex-focussed or cruisey – gyms, bars, clubs. Everybody at OTS has joined to improve their fitness and to make new friends in an inclusive, welcoming environment.”

Groups like Out To Swim provide community for queer folk wanting to take off the layers of sports-related shame that were placed upon so many of us. But let it be known too that amidst the loudness of hate, there’s power in the solitary act of taking yourself down to your local pool, wearing whatever you feel comfortable in, and enjoying the stillness and serenity that the water can provide.

To find out more about Out To Swim and where your local group is, check out their website or follow them on Instagram. 

The post You can’t ban trans people from the pool – just ask Out To Swim appeared first on GAY TIMES.

GAY TIMES Contributing Editor Jamie Windust selects six of the standout films screening at London’s foremost queer film festival

As the Oscars red carpet is neatly rolled up, another red walkway is beginning to be unrolled – and this time it’s a little queerer and closer to home. With 2024 looking like it’ll be another major year for queer blockbusters, London is ready to unveil a host of LGBTQIA+ cinema standouts as the 38th BFI Flare Film festival kicks off. 

February’s Sundance Film Festival  already premiered a range of stellar titles such as Amrou Al-Kadhi’s Layla and the Kristen Stewart-starring Love Lies Bleeding (both of which will be showing at BFI Flare) we’re excited to see even more films taking under-represented stories to the big screen.

From documentaries to heart-felt features, the festival has shaped three distinct thematic strands for audience members to find exactly what they’re looking for: Hearts, Bodies and Minds. It’s a feast for film fans so, to get you in the mood, GAY TIMES has rounded up the six films that aren’t to be missed.

Riley

On the surface, this coming-of-age feature from director and screenwriter Benjamin Howard seems to tick all the familiar boxes that we’d expect from an American teen feature about love, identity and sports culture. However, as Dakota Riley’s life starts to become complicated by the stresses of hiding his sexuality from his football team and girlfriend,  Riley takes audiences on an unexpected yet powerful journey of teenage-self discovery.

Unicorns

Starring Ben Hardy of EastEnders fame, Unicorns follows Luke, a single dad who meets and falls for Ayesha, a South Asian drag queen. Loosely inspired by the real-life experiences of Britain’s first out Muslim Drag Queen, Asifa Lahore, the film by James Krishna Floyd invites audiences to follow the pair as they learn more about each other and themselves. 

Halfway

As part of this year’s festival, the British Council has made sure that even if you can’t make it to London, you can still watch some of the world’s best LGBTQ+ cinema from home – for free! Halfway, a short directed by Indian filmmaker Kumar Chheda, follows a couple in crisis as they make their way across Juhu Beach. One of the five free films featured in the Five Films for Freedom programme, Halfway will be available to watch online from the 13th March here. 

Pine Cone

Spanning two decades, this ‘landmark film for India’ follows gay director Sid in reverse chronology as we learn about his identity, romantic encounters and how his country of origin has changed alongside him. Not only does the film document the real-life ups and downs for LGBTQIA+ folk in India, it also shines a light on director Onir’s lived experience as an openly gay man and how one’s quest for love evolves over time.

Departing Seniors

One for lovers of a good slasher flick, high school horror Departing Seniors is a fun tongue-in-cheek addition to  this year’s schedule. Directed by Clare Cooney and starring Ignacio Diaz Silverio as Javier and Yani Gellman as Mr. Arda, queer teen Javier finds himself with the power to see into the future and more importantly – can see when his classmates are going to be murdered. Think Final Destination with a sprinkling of Bottoms, Departing Seniors is sure to provide blood, violence and camp kills.

We Are Perfect

We Are Perfect brings transmasc stories from Poland to the big screen, showcasing the often distressing reality that LGBTQIA+ young people are facing across Europe. The documentary from director Marek Kozakiewicz allows trans and non-binary folk the freedom to share the highs and lows of life in Poland whilst focusing on the strength and support that chosen family provides.

Find out more about the 38th BFI Flare Festival here.

The post Soapstars, slashers and self-discovery: what to see at this year’s BFI Flare appeared first on GAY TIMES.

