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Polo Lonergan, Olivia Esposito, Jamie Lowe and Rico Jacob Chace explore how to better understand the needs of gender diverse communities and create sustainable pathways for equity and trans leadership. Overview of session: Gender norms – often deeply rooted and used as the primary frames of reference by which people identify themselves and others in the workplace – still play a significant part in defining leadership roles. When organisations fail to understand, or simply overlook, the subsequent impact on gender diverse employees, it sends a message of indifference and hostility which can have devastating consequences for trans individuals’ wellbeing, as well as undermine their commitment, motivation, and ability to lead and give their best at work. Watch this session to... - Re-imagine culture, spaces, and opportunities to attract and retain trans talent. - Discover ways to encourage leadership to be visible and vocal trans allies. - Learn to model inclusive language & share tools for colleagues to do the same. - Understand sponsorship and allyship & their importance as ongoing practices. Learn more about Polo Lonergan's work. Learn more about Olivia Esposito's work. Learn more about Jamie Lowe's work. Learn more about Rico Jacob Chace's work. If you would like to discuss booking one of these speakers for your own session, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Guest Writer Santi Sorrenti, Founder of G(end)er Swap explores the history of the DIY movement and it's vital presence in Queer Culture today. by Santi Sorrenti The Origins of DIY as a movement: DIY, do it yourself aesthetics, is widely associated with the early punk movements and their respective youth subcultures that emerged in post-war Britain. An expression of rebellion, young punks used aesthetics to defy normative understandings of gender, family structures and hierarchy. DIY stemmed from an anti consumerist mindset dictated in the 60’s and 70’s and manifested in an aesthetic that privileged safety pins, ripped up clothing, charity shop garments and heavy hardware and work boots; and anything shocking. DIY's place in Queer Fashion History: DIY is also a key part of Queer fashion History, it was (and still is) used to reclaim space, to protest and to explore identity on a personal level. This subcultural movement is often placed in the shadows, though, in favour of mainstream movements that defied gender norms or social standards: early butch fashion of the 40’s was a resistance against feminine dress; the peacock movement in the 60’s was characterized by gender fluid dress among men, while the 90’s saw the emergence of guy liner. Meanwhile, the ‘unisex’ fashion craze in the early 2000’s platformed models such as Agnes Dean as the poster model for a ‘tomboy’ aesthetic. The importance of the DIY movement in terms of how it informs Queer style across the decades, cannot be underestimated - especially when we think about it as a tool for political messaging. Historically, in Lesbian activism around the 70’s, slogan t-shirts were utilised to express solidarity and to reclaim space - particularly making their mark in protests and pride marches. As Eleanor Medhurst, Founder of Dressing Dykes states, these t-shirts were used to stand with other oppressed groups within the LGBTQ+ community, “fashion, as a messaging device, is a tool to express solidarity. It is a material statement, physical evidence, a strengthening bond” (n.pag). Clothing used as a political statement is still very much seen today. Medhurst demonstrates this via a picture from London Pride 2019 of an individual wearing a T-shirt constructed of DIY patches and marker writing that says, “LESBIANS FOR TRANS RIGHTS! Our trans family mean the world to us and our trans lovers don’t make us any less gay”. In this case, the individual used DIY techniques to create a clothing item that wouldn’t otherwise be available while also asserting their political views. We see a similar use of DIY style to stand for LGBTQ+ rights in the 90’s. At the renowned Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival (MWMF) protests happened after a trans woman was kicked off of the grounds. From this, Camp Trans, a trans inclusive camp event with a mission to bring down MWMF was formed. In Michelle Tea’s work, Against Memoir (an insight into queer misfit life in America), the depiction of DIY aesthetics including silk screened Camp Trans t-shirts and ratty t-shirts with a hand sewn anarchist symbols are a plenty. London Trans Pride to no surprise held the same activistic fervor. As for myself, I wore a hand painted patch on the back of a denim vest I had upcycled using an IKEA blue plastic bag. My patch said TRANS PPL ARE THE BEST DRESSED. During the march I encountered someone wearing a hand painted shirt too that said “T4T”. We stood together for a photo opportunity: our DIY outfits both affirmed our own experiences and connected us to others. It is important then to highlight DIY style culture within the LGBTQ+ community as more than just a protest tool but also as a mechanism that provides the freedom to explore your own identity, to create affirming garments (where the mainstream doesn’t deliver) and to connect to the community. Style as Identity Exploration & Affirmation: There is a lot to explore in terms of how DIY style lent itself to LGBTQ+ identity exploration and self affirmation. Ballroom culture that emerged in 1960’s New York among young queer people of colour is a great example. This underground ballroom scene was a way for individuals to explore various aspects of gender and class in a society where they openly could not. The balls were a spectacle of performances and self representation (Herzog and Rollins 2012) - using whatever resources they could find to serve a look. Although the subcultures are incomparable, we can see how other creative forms of DIY dress have enabled trans people to explore identity: cosplay, furry culture, and goblin/cottage core to name a few. In the midst of a mainstream outpour of standardised gender neutral fashion however, these subcultures (and the revival of DIY aesthetics and alternative fashion) have been key to holding spaces for trans people to explore self expression. With this in mind, I founded G(end)er Swap in 2017, the first clothing outreach organisation here in the UK that supports trans and gender non-conforming individuals to access clothes and community. The organisation supports the Trans community with style workshops, clothing swap/pop-ups and digital style resources. My aim is to equip individuals with the DIY skills and creative inspiration to upcycle and construct ones own gender affirming wardrobe through sustainable fashion techniques (DIY, upcycling, mending, swapping, etc). Encouraging folks to be whoever and wear whatever, despite what boxes heteronormative society continues to perpetuate. In addition to a series of outreach initiatives, G(end)er Swap has a style archive used as an educational platform for allies which highlights the voices of trans people and their relationship with style. An entry by Oska in 2019 (now the co-director of the org) states: “I don’t consider my clothes self-expression, I think inside I’m actually quite a sad person. My clothes are about who I want to be”. Oska’s musings suggest that they use clothes to ‘try on’ and experiment with an identity, as opposed to their clothes speaking for them. In another entry (2021) Iggy talks about cutting the sleeves off their Shirts when they were 16 explaining, “not yet knowing what gender or dysphoria were but knowing my chest made me uncomfortable and my legs lanky and muscular were somehow miraculously already made of boy.” Iggy goes on to say, “10 years later and cutting the sleeves off my t-shirts still affirms like nothing else”. A small DIY technique was crucial for Iggy to discover their identity while Oska uses clothes as experimental tools. DIY & Trans Resourcefulness: The Museum of Transology provides more insight into the resourceful ways that LGBTQ+ folks have configured their sense of style. One entry shows how a person cut a panel out of their chest binder to extend the back of their other chest binders as they grew while another person embroidered a pronoun reminder for their teacher on a white T-shirt. In a style documentary on YouTube, non-binary writer Jacob Tobia, speaks about how thrifting was key to their initial gender exploration which provided the opportunity to cherry pick the clothes from traditionally ‘masc’ and ‘femme’ expressions and to choose how to use those pieces to adorn themselves. Jacob shows off their eccentric DIY look: a pair of cut off camo short shorts, a leather cuff they found on the ground and a leather jacket they cropped themselves for that ultra femme faggy glow (thank you leather gods). Like Tobia, Oska created a digital resource for G(end)er Swap followers on how to DIY your school uniform into a more personalised fit: shirt tucking options, rucksack embellishments and hair ties. They also run a blog providing affordable DIY style advice for the LGBTQ+ community. While Roxy, a disability activist, painted her own skirt for the sake of creating queer disabled femme visibility where mainstream campaigns usually do not. Conclusion: While queer history points to fashion as being a tool for defying gender norms, it rarely delves into how DIY aesthetics were used in a myriad of ways: for protest, activism but importantly for identity exploration, affirmation, sometimes for mere practicality and to connect with community. The premise of my work with G(end)er Swap is very much anti-fashion. It doesn’t perpetuate mainstream style information nor does it channel gender norms through dress. Instead, I look to sustainable DIY and creative ways to create a gender-affirming wardrobe. A method that is historically contingent. G(end)er Swap was created because of the lack of style resources tailored for trans and gender non-conforming people. In response to this, we have facilitated exchanging and building resources with our community, creating a share economy of DIY style tips, tricks and available supplies and sources, starting an online Facebook groups to find affordable transitional items, shared upcycling techniques and organising swaps–and much more. Trans and GNC people have always been fashioning their own wardrobes using the resources available to them (and creating their own). A tool to materialise our own stories, to build community and to creatively manifest our desired futures. Sources: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23611767 https://fashinnovation.nyc/genderless-fashion/ https://www.roundhouse.org.uk/blog/2016/07/punk-the-ultimate-fashion-statement/ https://dressingdykes.com/2021/04/02/lesbian-fashion-solidarity-and-our-queer-siblings/ https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf1FLLFIffN/?igshid=Mzc1MmZhNjY= https://dressingdykes.com/2021/07/30/lesbian-feminist-dress-codes/ https://queertexstyles.tumblr.com/post/183606238394/i-dont-consider-my-clothes-self-expression-i https://queertexstyles.tumblr.com/post/656158618751729664/the-summer-i-was-16-i-cut-the-sleeves-off-of-all https://prm.web.ox.ac.uk/event/beyond-the-binary#listing_2949796_0 https://www.museumoftransology.com/collections/brasboxersbinderstshirts/greybinder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJuazGmIfJ0&t=3s https://domesticeccentricblog.wordpress.com/ https://haenfler.sites.grinnell.edu/subcultures-and-scenes/underground-ball-culture/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJuazGmIfJ0&t=3s Against Memoir, Michelle Tea The Black Flamingo, Dean Atta Santi Sorrenti (they/he) Santi is a DIY fashion activist, LGBTQ+ grassroots organiser, public speaker and consultant focusing on clothing accessibility. Santi is the Founder of G(end)er Swap - the first LGBTIQ+ clothing outreach organisation in the UK that supports Trans and GNC individuals to access clothes and community. Their mission is to create wider societal understanding (and celebration) of gender diversity - through the lens of style. They create and deliver style workshops and digital resources for the Trans community as well as creative inclusivity training for allies who run social enterprises. You can find out more about Santi's work here. If you are interested in booking Santi as a speaker, please get in touch with us at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Tolu Osinubi, Julie Veluz, Hunter McCance and Marion Bentata explore how to facilitate intersectional conversations and strengthen collaboration in service of our most marginalised populations. In this challenging socio-political climate, with rising conflict surrounding ideologies and beliefs, it can feel overwhelming for multiply-marginalised employees (who are often called to fight and advocate on several fronts) to also face ‘competing’ agendas across their resource groups. To create effective structural, legal, and systemic change within our organisations, it is crucial to reimagine the role of our resource networks and prioritise partnerships and synergies that help scale connection and impact. Tune into this session to learn how to effectively build and leverage intersectional networks. Learn more about Tolu Osinubi's work. Learn more about Hunter McCance's work. If you would like to discuss booking one of these speakers for your own session, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Guest Writer Jamie Lowe provides insight on Queer Financial Wellbeing, and how we can all employ planning techniques to make our money work better for us. by Jamie Lowe I’ve heard a number of rumours about LGBTQ+ people’s spending habits. Apparently, gay couples spend more on luxuries because they have two incomes and no children. Can you imagine my eyes roll?! Although it might be true for some people, couples might decide not to have children no matter what their relationship preferences are. The truth is that despite being part of the same community, we have a diverse range of lifestyles, and our experiences can differ greatly. The one thing that unites us is the need to break free from societal norms, as most of us were raised with the expectation of being cisgender and heterosexual. Sadly, this often means that queer individuals are accustomed to feeling uncomfortable, which is devastating. This is why I am reaching out to other queer people to discuss finances. Here are some key factors that can influence the financial situation of queer professionals: 1. Lack of Education. There has been a lack of teaching in schools about managing money. If you were never taught about all these areas of finances it can cause us to feel shame. Moreover, the media's primary motive is to generate revenue, which can exacerbate the confusion and leave people feeling overwhelmed. This, in turn, can have a negative impact on their mental well-being. Despite the legalisation of same-sex marriage, queer individuals still face numerous social challenges that differ from those of cisgender heterosexual couples. 2. Property Prices and Location. There is safety in numbers, so we tend to live in queer-friendly places like Brighton, London and Manchester. Property prices are higher than average in these areas so if we have more of our money tied up in property, we could have less disposable income to put savings aside for an emergency or as a retirement fund. 3. Career Progression & Work Culture at an Employer. Family issues and discrimination at work can prevent us from fulfilling our career aspirations. You might not be able to go into higher education without support. Don’t get me wrong, there are Alan Sugars of the world who find a way without education but his story is powerful because he’s overcome challenges. Another way queerness can impact our careers is discrimination at work. From daily microaggressions like being spoken over, to lack of suitable healthcare policies, as well as direct discrimination linked to longer-term development opportunities and promotions. If our careers don’t progress at the same rate as non-LGBTQ+ people, we simply won’t earn as much. 4. Self-employment. I’m both queer and neurodivergent, and after a year of self-employment, I don’t think I could see myself working for someone else again because I really value the flexibility it gives me. Self-employment comes with challenges though, especially financial ones. It’s hard to manage instability if your earnings aren’t consistent, not everyone will be able to adjust their budget from month to month easily, or put money aside in good months to spend when their income isn’t as high. If you’re starting a family, neurodivergent and/or transitioning there are a variety of reasons why you could spend money on private healthcare. This is another reason why we might not have as much disposable income as cishet people. Solutions for Queer Professionals and Manageable Financial Health: When we put something on the to-do list and have it sit there, looking at us and taunting us, it takes a toll. Instead, we should proactively be working through our lists, and if we need help from other people to do this, that’s fine, too. Have you ever heard that phrase, ‘how long something takes is the amount of time you have to do it in’? You could give yourself a date to get these things done. Make it a very manageable date when you know you’re less busy. To me, health and wealth go hand in hand. If you don’t feel in control of your finances, it can weigh heavily on your mind and affect your mental health. In 2022 40% of UK employees said that financial concerns were their biggest worry and 24% said that they worry about money every day.