Latest news with #JunoDawson
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'We'll still be trans even if politicians try to legislate us out of existence'
Juno Dawson is the bestselling author of the Her Majesty's Royal Coven series, non-fiction books This Book is Gay and What's The T?, and has written for the most recent series of Doctor Who. The author joins Yahoo's Queer Voices to discuss her new novel Human Rites, rising intolerance toward the trans community, and how to make real change. Human Rites is the final book in the HMRC series, and it is out now. This is a challenging time to be a trans or non-binary person. I'm not gonna sit here and pretend that things are getting better because actually they really do seem to be getting worse, and I do think there is a strange power in acknowledging that. But I take a strange comfort in knowing that cisgender politicians can try to legislate us out of existence, but we will still be trans. There isn't a tidal wave on this planet that could stop me from being who I am, and the genie's out of the bottle. Everybody in the world knows what it is to be transgender, what it is to be non-binary, and you can't put the genie back in the box. So let these people talk about it, and I think it's important that while they do that, we live our lives and we try to find joy locally in our communities, that we try to make the towns and cities and the villages that we live in as tolerant and inclusive and joyful as they can be. That's why we need Pride because, actually, these people do not want to see us flourish. And so I think it's more important than ever for us to party and to celebrate, and to be ourselves loudly and colourfully and joyfully. Ending the Her Majesty's Royal Coven trilogy with Human Rites Her Majesty's Royal Coven first came out in 2022, and it was always my hope that it would provide a sanctuary for all kinds of readers, but especially queer readers. I always wanted this to be a very diverse group of witches and, in particular, my coven was metaphorical for women, all women, and introducing Theo, who is a young trans witch, to that coven and to see the way that the coven embraces her was what I needed as both a reader and as an author. So the fact that since the first book came out, it really has reached so many LGBTQ+ people has meant the absolute world because this book has found its audience in a way that perhaps my previous novels hadn't. I started writing this book in 2020. It was the height of lockdown, we all had nowhere to go and nothing to do, I really did think we were all gonna die. But it blew my mind that there were so many people in the UK, particularly in the press, who were really, really obsessed with trans women and particularly trans youth, and so I kind of took it upon myself with this novel to try and figure out why some people have a problem with trans people. And so Theo is a young witch who arrives at this coven presenting as a young man but very, very quickly, the main character Niamh realises that she's a young trans woman, and while most of the witches welcomed her into the coven a witch called Helena has a real problem with Theo and doesn't think that she should be included in the coven. Through the character of Helen, I was able to kind of work out that the only reason you would have a problem with all trans women was if you had something prejudice within your heart, and that was really, really freeing for me as a trans woman. So, actually, the character of Theo has really unlocked a lot of my confusion about how we find ourselves in this position as a nation. We have now arrived at the final book in the trilogy, Human Rites, Part 3, and all the threads wrap up in this book. It's in two parts and in the first part we deal with all of the drama left over from book 2, I think I'm allowed to say now that Niamh, RIP, is back from the dead, Theo has brought her back at the end of book 2 and so the first half of the book deals with Niamh readjusting to being back in our world having come back from the beyond. Part 2 is all-out war, action sequences, no spoilers, but all the witches go to war, and there's a lot of action in the second half of the book. I hope people really like it. I'm really sad to leave the coven behind. I actually came up with the idea in 2018, so this represents about seven years of work, spending seven years in the company of these characters whom I've become incredibly fond of, and I know that readers have as well. But for now, it's time to move on and write new characters in different worlds, but I so enjoyed spending time with this coven and, honestly, it's changed my life. The importance of queer fiction and non-fiction Some people might not know that This Book is Gay, a non-fiction book I wrote 10 years ago as a guide for young LGBTQ people, is presently the third most banned or challenged book in the United States. And I think that shows that there is still absolutely a need for books about being LGBTQ, because to some people, there is still something controversial about us. There are young people all around the world getting this message that their identity, their feelings, is something that should be repressed, or hidden, or something to be ashamed of, and I don't think it is. I think there is always going to be a place for straight-talking fiction and nonfiction, especially because so much of what you read on the internet is contradictory and confusing and so full of vitriol. So my message has always been to young LGBTQ people that I'm fine and you're gonna be fine, and you are the way you are and we were Born This Way as Lady Gaga once memorably said. I wrote the Eurovision episode of Doctor Who that aired earlier this year. I have been a Doctor Who fan since I was a very small child. I used to write Doctor Who fan fiction — though we didn't call it that in the '90s — and it's a childhood dream come true. I woke up to an email from Russell T Davis, I think in early 2022, saying: 'Eurovision meets Die Hard, what do you think?' And I