The Finnish designer and creative director’s sensual, subversive garments empower butch bodies in the now, while their HÄN Archive project celebrates non-binary, trans, gender non-conforming and lesbian folks from the past. 

WORDS BY JAMIE WINDUST
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JODY EVANS
MODELS: BAMBIE JORDAN PHILLIPS, DANNIE SPOONER, GII

Welcome to Queer by Design, a new monthly column by GAY TIMES Contributing Editor Jamie Windust. Here, Jamie profiles emerging designers about the intersections of style, identity and expression and how these factors inform their creative practice.

Transcending the lines between fashion and art, designer and creative director Ella Boucht’s subversively sexy tailoring is centred on empowering butch, trans and gender non-conforming folk through clothing. 

A graduate of both CSM grad and the Swedish School of Textiles, Boucht spent their student years sifting queer archives but was struck by the lack of representation of the communities around which their work now centres. As a result, they turned to influencers like dyke photographer Lola Flash and 1920s gender-non-conforming boat racer Joe Carstairs – figures who don’t just inform Boucht’s aesthetic but their ethos and values. 

Promoting queer body confidence and promoting butch eroticism, Boucht uses upcycled fabrics to subvert and queer workwear with ties emblazoned with logos like DADDY IS A DYKE and leather waistcoats which seem to reference London’s kinky Rebel Dyke past. These garments aren’t just unapologetic – they question why we should ever apologise for queer expression in the first place. 

Now, as creative director for HÄN Archive – a digital space dedicated to preserving non-binary, trans, GNC and dyke stories over the decades – Boucht isn’t just centring queer history in their work, they’re making it, too.

GAY TIMES spoke with Boucht about their mission to broaden the established narratives of queer history and helping dyke, GNC, trans+ and non-binary communities feel “body euphoric” in tailored designs. 

What initially drew you to fashion as a creative outlet? Did you feel there was a sense of community and safety there for you as a queer person?

It was actually through my desire to become an actor that I got drawn into fashion, or more so the craft of sewing, cutting and tailoring – especially after experiencing the wardrobes at my theatre school and at the National Opera and Ballet in Helsinki. I wanted to learn all aspects of creating a garment, which eventually led me towards design and fashion. They have become tools for me to express myself, my creativity and understanding of the world.

The connection to queerness in my creative practice only developed during my MA at CSM. Arriving in London’s queer community was when I felt empowered to use and express my own experiences as a queer person in my work and collection narratives. I wouldn’t say fashion as an industry gave me the sense of community or safety. It was more London and the people I met here outside of the industry. Fashion is a very fast-paced, opportunity-driven, transactional and extractive industry – as, arguably, many others are – which feels rather hostile to the spirit of community, queerness and a sense of safety.

Instead, I’d say that the many collaborative projects and my practice of bespoke tailoring and leather work enabled me to connect with fellow queers more intimately – and developed a space of visibility and play where I felt I could create freely with people and through our queerness.

When you first began looking into the archives of queer, trans and non-binary folk in fashion, what was your initial reaction to what you saw?

The first time I started exploring queer archives and history, I realised how much dyke, lesbian, trans+ and non-binary legacy, culture and photography was either hidden in private archives or in the basements of book shops, deep in the corner of a library or worst case completely censored or destroyed, making it harder to access. This recognition generated a deep commitment in me to make archival materials and ongoing experiences of dyke, trans+ and non-binary identities more accessible and visible through my work.

Within my queer fashion research, what I mostly came across was the representation and visibility of cis, gay men. They were on the front covers, head designers, creative directors and often leading voices, whilst finding lesbian, dyke and/or trans+ representation was rare if coming across any at all. What in the end influenced my work the most was the rich lesbian, dyke, trans+ and genderqueer voices outside of fashion – coming across people like Jack Halberstam, Lola Flash, Phyllis Christopher, Joe Carstairs, the people behind [lesbian erotica magazine] On Our Backs and more. Their rich history, erotic power, sense of style and unapologetic expressions gave me hope and laid the foundation to my creative values and aesthetics today.

