Hey! So Glad You're Here.
JAKe Wiles
Gender: Transgender man
Sexuality: Pansexual
Occupation: Full time Music and Music Psychology student
Where do you call home: Essex
Interests: Music, Psychology, Philosophy, Astronomy, and all things that keep me ever so slightly existential.
Fun Fact: I collect shot glasses from every country that I've visited so when I'm older I can 'drink to my travels'.
Inspiring Moment: My lockdown saviour is Brené Brown, I've read her books multiple times now and I always try to start my day by saying one of her famous quotes: 'today I choose courage over comfort.'
Articles Written/Collaborated On: Ben Barres Queer Icon
How/Why you got involved with Queermunity: I wanted to join Queermunity because I've had a bumpy ride embracing being queer. In order to continue with my journey of self acceptance I wanted to immerse myself with people who are not only supportive, but advocate queerness. I found that in Queermunity and am loving being part of a team that promotes the beauty of queer.
If you had a microphone loud enough to speak to the whole world...what would you say: Listen.
Gender: Cis woman
Sexuality: Bisexual/Queer
Occupation: Full Time Classical Studies Student
Where do you call home: Exeter, Oxford, South Africa
Interests: Ancient history and Greek and Roman mythology and literature. Finding the wackiest parts of Classics and talking about them to anyone who will listen, or not. Musicals and cult films – particularly Rocky Horror Picture Show and Little Shop of Horrors. Feminist activism and sex positive education. Christopher Pike’s fiction books which make me question the very nature of existence. Running for long periods of time and dancing. Bad horror films. One day getting more tattoos. The presentation of women in creative reinterpretations and translations of Greek and Roman epic. Being told I am the queen of brownies.
Fun Fact: My family and I were asked to look after a leopard-gecko at the end of March 2020 just for three weeks...Lizzy is now a permanent and much loved member of the family.
Inspiring Moment: Reading ‘The Season of Passage’ by Christopher Pike. My friends who have forever been there for me. My sixth form Classics teachers. Exeter’s Sarah Everard Vigil. Following on instagram inspiring feminists, queer icons and incredible organisations looking to improve Sex Ed.
Articles Written/Collaborated On: ‘Lili Elbe: Queer Icon’
How/Why you got involved with Queermunity: Had a 2am creative surge of ideas for the Queermunity social media. Messaged the lovely Managing Editor who is also one of my oldest and closest friends and the rest is history. I also wanted to get more involved with the LGBTQIA+ community and loved the message of Queermunity.
Katie Foster
Harriet steele
Gender: Cis woman
Sexuality: Asexual/Queer
Occupation: Full Time Social Anthropology Student. Full Time Procrastinator.
Where do you call home: Edinburgh & Wherever my family are.
Interests: The radical potential of asexuality as a queer theory. Audre Lorde. Confronting and questioning the Nature/Culture divide - ‘why we gotta be humans?’. Kinship through family photographs and houses. Being a spiritual atheist. Owning a lizard one day.
Fun Fact: I can document my life by the colour of my hair.
Inspiring Moment: If I was being sentimental I would say my sister always. That one time Tom Holland popped off - you all know what I’m referring to. Random acts of kindness strangers have shown me over the course of my existence.
Articles Written/Collaborated On: ‘Existing in a Maths Symbol’. ‘Dear Luke, Love Me’. ‘Reading the Queer in Good Omens’.
How/Why you got involved with Queermunity: I wanted to be the Asexual voice you don’t hear all that often and to help others shout.
If you had a microphone loud enough to speak to the whole world...what would you say: Life’s scary but that’s why we have each other.
Fizzy Meredith
Gender: Cis woman
Sexuality: Queer
Occupation: I’m a third year International Relations and International Law student.
Where do you call home: The beautiful city of Edinburgh!
Interests: Carefully curating and adding to my essential Queer YA reading list, classics, rugby, and finding the best places for vegan brunch in Edinburgh with my friends (read: found family!)
Inspiring Moment: ie., Quote, Person, Book, Existence? There have been too many but, to name a few: my mum and my friends (both online and in person) inspire me daily, the Aeneid quote ‘forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit’ keeps me going in the hard times, and @bodyposipanda on instagram provides endless inspiration in numerous ways. And, just for fun, the queer pirate show Black Sails, I’ve never watched (or read) anything else which deals with queerness and identity so beautifully and impactfully.
Articles Written/Collaborated On: Queer Icons: Mary Renault
How/Why you got involved with Queermunity: I worked with Michael (my fellow founder) organising the first ever Bi Pride UK. It was certainly a trial by fire for our friendship but I was super proud of what we accomplished, and so when he approached me about setting up a queer magazine I couldn’t say yes fast enough!
