Understand the LGBTQIA+ news: A queer perspective on a week of racist riots in the UK

It's been a horrific week here in the UK, with some significant news around the Cass Review as well as the anti-immigration and fascist riots.

So I wanted to reflect on a powerful reminder I heard this week. It took the form of a rather special performance at the Margate Arts Club, for the finale of the legendary series ‘Is A Drag’.

Shorty, a drag character portraying a young non-binary person's struggles, joined the stage bouncing with hope, joy and energy about the world. They described being non-binary as having lots of legs but only being allowed to stand on one.

Then they shared the story of wetting themself after not being allowed to use either gendered toilet at school. They viscerally described the knife-like pain when you really need to go.  And they brought it all to life in an upsetting performance where the wonderful character 'danced' on one leg and spilt their Capri-sun down their shorts.

But just as Sharan Dhaliwal expertly reminds us in this week's coverage of the riots from a queer perspective, this moving performance was a pertinent reminder of how us queers both endure and ultimately win out in these moments.

Shorty made a rousing speech about how, although school had been so tough, they'd found love, unity and home in our queer community. With the friends they'd made. With the community that showed up for them time and again. They then invited members of the audience to come up and hug them.

In moments where change feels insurmountable and just being ourselves in the street is dangerous, we must hold onto one thing: We've got each other.

They want to divide us, to make us fight with each other - not with them. We're better than that. We’re stronger together.

I'll be out in the street at Margate Pride today, screaming for trans rights, for us to become an anti-racist society and one that rejects the notion that difference is bad.

Difference and plurality are what makes the UK strong. It’s what makes being queer so powerful. It’s why our community is so wonderful to be part of.

At QueerAF, we are all too acutely aware of the media's role in this week's riots. It's why we're working week in week out to support queer creatives to change the media, to change the country. Our outlet for the anger we feel this week is our work, and we've got your back.

Understand the LGBTQIA+ headlines and keep track of the latest queer content and perspectives. QueerAF is written by Jamie Wareham and another queer creative each week.

💬 This week:

• Riots: Burnt Roti's Sharan Dhaliwal reflects on this week's unrest, racism and anti-immigration rioting from a queer perspective in this week's top slot
• Cass Review: The NHS announced its plans to fully implement the report, despite growing medical consensus against its credibility.  
• Olympics: The arbitrary gender binary in sports is harming fairness, non-binary boxer Ray Cooper argues in the Queer Gaze. 

Skip the doomscrolling and support queer creatives instead. We are QueerAF – and so are you.

We’ve been divided and told to hate each other, but love brings us back

TL;DR: The UK saw a wave of racist, anti-immigration and fascist rioting this week. Though sparked by misinformation about the background of a man who stabbed three young girls, commentators, pundits and activists have pointed to the widespread anti-immigration narratives in both the media and around the general election that has fueled racist sentiment across the UK. Burnt Roti magazine's Sharan Dhaliwal reflects on the week.