By grounding my creative practice, tailoring and leather work in those archival materials and the rich creative work and representation of dyke and trans+ people today, I strive to expand the boundaries of queerness, gender and sexual expression in fashion.

What has the response been like to your designs from trans/non-binary folk?

It has been incredible, and very humbling to receive so much love and appreciation for the work from the community. This goes for both, the people I’ve worked with as well as strangers, coming across my work online or at exhibitions and sending the occasional private messages loaded with enthusiasm. These encounters are an affirmation to why I am doing this work, they have given me a lot of inspiration and drive to keep going.

Aside from verbal feedback, seeing trans+ and non-binary customers getting dressed in their bespoke or made-to-measure garments for the first time and witnessing their reactions is probably the most rewarding gift that I, as the designer and tailor, could ever receive – the smile, confidence and joy is invaluable.

Working with trans+ and queer people has also led me to offer creative alterations which I’m incorporating more and more into my work. It allows people to bring their cherished garments to be tailored to their own measurements, redesigned to fit their body type and be aligned with their gender identity. It’s also a way for me to offer more affordable solutions and invite a wider audience into my work. Living and working in London as a designer and tailor comes at its costs and this simple reality can make my work inaccessible to a lot of people I’d hope to cater to. 

Would you say your work is healing in a way?

Yes, I would say it’s a very healing and transformative process; using bespoke processes to create clothing that fits your body and gender identity no matter who you are can be a very healing experience, feeling body euphoric. Speaking for myself and my own gender experience with clothing, it really makes a difference to find a garment that feels like it has been designed with your body in mind. My work is a space for me to reflect on my own gender exploration and what it means to navigate through a largely heteronormative and patriarchal world as a trans+ non-binary person. It leads me to challenge norms, what we think we already know, and resolving or answering a question/topic from a queer lens which I translate into garments, methods and systems for queer fashion. An example could be how we can create trans+ inclusive pattern cutting for the industry and break the binary of menswear versus womenswear.

What do you hope archivists in 100 years time find when they look back on queer fashion now?

I hope that [archivists] will look back to our century and see this as a pivotal time of genuine queer and trans-liberation, celebrating a strong culture of freedom of expression and seeing actual systems change. I’d love for them to see a fashion industry that embraced queerness beyond performativity, Instagram likes and popularity in mind but that employed queer politics from within to move towards more equitable, sustainable and healthy practices. 

It not only matters who’s on the runway, but we need to see queer, trans+, non-binary people, dykes and lesbians – and anyone else with experiences of marginalisation – taking on roles as creative directors, leadership positions and being more represented within the industry’s professions overall.

Follow Ella Boucht here and find out more about the HÄN Archive here

The post Across timelines, Ella Boucht is helping dykes and trans+ folk take up more space appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Gen Z killed office casual. Here’s how queer, London designers are reinventing work clothes.

WORDS BY JAMIE WINDUST 
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FASHION EAST

With the economic blues hitting home and our hard-grafted Vinted sales no longer safe from the tax man, the euphoria around fashion might feel like it’s on the way out. But even the 2008 financial crash couldn’t stop London Fashion Week and so, this February, LFW reared its subversive, stylish head once more.  

And, okay, we were kind of gagged! From Dilara Findikoglu’s ode to the divine feminine to Tolu Coker’s joyful, street hawker-inspired collection, London’s designers lived up to their bold reputation. But one thing we didn’t expect for a fashion city known for its raves and stick-it-to-the-man attitude? Suits…literally everywhere.

Whether it was Fashion East, JW Anderson, Aaron Esh or Labrum, tailoring took over but, have no fear, the anarchic London spirit still reigned strong. Models stomped down the runway in deconstructed shirts, oversized silhouettes and BDSM-lite briefcases that – if they could talk – would undoubtedly say, ‘my favourite workplace romcom is Secretary‘.

Why, though? Well, there’s no denying that workplace culture is shifting. Gone are the days of your traditional 9-5, but the grind – no matter what you do – lives on. If anything, we’re having to work more than ever to get by: wages are stagnating and the cost of rent, food and pretty much everything else is ballooning. And that’s not even mentioning that the retirement age is expected to keep going up and up, meaning that most of us will be spending even more of our sad little lives clocking in every weekday morning.