immediately was like, 'Oh my God, yes!' It's been such a privilege and a pleasure to work underneath Russell, going back and forward to Cardiff to the Bradwell studios, to see the whole process come together. I've been adapting my books and working on original scripts for a few years now, but to join something as huge as Doctor Who that's a massive global brand, it's on Disney+ now, to see something of that magnitude come together and to work with an incredible director like Ben Williams, and actors Ncuti Gatwa and Verada Sethu, it has truly been just the most brilliant experience. I kept waiting for it to get difficult, or for it to stop being fun, and it really didn't. I don't know what happens next when you've achieved your childhood dream. I don't really know how you follow that! Queer favourites As a child of the 90s, we were slightly starved of LGBTQ representation, but it was also a time of emerging representation. For me, the obvious one is Willow Rosenberg from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, her relationship with Tara was really foundational. Jack on Dawson's Creek crying as he read his coming out poem, that's gonna stay with us. And, of course, things like Will and Grace and Will Young on Pop Idol, Nadia Almada on Big Brother. It was a really interesting time; it felt like being part of something. But I think where we're at now, we have greater diversity of characters, and the internet has meant that none of us are the only gay in the village anymore, we're all one global community. And, for me, the internet really changed my understanding of myself because what I didn't have was any trans role models, and without the internet, I wouldn't have found people like Andreja Pejić, Laverne Cox, Paris Lees, Munroe Bergdorf. It was those people who enabled me to realise who I was and see myself in those people. So that's why we we do need representation through the arts, but I also think it's really important to hear queer voices. The chaotic trans representation I probably needed to see growing up was Jules from Euphoria, so wonderful played by Hunter Schaefer. Because she's a mess and she's really flawed, and I think that would have brought me comfort as a teenager. There is no doubt in my mind that if I had been born 20 years later, I would have transitioned as a child, because I would have had that information at my fingertips, so I would have been Jules, kind of. Because I grew up in the '90s, there weren't really any out trans women really for me to identify with. However, there were lots of kind of queer-coded characters that I really loved as a child. The obvious one that comes to me immediately is Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns as Catwoman. There was something about her transformation from mild-mannered Selina Kyle into this kind of deadly vixen Cat Woman who takes revenge on the man who killed her, the man who oppressed her; there was something really empowering about that. And there was something about those kinds of characters who transformed, whether it was Shera or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, there was something about that transformation that somehow really spoke to me as a young closeted trans person. So it was more, for me, about finding empowering female role models as much as it was about finding queer female role models. Looking to the future There's always backlash towards the LGBTQ+ community, I think, and that has always been the way for queer progress. We take a step forward, and we get knocked back. And there's always respectability politics around it, like 'Oh my gosh, you're protesting wrong, or you're the wrong kind of queer, you're the wrong kind of gay. You're too sexual, you're too trans, you're not trans enough.' There's always this sort of gnarliness around progress. But I think, for me, having really considered leaving the UK when things have been particularly hostile towards the trans community I sort of looked at places like New Zealand, which have sort of slid backwards a little bit in terms of their politics, and I've realised that politics is a game that politicians play and the barometer slides backwards and forwards. Right now, it's sliding worryingly backward, and I think we have to call it what it is: we are seeing the rise of fascism in various places around the world, and we shouldn't be shy about saying that. But I think the response to that is to stop worrying about things on a macro level and think about your local community, and that's why I think grassroots local Prides are increasingly important, because actually, we don't live on the same global stage as politicians. We live in our towns, we live in our villages, and we live in our cities, so what can we do on a really small local level to make sure that people have access to housing? Have access to healthcare, have access to food, what can we do to help people out of poverty? And I think that's the way forward, let's make sure that our local schools are the best possible schools that they can be. If I have to leave one message to trans youth, it's that you will outlive Donald Trump. The future of queer storytelling is interesting. The important thing for me, the phrase that has stayed with me that my friend told me, was to leave down the ladder and so it's really important for me to leave down the ladder. I've just read the most amazing fantasy novel by young trans writer called Petra Lord called Queen of Faces, for example. It's really weird because I have dealt with —and I'm not gonna name any names— some trans creators who want to be the only one. It's a bit like the Iron Throne; only one person can sit on the Iron Throne. Whereas I'm like, no, we need more because as I get older, I feel like my audience grows up with me. So we need new queer talent always coming in so that the generation below me and below that generation has a voice as well. It's just about leaving the ladder down and continuing investment in queer art. I mean that as well. I'm not just being polite.
