Unity Unfiltered: Voices from the LGBTQ+ Frontlines

In celebration of diversity and solidarity, this panel discussion brings together three inspiring LGBTQ+ activists who have fearlessly navigated the front-lines of advocacy and activism. Their stories, experiences, and insights promise to ignite conversation, challenge perspectives, and inspire action.

Speakers include:

Kell Farshéa
Kell w Farshéa (they) is a nonbinary intersex trans woman. They are a poet, a writer and a historian, who has been an anarchist for 43 years. From Orgreave to Section 28, trade unionism to the Camberwell Squatted Centre, the Poll Tax to Trans Liberation – they have been involved in many anarchist and anti-authoritarian activism for over four decades. They were press officer for ACT UP London (89-92), co-founded the UK Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence in 1990, founded the Spanner campaign (1992-1997), SMPride Marches (1992-2003), The Spanner Trust (1996- ), and were co founder of Institute of SM Studies in 2019.

They live in London with a companion animal.

Dani Singer
Dani has been squeezing through the gaps in their imaginative borders since realising their queer/trans identity over six years ago. This adventure has led them to work with many queer activist groups and change-makers, including the Gay Liberation Front, ACT UP London, and The Love Tank, and they are a founding member of the Queer Tours of London collective. More recently, Dani has been working in nightlife in welfare support, trying to realise the capacity for night-time spaces to model new, abolitionist ways of being as the co-founder of Safe Only Ltd. Dani also works in archiving and as a theatre maker, with an increasingly manifest ambition to revive the east London Yiddish Theatre tradition.

Rob DesRoches
Rob DesRoches, Director and Founder of Forest Gayte Pride CIC, is a prominent figure in LGBTQ+ advocacy, leveraging his talents in music, education, and community organising to champion inclusivity and empowerment. As a founding member of the Queer band “Big Boys Camp,” Rob has graced stages nationwide, using music to amplify queer voices and spread messages of love and acceptance. His performances at the Queer Spirit Festival and beyond inspire joy and solidarity. In addition to his musical endeavours, Rob is deeply involved in education, advocating tirelessly for LGBTQ+ rights within educational settings. His leadership at Forest Gayte Pride CIC has cultivated a vibrant community, offering spaces of belonging and empowerment through Pride festivals, workshops, and collaborative partnerships. Rob’s dedication to social justice infuses every aspect of his work, shaping environments of acceptance and allyship. His vision for a more inclusive world resonates through Forest Gayte Pride CIC, inspiring meaningful change locally and beyond.

This event takes place in the main area of the library.