So, why not have a little fun with your office wear? Or, if you’re one of the many folk who don’t work in an office, why not cosplay as a vampy office siren, as the FYP seems to have been encouraging us to do since the beginning of the year? At least that’s what LFW – and in particular, the queer designers on its schedule – seemed to be suggesting.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Olly Shinder (@olly.shinder)

It’s true; the ‘corporate girly’ vibes are over. Instead, make way for Olly Shinder‘s anti-workwear. For his second Fashion East outing, the designer expanded on his ongoing fascination with contemporary uniforms. Maintaining his interest in athleisure and sportswear, he also took a foray into the seemingly opposed world of corporates and kink: marrying sculptural shirt collars, skinny dad glasses and slacks with thigh-high leather boots, slick rubber accents and Berghain-ready bustiers.

Similarly, Sinead O’Dwyer also took a tongue-in-cheek look at careerism for AW24. Crisp shirts are slashed, twisted and cropped to create bold cutouts and unexpected flashes of skin while briefcases are encased in the tight, criss-cross pattern of her signature shibari-like mesh bodysuits.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sinéad O’Dwyer (@sjodwyer)

Could it be that Shinder and O’Dwyer’s combination of fetish and work is making the bootlicking and power play of the office explicit? The jury is out but, at the very least, these are clothes that can take you from the warehouse to your company all-hands the next morning.

So, as the fashion pack turns their sites to Milan and leaves Hell Island behind, let’s slap an out-of-office on plain grey suits and white shirts and start lobbying our workplaces for kink-inclusive dresscodes.

Read more of GAY TIMES fashion interviews and hot takes here. 

The post If the economy is tanking, why *not* dress like a dominatrix for the office? appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Inspired by the glamazons who strut the streets of their hometown, the designer has always believed in the transformative power of clothing

WORDS BY JAMIE WINDUST
CREATIVE DIRECTION BY PATRICK MCDOWELL
PHOTOGRAPHY AND CO-CREATIVE DIRECTION BY FRANCISCO GOMEZ DE VILLABOA
STYLING, CO-CREATIVE DIRECTION AND CASTING BY JAIME MORENO
HAIR BY CRISTOPHE POTIN FOR AVEDA UK
MAKE UP BY ELLE MCMAHON
SET DESIGN BY ZUZANNA SKURTYS
SET ASSISTANT LAURA HAYES

Welcome to Queer by Design, a new monthly column by GAY TIMES Contributing Editor Jamie Windust. Here, Jamie profiles emerging designers about the intersections of style, identity and expression and how these factors inform their creative practice.

Exaggerated shoulders, sleek silhouettes and sophisticated tailoring are but a few of the stylistic hallmarks of Liverpool-raised designer Patrick McDowell. While they’ve already established themself as an industry leader here in the UK, they first launched their eponymous label just six years ago, in 2018 – the same year they graduated from prestigious fashion school CSM.

However, McDowell can trace their interest in fashion back much farther than this, to their Merseyside childhood. Here, they’d watch women get dolled up for nights out – witnessing the ways that style and beauty could be sources of strength and empowerment that seemed to radiate on an almost molecular level. “I was amazed by how the clothes they wore transformed how they presented to the world,” McDowell recalls. “I always wanted to be a part of that feeling.”

This nostalgia aside, the future of fashion is forward-thinking – and it’s an ethos that McDowell fully embraces. Not only does their brand use advanced sustainable materials, but it has recently pivoted to an innovative, eco-conscious business model. Unlike many other labels, the garments recently showcased in McDowell’s AW24 collection won’t be snapped up by buyers to be paraded in stores once the season changes. Rather, items will be released in a made-to-order capacity and meted out across the year via drops, timed strategically in order to minimise environmental concerns.

I don't think I'd be where I am today without being queer. It's been a superpower that has allowed me to view the world differently and create my own path.

Queerness is also, perhaps unexpectedly, intertwined with McDowell’s sustainability-first, made-to-order model. Working to the unique measurements of the customer, rather than adhering to the restrictive sizing requirements and gender divisions of ready-to-wear, the designer proudly acknowledges that “we can create pieces for any body and gender identity”.