Gizmodo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
82 New Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Books Arriving in July
If your bookshelves are feeling lonely this month, look no further: io9's got a huge list of new arrivals for sci-fi, fantasy, and horror fans. Keep reading for two or three or 12 new titles you'll want to add to your to-read pile. Archive of Unknown Universes by Ruben Reyes Jr. 'A piercing debut novel following two families in alternative timelines of the Salvadoran civil war—a stunning exploration of the mechanisms of fate, the gravity of the past, and the endurance of love.' (July 1) The Curse That Binds by Laura Thalassa This standalone romantasy prequel to the author's Bewitched follows the origin story of Roxilana, involving 'a queen destined for magic. A king cursed by love. A fate no one could outrun.' (July 1) A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan 'This stunning slow-burn romantasy follows a fated pair who uncover a world-changing secret and are thrust into a violent class war, navigating love, loss, and devastating betrayals.' (July 1) Grave Birds by Dana Elmendorf 'This twisty, fresh take on a Southern gothic follows a mysterious, charming bachelor as he makes his way into a small town, bringing a plague and the devil with him.' (July 1) Human Rites by Juno Dawson The HMRC trilogy concludes as 'with Her Majesty's Royal Coven in shambles and the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the sisterhood of friends and witches must find a new way of putting together the pieces if (wo)mankind is to stand a chance.' (July 1) Inferno's Shadow by Taylor Anderson 'Lost in a mysterious world, far from all they knew in 1847 America, Colonel Lewis Cayce and his soldiers must face the unimaginable might of the Dominion once and for all in this gripping alternate history.' (July 1) Infinite Archive by Mur Lafferty 'Amateur sleuth Mallory Viridian has just about got her bearings aboard the space station she calls home, but now the physical embodiment of the Internet is on its way, and it's bringing murder with it.' (July 1) My Ex, the Antichrist by Craig DiLouie 'A horror novel with a twisted tale of love, heartbreak, and the apocalypse. We all have bad exes. Lily Lawlor's just happens to be the antichrist. Sometimes, love can be hell.' (July 1) The Peculiar Gift of July by Ashley Ream 'With a dash of magic and a cast of oddball, small-town characters, this feel-good novel explores forgiveness, family, and the sense of humor it takes to live with the ones we love the most.' (July 1) Space Trucker Jess by Matthew Kressel A scrappy teen estranged from her grifter father goes on a cross-galaxy odyssey to track him down when he goes missing, encountering 'vanished planets, strange societies, inscrutable alien gods, and mind-bending secrets that may change humanity's path forever.' (July 1) Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon 'A merchant's daughter who yearns for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she falls for a broodingly handsome stranger in this saucy romantasy.' A Critical Role book. (July 1) A Vassal of Shadow by J.C. Robins 'At the onset of an epic holy war, a young vassal will learn: If he wants to play games with gods, he must be prepared to lose everything.' (July 1) The Winds of Fate by S.M. Stirling The Make the Darkness Light series continues as 'Artorius and his team must race against time to thwart a looming clash between two ancient powers, navigating a treacherous landscape where their actions could rewrite history and spark a catastrophic conflict.' (July 1) Arthur by Giles Kristian This Arthurian tale follows an aging mercenary tasked with murdering a child that could be the savior of Britain—but instead decides to take the boy to Camelot instead. (July 8) Ascension by S.T. Gibson 'From the international bestselling author of Evocation comes its hotly anticipated and spellbinding sequel, where Rhys steps into his new role as High Priest. A magical read for lovers of traditional urban fantasy.' (July 8) The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths A detective who solves cold cases using the help of time travel visits 1850 London to solve a puzzling mystery—and finds herself trapped in the past while her son faces shocking accusations in the present. (July 8) The Gryphon King by Sara Omer 'The first in a sweeping Southwest Asian-inspired epic fantasy trilogy brimming with morally ambiguous characters, terrifying ghouls and deadly monsters.' (July 8) The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley 'Loyalties are tested in this slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romantasy following an assassin and a healer forced to work together to cure a fatal disease, all while resisting the urge to kill each other—or, worse, fall in love.' (July 8) Lore of the Tides by Analeigh Sbrana 'From the author of