¹ So please take time for self-care and look after your financial well-being today and tomorrow. Queer or not, families come in all shapes and sizes. Our legal system was built on the assumption that people are married and have children. Legal structure favors traditional family structures, consider legal options for non-traditional families. Pay attention to bills and manage debts to avoid future consequences.. Do you know where your money is, what it’s doing for you, and are you ensuring your debts are manageable and you can look forward to a comfortable future? Can you do anything to make them better to avoid late fees or high-interest rates? Also, things like retirement planning and life insurance are things you have to proactively seek out or you can miss out on them completely. What Can We Do To Make Our Money Work For Us? Know what benefits you might be entitled to. Places like the Citizens Advice Bureau can help. Do you have an emergency fund? Having some cash put aside will do wonders for your mental health. It usually makes people feel safe and independent which improves confidence. Financial experts generally recommend having 3-6 months' worth of living expenses. Most people have pensions set up by their employers. If you're still unsure whether you can retire when you want to, you can explore options to consolidate or move your pensions to a better place. Having your own place has pros and cons but one big advantage is that most people will have a mortgage that’s designed to be paid off before you’re retired so you don’t need to worry about paying rent when you’ve stopped working. That puts less stress on saving for retirement because you won’t have to pay rent. Making sure you have a Will means you can be clear on who has control of your finances and other important things i.e. any dependents when you’ve gone and insurance policies have options for this too. If you’re long-term single or choose not to share finances with your partner(s) you need to think about your independence. If you are reliant on your income, what happens if it’s not there? There are insurances that you can put in place to insure your income in case you are ill or in an accident such as income protection, accident, sickness and unemployment insurance and private medical insurance to get you back on your feet asap. People who help with money haven’t always been the most approachable for queer people. Older cis-men in suits who traditionally work in financial advice don’t generally give off the most diversity-friendly vibes. Seek out more diverse financial advisors to help you feel more at ease and access the financial support your need. The Importance of LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Financial Services. It wasn’t too long ago that a gay couple applying for a mortgage could only apply as friends, take an HIV test and give details on their personal life that their straight counterparts wouldn’t have had to. And getting life insurance would have been a similar experience. But we’re starting to see a shift so it’s getting easier to find help. I’m happy to say that people living with HIV can get life insurance now. And I know some insurance providers are looking at how they can make applications more user-friendly for trans and non-binary people. We’ve still got a way to go in some areas but the more we use services and are able to feedback on our experience to providers, the more we can demand change. Take advantage of the progress we've made and explore financial services that are LGBTQ+ inclusive. Jamie Lowe (he/they) Jamie is a financial planner providing specialist help to the LGBTQ+ community. He is on a personal mission to encourage people to take charge of their money. Find out more here. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Guest Writer and WCS team member, Doug Graffeo gives us an insight into their complex and evolving relationship with the Queer Community where they currently live - Barcelona - as well as what brings them light. by Doug Graffeo Imagine a bustling metropolis of 4 million people, set alongside an idyllic landscape of the Mediterranean coast. In this magical place, there is a feeling that queers from all over the world try to make their way there to soak up the sun and enjoy relaxing times at the beach in this piece of heaven on earth. However, and even after four years of living in this city, I am still struggling to find my place within Barcelona’s culture. Maybe because I first decided to come here for a short-term stay, only a temporary stop in the way of securing permanent residence status in Canada, where I had lived for almost a decade before moving here. Having been born in Venezuela, and having existed as a queer, femme, and gender-variant person for as long as I can remember, I grew up with a deeply ingrained sense of placelessness that permeated every fibre of my being. Many of us who grow up in hostile environments, and in cultures that aren’t ready to accept the vastness and beauty of our queer existences, can relate to this feeling of awkwardly attempting (and failing) to belong somewhere. You’re expected to view a certain place as your home, but you may also experience the feeling that this very place could never fully encompass all the intricately complex hues of the richness that make up who you are. To be a queer kid who grew up in a place that wasn’t right for you is to be perpetually emotionally displaced, wondering if you will ever be able to replace this sense of home that was stolen away from us by bigotry and intolerance with a space that you carve for yourself, by yourself, and then in the company of others who love and respect you for who you are. It’s this feeling, an almost less poetic but equally as inspiring sense of wanderlust, that first pushed me to leave Venezuela at the age of 18 and build a life for myself in Toronto, where I could unapologetically thrive as a queer person while enjoying the support of other queer people, especially those who also shared a immigrant background or were also visible minorities. However, and as the old adage goes, all good things must come to an end, and so this fairytale fantasy of a wonderful life in a chilly queer paradise eventually became something I had to learn to let go after a decade of happiness and self-fulfillment. I landed in Barcelona in December 2018, scared and vulnerable, but willing to give this place a chance and see if I could make it my own. I mean, I had already been doing that for the past ten years in Toronto, so how challenging could it really be to do it again, especially now that I was older, wiser, and more capable? Also, it was a welcomed change to have my family with me once again, as they had finally made the decision to leave Venezuela a decade after I had done so, in search of a better life for themselves in Barcelona. At first glance, it appeared as though the stars had aligned, illuminating the path towards a life of fulfillment in this new city. However, an uncomfortable feeling of dread and unease soon filled every crevice of my mind and soul, and I knew right then and there that, despite all the wonderful things I had heard about the gay capital of the Mediterranean, this just would never be a place I call my home. The first time I went out wearing makeup in Barcelona, I knew it felt different to Toronto. I could feel the faces of everyone staring at me, making me feel like I stood out. I also remember the first time someone treated me differently because of the way I speak, even though I speak Spanish natively albeit with our own unique and tropical accent. All of a sudden I found myself sticking out like a sore thumb because of the irrevocably queer, femme, and ethnic markers of my personhood. It’s my experience in situations like these that have created a void in my heart that longs for the things I had in Toronto. This void craves lasting connection with diverse people from varied cultural backgrounds and different walks of life. It desires access to radical conversations on undoing hegemonies and violent power structures, the same ones that Europe has propagated all over the world for centuries while simultaneously pretending that racism, power, and privilege are a uniquely North American factor. I think my main point of contention with my life in Barcelona is that there is a very marked imbalance in how many opportunities there are to have unbridled fun until the early morning hours with how little avenues there are to find a community for yourself as a radically-oriented queer person. This inability to find spaces to talk about the issues that matter the most to me, coupled with the little visibility that exists for collectives doing this kind of work and for activists working tirelessly to undo these systems of harm, has left me feeling utterly lonely and resentful of this city after four long and painful years of living here. And so, for many years it was easier to become reclusive and close myself off to new opportunities and socialization spaces, as I just didn’t want to be exposed to any direct and indirect harm from people who didn’t see life and the world in the same way as I had grown to understand it in my former home. For a while this was absolutely manageable (or so I thought), as I focused on growing my career in international human rights advocacy and tried to shut down the parts of me that longed for community. I really thought I had it all under control and could continue going on like this, but after a while I had to be realistic and acknowledge that the heart inevitably craves connection and affection, and the happiness I needed could only be felt while being surrounded by other queer and trans people. And so, even though I felt scared and hopeless after so many years without the community component that was once so central to my life, I decided I needed to fill the social void that begged me for close connections and contact with others like me. Thankfully, I came to the realization that queer people exist everywhere and are often available to offer their love and support, provided that you make an effort to seek a glimmer of hope in what might appear as an inhospitable place, and to present yourself as your truest self for them to recognize and appreciate. I don’t know how we always do it, but us queers are magical like that, in the way that we will always manage to find each other, time and time again. Almost by chance, I came across this workout group by and for trans and nonbinary people, that in addition to offering attendees a space to work on their fitness in a gender-affirming and non-judgemental way, it also served as a powerful catalyst for social interaction. It is also a serendipitous coincidence how this shift in my mindset that inspired me to seek out deeper and more genuine connections also coincided with the launch of operations in Barcelona by We Create Space. I first reached out to the team after attending a conference and seeing that some of the people I had met there were part of the repertoire of panelists that often collaborated with them. As someone who had a lot of things to say about queer community life, and who has a unique, radical, and thought-provoking perspective on social justice and human rights issues, I was eager to join the WCS speaker collective and soak up the eventual opportunities that could come from partnering with these new friends. What I didn’t know is that this new professional relationship would eventually become a catalyst that would bring all these loose ends of my personal life together in one place, where I could openly speak about the issues that mattered to me, in the company of those who shared a similar point of view and weren’t afraid to learn and unlearn more about the world together with me. As I said before, queers always have a unique way of finding each other, so who I thought would be random panelists, participants, and attendees, soon turned out to be my new friends and family now that I had an outlet to interact with them in public. Being a queer person who always felt like they existed outside the norm, coupled with having to migrate twice for things outside of my control before the age of 30, certainly made me feel displaced, confused, and hopeless. But this same relentless magic that characterizes queer people inevitably leads us to always seek better for ourselves, leaving behind the toxicity and negativity of what didn’t work for us in the pursuit of a better life filled with love and community. In this light, my best advice to other queer and trans migrants finding themselves in this position, lost and aimless in a place that seems to not understand them, is to always seek strength in being your most authentic and unapologetic selves. No matter how challenging this current chapter of my life has been so far, it never made me forget, and only reassured me, that there was inherent power and strength in being true to myself and the radical queer aspects of my personhood. It was only when I decided to face this city with this new outlook on the world that I realized that there many others going through the same things as me, and that what I thought were unique experiences of loneliness were actually shared by so many all over Barcelona. Sometimes it seems incredibly tough to seek a better life for yourself when you give in to the sadness that comes with feeling lost and misunderstood, but I promise that if you chase the little glimmers of light that show up in your life, this same light will soon encompass your life and transform what seemed like utter hopelessness into a new chapter filled with kindness, compassion, and community. Even though struggling with depression and loneliness can virtually destroy our will to make things change for ourselves, I also have to acknowledge that even the smallest actions can eventually bring forth life-changing consequences that transform our lives for the better. To all my queer and trans migrants who may find themselves in similar positions, I want to impart a powerful truth: the very things about yourself that you believe to be burdensome are, in fact, your greatest strengths. When you have the courage to reveal your true self to others, you will undoubtedly discover meaningful connections and a sense of community, regardless of your location. Our queerness and our experiences with migration imbue us with unparalleled strength, boundless potential, and unwavering resilience. Life is too short to silence these parts of ourselves, especially when there are countless people who are eager to embrace and love us for who we truly are. If we can find the courage to let our authentic selves shine, we will undoubtedly attract the right people, no matter where our journey in this world takes us. Doug Graffeo (they/them) Doug is an accomplished activist, speaker, and researcher on LGBTQI+ and human rights issues from Caracas, Venezuela. As a human geographer, Doug is skilled at providing critical analyses of sociopolitical phenomena through an intersectional feminist and decolonial lens. They have experience working with multilateral and international organizations such as IGLYO, ILGA World, and the Equal Rights Coalition, in addition to local and community groups in Europe as well as North and South America. You can find out more about Doug's work here. If you are interested in booking Doug as a speaker, please get in touch with us at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Marie-Helene Tyack, Nicole Simpson, Obella Obbo and Scott Sallée explore the foundations of psychological safety and how it can transform our leadership. In this live panel discussion we unpacked the foundations of psychological safety and how it can transform our leadership –to support the wellbeing of our LGBTQ+ colleagues, create space for innovation in their everyday interactions, and ensure a lasting culture of belonging. Overview of session: - Psychologically safe cultures exist by design, through conscious, consistent efforts to build spaces that reward vulnerability and generate cultures of belonging – where historically excluded and underserved groups can contribute new ideas and feel empowered to imagine new ways of being through innovation and inclusion. Watch this session to... - Help create cultures of safety where LGBTQ+ colleagues feel safe to speak up. - Explore ways to leverage intersectionality to foster an inclusive mindset. - Learn how to impact culture change through radical empathy. - Better engage, support, and learn from LGBTQ+ colleagues. - Use the safe space to discuss and get curious. Learn more about Marie-Helene Tyack's work. Learn more about Nicole Simpson's work. Learn more about Obella Obbo's work. Learn more about Scott Sallée's work. If you would like to discuss booking one of these speakers for your own session, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