To celebrate McDowell’s triumphant AW24 show at London Fashion Week, GAY TIMES caught up with the designer to discuss the potent power of a queer perspective, the identity-affirming nature of fashion, and how their brand is nurturing the next generation of design talent.

The Patrick McDowell brand has bloomed since we last spoke. What has it been like to see your work inspire new conversations around fashion and sustainability?

It’s incredible to see the growth of the brand over the last two years. We’ve worked hard to do things differently and it’s so rewarding to see us grow into a future-facing fashion brand. We are made-to-order and limited edition so we create a limited number of pieces that fit our clients properly. I’m proud to say we can create pieces for any body and gender identity – we’re really trying to complete the circle and think how we can do this in a better way.

Your SS24 ‘A Tragedy In Fashion’ collection had so many brilliant collaborations including with Lee Jeans and Rambert Dance Company. How does working with other creative practitioners enrich your designs?

I’ve always been interested in working with and celebrating others. My work expands and grows through highlighting and collaborating with others. It’s a huge privilege to work alongside so many other creative voices.

Community, in all of its forms, has been at the heart of the brand since day one. I’m always looking for new ways to embody this within what we do as a company, so creating a different conversation in the fashion space around how to connect with new communities (and new dimensions of communities we’re already a part of) is both fulfilling and important.

As a child, I used to watch the women of Liverpool dress up for nights out. I was amazed by how the clothes they wore transformed how they presented to the world.

As your brand has evolved, have you had to change the way you express your queerness?

I’ve always felt so lucky to be able to express and understand my queerness through my work. It’s been a real joy to see it grow and develop. I think together we are growing up, exploring more nuanced expressions and fully stepping into ourselves. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without being queer. It’s been a superpower that has allowed me to view the world differently and create my own path.

How has creative education played a role in your brand?

Nurturing creative education is a foundation of Patrick McDowell. I have always been in awe of how life-changing creative education was for me, through my amazing high school art teacher Ali McWatt or through the unique pedagogy at CSM. I’ve been keen since day one to build education into my work. It’s been incredible to set up a scholarship at CSM through my work, with the Italian brand Pinko, to support the next generation of talent. Also, I’ve been able to support students across the country through my role as Global Ambassador for Graduate Fashion Week.

How do you feel when you see LGBTQIA+ people coming across your work for the first time?

As a child, I used to watch the women of Liverpool dress up for nights out. I was amazed by how the clothes they wore transformed how they presented to the world. I always wanted to be a part of that feeling. A feeling I grew to love myself as I explored my own clothing choices and as a means of presenting myself as the type of person I wanted to be. I’m very proud to design clothes that make people feel strong, powerful and beautiful. I want to create pieces that allow people to be whoever they are inside. Pieces that make you feel able to proudly go out into the world and say, ‘This is me’.

Follow Patrick McDowell here.

The post Patrick McDowell might be a CSM grad, but scouse glamour gave them their first fashion education appeared first on GAY TIMES.

While the gender binary is still central to professional sports, we can already find true and full queer inclusion within community clubs. Trans-focussed TRUK United FC is just one example, and it’s already made history (twice).

WORDS BY JAMIE WINDUST
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUCY COPSEY
DESIGN BY YOSEF PHELAN

This is State of Play, a new column by GAY TIMES Contributing Editor Jamie Windust. Every month, Jamie will be jumping, running and diving head-first into the world of sport, movement and fitness.

Exploring queer sporting excellence at every level, they’ll also be reporting on the changes that need to be made in order to make the world of sport fully accessible to all within the community.

There was something so exciting about putting on my football kit as a kid. Slipping on a shiny pair of shorts and a matching football shirt, then pulling knee-length socks over shin pads to complete the ensemble. It felt like being part of something, so while I wasn’t ever very good, having a part to play in a team was exciting enough.

As puberty hit, I realised that although my interest in football continued, things around me had changed. Due to being an openly queer person at my school, I began to doubt my cohesion with the rest of the team. Despite wanting to still be involved with the game, I saw my identity as a hindrance – I just didn’t feel like I could fit in with a heteronormative world filled with locker room talk and Lynx. 