Lore of the Wilds comes the exciting and passionate conclusion, as Lore navigates Fae magic amid looming dangers that threaten to destroy her world.' (July 8) Never the Roses by Jennifer K. Lambert 'The most powerful sorceress in all the world comes face to face with her greatest rival in this enchanting and seductive fantasy romance debut.' (July 8) Red Tempest Brother by H.M. Long 'The epic naval fantasy trilogy concludes, as Sam, Mary and Benedict play a deadly game of war and espionage on the high-seas.' (July 8) Remote: The Five by Eric Rickstad The Remote series continues as FBI agents with remote-viewing capabilities track the Tableau Killer, who has the same abilities—along with a fierce desire for revenge against the dangerous group that drew out his powers. (July 8) The Secret Market of the Dead by Giovanni De Feo 'An Italian-inspired gothic historical fantasy about a young woman who finds her power in the nocturnal realm that lurks beneath her town.' (July 8) Soulgazer by Maggie Rapier 'With their freedom on the line, a young woman and a rakish pirate take their fate into their own hands as they attempt to find a lost mythical isle with the power to save their entire world.' (July 8) Stone & Sky by Ben Aaronovitch The Rivers of London series continues. 'All Detective Sergeant Peter Grant wanted was a nice holiday up in Scotland. He'll need one once this is over. Sea: check. Sand: some. Sun: sort of—but that's not the only thing in the sky…' (July 8) The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen 'A new heartwarming fantasy rom-com with an opposites-attract twist set in the delightful, donut- and dragon-filled world of Tanria.' (July 8) Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh 'The hunt for a stealthy predator takes a damaged J-Psy to the heart of falcon territory in this new Psy-Changeling Trinity novel.' (July 15) The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 'Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga.' (July 15) The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst This standalone 'cozy fantasy' follows a lonely sorceress who breaks the law and finds herself on an island filled with magical greenhouses and one cranky gardener. Soon she realizes she'll need to break the law (again) and 'unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island―and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.' (July 15) Ghost Cell by Zac Topping 'Blade Runner meets John Wick in this sci-fi action adventure following a super-soldier whose very existence has been outlawed by the same society that created him.' (July 15) Girl in the Creek by Wendy N. Wagner When a woman searching for her missing brother in a Pacific Northwest forest discovers a woman's body, she 'unknowingly puts herself in the crosshairs of very powerful forces―from this world and beyond―hell-bent on keeping their secrets buried.' (July 15) House of Beth by Kerry Cullen 'A haunting and seductive tale of a young career woman who slides quickly into the role of stepmother, in a life that may still belong to someone else.' (July 15) House of Frost and Feathers by Lauren Wiesebron 'A sense of wonder and adventure make up this lyrical debut fantasy of a young woman in search of a home, and a home in search of people to make it feel lived in.' (July 15) The Immeasurable Heaven by Caspar Geon 'An entirely alien cast race across the multiverse in search of a priceless map of the realities in this thrilling cosmic space opera.' (July 15) Inner Space by Jakub Szamalek 'American and Russian astronauts are trapped together in the International Space Station as war breaks out in Ukraine and life support functions begin to fail in this action-packed debut technothriller.' (July 15) The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem 'In the thrilling conclusion to the Egyptian-inspired Scorched Throne duology, a fugitive queen must risk everything and everyone she loves for the chance to restore her lost kingdom of Jasad.' (July 15) Killer on the Road/The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones Two new novels collected as one release from the horror author: a road-trip adventure with a serial killer in hot pursuit, and the tale of a babysitter who realizes the house she's in may be haunted. (July 15) The Memory of the Ogisi by Moses Ose Utomi 'The epic conclusion to Moses Ose Utomi's critically acclaimed Forever Desert series, The Memory of the Ogisi shatters every truth, interrogates every lie, and is a story of oppression you'll never forget.' (July 15) The Nightshade God by Hannah Whitten 'The Nightshade Crown is in the hands of a ruthless god and Lore will stop at nothing to defeat him in the final installment of this lush, romantic fantasy series.' (July 15) One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford 'In this heart-wrenching and unique spin on the zombie mythos, a brilliant scientist