18 June 2024 , 10:03
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An immersive Trans+ experience is coming to London this week, celebrating the millennia's worth of history of an underrepresented group dismissed as a "modern fashion" and "trend".
Queer Voices is celebrating Pride Month with Trans+ History Week, an initiative that will deeply explore the rich history of transgender and trans-adjacent folk by taking visitors on a multi-faceted cultural journey. The organisation has set up the experience at Outernet London, the semi-enclosed digital space on Tottenham Court Road, to walk visitors through the Trans+ space with a style that references the DIY nature of zine subculture, the group's iconic communication of the past that still persists today.
The piece - which is paired with art created by Trans+ artists around the world - focuses on three stories, starting with the Gallae priestesses, an ancient Roman order that famously challenged the era's gender norms. The exhibition also covers American activist Marsha P Johnson, who played a pivotal role in the 1969 Stonewall uprising, and rave culture, with stories written by Trans+ writers Gray Burke-Stowe, Leigh Flint, and Sophie Edwards. The art has been created by Sunday Avanti, Jua O'Kane, and Finn Yvo.
QueerAF will host the exhibition from June 17 to 30 (Supplied)Voices of the first Trans+ choir, Trans Voices, will play in the background as people tour the Outernet, adding an immersive edge. Trans Voices' Coda Nicolaeff and ilā Kamalagharan said: “This music was created through our unique process of collective sound bath improvisation rooted in community and a pursuit of sound making beyond the gender binary. Every voice in the piece is embraced for its uniqueness. Trans+ musicians have always existed and it is a joy to soundtrack this installation honouring our shared history.”
The exhibition - which runs twice an hour from June 17 to 30 - aims to challenge the wrongheaded idea that the Trans+ community is a new cultural development, and seeks to support its members around the world. Marty Davies, the founder of Trans+ History Week CIC, said the exhibition is especially important in the run-up to the July 4 general election, and shines a light on the dehumanising "foundational lie" on which transgender hate is built. She said: "We’ve always been here and we always will be. For this message to find such a visible home immediately prior to a general election is significant.
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The Mirror is excited to officially partner with Pride 2024 (NurPhoto via Getty Images)"The foundational lie upon which all harm is built upon is the idea that Trans+ people are a trend, fashion or fad to be dismissed. It dehumanises us. Shining light on that lie removes it of its power and that’s what this installation will do." Anyone who visits is invited to continue to explore Trans+ stories outside the venue, with QR codes at the Outernet taking people to the QueerAF platform, where they can find further stories from 20 creatives supported by the organisation. Each of them has been given audio equipment to keep, and mentored by QueerAF across multiple commissioning schemes.
Jamie Wareham, the founder of QueerAF CIC, said: “The UK media industry only thrives when it’s bursting with queer talent - so Outernet helping to give more visibility to that talent with this incredible interactive space is so valuable for them, and their portfolios. Only a media industry that represents, hires and understands us can help shift the narrative on being queer in the UK. Our commissioning schemes help to launch the careers of emerging and underrepresented LGBTQIA+ creatives and we couldn’t be more proud of Sunday Avanti, Jua O’Kane and Finn Yvo who have all had their work selected to feature in this piece.”
The Daily Mirror is proud to act as an official partner of Pride Month 2024, and will be standing alongside the LGBTQAI+ community at the main event this year.