Football’s culture is changing, but not quickly enough

While I never did return to the pitch, a lot has changed in the fifteen years since I last laced up my football boots. Players on and off the pitch have advocated for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, some becoming involved in Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign and others showing their support for LGBTQIA+ fan groups such as Gay Gooners and Rainbow Toffees. At an institutional level, the Football Association (FA) has taken a tough stance on homophobic chants, slapping the Wolverhampton Wanderers with a £100,000 club fine after fans shouted anti-LGBTQIA+ slurs during a match against Chelsea. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by GAY TIMES (@gaytimes)

However, these advancements have been overshadowed in recent years by the discourse surrounding FIFA’s choice of host nation for the World Cup. In 2018, the tournament was hosted in Russia and later, in 2022, hosted in Qatar – both countries known for their political stances against LGBTQIA+ rights. In the eyes of many queer fans, these decisions contradict efforts to make the sport more welcoming to the LGBTQIA+ community. 

It’s also hard to ignore the lack of openly LGBTQIA+ figures – in the men’s game at least. Bradford Park Avenue forward Jake Daniels and league two Scottish footballer Zander Murray are the only openly gay, professional male footballers in the UK, a stark contrast to the visibly queer players enriching professional women’s teams across the UK. Across the board, there’s a lack of openly trans and non-binary talent with Canadian footballer Quinn being the only known trans, non-binary professional player currently competing at the elite level.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Snatched! (@snatched_gt)

At all levels of the game, trans inclusion is lacking 

Whether it’s athletics, cycling or even fishing, each day seems to bring a new ban on trans athletes in sport. 

And while these bans are set at an elite level, they send a dangerous message that trans people aren’t welcome in sport: in the 2022/2023 season there was a 50% year-on-year increase in “gender reassignment based discrimination” in grassroots English football. 

I’d imagine that, just as I did as a young queer person on my football team, young trans people find themselves doubting if there’s space for them at all. This isn’t helped by the current FA rules on trans participation in English football, which were set in 2014. Throughout the policy, which makes no mention of non-binary participants, trans players’ inclusion is not only subject to case-by-case review but requires them to supply medical records to verify their testosterone levels.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kick It Out (@kickitout)

While currently more positive than those in place in many other sports, these FA rules subject trans players to invasive processes and, many would argue, do not do enough to protect gender diverse communities – despite the FA issuing guidance in 2016 which aimed to reduce transphobia within the sport. We can see the failings in practice, too. In late 2023, Francesca Needham, a trans player in a lower-league South Yorkshire team, announced that she had quit football and was contemplating pursuing a discrimination case via the FA. The statement came after other teams refused to play against her, following an alleged incident where an opposition player broke their knee while blocking one of Needham’s shots. (It’s worth pointing out here that the fastest strike of the Premier League in the 2022 – 2023 season was by cis female player Chloe Kelly – reminding us that cis women are some of the most powerful strikers in the world.)

Members and fans of Needham’s club rallied around her but press coverage surrounding her announcement, however, did not lead to positive change – far from it. Within weeks, 48 UK MPs and 27 peers signed a letter urging the FA to ban all trans women and transfeminine individuals from the women’s game, citing a desire to “protect women and girls” in the sport. Of course, sympathy is due to the injured player. But using this isolated and unfortunate incident to stoke up controversy, encourage transphobia on the pitch and even introduce a blanket ban at an institutional level isn’t just unfair – it’s dehumanising.

Needham’s situation has made it clear that trans players will still be penalised, whether it’s by peers or politicians, no matter the ridiculous lengths they are forced to go to in order to prove their gender. It also shows that speaking up about inequalities can negatively and disproportionately impact trans players – namely by alerting anti-trans detractors of another opportunity to push trans women out of sport entirely. But that doesn’t mean we should give up. The rising anti-trans atmosphere in football – and all other sports – needs to be challenged, and when cis players act in solidarity with their trans peers, positive movement can be made. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Icarus Football (@icarusfootball)

Already, in 2022, the inadequacies of the FA policy had come into sharp focus during an amateur five-a-side women’s tournament in East London. Here, team Hells Bells (then known as Camden Bells) accused the association of being “outright transphobic” following an alleged incident where an official of the FA-backed Super 5 League suggested that their non-binary player shouldn’t be allowed to participate in a “women’s league.”