We take a closer look at the vibrant and thriving Queer culture in Glasgow, Scotland. Chris Sheridan shares a curated guide of must-know people, venues and events. If you're thinking of visiting Glasgow for the first time, we hope this article will help inspire you to explore the city's Queer scene and discover new and exciting aspects of Queer culture unique to Scotland. And if you're a local, you might even learn about something or someone you haven't come across before. Join Chris on their journey as they uncover the hidden gems and amazing individuals that make Glasgow a must-visit destination for Queer travellers. First, a little about Chris, and their connection to Glasgow's queer culture... I’m Chris Sheridan, a trans, non-binary therapist and Managing Director of The Queer Therapist based in Glasgow. I moved from my home city of Dublin to study in Scotland in 2014 and have been here ever since. Glasgow is often overlooked as a go-to queer destination but is overflowing with queer-led businesses, places and spaces. Beyond Glasgow’s Pride events and the many queer bars in the city, there is an abundance of queer and arts culture, particularly in the city’s southside neighbourhoods. Shawlands, Strathbungo and Govanhill are hubs for our queer community, but there are queer hot spots right across the city! When I first moved to Shawlands in 2019, I was immediately struck by the strong sense of belonging I felt and the brilliant diversity within the community. Many of the venues, including Tramway, a large arts venue in a post-industrial space and The Glad, a Bohemian all-day café, with live music and films; are inclusive and progressive spaces and regularly hold queer-specific events. Glasgow is a phenomenal city with a progressive and socialist spirit, supporting hyperlocal connection with an international reach. That spirit can be seen everywhere from G.A.S Glasgow’s Autonomous Space which is a social centre that provides space for groups working to fight capitalism & other forms of oppression to the success of Buzzcut in its (sort of) 10th year as a free-to-access live art festival that showcases brilliant queer creatives each year. And now on to Chris's picks! Photo Credit: Category Is Books 1. Category Is Books. Category Is Books is one of my favourite queer places in Glasgow. Based in the Southside they are an independent queer bookshop, with a brilliant selection of books by the full spectrum of LGBTQIA+ authors. Open Wednesday through Sunday, the owners are fiercely queer and wonderfully welcoming. Image Credit: Small Trans Library 2. Small Trans Library. Small Trans Library is a small lending library of trans-authored books for trans people. As well as sharing our catalogue of over 400 LGBTQ+ books, they also regularly host reading groups, writing workshops and community events for trans people in Scotland. Image Credit: Pink Peacock Café 3. Pink Peacock Café. Pink Peacock is a café and infoshop in the Govanhill area of Glasgow. Described by its founders as "the only queer Yiddish anarchist vegan pay-what-you-can café in the world" and "anti-Zionist" they offer LGBTQ+ sober socials. Image Credit: Bonjour Glasgow 4. Bonjour. Bonjour is probably my favourite queer nightclub and bar in the city as well as being a profit-sharing workers’ cooperative. It’s one of the safest and most progressive spaces you will find. With an exciting mix of events, club nights, drag shows and even a book launch or two, this space has something for everyone. Photo Credit: Glasgow Women's Library 5. Glasgow Women's Library. GWL is the only accredited women's library in the UK, with a fantastic archive it's a super welcoming queer space. They run a year-round programme of events for women who are truly trans and non-binary inclusive. As well as offering a Glasgow-specific Stride with Pride: LGBTQIA+ Heritage tour of the city which you can take part in at your own leisure. Image Credit: Queer Theory 6. Queer Theory in Nice N Sleazy. This queer cabaret show and club night is based in Glasgow and has been proudly showcasing LGBTQ+ talent since April 2016! A heady mix of music, performance art, spoken word, comedy, drag and variety with a focus on the subversive and experimental. Find out more here. Photo Credit: LGBT Health and Wellbeing 7. LGBT Health and Wellbeing. If there’s an LGBTQ+ group taking place, it’s probably associated in some way with LGBT Health and Wellbeing. As well as providing information and support across Scotland, they help facilitate many different groups across Glasgow from those whose first language isn’t English to 50+ "Quelders" groups looking to connect. They host a year-round programme of events and if you’re looking for help, and support, or just want to meet some other LGBTQ+ people in the area, then LGBT Health and Wellbeing should be your first point of contact. Photo Credit: Rainbow Glasgaroos 8. Rainbow Glasgaroos. The Rainbow Glasgaroos is a queer basketball group for anyone of any skill, gender identity, or sexual orientation. This team works to foster a community and create a fun environment for LGBTQ+ people to get fit, gain access to sports, learn new skills and socialise through basketball. Without a doubt, the Rainbow Glasgaroos provide a safe and supportive environment for queer athletics. They currently meet on Tuesdays 7:00 pm-8:30 pm at the City of Glasgow College. Photo Credit: Scotland Queer International Film Festival 9. Scotland Queer International Film Festival SQIFF is a staple on the queer annual calendar in Glasgow, curating a programme of excellent queer films from across Scotland and around the world. Platforming incredible queer talent, they also offer professional development and networking throughout the festival with a range of workshops and talks. Most of the events are free or ticketed on a pay what you decided sliding scale. About PLACES, FACES, SPACES: Through this series we hope to highlight the possibilities of fostering an in-person Queer community, and encourage you to think about how you could contribute to Queer spaces around you and become a strong and impactful Queer Leader in your local area. While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Luke Light, a queer Relational Dynamics Coach and EFT practitioner, provides some insight into the practice of EFT tapping and how it can be used as an aid in processing your emotions and managing stress. What is EFT Tapping? EFT stands for emotional freedom technique, and it’s a method developed by Gary Craig, an expert in Neurolinguistic Programming which is the practice of relating thoughts, language, and patterns of learned behaviour to specific outcomes. How could it help you? By using tapping techniques on certain points of the body, you can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system response, taking us out of fight/flight/fawn/freeze and into rest/digest/recovery. Vocalising your feelings aloud as you tap allows us to process difficult emotions and calm ourselves. Luke's story. “I began tapping in 2019 to deal with stress at work, but it wasn’t until I started coaching with Jody Shield in 2020 that it really landed. It gave me a practical tool to navigate the connection between the body and the mind, understanding that the mind is not just in the brain but spread across our body. Using tapping I found that I could give my body space to feel emotional energy that might have been trapped in my body for years, allowing it to complete its journey of simply being felt and released, instead of replaying through triggers in challenging situations. I then went on to train as an EFT Tapping practitioner and use it in coaching settings, in combination with mindful awareness practices such as tarot reading and meditation, or as a stand-alone therapeutic tool.” Where are EFT Tapping point on our bodies? Try an exercise with us. Think of something that is bothering you and vocalise it out loud. Now tap your Karate Chop point and say your set up phrase three times: “Even though I feel this way, I deeply and completely accept who I am and how I feel.” Using the diagram, move through each of the points, tapping them five to ten times while repeating the set up phrase. Use a comfortable, medium pressure to tap. After you have completed each of the points, check in with yourself and see how you feel. You can do another round if you feel inclined, or leave the exercise there. Return to this exercise the next time you feel distress! Examples of phrase/tapping point combinations you could use. Choose a point and phrase which relates to something that is bothering you, as above. Eyebrow: "I’m feeling really overwhelmed" Side of the eye: "All this stuff happening" Under eye: "I’m really stressed out" Under nose: "What if I miss something?" Chin: "What if it all gets too much?" Collarbone: "I’m so overwhelmed right now" Under arm: "And I don’t know how to move through it Top of the head: "So much happening right now" Eyebrow: "And I can’t cope with it all" Side of the eye: "What if I miss something?" Under eye: "And then I’ll mess up" Under nose: "And I feel anxious just thinking about it" Chin: "I’m stressed out" Collarbone: "I’m feeling overwhelmed" Under arm: "With all I have on" Top of head: "I can’t think straight!" Next, take a deep breath in and exhale. Then continue to tap and repeat the sequences until you feel calmer and more relieved. When you feel relief, tap through a ‘positive round’ and say each phrase below out loud: Eyebrow: "I know I can move through this" Side of the eye: "I know I have the strength inside" Under eye: "I choose to believe I’ll get through this" Under nose: "I know I can find my power inside" Chin: "I believe this is my journey now" Collarbone: "I know I can move through this" Under arm: "And feel good about myself again" Top of head: "I choose to believe in my inner strength" Further Resources. The Tapping Solution App Book a session with Luke at tapintotarot.com While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Manuel Schlothauer talks us through some therapeutic techniques designed to target and resolve issues quickly and thoughtfully, with lasting results. We’ve collaborated with Manuel Schlothauer, a queer clinical therapist and coach who attended our recent Pride & Beyond retreat, to provide some insight into the unique properties of Rapid Transformational Therapy. RTT pulls from and combines a range of therapeutic techniques to reprogram your thoughts and create lasting changes in your mental health. What is RTT? Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT), a stand-alone modality developed by Marisa Peer, is a uniquely tailored methodology of psychotherapy, clinical hypnotherapy, neuroscience, NLP, CBT, parts therapy and Gestalt psychology. Incredibly rapid but never rushed. In combination with coaching interventions, the majority of issues are resolved after only 1-3 sessions. Incredibly rapid but never rushed. Unlike traditional hypnotherapy, RTT does not rely solely on positive reinforcement or passive sessions. Too often this is the sole focus for traditional hypnotherapists: Sit, listen and leave. As the client, you work alongside your RTT therapist to uncover the meaning and interpretation of past events. RTT purposefully helps the client deal with ‘unfinished business’ by addressing the pain that some clients have felt for many years. How could it help you? Breakthroughs are achieved by understanding and fixing the root cause, rather than just addressing the symptoms of the presenting issue. This is why RTT has such a permanent all-pervasive impact, as it erases and eradicates issues at the core for life-changing benefits. Over the years I have worked with clients from all walks of life on an array of topics, yet I specialise in working with underrepresented communities and men’s mental health. Some of the topics you might want to tackle together: Your Romantic and Sexual Identity and Fluidity Your Gender Identity and Fluidity Your Coming Out — or Letting People In Journey Your Social, Romantic and Sexual Relationships Family Dynamics and Trauma Addiction & Substance Use, Misuse and Abuse Physical Health and Well-being, incl. STDs, Eating Disorders Intersectionality & Discrimination, incl. Racism, Colourism, Ageism, Ableism Sexual Performance, Preferences and Kinks Body Image Transitioning Anxiety and Depression LGBTQIAP+ Parenting and Fertility Aligning your Identity, your Purpose and your Career With RTT I believe you can reclaim your freedom and empowerment. Free yourself from negative self-talk and that nagging inner critic. No more unhealthy beliefs, thoughts, feelings and habits. Incredible, undisputed and unapologetic self-esteem and self-confidence. Being authentically yourself, 100% and forever. Balanced and purpose-driven holistic well-being incl. your relationships, emotional life, health & fitness, career, finances, sex life, and more. Rekindle your radiating passion and infectious energy and share it with others. Know your worth inside out and shout it from the rooftops! Manuel's story. When I think back to my childhood and teenage years in this sleepy, fairytale-like village, I remember beauty, joy and serenity. Our mind is funny like that: It always tries to protect us. It is only in deep self-reflection and conversations that I remember that I had my fair share of challenges. Challenges that shaped who I am today, that made me resilient and inclusive… but also challenges that created trauma and unhealthy, unhelpful beliefs about myself and the world. Scarcity and poverty, bullying, body image, divorce, loneliness, extremist nationalist or abusive or homophobic or incredibly religious family members, family members in prison and mental institutions, substance abuse, the untimely and sudden death of close friends, and hiding my true self for nearly a quarter of my life. “Under every roof, there is an ‘Oof!’” — My Grandma Hildegard Life is not as straightforward as they make you believe in school but I have good news for you: You're not defined by what happened to you, not by the amount on your bank account, your weight, your looks, your shape, your age, the colour of your skin or who you kiss goodnight at the end of the day. This realisation has been liberating and brought me on a path of transformation, both for myself and others. Today as a Queer therapist, coach and consultant I support clients from all walks of life with a specialisation in underrepresented groups and men’s mental health. As a therapist from the Queer community for the Queer community, I regularly train therapists and coaches around the world on working with the LGBTQ+ community. Try an exercise with us. Every habit of action is governed by a habit of thought. Do you want to tackle a behaviour you dislike or create a positive change in your life? Change the habit of thought and the habit of action, and your behaviour, will follow. Changing our habit of thought... Let's see what this cycle looks like if we begin with a negative thought: But look what happens if we change this negative thought to a positive one: Why should you try this, or work with Manuel? Personal Growth is booming and I’m beyond delighted to see so many people invest in their physical, emotional and mental health. Yet, with such an appetite for personal development, there’s been a ginormous influx of coaches and traditional therapists who suggest that you need to spend years and years of sessions, valuable time and hard-earned money to slowly free yourself from your Anxiety, Burnout, PTSD, OCD, or Lack of Confidence (among many others). Some even say you can never get rid of it and require a lifetime of sessions and medication. That subscription-like business model upsets me immensely. You wouldn’t go to a dentist each week to talk about your pain, just to hear that you need to return weekly and live with that pain for the rest of your life. Imagine going to a bakery every other Wednesday, describing your dream loaf of bread, the way it would smell, the way it would taste and feel, just to hear the baker telling you that dreaming about it is as close as you can ever get but you’d be welcome to return next time to talk about it again. (You may notice by my analogies that I do love a good loaf of bread.) Despite there being such a high supply of coaches and therapists, so many people are still struggling to truly transform their lives. People see coaches but don’t go deep enough. Others see traditional therapists but after everything is said and done, more is said than actually done. The common questions I hear my potential clients ask include: Why is therapy so hard and dry and takes forever? Is there an easier (and especially faster) way to turn things around? It’s been so time-consuming and difficult… I’ve invested so much time and money in coaching sessions. How come it hasn’t paid off? My therapist and my coach don’t talk to each other and I spend most of my sessions updating them. I’m not sure about therapy. I much rather keep that Pandora’s box shut, even if that means living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Erectile Dysfunction. If you, too, are asking yourself these kinds of questions from time to time (maybe not the last one word-by-word), know that you are not alone. I certainly felt frustrated but I’d like to invite you to ask yourself better questions. You know, when we ask better questions, we get better answers. What if we approached therapy the way we approach dentistry: get to the root, extract and heal? What if we approached coaching the way we approach baking: design the recipe, get baking and enjoy? What if my coach, my therapist and my personal cheerleader were the same person? What if instead of years and years of sessions, I would only need to spend 30 days to radically transform my life? Where would you be? What would life look like if you got exactly what you wanted and more? You can book a session with Manuel through his website at heymanuel.com While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Jade Fraser, Mercedes Jenkins and Somar Ibrahim discuss how to work with data to strategically support marginalised groups in the face of economic, political and social turbulence. Creating real change in diversity, equity and inclusion often comes down to how well we identify and understand problems within the cultural ecosystem of our organisations. As we face the impact of the current economic downturn, as well as global legal restrictions on sexual orientation and gender identity, applying an intersectional lens is integral to shaping DEI strategies that are informed by the multidimensional