D&D Satellite: Let's Find Ways To Elevate LBTQ+ Voices, So They Carry The Same Weight In Theatre As The Gay Cis-Male Voice.

However, something that has become starkly apparent to me over this time is how prominent the 'G' (gay cis-male) voice is on the fringe, in the main houses and at festivals. In fact in our first year almost 80% of shows we reviewed followed a gay, cisgender male narrative. This is a wonderful progression for my cis-male counterparts  - it’s great that they are getting their work to these stages, but I'm desperate to hear more female / gender queer / trans and non-binary voices on the same platforms. I wait a long time to see myself represented on stage, and when I do, it can sometimes be disappointing - often the fact that a character is a lesbian is the crux of the piece: we watch them battle through homophobia, a difficult 'coming-out' or other sexuality based issue, but surely it's time for a broader conversation and wider representation? 

So, how can we work together to champion the lesser-heard voices and ensure they're not only loud and diverse across the Fringe, but also in the larger houses?

Can we move conversations beyond homophobia and 'coming-out'- to see characters and stories in which sexuality or gender identity is incidental to the plot? 

What can we do to ensure even more marginalised voices are heard, such as those belonging to the LGBT+ community that are BAME or are disabled. 

Can we support lesbian, trans and non-binary artists to get their work beyond the queer fringe and in to mainstream?

What might support LGBT festivals to ensure they don't become cis-male dominated? 

How would you like to see the LGBT+ community represented on stage?

What are the problems / frustrations / challenges you meet when making this work?

These are my questions, but I hope you will have lots more. Perhaps you're a theatre maker, a writer or actor keen to see this work progress. Maybe you're audience and are still seeking out the shows you want to see. Perhaps you work for a venue and notice there is a gap in your programming. Perhaps you're a straight ally keen to write LGBT+ narratives and want to learn more. Whoever you are, bring your ideas, dreams, projects, questions or issues and join me to meet and start changing the world.