Editor’s Letter: This one’s for the girlies, gays and theys

Words Megan Wallace

In the fairy tale Cinderella, our main pop diva has a serious problem. When it turns midnight, her yassified carriage turns itself back into a plain pumpkin – making the exit from her evening of splendour, and subsequent return to the world of toil and strife, all the more jarring. For the LGBTs, it’s a reminder: when the clock turns 00:00 on 1st July, all the shiny opportunities and brand deals that, proffered so aggressively by harried marketing professionals, will suddenly disappear. 

Being part of a demographic that, seemingly, only matters one month out of the year is dispiriting. Now, during a time when corporate and political backing for Pride is falling off a cliff, it’s a reminder of how much our community relied on this financial lovebombing to make it through the other eleven calendar months of soaring rent, rising bills and political invisibility. 

Of course, no-one will miss pinkwashing. However, the lack of interest in our community, the vanishing opportunities for queer and trans creatives, and the convenient retirement of promises of allyship…well, it’s all pretty hard to stomach. As we look towards a new era of Pride – one with significantly less money and social weight behind it – let’s make one thing clear: we can’t give up on one another. 

That’s why, for our latest issue, we’re looking at alternative visions of Pride – stripped of the glitter, but with renewed radical intentions. In order to learn more about what this could look like, Emily Crooked speaks to Shivani Dave, Stav B and Karlie Marx: organisers of London Dyke March. Truly DIY, truly diverse, and louder than ever, the march is a scrappy statement of dyke power – one that is proudly trans-inclusive. 

Elsewhere, we speak to Elkka, a producer and DJ known for just how seriously she takes pleasure: whether sweating it out on the dancefloor or speaking candidly about sapphic sensuality. As she gears up to release her latest EP Xpression, a delicious four-tracker arriving just in time for London Pride, she discusses the propulsive power of queer nightlife. 

Still on the dancefloor, Lois Shearing looks at the club night-ification of surgery fundraisers across London as the trans community finds innovative solutions to the increasingly disappointing realities of gender-affirming care in the UK. 

In the world of cinema, Darshita Goyal interviews Neel Soni about his meditative, BAFTA-nominated documentary that spotlights a trans forest guard's relationship with their family and nature. Finally, we’re proud to announce ‘SISSY’ a new, monthly column from writer P. Eldridge, which explores matters of the heart (and body) with candour, precision and care. 

Whether it’s expressed through moments of clammy intimacy on the dancefloor or vibrant outpourings of community solidarity, Pride doesn’t have to revolve around a parade in a big city – it’s about boldly stepping into who we are.