Hells Bells launched a successful boycott of the league, before co-founding Clubs United: the UK’s first trans inclusive football network and a thriving safe space for trans, GNC and women players. The takeaway? When institutions don’t work for our communities, it’s time to forge our own solutions – and keep the LGB firmly with the T.

Grassroots solutions 

Of course, the conversation around trans inclusion at an elite level is important and shouldn’t take a back seat. After all, recent developments in the world of women’s football – namely the government-backed recommendations that the FA commit to the full professionalisation of the women’s game – show that the archaic rules of the game can and should be updated for modern times. 

However, there’s no denying that the gender binary is deeply ingrained in professional sports – it’s likely that unpicking this system will be a drawn-out process. In the interim, more casual players can look towards the thriving world of LGBTQIA+ teams. Here, weekly kickabouts allow players of all identities to get stuck into their favourite sport. These are teams where queer and trans inclusion is a prerequisite – not an afterthought.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by TRUK United FC (@trukunitedfc)

TRUK United FC, which is headquartered in London but welcomes players across the UK, is a prime example. Open to all, but with matches and teams subject to restrictions depending on opponents, the club was founded in 2021 by Lucy Clark, English football’s first transgender referee. A year later, in 2022, the club made history after their all trans women team played a match against Dulwich Hamlet Women’s FC on Trans Day of Visibility. 

It seems the club is turning making history into a habit. On the following Trans Day of Visibility, a TRUK United FC team solely consisting of trans men and transmasculine people (the first of its kind in Europe) played against cis male players from Dulwich Hamlet FC Supporters Team. 

Reflecting on that evening, Clark has fond memories. “People attended on a rainy night in Dulwich and the whole evening was full of trans joy,” she proudly explains. “The night will live in the memory of everyone that was in attendance for a long time to come.” Going into 2024, she has one clear goal in mind: “We also plan to have a team solely of non-binary people soon.”

So proud to have been captain of the first ever football team of all transgender men in Europe!

It was such a special night, thank you to the boys for being incredible and to all our supporters!

Football is for everyone. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️#TransDayOfVisibility pic.twitter.com/t2FlIvcBCC

— Arthur Webber 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ (@BernieTranders) March 31, 2023

Arthur Webber, who captained the TRUK United FC match against Dulwich, explains that playing football amongst cis players can come with the kind of psychological stress that isn’t present in trans-centred environments. “[Before] I felt a need to prove my worth to the cis players and a lot of pressure to perform,” Webber explains. Conversely, playing on a transmasculine team has helped him to rediscover his confidence as a player. 

This is a similar story to that of Paula Griffin, a member of the TRUK United FC Women’s team and goalkeeper for the Clapton CFC Women’s first team. For her, TRUK United FC helped to reintegrate her back into the sport by creating a truly inclusive environment. “Having the opportunity to play for TRUK opened up my eyes to the possibility of playing competitive football for the first time since my youth,” Griffin explains.

As a community organiser, Clark’s passion for trans inclusivity and, more crucially, trans joy within sport is evident. “It’s really important that trans people continue to play whatever sport they love, this goes for the whole LGBTQIA+ community,” she says. “Sport is great for physical and mental health and people should not stop playing sport just because of their identity.” 

As human beings it’s vital for our sense of purpose and quality of life to be able to proudly and safely pursue our passions and interests – a basic need many trans people can struggle to attain in the world of sport because of discrimination and exclusionary regulations. As clubs like TRUK United FC continue to thrive, let’s hope they allow more and more trans people to safely take to the pitch to focus on what really matters – getting that ball firmly in the back of the net. 

Explore more of GAY TIMES’ sport coverage here. 

The post It’s time to embrace the radical potential of queer grassroots football appeared first on GAY TIMES.