experiences of identity in the workplace. Our ability to navigate data can also affect the quality of our solutions. This session covers: - Understanding the different forms of data and analytics used to explore gaps to DEI. - Exploring guidance to process data contextually and inform meaningful actions. - Discovering practical ways to prepare and equip your organisation to act on data efficiently. - Learning how to apply an intersectional lens to capture important experiential insights. Learn more about Jade Fraser's work. Learn more about Mercedes Jenkins's work. Learn more about Somar Ibrahim's work. If you would like to discuss booking one of these speakers for your own session, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Coach and WCS team member, Ambra Venturini, has put together this short guide on the ways you can use Tarot as a mental wellbeing and self-care tool. What is Tarot? Tarot has been around for centuries though its use has transformed over time. Its roots are not well documented although we know for sure that it was created as a set of playing cards. It wasn’t until late 1700 that tarot started being used for divination purposes, and later on was more widely used as a tool for self-reflection and self-discovery thanks to Carl Jung theory of archetypes. Since then, tarot has taken on many different uses – whether it is for divination, creative activities or for self-reflection and self-care, it is our trusted friend helping us reconnect with ourselves and each other. Most tarot decks are composed of the Major and Minor Arcanas, each serving a different purposes in supporting our wellbeing. The Major Arcana brings us on the Fool’s journey, where we follow the challenges, wisdom, ups and downs of life depicted through the beautiful archetypes personalities that the Fool meets along the way. Each archetype is meant to share a crucial life lesson with us, bringing us guidance on how to navigate challenges and experience things to the fullest. The Minor Arcana on the other hand gives us insights on our everyday life through the lens of four Suits (Water, Earth, Air and Fire), helping us understand how we might be feeling, the energies we might be experiencing in the moment, and giving us inspiration on how we can support ourselves through them. How can it help you? Holding a tarot card is often described as holding up a mirror to ourselves. Each card can reflect an experience, feeling or thought pattern that we are going through, highlighting parts of our personalities and of ourselves that are asking for our attention and affection. The journey of each Suit and each archetype are there to support us and others heal. They ask us to unapologetically trust our own interpretation of the world, whilst daring us to dream and go beyond our own perspectives - encouraging us to look inward yet embracing and deepening our connection to one another and the environments we inhabit. This makes it particularly magical and empowering for queer people – tarot gives us the freedom to re-define and re-discover ourselves safely, exploring and finding clarity through self-reflection, and revealing ways to show up more authentically and embracing parts of ourselves that we might be afraid to share with the world. By giving us insight into who we are at any given moment, it also shows us our role and position in activism, sprinkling light into how we can meaningfully contribute to change. How you use tarot is completely up to you though. I find it particularly supportive as a daily self-care practice, to connect with how I’m feeling and what I’m experiencing each day. Tarot creates the space for reconnecting back to ourselves, and that’s why it can be support us to ground ourselves when overwhelmed. Through its images it can help you to get out of your usual thinking, and even step out of any inner judgement and negative thoughts patterns you might be experiencing. By focusing on its colours, images, tones and mood - and noticing how they make us feel in the moment - it allows us to take a breath and be present with ourselves. The key to approach reading tarot for self-care is to centre your agency in the situation you are enquiring about, rather than hand over power to the deck to tell you what to do (even though it might be tempting to!). Because tarot is ultimately an intuitive exercise in self-trust and self-discovery. Ambra's Story. Growing up surrounded by tarot readers, tarot was always going to be playing a big part in my life and I’m so glad that is the case! My family is quite dysfunctional, especially when it comes to how we communicate with each other. Tarot was one of the only ways we managed to come together and be present with one another. From a young age I discovered the power tarot has in connecting people together, even those who completely disagree and view the world differently from me, because I experienced it first hand. Tarot opened many doors for me. Having a lack of regular and positive honest conversations with my family, I found comfort and confidence in talking about important parts of myself to my mum (like polyamory and queerness) through readings. Challenging the stereotypes that come from more traditional decks and practices, it was easier to talk about these topics when the focus was on the cards and not so much directly towards myself. It made it more comfortable for me to be open with my mum, and for her to be more receptive of what I was going through. My mental health has always been pretty bad from a young age too - I often felt misunderstood and unsupported. Where therapy helped me create the foundations to heal and re-parent, tarot helped me further build the supportive system I needed to thrive when living with chronic pain, depression and severe anxiety. This showed up for me even more obviously when I burnt out from my job as human rights campaigner some years ago. The reflective time I spent with tarot helped me recognising my needs as a neurodivergent peep more deeply, understand the pace and flexibility I truly needed to support myself in the workplace. All whilst helping celebrate my quirks and embracing them as a good thing rather than something to “fix”. I know I’m not the only one to find this kind of support from a tarot reading practice. During the past years supporting folks with tarot, it’s been incredible to witness how much it can shift things on a personal level as well as for our communities as a whole, sparking important conversations around mental health, and how we can support each other sustainably. Try an exercise with us... If you want to try out tarot as a way to support your wellbeing, I’d recommend pulling one card each day and taking 5 minutes to sit with it – noticing the images, the colours, the mood and tones of the card and how they make you feel. While you shuffle keep in mind this question: how can I support myself today? Keep the card either in a place where you can see it across the day, or interact with it in your mind to give you inspiration on the things you can do to support yourself along the day - whether it is about shifting your thinking, doing a practical thing like cooking yourself a nice meal, or sitting with your feelings and giving them the space to just be. If you want to go one step further you can also try this three card spread: As you do this, remember that this is an exercise in self-trust. Trust what comes up for you from the cards - you don’t need to know the cards meanings to make sense of it or to find supportive insights. My best recommendation for you is to really sit and interact with the card on your own asking yourself – what does this image make me think of? What feelings does it bring up and why? And then, only then, look at the booklet or look up the meanings of the cards to go deeper. Also remember there are no bad cards - every card is showing us experiences that we might be going through, or a part of ourselves that we are showing up or need to show up more, giving us insight and guidance on how to navigate any moment. Further Resources. Jessica Dore, Tarot for Change: Using the Cards for Self-Care, Acceptance and Growth Moon Matters Podcast: Astrology and the Tarot – The Fool’s Journey Little Red Tarot Library Tarot Therapy – Harness the Healing Power of the Deck, Leona Nichole Black Article from gal-dem.com on young people in India and their relationship with Tarot Book a reading with Ambra at thrivingspace.co.uk While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Lazarus Lynch explores how the small act of saying grace can bring us closer to the present, facilitating a stronger connection with ourselves and what is going on around us. by Lazarus Lynch “God is great! God is good! And we thank Him for our food. By his hands, we are fed. Give us, Lord, our daily bread. Amen.” This prayer I recited as a child before consuming each served meal. Saying grace was an acceptable form of prayer allowed in my non-religious primary school, a time to praise the Creator for the seeds, plants, flesh, bones, and skins that would soon nourish our bodies. Saying grace was a gesture of humility, bowing our heads, closing our eyes, and offering gratitude for the hands of other human beings who transformed those raw ingredients into soul-satisfying meals. At those early and tender ages of childhood, I knew not the significance of saying grace. It was seemingly forced upon me by the adults in my life, an act we all participated in, and none resisted. Saying grace was a practice that generated a heightened tummy-curling growling sensation and a salivating tongue. Despite its brevity, saying grace always felt more like a chore than a choice. Much like a dog licking the ground where its last bone lay, the anticipation to satisfy my hunger again was prematurely halted by the requirement first to say grace. Today, when I’m my hungriest and most tired self, it takes an effort to pause, slow down, humble myself, and give thanks. Sometimes I even forget. As a two-plus decade-long practicing grace-sayer, I still struggle with saying grace. Recently, I've been thinking about saying grace as a metaphor for cherishing life’s small moments. Saying grace is an intimate posture of reflection. Across many cultures and religions, saying grace or giving thanks is often a communal and unifying tradition. As a child, I did not understand the sacred invitation of saying grace, an opportunity to practice solace. I did not emotionally connect with that brief moment of prayer and its larger context, being in the here and now, and there are times when I still don’t. Though a custom that brought me one step closer to godliness for the day, saying grace was a habit of presence-choosing. As a kid, I couldn’t wait to rush through the prayer and get to the food, much like how I tended to live life as an adult, going through the motions instead of truly experiencing them, only to get to the next vanishing moment. Living this way left me exhausted and empty. A fundamental principle in meditation practice is mindfulness. In ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle, he writes, “Through self-observation, more presence comes into your life automatically. The moment you realize you are not present, you are present.” Becoming aware of the here and now requires a slowing down. I sometimes feel like I have to force myself to pay attention to the now because my mind loves to wander into the past or the future. It might not even be that we are not paying attention; instead, we are paying attention to the past and future things, not the now things. I have learned that those small moments in our lives - the ones we take for granted or the ones we rush through, like seeing an old friend and stating rather than asking, “how are you?” - these moments are life's most precious and richest ones. And they are happening all the time. What we do in small parts of our lives has ripple effects throughout our lives. As the saying goes, do it in small things and all things. When we are numb to the present, we rob ourselves of peace. When we are alive to the present, we gain peace. When saying grace becomes a gratitude lifestyle, not just something we do out of ritual or expectation, we receive its daily benefit: unshakable joy. When we live out thankfulness, we create space to gain new meaning from the ordinary. We see the abundance in all things, possibilities instead of limitations, and we can more easily choose hope over despair. In Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggett's book, ‘Black Joy,’ she writes, “ But what happens when we can make time for the very things that will hold us together? If we name our time according to the joys we want to experience in it? I’m clear that joy exists in and among us without having to name it… But there’s also power in naming our joy, in being intentional about giving joy a specific time and designated space to help us heal.” Staying present and choosing joy is an act of will, and we must choose it. Taking space away from the demands of life can feel enormously impossible sometimes. However, creating new rituals for our spiritual, self, home, and mind-care is possible and our prerogative; it doesn’t need to look like what it’s always looked like to be valid. One of the most liberating things we can do to practice showing ourselves grace is to evaluate what is and is not serving us. Taking more deliberate measures to practice being in the present can be as simple as taking five deep, long breaths, relaxing the belly, closing the eyes, and imagining that your breath is the sound of an ocean tide. Whether you believe in God or the Universe, anyone can say grace. It doesn’t need to be formulaic or traditional. Saying grace is customizable, adjustable, and should meet you where you are. Saying grace is not about what you say before you eat a meal; it’s an acknowledgment you make of the here and now, a calling to be present and grateful. So the next time you laugh, genuinely feel the laugh from the tips of your toes to the crown of your head. You are saying grace. When you look, truly see, get curious, and see again. This is also saying grace. Rest radically. Unapologetically unplug and do nothing. Unlearn, redefine and renegotiate those core beliefs that keep you in a rut of continual momentum. You can say grace in all these ways, at your pace, in your singular manner, and gently remind yourself that now is all we'll ever have. Lazarus Lynch (he/him) Lazarus is a celebrated African-American queer chef, entrepreneur, musician, model, actor, filmmaker, writer, and the author of the prominent text, Son of a Southern Chef: Cook with Soul. Lynch received his B.S. from Buffalo State College in Individualized Studies. He is a two-time Chopped champion and the host of Snapchat's first-ever cooking show, Chopped U, and the Food Network digital series Comfort Nation. His food blog was a 2017 Saveur Blog Awards nominee. You can find out more about Lazarus's work here. If you are interested in booking Lazarus as a speaker, please get in touch with us at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