desperately searches for a cure after a devastating epidemic while also hiding a monumental secret—her undead husband.' (July 15) Pearl City by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle The Phoenix Hoard series continues: 'When an ancient power rips through the Realm to land in her city, the General will stop at nothing to take it for his own. Emiko must face her past, present, and future, as she races to stop the General. Is Emiko's fate written to be the destroyer of worlds, or can she chart a new course to save her family?' (July 15) Powerless by Harry Turtledove 'In a society where lies are law, a simple act of honesty can become the ultimate rebellion.' (July 15) A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan 'As World War II rages around her, a witch abandoned by her coven must journey to find a book of unspeakable power before it lands in Nazi hands.' (July 15) Royal Gambit by Daniel O'Malley 'A delightful and hilarious supernatural adventure featuring a lady-in-waiting who must keep the court safe from murder.' (July 15) 10,000 Ink Stains: A Memoir by Jeff Lemire 'A hardcover memoir collection showcasing the work of the legendary Eisner Award-winning comic book creator Jeff Lemire, who has created some of the most iconic stories in modern comics.' (July 15) Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland The Broken Blades series concludes: 'After the battle in Quu Harbor, escaping is no longer enough. The most dangerous liars in the four realms have one last mission—return to Yusan and finish what they started. But now a usurper sits on the serpent throne. And he may be more dangerous than the god-king.' (July 15) Uncanny Ireland: Otherworldly Tales of the Strange and Sublime edited by Maria Giakaniki Writers from the 19th century until current times contribute to this collection of stories that build on Ireland's history of fantastic fiction, 'reworking elements of folklore into modern tales of the weird and macabre.' (July 15) A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna 'A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track.' (July 15) The Confessions by Paul Bradley Carr When the world's most powerful supercomputer suddenly goes dark, humanity scrambles to adjust to an analog existence. The chaos gets much worse once millions of people receive letters ordering them to confess their darkest secrets and crimes. (July 22) Daughters of Flood and Fury by Gabriella Buba 'This powerful sequel to Saints of Storm and Sorrow brims with unruly magic and pirates, moon-eating dragons, and sizzling Sapphic romance.' (July 22) The Last Wizard's Ball by Charlaine Harris '[In] the sixth and final installment in the critically acclaimed Gunnie Rose series, sisters Lizbeth Rose and Felicia must face their fates at the last Wizards' Ball.' (July 22) The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw A student at the Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted, 'the premiere academy for the dangerously powerful,' must team up with her classmates to survive the school's annual tradition of post-graduation carnage. (July 22) The Pack by Z.W. Taylor The Moon Blood Saga continues as Charlotte finds her peaceful new life among Alaska's Thunderhead werewolf pack threatened by a surprise arrival. (July 22) Red Rabbit Ghost by Jen Julian 'An impulsive young outcast confronts his small town's dark secrets in this atmospheric and haunting debut horror novel.' (July 22) Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan 'Combining elements of Latina and Indigenous culture, family drama, mystery, horror, and magical realism in a spellbinding mix, Salt Bones lays bare the realities of environmental catastrophe, family secrets, and the unrelenting bond between mothers and daughters.' (July 22) A Shift of Time by Julie E. Czerneda The Night's Edge series continues over a summer in Marrowdell, where 'its wild magic is out of sorts' and causing dangerous mayhem for Bannan and Jenn. (July 22) Small Fires by Ronnie Turner 'Suspected of murdering their parents, sisters Lily and Della flee to a strange, unnamed island in Scotland, and their arrival puts in motion a horrifying series of events.' (July 22) Volatile Memory by Seth Haddon 'This is How You Lose the Time War meets Ex Machina: Seth Haddon's science fiction debut is a sapphic sci-fi action adventure novella.' (July 22) The Alchemy of Flowers by Laura Resau 'A broken woman. A mysterious job ad. A chance to heal in French castle gardens—but strange things are growing behind the ancient stone walls.' (July 29) Angel Down by Daniel Kraus 'An immersive, cinematic novel about five World War I soldiers who stumble upon a fallen angel that could hold the key to ending the war.' (July 29) Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell 'When a mysterious figure shows up in the photograph an architect takes of the derelict Seabrink Hotel, ghostly