Hello there! Thanks for stopping by to find out why & how I'm supporting the York LGBT Forum! 

My name is Bobby (she/her). I'm a queer migrant and lecturer in queer & feminist literature, art & performance. The words and art of queer & marginalised writers are my life's work, just as they once gave me my life when I was a weird, chronically depressed queer kid growing up in a breathlessly homophobic country. I've grown and thrived thanks to queer literature, art, and this beautiful, borderless community of fellow outcasts here in the York LGBT Forum and beyond. Now I want to give something back. 

What's the project?

I'm here to give my knowledge & love of queer writers who have given and continue to give us the languages we need to break our silences. Every few days in the month of August 2020, I will dip into the archive to handpick a little-known poem or prose piece by an inspirational queer writer for you. I will share a bit of its history & even play you some of my obscure vinyl recordings of queer writers performing their own work. 

Follow my blog, Xenolalia: Queer Verse of Unnatural Means (https://xenolalia.wixsite.com/queerverse), to check out my weekly shares from the queer literary archive! 

I will open up my own personal archive of gorgeous, obscure, out-of-print queer literature, and I will also support new & up-and-coming queer writers by reading their work on my blog, plus buying their books from local, independent queer bookshops, like Portal Bookshop in York (https://the-portal-bookshop.square.site) & Category Is Books in Glasgow (www.categoryisbooks.com). 

Why am I supporting the York LGBT Forum?

As a member of York's local LGBTQ+ community and now a member of the Forum's queer choir, Colours of the Rainbow, I have experienced first-hand the literally life-saving work that they do. The Forum is run entirely by volunteers & is a true labour of love. It saves lives. It is always there and never lets us down. Now, with the setbacks and uncertainties of the COVID pandemic, the Forum & Colours of the Rainbow are under more pressure than ever to deliver their life-saving and -sustaining services to the most vulnerable in the local LGBTQ+ community. Through this project, I am donating what knowledge & skills I have to support them & my community. 

How long do we have to fundraise?

One month: through the month of August 2020.

How much should I donate? 

The target is only £150, so small amounts will go a really long way. if 15 folks donate £10 each, we're done! If 30 folks donate £5 each--presto, we're done! 

Please do contribute what you can happily spare, but even if you can't afford it right now, you can still enjoy the blog. Whatever you do, please share this page with your nearest and queerest so more folks can hear about it & consider supporting the Forum's fabulous work. 

Your donation goes directly to queer community care

Your gift will go directly to the York LGBT Forum & flow right back into the queer community in the form of life-saving community care that the Forum creates & offers completely for free: from support groups creating a safe haven for LGBTQ+ youth, older queer folks, folks battling isolation, and the most vulnerable in our communities, to offering hate crime prevention & survivor support, mental health & well-being resources, groups, events, socials, a helpline, and so much more. 

More details on their services at:  https://www.yorklgbtforum.org.uk/health-wellbeing/

Note on data protection: JustGiving is a secure platform that will not sell your details on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the York LGBT Forum.