At We Create Space, we’re committed to driving change for our communities 365 days a year. We've come up with eight powerful ways you too can practice queer inclusion and advocacy within your own organisation all year round. Why do we need LGBTQ+ initiatives beyond Pride month? Pride Season is an important moment of reflection; not just looking at how far we’ve come as a community, but also acknowledging how far we still have to go as a society. With so many brands also being openly called-out for blatant rainbow washing, it’s more vital than ever for any corporate alignments with the LGBTQ+ community to be backed-up with meaningful initiatives and a long-lasting commitment to change. According to a recent Stonewall report, only 44% of LGBTQ+ employees believe that their senior management demonstrate a visible commitment to the fight for LGB equality all year round. This lowered to 28% when it came to visible support for the trans community specifically. So whilst some may be ‘rainbow fatigued’, how do we keep the conversation around equality alive? How do we continue the momentum and energy of Pride Season, and keep pushing for more? More inclusivity. More rights. More Allies. More Queer Leaders in positions of power and influence. Here are 8 key factors that we believe contribute to fulfilling inclusion, advocacy and allyship goals throughout the year, not just in the month of June... 1. Include LGBTQ+ people in everything - yes, everything! This is pretty simple - it’s about creating an environment and culture where people feel welcome, respected and valued. Whether it’s being inclusive with your policies or providing gender-neutral bathrooms, it’s important that people feel seen, heard and catered for. According to Stonewall, one in six trans people are still not being referred to by their preferred name and pronouns at work. So asking for someone’s pronouns in job interviews, or even adopting the practice of putting pronouns along with your name at the end of emails, is a very small but powerful step towards creating an inclusive space. Not sure what needs to change? Bring more queer people (especially more queer people of colour) into the conversation by inviting them to contribute and inform key company processes. Why not make a seat available for them at the decision-making table? Queer people not only have unique perspectives and talents, but have proved to be incredible pioneers, leaders and change-makers. “Share your power. Share your space. And make sure to create a workplace that eliminates barriers. It's very important that everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community, is heard in a room." Gurchaten Sandhu, Non-discrimination and inclusion specialist and Programme Director at ILGA WORLD WCS Solution: Bring in Authoritative Guest Speakers or curate Live Q&A Panel Discussions covering topics such as Gender Identity and LGBTQ+ Language & Terminology. We also facilitate closed round-table discussions around topics such as change for equality. 2. Increase awareness of LGBTQ+ issues: in and out of the workplace. The fight for LGBTQ+ equality is far from over. To be an effective ally or advocate, it’s important to learn about the issues faced by queer people on a daily basis. Learn about the intersectional identities within the community - and the unique challenges that people face when part of multiple minority groups. Did you know that those who identify as LGBTQ+ are also three times more likely to struggle with their mental health? And substance abuse is a huge problem in the community too - LGBT people are almost three times as likely to have taken drugs in the past year than non-LGBT people. And what about the stigma surrounding HIV that still exists, despite many HIV positive people now being able to live full, happy lives? A key aspect of fostering an inclusive culture is to educate and care about what unique struggles a community is dealing with, and of course to offer help and support where possible. “As an ally, a leader or simply a member of the LGBTQ+ community, it’s important to show up, but it’s even more important to show up informed.” Rico Jacob Chace, Diversity consultant and LGBTQ+ activist WCS Solution: Organise Educational and Informative Webinars covering topics such as LGBTQ+ History 101, LGBTQ+ Mental Health, Intersectionality, Queer Women in the workplace, LGBTQ+ and HIV and Addiction in the Queer Community. Our Bespoke Event Packages are all delivered by our Global Team of Experts - with support and guidance from a WCS Account Manager - organised under one simple package. 3. Place an emphasis on attracting and retaining more LGBTQ+ talent. Visibility and representation are integral. After all, you cannot be what you cannot see. So when thinking about how to appeal to LGBTQ+ talent, strongly consider how you promote your company values and how they are accessible and inclusive. Communicate how your organisation invests in and supports LGBTQ+ people. Do you have visible queer leaders? Are you actively encouraging your existing LGBTQ+ employees to share different parts of themselves at work? Are there support networks, resource groups, or mentor schemes in place? Think about your key policies, and how they may reflect an environment that can reassure prospective queer candidates that they’ll feel comfortable and safe. How do your company benefits consider and accommodate the different circumstances faced by LGBTQ+ employees? In a recent poll by PinkNews and YouGov, only half of employees asked were certain that their employer had LGBT+ inclusive policies. Being open about DNEI goals in your own organization won’t just make your organisation more appealing to outside queer talent, but but it will help foster an environment that feels safe to be open, honest and authentic. “There's no point making spaces “inclusive” of LGBTQIA+ people of colour if we aren’t able to ensure their safety. Protect gender-diverse people on paper and in your hearts; irrespective of whether they’re visible or not.” Shiva Raichandani, LGBTQ+ Educator and Activist WCS Solution: We support LGBTQ+ employees with sharing their personal stories and experiences through our series of Inclusive Hiring Workshops and Bespoke Consultancy Sessions. We also deliver Education & Awareness Workshops across numerous topics, that support knowledge and proficiency in LGBTQ+ recruitment and queer candidates expectations. 4. Develop and empower more Queer Leaders. Queer Leadership for us isn't just about representation, visibility or hierarchy - what's on the outside. It's about looking inside and practicing leadership at every level in a way that enables all of us to thrive - both personally and professionally. Queer Leadership is embracing our unique strengths, prioritising authenticity, listening with compassion, influencing with integrity, transforming our state of awareness, challenging 'the norm' and opening ourselves up to new possibilities as leaders, allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community. “Like so many other queer leaders, my journey with my identity is always in progress. Even now, as I encounter new experiences or learn about new perspectives, I discover aspects of myself I ever knew existed. It wasn’t until I began intentionally affording myself patience and began accessing new depths of vulnerability that the journey began to feel more authentic and less challenging.” MK Getler, Marketing Executive and Public Speaker WCS Solution: We support LGBTQ+ professionals with becoming more impactful and intuitive leaders by enrolling them on our ‘Who am I?’ programme or invest in our Queer Leadership self-empowerment workshops. Each bespoke session takes participants through a unique process exploring identity and authenticity. With greater clarity of 'self', individuals become more intuitive with their decisions, more courageous as leaders, and more intentional with how they show up to influence and support others. 5. Respond to the unique wellbeing needs of ALL your LGBTQ+ employees. Our well-being plays a fundamental part on the path towards reaching our full growth potential in our personal lives and the workplace. The LGBTQ+ community continues to face hardship, inequality and discrimination. And whilst we are incredibly resilient and determined because of it, it’s an uphill battle which inevitably takes its toll on our mental health. The current mental health epidemic within the LGBTQ+ community specifically demonstrates the distinct lack of relevant and effective long-term preventative well-being solutions available - over half of LGBTQ+ individuals have struggled with mental health issues. To create a supportive inclusive culture, organisations need to respond to the unique well-being and mental health needs of different intersectional LGBTQ+ communities. “I’ve often hidden parts of my ‘self’ out of fear, shame or rejection. From hiding my sexuality as a child, to as an adult dealing with complex mental health issues in secret. That’s why I created this platform, to create a space for positive change. For all those of us still looking for support, connection and solutions.” Michael Stephens, LGBTQ+ Wellbeing Advocate and Founder of We Create Space WCS Solution: Provide Bespoke Wellbeing Programmes that encourage individuals to discover new self-care practices for managing their own mental health and wellbeing. We have a host of topics under a Self Empowerment umbrella including Developing Self-Awareness, Building Resilience and Navigating Change. All of our sessions incorporate simple sequences that slowly start connecting the mind and body. It’s nothing complicated and mainly incorporates elements of breathwork, body scanning and mindfulness. 6. Educate the business in Queer Allyship and empower fellow 'co-disruptors'. A key part of improving allyship is to educate ourselves on the stories we haven’t heard. Make it a point to learn the history of the different communities your business interacts with. Pride is only one month in the queer calendar but other events, like Trans Day of Remembrance, also provide opportunities to educate. Normalise the discussion of stigmatised LGBTQ+ issues and use the safe space to discuss, learn and get curious. Practicing Queer Allyship requires understanding better the actions, thoughts and beliefs of an LGBTQ+ advocate. It’s certainly not about performative support, but instead more about listening, learning and ensuring you are advocating with integrity - in the workplace and wider communities. With more intentional advocacy you can nurture the phenomenal impact that LGBTQ+ people can have in their work environment. “Some may call it allyship, but I’m more comfortable with ‘co-disruptors’; disrupting what society says we should and shouldn’t be, and instead showing up fully as who we are.” Chloë Davies, Inclusion & Belonging Workplace Consultant WCS Solution: Queer Allyship Training Workshops provide a great platform to build on, while our other Education & Awareness Sessions are also dedicated to Intersectional Allyship. We also build custom Allyship Programmes and solutions that cater to specific business objectives and needs. 7. Inspire other businesses and create authentic partnerships - internally and externally. Lead by example! Organisations have influence - use it to make bold statements and hold others accountable for their lack of inaction. Don’t contribute to the toxic culture of ‘rainbow-washing’ nor remain silent when others do. When looking at your relationships with other organisations, be it affiliates, agencies, corporate partners, suppliers or third-parties - think about their core values and inclusion practices. Are they similar to your own? Is diversity as important to them as it is to you? Look beyond any performative action done during Pride month and examine how they work throughout the rest of the year. The shortcomings of others can compromise your position and vicariously undo your own diversity and inclusion commitments. Investing in business partnerships that are considered and informed is essential. This often comes down to performing due-diligence, choosing only to align and partner with like-minded businesses. Creating a workplace in which LGBTQ+ employees can be their authentic selves and ultimately flourish is enabled through an integrated approach. Consider not only the initiatives, policies and culture of your own business and immediate teams, but also those of your partner organisations. This will ensure that queer employees feel comfortable and safe when interacting or liaising with them. Being this thorough shows you’re really working to spread positive change in the professional community at-large. “We don't have to wait for a specific month to then start unpacking everything that's going right or wrong… I'd like to see more consistency in this advocacy, really spotlighting and being more curious, looking in our corners and blind spots.” Maylis Djikalou, Programme Director at We Create Space WCS solution: Our extensive Client Network provides a wealth of opportunity to connect with organisations and potential partners who are as committed as you are to queer advocacy, wellbeing and empowerment. Becoming a WCS Corporate Member enables you to introduce your key talent to change-makers and leaders from other businesses and organisations who share your values. 8. Be consistent and invest in long-term solutions. It’s an especially important time for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Allyship and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community requires practice everyday. There are no more sidelines, and cheering from the stands doesn’t cut it anymore. We have a duty to be active accomplices in removing any barriers, challenging the status quo, and supporting every individual with reaching their full potential. That often means leaning into discomfort and vulnerability. Pride offers many businesses an opportunity to develop and improve existing inclusion initiatives, as well as explore and implement new ones. But it is now time to drive that momentum throughout the whole year. That’s why we've introduced our membership model designed to allow for year-round support organised under one annual, holistic partnership. We provide a package of tried and tested solutions and services across a broad range of topics and themes that can be tailored to the unique and diverse needs of each member company or organization. If you would like to learn more about the membership options, please get in touch. “Pride isn’t just a month; it’s 365 days a year. We don’t have to cram everything into a few weeks. Think further ahead, and think more boldly than that.” Tash Thomas, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

We take a closer look at the vibrant and thriving Queer culture in Dublin, Ireland. Manuel Schlothauer shares a curated guide of must-know people, venues and events. If you're thinking of visiting Dublin for the first time, we hope this article will help inspire you to explore the city's Queer scene and discover new and exciting aspects of Queer culture unique to Ireland. And if you're a local, you might even learn about something or someone you haven't come across before. Join Manuel on this journey as he uncovers the hidden gems and amazing individuals that make Dublin a must-visit destination for Queer travellers. First, a little about Manuel, and his connection to Dublin's queer culture... Hi friends, I'm Manuel Schlothauer and before we get into the nitty gritty of Dublin’s colourful Queer scene, let’s address the elephant in the room: How on earth do you pronounce Schlothauer? The name Schlothauer originates in the picturesque mountain village of Ruhla, my home town located in the Thuringian Forest in Germany. Absolutely worth a visit but not why you’re here. Schlot•hauer means chimney puncher and is pronounced like “slow tower” but with a sh. Shlow•tower. Easy. Based in Dublin, Ireland, I’m an award-winning Queer Therapist & Coach, bestselling Author, and the Founder of HeyManuel.com. My mission is to help Queer and LGBTQIAP+ Professionals around the world be their authentic selves without years and years of struggles. I've got some unique programs that use mediation, psychotherapy, clinical hypnotherapy, neuroscience, NLP, CBT, parts therapy, and Gestalt psychology, combined with transformational coaching, to sustainably elevate the Queer experience. As a consultant, I also help organisations navigate the complex intersection of Mental Health, Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, Belonging, HR & Leadership. When I'm not working, I love nothing more than a good brunch, chilling out with an Iced Decaf Americano in the sun, and exploring the Queer nightlife and theatre scene. So, let's connect, have some fun, and get your queer game on point! And now on to Manuel's picks! Photo Credit: Washington Post 1. Know Your Queer History. Interviewing 12 change-makers who were some of the key players in the progression of LGBTQ+ equality in Ireland, ShoutOut’s Know Your Queer History is a thought-provoking documentary that delves into the rich and varied history of the Queer community in Dublin. I never really enjoyed history in school, so as part of a Queer travelling guide to the city, this documentary may seem like an unusual recommendation at first glance. However, having moved to Dublin right after the Marriage Equality Referendum in 2015, I came to understand that learning about Dublin’s history will help you, too, gain a deeper appreciation for its present and create a more meaningful experience. By listening to the struggles and triumphs of Ireland’s Queer community, you will gain a better understanding of the city's culture, values, vibes and people. Image Credit: ShoutOut 2. Queer for Good. From ShoutOut’s documentary over to its extraordinary work at schools across the country… Dublin's Queer community is shaped and strengthened by the work of local volunteers. From supporting LGBTQ+ youth to advocating for human rights, there are various organisations that provide vital services and help create a more inclusive society. As a Queer traveller, learning about these charities and their missions will not only deepen your understanding of the city, but also provide opportunities to give back and leave a positive mark during your visit. Here’s a small selection of other incredible organisations: BeLonG To — Specialised services for Queer youth with a focus on mental and sexual health HIV Ireland — Advocating for HIV prevention, awareness, and support TENI — Transgender Equality Network Ireland, advancing trans rights and equality Intersex Ireland — Advocating for Intersex awareness, visibility and appropriate medical care Dublin Lesbian Line — Queer and LGBTQ+ helpline LGBT Ireland — Advocacy and support for Queer people and their loved ones Image Credit: magazinecloner.com / GCN 3. GCN. Published by another wonderful organisation, namely the NXF (National LGBT Federation), GCN is a monthly LGBTQ+ publication covering political developments, community events and initiatives in Ireland and across the globe. With its first publication in 1988, GCN is the longest running LGBTQ+ publication in Ireland and my personal go-to magazine both in its digital and gorgeous print version. Image Credit: Outhouse 4. Outhouse. Based in Dublin’s eclectic Capel St, Outhouse is a community and resource centre for Queer people and their families and friends. A vibrant and safe space for LGBTQ+ people, groups, and organisations, Outhouse offers a safe drop-in space, meeting spaces, support facilities, and a cafe to connect with the community. Photo Credit: The Bernard Shaw 5. Brunch. Only few things are as quintessentially Queer as brunch. Well, at least for me. Dublin loves brunch and I’m here for it. My go-to spots have changed over the years but you are very likely to find me in either Press Cafe or Two Boys Brew. (Just in case you don’t know what to get me for my birthday.) If you crave some extra glitter in your mimosa, look no further than one of Dublin’s many drag brunches: Enjoy your french toast with The Misses at The Bernard Shaw, crab cakes with Davina Devine at Bow Lane, or Brazilian delicacies with Haus of W.I.G. at Wigwam. Image Credit: gay-hiking.org 6. Queer Meet-ups. Visiting or moving to a new city can feel daunting, especially if you don’t know anyone there. Over the years Meetup and Bumble BFF have been valuable resources to me and many of my close friendships originated there. Here’s are two of Dublin’s many Queer Meetup groups: Out and About — You would like to explore the Wicklow Mountains but don’t have a car? No worries, check out this LGBTQ+ Hiking Club. Wet and Wild — Always wanted to try out kayaking, bouldering or surfing? Check out this LGBTQ+ Outdoor Sports & Social Club. Photo Credit: hotel7dublin.com / Gate Theatre 7. Queer Theatre Dublin loves theatre and theatre seems to love Dublin back given the stunning performances we get to enjoy on a regular basis. If you’re on your way to Dublin, make sure to check out one of my favourite spots, theatre Queer that I am: Abbey Theatre Gate Theatre The New Theatre Project Arts Centre Bord Gáis Energy Theatre Bestseller Theatre Cafe 8. Queer Nightlife Same-sex sexual activity was only decriminalised in 1993, so understandably a major part of Dublin’s Queer life has always taken place in historically underground events and venues. Some of these still exist today and are joined by new spaces for the community to connect, dance and celebrate. Here’s a tiny selection of Dublin’s iconic institutions: Mother — One for the disco lovers. Expect local and international performers, strobe lights and festival vibes. Panti Bar & Pennylane — Opened, owned and operated by Irish Drag Queen and Queer activist Panti aka. Rory O’Neill. Expect delicious cocktails, drag DJs and lounge atmosphere. Street 66 — Board games and toasties by day, Eurovision vibes by night. Enjoy one of Dublin’s largest Gin selections while dancing to ABBA, Conchita and friends. All My Friends — Relaxed Queer pub offering open mics, quizzes, markets and vibes. The George — What started as a shellfish tavern in 1780 became a home away from home for the community over the last 40 years. Expect drag, pop and more drag. About PLACES, FACES, SPACES: Through this series we hope to highlight the possibilities of fostering an in-person Queer community, and encourage you to think about how you could contribute to Queer spaces around you and become a strong and impactful Queer Leader in your local area. While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

