Explore what it means to identify as LGBTQ in the UK today
A community of women using the power of words to celebrate sexuality without stigma or shame
Scarlet Ladies was born one cold winter’s day in a coffee shop. In its very earliest days, it was just a little meet-up group where women could go to feel great about themselves. We have come a long way since then…
Sixty years have passed since the Wolfenden Report of 1957 which paved the way towards the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK. A lot has changed since then, yet bullying, fear, legal wrangles, employment issues, discrimination, stereotyping and ridicule remain a reality for LGBTQ people in the UK, today and every day – we still have a long way to go.
Our heteronormative British society fails time and time again to kick the age-old habit of prejudice. Homo-, bi- and transphobia start young, with the Stonewall School Report revealing that a shocking 80% of transgender pupils in the UK have resorted to self-harm in response to bullying – over half attempt suicide.
Scarlet Ladies now empowers and connects women around the world. Our community is open to all, regardless of your sexual orientation or preference. We always say it is about how you like it, not who you like it with. We believe that by destigmatising the conversation around female sexuality, we help women grow in confidence, love their bodies and live boldly in all aspects of life, without fear or shame.
Wanna learn more about our Scarlet Ladies community, and whether it’s for you?
Book to meet us on a Tuesday evening!https://t.co/BsNQI6PySK pic.twitter.com/9mnHmWT8qd— Scarlet Ladies (@ScarletLadies) October 29, 2017
Alyssa Black, trans woman, geek, atheist and kinkster, joins Scarlet Ladies to host our next event: an all-LGBTQ panel in a no-holds-barred exploration of what it means and how it feels to live as an LGBTQ individual in Britain today. LGBTQ officer for Reading Labour, Alyssa is also Trans Liaison Officer at Support U, a charity providing LGBTQ support services across the Thames Valley, and campaigns on issues such as sex education and legal rights for trans people. A believer in the power of education to drive change, Alyssa believes that:
“As a society, we need to understand that age appropriate sex education (including LGBTQ education) is the single best way to achieve the change we want to see.”
Alyssa is joined on the panel by bisexual Emily Denton, speaking openly about how her sexual choices have affected her relationships with those around her, and ITalkSex campaigner, Endrielly. Now sexually abstinent, Endrielly has a history of sexual abuse and identifies as pansexual. She told Scarlet Ladies:
“The battle between who I am and what people expect has affected my mental health for most of my life. Sexuality is a huge part of our identities, and it’s something that affects us daily thanks to society’s misunderstanding, misconception and belief that others can tell us how we should live and how we should love.”
Our frank and wide-ranging conversation will uncover the personal, professional, public and private issues still faced by LGBTQ individuals in the UK today, and explore how we can all become better allies for LGBTQ communities around the world regardless of personal sexual orientation.
Join us on Tuesday 7 November for It's My Normal: Being LGBTQ at 23 Paul Street, London. To register, click here.
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