Some say, a picture is worth a thousand words, but to me, it’s worth far more. Having spent 36 years as a professional photographer, photography has always been my passion and a huge part of my life. I’m also passionate about positive LGBTQIA+ visibility.
That’s why I was thrilled to deliver the closing speech of the “Powered by Community” exhibition last week at Curve theatre, Leicester and sponsored by Newwave. It was an exhibition of 50 portraits to represent the LGBTQIA+ community of Leicestershire, by six very talented young people. The exhibition was created too celebrate the 50th birthday of Leicestershire LGBTQ+ Centre, which is the longest continuous running LGBTQIA+ project with its own premises and staff in the UK and I couldn’t be more proud to be their Patron.
The portraits allowed us to peek into the lives of 50 LGBTQIA+ people and gave us a sense of who each person is, how they live, their characters, their humanness.
Our existence is resistance and this type of visibility is so very important.
So much misinformation is still be spread about LGBTQIA+ people, (especially trans people) and that leads to a fear and hatred of us. However, when people get to meet us and get a glimpse of our lives, they realise that we are just ordinary people, with personalities, hopes, aspirations, dreams, fears, struggles, talents, strengths, weaknesses and relationship issues – JUST LIKE THEM! This important exhibition showed just that.
We need more initiatives like this!
Very well done to the young photographers, Aaliyah Stannard-Hinds, Imani Ahiro, Lama Jamal Eddine, Lucien Phoenix, Niko Mollett and Tobi Sidor.
Huge congratulations to Leicestershire LGBTQ+ Centre too. Here’s to the next 50 years!
#LGBT #LGBTQIAplus #Leicester #Leicestershire #Rutland #LeicesterPride
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