encounters and murder are unleashed.' (July 29) Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo 'This sweeping historical fantasy set in a lush, Puerto Rico-inspired world, uses magical realism to combine Caribbean carnaval culture and the mythology of the Taíno—the Indigenous people of the region—in a gripping exploration of community, reclamation, and healing in defiance of a violent past.' (July 29) Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado 'The start of a thrilling epic fantasy trilogy centered around three families' fight for power in Ahkebulin, a land where magic is feared, giants are real, and prophecy holds sway.' (July 29) A Covenant of Ice by Karin Lowacheel 'In this final chapter of the Crowns of Ishia series, the survival of the Ba'Suon people, their dragons, and the land itself rests on the decisions of Lilley, Janan, and Meka.' (July 29) A Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J.R. Dawson This contemporary queer fantasy set in Chicago imagines a 'waystation for the dead,' where the recently departed cross over on Lake Michigan. It's a peaceful process until the city's ghost population mysteriously increases—and a living human boards the boat to the afterlife. (July 29) An Oral History of Atlantis: Stories by Ed Park 'In Ed Park's utterly original collection, characters bemoan their fleeting youth, focus on their breathing, meet cute, break up, write book reviews, translate ancient glyphs, bid on stuff online, whale watch, and once in a while find solace in the sublime.' (July 29) Wrath of the Dragons by Olivia Rose Darling 'In the explosive sequel to the bestselling romantasy Fear the Flames, two fated lovers must unite against warring kingdoms to defend their home and crowns from those who wish to destroy them.' (July 29) All the Ash We Leave Behind by C. Robert Cargill The author 'returns to the world of Sea of Rust and Day Zero with a new novella that shares the post-apocalyptic, robot-inhabited future of those two acclaimed novels.' (July 31) Bright Dead Star by Caitlín R. Kiernan 'From tales of bizarre violence and murder, haunted photographs and films, through reflections on the flexible borders of sanity and the perverse, to alien horrors from deep time, deep space, and the deep sea, Bright Dead Star is a veritable supernova of the weird and uncanny as only master fantasist Caitlín R. Kiernan can deliver.' (July 31) Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Spectator
24-06-2025
- Health
- Spectator
NHS trust embroiled in trans row releases ‘divisive' Pride calendar
While Britain's NHS remains on its knees, with A&E waiting times still unacceptably long and bed-blocked preventing sick patients from accessing wards, you'd think that all hands would be on deck to help make patient passages through hospital even a little more comfortable. Not in the County Durham and Darlington hospital trust. The trust's LGBT network has instead been hard at work producing, er, a 36-page digital Pride Month calendar. Time well spent, eh? Inside, Pride Month 2025 contains graphics that tie each day of June to the celebration of a particular LGBT theme, showing flags representing a colourful variety of different genders and sexualities placed on different dates. Amid the vibrant images are flags for pansexual people – individuals attracted to 'all types' of people regardless of 'gender or sexual orientation' – and the polyamorous, which is defined in the document as a 'relationship style in which more than two people engage in intimate, consensual relationship'. Other themes include drag – to be celebrated on 7 June – with details later in the booklet about how it 'evolved' throughout then 1900s. And the calendar – which was sent as a digital file to the trust's employees at the start of June – also points readers towards works by 'prevalent LGBTQ+ authors', including trans writer Juno Dawson. How very curious… The calendar has sparked outrage, with some at the hospital dubbing it 'divisive', not least because it comes as eight Darlington nurses – who were forced to form their own union to defend the rights of women – sued the trust and won their landmark battle for a female-only changing room at work. And it has also ruffled feathers after directing staff towards Mermaids, a trans youth charity that was embroiled in scandal after it emerged it had agreed to send chest binders – which pose serious health risks – to 14-year-olds without parental consent, while the Charity Commission found that Mermaids' guidance on puberty blocker safety was inaccurate. For its part, a spokesperson for the trust insisted: The calendar was developed and shared internally, during June which is nationally recognised as Pride Month, as part of the work led by our LGBTQ+ staff network, using time allocated through our staff network group framework… The calendar was intended to be a supportive, optional resource for staff. It was shared in a gentle and non-directive way, with no call to action. As an organisation, we are committed to creating a workplace where all colleagues feel safe, supported and respected. Mr S wonders quite what the Darlington eight have to say about that…
