The Covid-19 pandemic has meant numerous things for disabled LGBTQ+ people. LGBTQ+ spaces and venues have become inaccessible for all, with social lives being moved online, by telephone and in online spaces. For those shielding, queer kinship and chosen families have been essential for support. The panel will be discussing their experiences in the past year and their thoughts on the way forward for a LGBTQ community that fosters accessibility and care. We’ll be joined by Wayne, Sop and Michaela who will talk a little about their experiences of being queer, disabled and how the pandemic has impacted them with time to share all our experiences.

Wayne Allingham performs as Sugar Cube. He has hosted his LGBTQ+ Disabled Queer and Hear drag cabaret night at RVT and Two Brewers and will restart in 2021.

Sop is a London based non-binary artist and musician making film, performance, sound, writing, and workshops. Their work centres on modes of sociality rather than dominant notions of productivity and wellness. Exhibition, The Den, is now on at the Wellcome Collection until April 2021.

Michaela works at Ignition Brewery in Sydenham which employs and trains people with learning disabilities to brew great beer.