We can easily find ourselves closed-off and complacent when we're not exposed to opinions or perspectives that challenge how we think. Here are some methods that our global team at WCS use to keep our ideas fresh, and our thinking inclusive. Considering the various DEI services we offer and our focus as an organisation on helping our clients create progressive and inclusive workplace cultures, we think it’s important to highlight that we're also doing out best at WCS to practice what we preach. We wanted to share some of the different ways we combat the effects of Echo Chambers - the various resources we tap into to ensure that our decisions are made with a variety of perspectives informing our approaches. And perhaps showing how your organisation could do the same. 1. We build and nurture diverse teams. A good place to start when thinking about echo chambers is to consider who is “sat at your table.” One of the things we appreciate most about our organisation is our small but diverse global team. Every single team member comes from a different background, and hold different intersectional identities. We proudly come together across different business functions, all to help achieve our organisational mission and goals of serving the LGBTQIA+ Community, as well as continuously developing and improving the ways in which we do this work. Just because we all hold LGBTQIA+ identities, certainly does not mean that we all think the same or agree about everything! This variety seen in our colleagues is felt by how we are always learning from one another, in an environment which is psychologically safe. This, in turn, facilitates a working environment where everyone feels welcomed, valued, respected, and can play their part in developing and growing the organisation. 2. We prioritise personal connection over production. Because we place such an emphasis on holding space for our teammates when they need it, we're also used to using our time differently where required. Whether its allowing our fellow team members a chance to ask us questions about our experiences, open up about what is going on in their personal lives outside of work, or simply use team meetings to make suggestions about improving processes and how the organisation is run. Yes we all have a job to do, but we are 'human-beings' first and foremost, not 'human-doings', and acknowledging this enriches the final output. 3. We seek external consultation and guidance. “OK, but what if you don’t have all the answers or perspectives you need from inside your team?” we hear you ask. There are plenty of instances where we discuss certain things as a team - whether it’s an idea for content to be published and added to our Online Library of insightful articles, or a focus point for an upcoming panel discussion. It's important to be able to admit that we don't always have the answer! We also use our Global Advisory Board to table any new ideas or for discussing longer term strategies. Meetings with the Advisory Board take place once a quarter, where we table future plans for WCS and our work within the community. However, if anything urgent arises and requires a quicker response, we get in touch with members via our WhatsApp group. 4. We openly share our own knowledge and wisdom. Another vital aspect of keeping echo chambers at bay, and keeping fresh air in, is talking to people outside of your company, industry or sector, and gaining their perspective. This even applies to us when we're going through consultation processes with our clients. We consult with over 100 Corporate Clients and Companies, and it's a pleasure to be able to share and gain knowledge and wisdom freely across our diverse partnership network. There is so much to learn and gain by sharing, rather than holding onto information tightly for ourselves. 5. We lean into and learn from our global collective. We are immensely grateful for the myriad of different people that we are able to bring together through our ever-expanding Global Speaker Collective. Although speakers are primarily a resource for our events, videos and articles, we really value the personal connections and relationships with all of these people, who are often leading experts in their field. When looking for an answer to a specific question, or we’re looking for a specific solution to a nuanced problem, there is a strong likelihood that we are able to look through our database of contacts and find someone who we are able to ask. If the person we contact in the first instance can’t help us, they almost always know someone who can. 6. We talk to our intersectional community. How decisions are made inside organisations, and who is involved to make them, is a key factor to examine when determining how inclusive work environments really are. We Create Space is a Community Interest Company (CIC), which means all the profit we make goes back into the community we serve. For this reason we regularly consult our intersectional community - through the services we provide, and the content we produce. We've found that the best way to gauge how we're doing is to simply ask our community for honest feedback. Either verbally when we see them at our Community Events, via a questionnaire following a session with our corporate clients, or for longer-term strategies and wider-reaching project we receive via anonymous surveys. We then use this valuable Community Data and Insights to inform our plans for the coming months - this takes the form of our annual Community Action Plan. 7. We consume a variety of media and content. Finally, one of the most valuable resources we have to bust echo chambers is to educate ourselves and consume a variety of media and information. As a team we are always sharing books, articles and videos that might inspire or inform our work. This is embedded from the employee onboarding process through to day-to-day communication on slack. Although some of the most engaging perspectives we have learnt from are those from individuals online, social media has radically changed the mechanism by which we access information and form our opinions. Who we choose to follow may limit our exposure to diverse perspectives and favour the formation of groups of like-minded users framing and reinforcing a shared narrative, that is, echo chambers. How are you going to challenge echo chambers in your organisation or team? How can we help? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. While you're here... Did you know we also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Allan Kartodikromo and Emma van der Meulen share their Queer Allyship success stories; showing us how supporting others actually helps us all. Allan's Allyship story... When I met Emma she was a true teacher with a kind and open heart. The way she connected with me not only had an impact on my professional self - it impacted me personally and gave me time to improve my mindset and grow as an individual. With Emma’s help, I have been able to embark on a journey of true self acceptance, which now helps me in all areas of my life. The most impactful support I got from Emma is that she gave me a safe space to let me be me and to talk about (fundamental) needs and personal development. I got the proper guidance that showed me that she cared. The personal attention alongside introducing me to her network was the best support I could get, and has helped me flourish in my career. Being an ally is more than just a talk or raising awareness about tools and resources which may or may not help us. Being an ally in my eyes is when you truly connect as human beings meaning that there is an investment of time, energy and deeper understanding. Connecting as allies to each other (no matter who we are) with the goal to build bridges is exactly what is needed for strong and genuine foundations of exceptional working relationships. Everybody should have an Emma! I knew she was a true ally to me when I knew that I could trust her. It takes time to get to know someone and their motivations and open up. Trust slowly builds when your ally talks the talk, but also walks to the walk, and respects the time invested by both parties. I knew this was something she understood when she followed up on agreed actions and next steps to progress things. By introducing me to individuals in her network, Emma has afforded me the opportunity to develop my own professional relationships with key stakeholders who I interact with at work. As a result, these people are positively biassed and trust faster, meaning the value I can add to my company is much greater than it could’ve been if I didn’t have Emma in my corner. Being an ally is not voluntary work. If you are a real ally or motivated to be one, the drive is intrinsic. The more these values of allyship are encouraged by everyone and anyone inside an organisation, through progression in working culture, the stronger the sense of support will be amongst colleagues. This will ultimately improve the operation of an organisation. Emma’s motivation in this respect is something I really admire, and the effects of her values-driven approach is felt by many in our company. Emma's Allyship story... When I hired Allan to join the company it was very important for me to introduce him to many people. I found that he needed to build his network and to get to understand the organisation. It is important for me to have openness and honesty because that creates a safe environment to build a relationship on. I am a strong believer in the fact that we also need to be able to enjoy each other’s company and to walk that extra mile to understand one another. Being an ally takes effort and also costs time, however investing time in strong relationships with our colleagues definitely benefits us over time. I invested time in helping Allan as I want Allan to be happy. I think he is a very talented person and the world can benefit from his skills. I also have and had colleagues who keep track of my career and show genuine interest. They invest time in me, advise on opportunities and also introduce me to their network, so I think it’s important to do the same for others, and pay the benefits of allyship forward. Whilst I do not come from a marginalised background, I am a woman who works in finance, so I know what it's like to be a minority in a working environment. As a result of Allan’s hard work, he has been able to build a big network within our company. He was also able to create an autonomous role for himself. Thanks to his creative ideas, energetic personality and great organisational skills, he has been offered challenging assignments with a lot of responsibility and he has happily accepted them. It’s wonderful to see that he is able to live his purpose, and I know he can also pay forward to others who may need extra support and encouragement to succeed. Finally, in terms of advice I would offer others on how they can be better allies: be open and interested. Be aware of your own biases and realise that we all have them. But it’s what you do with them that counts. Don’t forget how awesome it is to get to know someone so well and grow together. Allan Kartodikromo (he/him) Allan was originally born and raised in Suriname, South American, but has been living in Amsterdam for more than 10 years. With a very culturally diverse background, and as a queer man working in Finance, he is constantly looking for ways to create a culture of inclusion and belonging. He is most passionate about his role as a Culture Change Manager because he gets to create meaning for folks from marginalised backgrounds, both within and outside of corporates spaces. If you would like to book Allan as a Speaker for a webinar or panel discussion, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co Emma van der Meulen (she/her) Emma is a Project Manager Data for Sustainable Finance Regulations at ABN AMRO About the 'My Ally and Me' story-telling series: At We Create Space we always aim to lift and amplify the voices of our global queer collective of change-makers. However with this story-telling series we wanted to give LGBTQ+ leaders the opportunity to bring an ally into the conversation and explain how their valued support has shaped their personal and professional journey. While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Guest Writer Zee Monteiro lets us in on how Queer iconography has shaped their journey of self-understanding and acceptance. by Zee Monteiro As I worked to unlearn and relearn my identity in light of the cis-gender heteronormative expectations placed upon me, I found that iconography was instrumental in helping me understand my fluidity. Iconography refers to the use of symbols, images, and themes in art to depict movements, beliefs, or ideas. I remember being 23 years old and coming across the term and various symbols for ‘Two-spirited,’ which really resonated with me. The symbol was a visual representation of the Two-spirit Indigenous identities across Native America. It was a term used to explain how one person could have two spirits, one male and one female. The term as I have understood has now been recognized as an umbrella term to describe the fluidity of an individual, depending on the tribe and personal/spiritual relationship to themselves that sits outside of the understanding of the western and colonial understanding of the gender binary. There were different types of symbols I came across; one was shown in the form of two arrows pointing in opposite directions, the other the symbol of a double headed figure, with one head representing the female and the other the male spirit. I remember this clearly as it was not only a term that related to how I felt, but it showed that my feelings, my energies existed. I remember continuing my research to find specific West African symbols that represented the similar but no luck. I do not identify with the term ‘two-spirited’ as a way to define myself as it is not my heritage or history, but it became a way for me to unravel more about my gender and opened a door to further curiosity and understanding. In the following years I became focused on finding more about the history of queer culture and it led me to America. I learned about the internationally famous rainbow flag designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978. It served as a symbol of resistance against discrimination and a demand for change, as well as the pink triangle, used originally by the Nazi Regime to identify homosexual men but reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community and transformed into a symbol of resistance and pride. Although these symbols impacted me in understanding the strength that ran within the LGBTQ+ community. The identity that I was sitting in, which during 2016, was still that of a Black Masculine presenting woman, I could not find the symbols that represented my intersections of race and gender. In 2018 I set out to create a Black Queer Library, Qingsland became a website focused on Black and Brown LGBTQ+ people and their experiences, with a focus on Masculine presented identities. I came across an amazing archive called Lesbian Herstory, Black Lesbians in the 70’s and before’. It showed the diversity of gender nonconformity within the lesbian community. It became clear that, even though scattered on the internet, the archives still existed and they became a place where I was able to find myself. Within the recent years I have seen