Artist statement

This work was commissioned to represent Pride month.

The characters within the work are colourful, fun and attempt to represent everyone within our community. The fight for equality is an ongoing battle, but as a society it is recognised that there are different views. Unfortunately, this work has now become a forced, visible debate.

Over the last few weeks this work has been attacked numerous times, it has been defaced with words that discriminate, it has been slashed and then visibly repaired, it has been whited out and defaced, which is why this statement has been produced.

This work still stands to emphasise how important and valuable queer representation is and illustrates the ongoing battle the queer community face in everyday life. Thank you to everyone who sent messages of support and helped to preserve the work. Love will always outweigh the hate.

We are here and we are queer.

“This world would be a whole lot better if we just made an effort to be less horrible to one another.” – Elliot Page

Reading list

Abraham, A. (2020) Queer Intentions: A (personal) journey through LGBTQ+ culture. Pan Macmillan.

Butler, J. (2004) Undoing gender. New York, NY: Routledge.

Doonan, S. (2019) Drag: The complete story. London: Laurence King Publishing.

Faye, S. (2021) The transgender issue. Allen Lane.

Hines, S. and Taylor, M. (2018) Is gender fluid?: A Primer for the 21st Century. London: Thames & Hudson.

Perry, G. (2017) The descent of man. London: Penguin Books.

Windust, J. (2021) In their shoes: Navigating non-binary life. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Woodward, K. (2005) Questioning identity: Gender, class, nation. Boca Raton, FL: Routledge, an imprint of Taylor and Francis.

Local resources

Goodvibes LGBT Youth Group Swansea

LGBT Cymru Helpline

Mermaids

Stonewall

MIND OUT

Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline

Transaid Cymru