If you had a microphone loud enough to speak to the whole world...what would you say: Ask questions, be curious, find your people, take a stand when you see that something isn’t right.
Michael Cerasi
Gender: Cis man
Sexuality: Bisexual/Pansexual/Queer
Occupation: Project Manager at myGwork, Transformational Life Coach at The Rainbow Coach & Mentor at Learnest.
Where do you call home: London, baby
Interests: Eating, Netflix aficionado, dancing queen, wanderlust, queer activism, drag, musicals and spending too much money
Fun Fact: I hosted online drag lip sync battles during the pandemic.
Inspiring Moment: ie., Quote, Person, Book, Existence? My grandmother told me to always tell myself ‘Yes I can’ and I remind myself whenever I am in doubt.
Articles Written/Collaborated On: William Dorsey Swann - Queer Icon. Watch this space, I hope to write an article soon.
How/Why you got involved with Queermunity: I hoped to amplify the voices of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Develop a safe space for us to be able to express ourselves freely, support each other and educate people about our experiences.
If you had a microphone loud enough to speak to the whole world...what would you say: Black lives matter, Trans rights are human rights, let’s embrace authenticity and vulnerability and have the strength to have challenging conversations. Admitting you are wrong is not a sign of weakness - not making a change is.
Kendal leflore
Gender: Cis woman
Sexuality: Queer
Occupation: Third Year International Relations and International Law Student
Where do you call home: Houston/Edinburgh
Interests: Indigenous land rights and sovereignty. Homemade hot sauce. Economics (but only the interesting stuff, I swear). The Great Republic of Texas. Everything that will make me a great dad one day (baseball, bad jokes, button-downs).
Fun Fact: I went to the same performing arts high school as Beyoncé! Also, a ceiling fell on me once. Those are unrelated, but both gave me back pain.
Inspiring Moment: Joan Didion’s entire body of work and also my high school English teacher, obviously.
Articles Written/Collaborated On: ‘Coming to My Senses,’ ‘Paula Gunn Allen: Queer Icon’
How/Why you got involved with Queermunity: After working with some of the team at the first ever Bi Pride UK, I was really thrilled to hear about the new magazine. When Fizzy, one of the co-founders, reached out, I was so excited for the opportunity to continue finding ways to support the LGBTQ+ community!
If you had a microphone loud enough to speak to the whole world...what would you say: We’re only frightened by what we don’t understand. Go out in the world and learn from people who are different from you!!
Malika sumra
Gender: Cis woman
Sexuality: Queer
Occupation: Full time student at Fashion School
Where do you call home: London
Interests: Art, Music, playing with my dog, staying up until 4am binge watching a Netflix show and then hating myself for being tired the next day
Fun Fact: I used to do Bollywood dance and performed outside a department store.
Inspiring Moment: ie., Quote, Person, Book, Existence? Ummmm ….
How/Why you got involved with Queermunity: I wanted to get involved with the LGBTQIA+ community to meet people similar to me and also be part of something that could help someone else accept themselves and love who they are.
If you had a microphone loud enough to speak to the whole world...what would you say: Never live your life according to other people’s opinions, do what makes you happy, be you and if you don’t know who that is that’s okay because life is about experimenting and exploring the possibilities.
Sam Watts
Gender: Cis female
Sexuality: Bisexual
Occupation: Swamp Witch
Where do you call home: saaaaaaaaaaaaaafend baby!
Interests: feminism, hummus, coming back to work for QM, maniacal laughter, caffeine, equal rights, weak puns, bargains at Lidl, owning too many candles, talking about my cats to anyone who looks at me, drags, finding where I put my damn glasses, and cursing those who wander into my swamp. Oh… and like, world peace or something ✌️
Fun Fact: My spag bol is better than yours
Inspiring Moment: ie., Quote, Person, Book, Existence? Watching my mum be an absolutely amazing woman is a huge inspiration to me
Articles Written/Collaborated On: Coming Out At Work, My Queer Sister, A Canadian Woman
How/Why you got involved with Queermunity: I loved the idea of helping to create a sense of community and a warm safe space for us all as well as being able to hear all these fascinating stories that you never get to hear. When our Co-Founder Michael came to discuss the idea of a project like Queermunity with Fizzy (also Co-Founder) & I, I jumped at the chance and the rest is history. 2020 seemed to have a personal vendetta against me, so I had to take a step down from QM for a while, but cannot wait to come back this summer!
If you had a microphone loud enough to speak to the whole world...what would you say: No one knows what they’re doing half the time, you’ll be fine! Be kind to others and be kind to yourself. Listening will only make you better at all this human stuff and remember life is short and bittersweet, try not to take it too seriously!