the changes of what I found in these archives becoming mainstream. The international sensation of RuPaul's drag show, and the creativity around Lil Nas X music videos allowed for conversations around self-expression through the context of entertainment. Drag shows on-and-off television showed a form of political activism and resistance surrounding the gender binary. Shortly after, the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement, created space for change where conversations and actions about the treatment of not only Black people, but Black and Brown LGBTQ+ and specifically Trans people became mainstream. The marches in the UK, EU and US were filled with the original pride flag made by Baker, but joined with two adapted flags, one being the flag introducing the Black and Brown stripes, created by Amber Hikes and the other the progressive Pride flag made by Daniel Quasar. It sparked the global LGBTQ+ community to stand up, with unfortunately losses of people within the global LGBTQ+ community. Sarah Hegasi’s powerful photo sparked the hashtag #RaisetheflagforSarah on social media which extended the understanding of LGBTQ+ lives under threat in the Middle East and continued to steer the debate on LGBTQ+ rights and the freedom to live. Social media quickly became the tool to see and understand the conditions of people and how to support the global movement of LGBTQ+ lives. In hindsight it is surprising that in the midst of all of this, I felt ready to come out as non-binary, I accessed private Trans care and started my journey with Testosterone; or maybe it wasn’t. The push for the freedom and existence of LGBTQIA+ lives around the world, allowed me to push myself out of the fear and step into the existence of my transness. It gave the understanding that I should not wait or be weighed down by the expectations of the gender binary and move with the understanding of my energies and trusted that the people who understood my energy would simply come along. I wonder if without the uproar and fight of the global movement, and the use of social media, there would have been no change for me. Today we are still seeing the continued fight for liberation for the LGBTQ+ community, with more and more allies in our corner, learning how to use their privilege to engage in the movement and utilize their power, showing various athletes like Chris Eubank, Harry Kane and Hamilton showing their support through armbands and their social media. With the impact of the internet and social media with the use of symbolism and iconography, the understanding of how cultures around the world includes transgender, gender fluid and non-conforming individuals in their history and their present, means that there has always been and will always be a place for us in the future. Zee Monteiro (they/them) Zee is a writer, host, facilitator, and consultant with a focus on LGBTQ+ rights, anti-racism, Intersectionality and Neurodiversity. Zee is dedicated to promoting inclusion and equity, and is well-regarded for their ability to engage and educate diverse audiences on important social and cultural topics. You can find more information about Zee's work here. If you would like to book Zee as a speaker for a workshop or panel event, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Are you a Queer Leader with a story to tell? Have you ever considered writing a book to share your voice with the world? Our team of experienced authors is here to empower you to make that dream a reality. We know that telling your story can be a daunting prospect, but we also understand that the world needs to hear it. That's why we're sharing our tips and tricks to help you approach writing and publishing your first book confidently and proudly. Your voice matters, your story deserves to be told, and we're here to help you make it happen. On writing the book itself… 1. There’s so much power in your lived experience - start there. Starting the writing process can be the most intimidating part for many people, including established writers. The fear of not knowing where to begin can be overwhelming, leading to self-doubt and even preventing us from starting altogether. While this can be true for any project, it is particularly daunting when it comes to writing a book. If you know you want to write a book, it’s important to remember the age-old saying “write what you know.” Especially when it comes to Queer Leadership, we need to remind ourselves that we have got to where we are today because we are strong advocates and allies for people like ourselves, and also others who are different from us. As Queer Leaders, our motivations are rooted in our lived experiences. We've faced discrimination and prejudice due to our sexuality and other parts of our identities that intersect with our queerness. But these experiences also provide valuable lessons and a unique perspective that can guide us in making the world a more empathetic, accepting, and inclusive place. Remember this as you begin your writing journey - your perspective is valuable! 2. Hone in on your audience. When starting on a writing project, it is imperative that you have a clear picture of the audience (or audiences) that you are aiming to reach and resonate with, and why. So, who is your audience? When thinking about this in the first instance, a good place to start would be to think about your work as a Queer Leader in a wider sense. “The most important tip I can share is to know why you are writing. Anyone can sit and theoretically write a book, but for it to have an impact, you need your book to have a purpose.” - Ben Pechey (they/them) Ask yourself: Why did I become an Advocate/Activist/'X' in the first place? What problem am I providing solutions to? Get specific. What kind of impact do I want to make with my work, and to inspire/benefit who? Are there any secondary audiences that I need to consider? (e.g. Do I have an ambition to educate allies?) When I picture the legacy that my work will have - what does that look like to me? How will the publishing of my book help me leave that legacy? When you have a clear impression of these preliminary questions, take note, and always make sure to refer back to this. At We Create Space, we regularly speak to our community and clients alike about how vital it is to ‘find your why’ and accurately pinpoint it. The best, most versatile Queer Leaders always have a common thread in every project they take on, which links to their wider work. When we look at someone's body of work as a whole, we can see common themes that add to the power and significance of their work on a larger scale, even if their individual projects seem unrelated. This applies whether they focus on one specific industry or occupy space in multiple sectors. As you think about your idea for a book as a Queer Leader, consider how it complements your existing work and allows you to develop your message further. This could be done in an obvious way or more subtly. Often, the most effective way to make lasting change requires us to be very strategic about the way in which we position our work, being conscious of the context in which it exists, and how we can use this context to increase the chances of positive outcomes. Writing a book should be no different. 3. Conduct further research. As with all the work we do as Queer Leaders, conducting research of our own, beyond our lived experience is key to understanding how we can use our positions of influence to instil tangible positive impact for marginalised communities like the LGBTQIA+ Community in the real world. “Talk to others in your community. You're not alone in the writing process and talking about your thoughts and ideas can start conversations that help you learn something or discover a new point of view.” - Vaneet Mehta (he/him) When approaching your writing, it is important to consider the perspectives of others on your chosen topic - maybe people who have experienced similar things to you, but also others who haven’t. As with everything, diversity of thought, and consideration of a variety of opinions and views is imperative to ensure that we are not operating in silos - this is how echo chambers are formed. Can other people's identities and experiences provide a broader perspective to your work? This can increase your self-awareness of your context, privilege, and others' struggles. There is always more than one side to a story. And even if you don’t include it, due diligence as a Queer Leader in the very least is acknowledging potential differences in perspective and experience. In the same way, considering these differences will inspire you to reflect inwardly, it will afford your audience the opportunity to do the same. This is how writing on specific issues/difficulties communities face truly has the potential to transcend cultures, borders and identities, reminding us all of how we have more in common than we think. “Read around the topic. There's likely a huge amount of material available in the area you're writing in. It isn't always easy to find but once you find a few sources, that can help you find more and more.” - Vaneet Mehta (he/him) 4. Don’t be afraid of constructive criticism (both from yourself and others) As a writer, it is easy to become very attached to certain aspects of your work that you are passionate about - especially when you are exploring a topic which is close to your heart. However, if these ideas don’t fit well with the flow of the rest of your work, often, you will need to be hard on yourself and remove them. To be a good writer is to always think about the strength of the overall message, even if it means removing elements that you yourself are enthusiastic about. “Be prepared to sacrifice your favourite ideas if they’re not going anywhere. The first draft of my book proposal was a mess and it was only when I drove a stake through its heart and harvested the useful organs that I discovered exactly what I wanted to write.” - Dr Paul Taylor-Pitt (he/him) Of course, in a similar way to how putting those first few words down is intimidating, so is handing your work to someone else for their comments. Writing a book, or even a book proposal takes considerable time and thought. However, what is a great book if it is left as a draft on your laptop, or to gather dust in a drawer? Getting outside perspectives on your work can only make it stronger. If you’re struggling with comments for others, ask them to provide feedback in written form in the first instance, which you can respond to in your own time - hence why our next tip is so important. “Take on feedback early. Don't be afraid to show what you've written to people you know and ask for their brutal opinion. These are your readers, after all, so you want to make sure that what you've written is clear, coherent and concise.” - Vaneet Mehta (he/him) 5. Let it Rest! Writing, or planning to write a book is an intensive process, and takes up a lot of psychological and emotional energy - significantly more so when it is linked to other parts of your work or your wider mission. Therefore, it is important for you to take time away from it when you need to. This could be for a multitude of reasons: To distance yourself a little from feedback and self-critique To give yourself a break To provide yourself with mental stimulation away from your writing To allow you to reflect To afford you a change in perspective “Writing can be hard, I know all too well the pressures of writing book(s) and how this can affect you. It is important that you can find balance with your mental health - and ensure that the writing process doesn’t take more from you than you get in return.” - Ben Pechey (they/them) Fresh eyes will do wonders for your creative process, and will allow you to recharge your batteries. While all nighters in front of a computer screen might be necessary sometimes to capitalise on inspiration and excitement, it is important to know the value in switching off sometimes, too. This will serve you well in the long-term. On the Publishing Process… “Writing isn’t linear, and neither is the process of becoming a published author. Expect to find challenges and roadblocks - how you work around these is the most important thing. You will grow as a writer through each process you work through.” - Ben Pechey (they/them) 1. Use your network! Our networks are one of our most important assets as Queer Leaders, both in terms of people we know in the community, and in terms of people of wider influence. One of the reasons why our networks are so important to us, is because the people within them come from so many different walks of life. If you know others who are writers or have works published, speak to them! They will have so much advice to offer you - it’s even better if it’s a friend. They may even be able to make some introductions for you. As with a lot of creative industries, a lot of people can get that first foot in the door by being introduced to a contact by someone they know. 2. Refine your elevator pitch You might have a really strong book proposal, or even a rough first draft of a manuscript. While it takes a lot of time to put this together, arguably, the hardest part is describing your idea in a way that can grab someone’s attention in a short amount of time. Some tips on how to work your elevator pitch: It should be no longer that ONE sentence This needs to contain enough information to leave someone wanting more, but not too much information as to overwhelm them or allow them to lose focus. Make it as original as you can to pique someone’s interest Why is an elevator pitch important? It brings listeners straight to your work’s Unique Selling Point (USP). Your USP (or someone’s ideas around your work’s USP) can then determine how literary agents could pitch your book to a publisher, how acquiring editors might pitch books internally, how you could describe the book on social media, and even how the blurb on the back a printed, final book can grab readers in a bookshop. 3. You’ll need an agent It is an industry standard that publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts - every prospective author needs an agent for their manuscript to be seen. How does someone find a literary agent? First, as with everything else we’ve mentioned so far, do some research. Are there any authors whose work has resonated with you? Would you like to have the same effect on audiences as them? Check to see who their agent is. Are there any authors who have written about similar topics to you, and you could see your work complimenting theirs? Are there any particular publishing houses that you think your work could fit in with - are the authors who they publish regularly represented by the same people? In the same way that you will use your network, there is no harm sending an email and potentially arranging a phone call. When meeting with potential agents, first impressions are important. Both in terms of how you present and conduct yourself towards them, and how they feel to you. Think about what kind of person you want to work with - someone who’s hardline and professional, or someone who’s more relaxed and easily approachable? Someone in-between? Never forget that who you chose as an agent is a very personal choice. You have to feel like they have your best interests at heart, and that they’re truly passionate about the project. 4. Managing your relationships Managing relationships does end with finding the right agent when you are trying to get your book published. Your agent will connect you with publishing houses through their contacts, and you may have some meetings alongside your agent at publishers’ if you are lucky. Although you may be in a fortunate minority to get to this stage, again, your relationship with a publisher is a two-way street. When speaking to your agent about publishers, or speaking to publishers themselves, it is important to make your ambitions clear to them, to make sure everyone’s visions are compatible - whether that be talking about finances, who will act as an editor, or what Public Relations team will be will working with the publishers to promote your book. While you may not see these people regularly, it is important that you feel comfortable enough to challenge aspects of how the publishing process of your work is managed. Considering it is your writing is essentially an extension of yourself, you should always feel communication between these different parties is psychologically safe. “Embrace edits! Getting edits isn’t a bad thing - I love the ability that a good editor can have on my work - so embrace this process and watch your words improve with every edit!” - Ben Pechey (they/them) 5. Handling public responses to your work It may have been an arduous and emotional process to get your book published, and you will feel a sense of immense accomplishment when you see your work out there in the real world. You may even feel a sense of relief, when you think about how much time and effort it's taken to get from the beginnings of a concept, all the way to a finished product that people can read and consider at length. Of course, if someone can read and consider your work, this also means they can form an opinion about it. It would be unreasonable to think that every single person who reads your work is going to have amazing things to say about it - this is something that’s really important to remember. As with everything, if you make a mistake, it’s good to acknowledge it, and show how you’ll make changes going forward. There are some authors out there who’ve published several editions of one book over the course of several years. Admittedly, this is more common for a work of non-fiction than it is for fiction. When thinking about the feedback your work receives, it is so crucial that you surround yourself with people who you can trust to help keep you grounded, and also who can help reassure you in more difficult situations. Also remember that your team who worked with you to get this book published should also be there to support you. Having a supportive team and trusted people around you can make all the difference in navigating the ups and downs of the publishing process and beyond. Do you have any more tips for aspiring authors? Let us know by getting in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Guest Writer Josh Rivers encourages us to question how we think about resilience and how communities can really unite to instil change. by Josh Rivers The mark of any queer person’s humanity appears to be indelibly linked to their resilience. Resilience is praised as one of our queer virtues, indeed the bedrock of our existence: in the face of increasing and persistent adversity, we keep getting back up, keep pressing on, keep surviving. But resilience is defined as the ability to recover quickly from difficulties, a specificity of action I’ve not understood the word to mean before this moment. Why quickly? Who decides how quickly is quickly enough? What if we don’t recover quickly, but keep moving forward anyway: are we still resilient? If we examine resilience up close and in the context of our lives in 2023, is resilient even a good thing to be? Other definitions of resilience include the ability to withstand immense pressure and the ability to bounce back and return to original form. The former is an exercise in rigidity in a world that always wants us to be something else. Bayard Rustin, a queer Black icon to whom I look for unending inspiration, withstood immense pressure and at great personal sacrifice. Throughout his life agitating for justice, he kept coming back to fight, despite being thrown in jail repeatedly for “lewd acts” (read: cruising), where he wrote heartbreaking letters about whether or not to deny his desires. Which leads us to the latter: even if we’re able to withstand the pressure, even if we appear to bounce back and return to form, are we not forever changed by the very life that demands so much resilience? To understand resilience, we have to place it in the context of its necessity. Resilience is at once a testament to an individual’s determination to survive and an indictment on a society that demands it. Perhaps my issue with resilience-as-virtue is that the pressure to be resilient lies firmly on the person who relies on their resilience for survival (for example, LGBTQIA+ people) and not on the systems, structures and societies that demand resilience in the first place. As Guiliane Kinouani writes on Race Reflections, “While some may argue that by focusing on [our] psyche, we stand a better chance at building our psychological or psychic resilience… such unbalanced attention actively locates the disturbance in [us].” I can’t help but feel that all this pressure and attention that is placed on resilience should actually be channelled into questioning why we have to express such resilience at all. In their new book, Healing Justice Lineages, community organisers Cara Page and Erica Woodland write that we must “address the ways events or conditions impact entire communities and movements, and envision ways for us to hold each other together”. We cannot only be called upon to withstand the pressure of the system, noble as surviving is. Our resilience must be oriented towards the wholesale transformation of systems and structures which are not designed to include us or allow us to thrive. To do this, Page and Woodland offer up a “healing justice” framework: “a political strategy [that builds] collective practices and spaces where healing shapes the culture in which we do our organising”. A resilience made possible through communal care and structural transformation then becomes a queer virtue because it moves us towards collective justice. To be resilient is also to be courageous. Courage is important because it assists us in the pursuit of our joy and our joy demands our courageous defiance. It was poet and human rights activist PJ Samuels who forever altered how I understand the tough work of joy-finding: “If I’m not finding joy in it, I’m going to find another way, which then frees me from the situation that was oppressing me and getting in the way of my joy.” My conversation with PJ Samuels and so many others are my demonstration of my commitment to creating spaces that offer the communities I love the opportunity – over and over again – to encounter reflections of their courage; and that they understand deeply that they are surrounded by communities of people, near and far, gone and with us still, who are dogged in their pursuit of what lights them up. Pursuits which, in turn, enlighten and enliven us all. Perhaps I want to exist within my own definition of resilience, one that isn’t ahistorical, but that acknowledges the time, place and context of its necessity, and one that doesn’t tell me my resilience is anchored to speed. Or perhaps I resent that resilience requires so much of me so often and nothing from the external pressures that demand it. Resilience in theory and execution is emotionally, mentally and physically expensive. Perhaps in using resilience to confer admiration, we should do so remembering that it all comes at such a cost; and that our decision to continue on trying to make positive change in our communities and to improve life for those around us, knowing what it will cost doesn’t make us resilient - it makes us courageous. Check out the Busy Being Black Podcast. Themes touched on in this article are explored further in the below episodes: PJ Samuels, “Black She” Zinzi Minott, “Ancestral Interference” malakaï sergeant, “I Sparkle When I Sleep” Travis Alabanza, “None of the Above” Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, “Knowing Where to Dig” Josh Rivers (he/him) Josh is the creator and host of Busy Being Black, the podcast featuring cerebral and tender conversations with queer Black artists, activists and intellectuals. You can find more information about Josh's work here. If you would like to book Josh as a speaker for a workshop or panel event, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Lucifer Charlie Benedetti pulls back the curtain on the erotic film industry, enlightening us on its operation, and showing us how much things still need to improve to safeguard those who work in it. by Lucifer Charlie Benedetti I never thought I’d end up directing porn / adult movies in my life, but after spending 4 years in this industry I strongly believe this is the most fertile environment in which the LGBTQ community can express and represent itself and in which we can keep breaking boundaries in the most impactful way. This is the place where I finally feel like I belong and I can contribute to make a little difference inside our community. Lesbian and Queer Representation - what's missing. What is missing is good LGBTQ+ porn. Besides the amateur porn shot by couples or queer people, it was the lack of genuine representation that made me knock on Erika Lust’s door. I’m grateful I had the chance to direct movies in which I could explore lesbian heartbreaks as much as the “girls just wanna have fun” trope. In my latest film I also represented how asexuality and porn can belong together. It’s by making these movies and watching the work of other queer directors that I realised that truthful LGBTQIA+ representation in porn is one of the most empowering and subversive tools we own, since our discrimination, fetishisation and self-sabotage is primarily based around sex. It all started because I was sick of the fact that “Lesbian” is one of the most watched categories in mainstream porn and yet it’s primarily made for the male pleasure. Once again the male gaze appropriates of something it should be excluded from by its own meaning: Lesbian. This “lesbian” representation is nothing but a stereotypical remake of the heterosexual sex-dynamic depicted in mainstream porn (which are also quite far from the reality) and it has a direct impact on my life, up until I get perceived as a woman who loves other women. Whenever we kiss in public or even worse, inside a club, there will always be a man watching like he has a pornhub tab open in front of him. This is one of the most invasive feelings I have to experience throughout my whole life. I have no idea how many times a complete stranger approached me and my partner asking for a threesome. I have no idea how many times I have been asked in mocking way how can lesbians have sex without a penis, or how many times they were convinced we always use sex toys in order to reproduce “what’s missing”. This “what’s missing” is based on a heteronormative sexual relationship. Thinking about pornography and the male lens that it is most-often shown through, intercourse is almost always linked back to a male necessity. In this way, we can see that the portrayal of most pornography which depicts straight relationships, shows sex as a vehicle to accomplish a man’s sense of pleasure and encapsulate their desire first and foremost. In this sense, a woman’s sexual pleasure is always seen as secondary and our body is primarily seen and ruled as a life incubator, without any or very little agency. The CisHet Gaze and it's grip on the porn industry. This is how the heteronormative guidelines preserve their hold on patriarchal power structures. Through my experience in this industry so far, I have learned that the most widely distributed depictions of sex in this society are much more about beholding power and very little about owning our pleasure. It's the cishet gaze that has always decided what’s normal, what’s not. What’s desirable, what isn’t. Mainstream porn feeds and reinforces the stereotype that the male gaze and the media created about toxic “beauty and body standards”. Cis women’s “conforming” bodies gets constantly objectified while all the rest gets fetishised : POC, trans, lesbian, bi, curvy and people with disabilities - to name only a few examples. In order to combat this way of thinking, there are a few key questions we need to ask ourselves: Why is there such easy/free access to mainstream porn? Is it really free or are we paying in ways we don’t even realise? What’s behind it? Have you ever heard about Mindgeek? Mindgeek refers to itself as an “information technology company that offers digital media content delivery, search engine optimisation, advertising, and hosting services”. What Mindgeek doesn’t say, in easier words, is that they are the owners of the majority of the mainstream porn sites all over the internet: Pornhub, Youporn, Brazzers, Xtube, Men.com, etc… therefore they basically own the Monopoly of Porn. When YouTube made its debut, its success was almost instantaneous, so other internet developing companies tried to do the same. Mindgeek then probably asked themselves “what’s the kind of video that once put online will receive millions of views (traffic) almost instantly? The answer was very easy: “a porn video”. So they started pirating videos from porn production companies and sharing them through their “Tubes”. This by itself is illegal as we are all aware, but despite their work being stolen, for porn production companies to be shared for free on a tube platform was the easiest and fastest way to get a lot of publicity and this gave them a number of revenues they’d never accomplish by themselves. Between Mindgeek and porn production companies, there was a tacit agreement which started generating one of the wealthiest businesses online, up until the point that Mindgeek was able to buy the majority of those companies. Therefore the majority of its produced content is not pirated anymore. it just keeps feeding itself under hundreds of different names, hundreds of pockets of the same suit. According to global website traffic data from Statista, the top 3 porn sites in the world receive a combined 5.81 billion website visits per month. Just through its traffic Mindgeek revenues are exponential and even though the majority of people don't pay for porn, if only the 10% of those almost 6 billion per month pays for it, you can imagine how high the profits still are. The other thing that Mindgeek doesn’t say in clear words is that they are data collectors, so even if we don’t pay to watch porn on those sites, all our data gets collected and resold to marketing strategy companies. So we are in fact paying with our data without even knowing it. It is when we start considering how the industry really works that we can realise what really needs to be changed, and how we can create space for those who want to express themselves in a safe environment, ensuring that narratives aren’t twisted to suit existing well-established stereotypes which have damaging effects on marginalised communities. What's improved, and what still needs improvement. Thankfully there are many people working inside the industry who are taking space for themselves in order to pave the way for positive change; deconstructing and rejecting these standards and creating their own. As we all know, representation matters. As we all know, representation saves lives. As we all know, representation can open the eyes of the most unaware. And while it’s not the easiest to find under the huge amount of mainstream porn, queer-made porn is becoming more and more available. This leads to a wider awareness, diversity, empathy, feeling of belonging, gender and sexuality euphoria. And after experiencing so much shame throughout our lives, watching this kind of porn finally feels like a huge relief. Where there’s no wrong sexuality, no wrong genitals, no wrong bodies. This is especially important considering that the most erased community as far as the porn industry is concerned, is those with physical disabilities - due to the overwhelming preconception that disabled people are not sexual beings. I have no doubt that we will keep on gaining more and more representation, but I believe that also the ethical porn industry needs to work on being more accessible to the majority of people. Representation without accessibility, unfortunately does half of the job that needs to be done. The welfare of sex workers & LGTQIA+ Community. The whole porn industry, both indie and mainstream, is starting to follow guidelines that get more and more strict in order to create a safer environment for performers. However, until sex work is regulated, we cannot guarantee the protection of sex workers - without regulation, there is no such thing as true “Ethical” porn. How can something be ethical if it’s based on the workforce of people whose jobs are not recognised and fairly regulated? The hate reserved for sex workers, trans women, POC women is always the most violent. This is a battle that our community must really take on its shoulder as based on my personal experience in interviewing sex workers, in the last few years I've realised that the majority of them belong to the LGBTQIA+ community. Let’s never forget who were the people who thrown the first bricks at Stonewall: trans, POC, with disabilities and sex workers. Still nowadays, they are the most marginalised in this society and inside our own community. This is something we must take responsibility for, especially gay cis men who possess the most privilege and influence within the LGBTQIA+ community. Conclusions. It would be right to be able to see porn only as a form of entertainment, but while we live in a society in which sex education is so strongly hindered, it’s undeniable that mainstream porn is the first source of research and exploration of sex for young people. Because of this lack of sex education, it’s difficult to realise how problematic it can be, and how we tend to replicate it subconsciously. Even though the issues within this industry are several, I believe that demonising it is pointless as much as glorifying it's alternatives. Porn will never be erased and it shouldn’t. What we need is to be constantly and usefully critical about it, so that it can improve and evolve into a much safer product. We must always remember that sex work for many people in our community is the only source of income and survival. So attacking it means attacking our community also. The most important thing going forward is to keep on creating spaces and opening and sharing them, especially with the less privileged people. We should all place priority on the need to be responsible producers and consumers taking into account everyone’s pleasure, desires and bodies. Therefore it is also extremely important to understand that paying for porn is absolutely necessary, as for any other streaming platform, whilst also having accessible prices. We’ve come a long way in how we’re finally able to see our community represented in the media, movies and tv shows… but so much still needs to be done and porn made or inspired by queer people is the real game changer. If you want to have a glimpse of what it can also look like, here is where you can check my movies as well as the ones of many other talent queer directors. About Lucifer Charlie Benedetti (they/them) Lucifer is a genderqueer Italian director/actor. They believe in a future in which sexuality won't need any label, but they also understand the need of many diverse humans to feel represented, reassured and safe nowadays. You can find more information about Lucifer and their work here. If you would like to book Lucifer as a speaker for a workshop or panel event, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. 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