The Independent
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
At a glance: The Independent Pride List 2025
The Independent Pride List celebrates LGBT+ pioneers, highlighting achievements in sports, music, politics, and fashion, amidst growing global challenges to LGBT+ rights. Dr Victoria McCloud, Britain's first trans judge, is challenging the UK government at the European Court of Human Rights over the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of 'woman'. The list of 50 includes figures like Juno Dawson, Bella Ramsey, and Cynthia Erivo, recognised for their activism, acting roles, and advocacy for LGBT+ visibility and rights. Wes Streeting, the UK's Health Secretary, is recognised as the most prominent gay man in Westminster politics. The list also honours individuals like David Hockney, The Vivienne (posthumously), and Yasmin Benoit, celebrating contributions to art, drag performance, and asexuality awareness, respectively.
The Guardian
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Doctor Who: The Interstellar Song Contest – season two episode six recap
For an episode that started out like a joyfully camp romp into the world of Eurovision, Juno Dawson turned in a script that truly had ice in its heart, in just the way the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) told Kid (Freddie Fox) that the Time Lord now had ice in his hearts. Doctor Who stories often feature alien invasions, conquest, destruction and the desire for revenge, but they have seldom so bleakly painted the determination to carry out a mass casualty terrorism event. That in turn provoked one of the most extreme reactions we have ever seen from the lead character. It was all quite an abrupt turn tonally, in an episode that felt fun but thin for the opening act. It had a larger ensemble cast to play with than some other stories this season, although it was fortunate that, separated, both the Doctor and Belinda (Varada Sethu) found themselves trapped with somebody who turned out to have technical expertise working bits of the space station. The episode tackled several big themes at once – the rapacious capitalist exploitation of a planet to harvest a product, widely held dismissive and racist attitudes to an entire species, the pain of Miriam-Teak Lee's character having to endure mutilation in order to fit in and participate in society, and the Doctor's judgment that none of these things in turn could justify the actions of someone with a 'cold filthy heart' that just likes to kill. Before all that was the colour rush of watching the contest unfold. Your mileage may have varied here depending on how big a fan of Eurovision you are. Who could have guessed that Rylan would have more than a brief cameo? His self-deprecating persona was perfect for the part Dawson wrote for him, allowing him to roll with the jokes about his teeth and his career. But perhaps the hardest thing to make believable was that any of the alien interstellar contestants and their songs from the future were as outlandish as some of the creations we have seen over the years on Earth at the real event. What if Doctor Who did Eurovision in space, but in the middle of a terrorist attack? Last season's interactions between Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) and the Doctor relied on the audience taking at face value that they had become best buddies off-screen. The relationship between Belinda and the Doctor has been much more convincing. She looked genuinely taken aback when she witnessed the Doctor going into rage mode for the first time, and he was only ultimately held back when he saw his actions reflected in her expression. And then there was Carole Ann Ford, who played William Hartnell's first Doctor's granddaughter in 1963 in the show's very first episode, seemingly on board the 15th Doctor's Tardis. Last season had teased a return for her, only to bait-and-switch the viewer that it was SUtekh not SUsan all the clues had been pointing to. But there Susan was. What can it all mean? The faceless robot guards were a classic Doctor Who background trope, extras deployed to deliver a bit of firepower but no real thrill. It was the Doctor who was by far the most frightening thing here. Gatwa has clearly had swagger, style and charisma to carry off the lighter side of his character, but here for the first time he was really able to flex being the oncoming storm, the Time Lord Victorious, the one thing you never put in a trap. In both his conversation with Kid over the video link, and the subsequent extended torture scene, Gatwa passed this Doctorly character test with flying colours. Is it reading too much into the fact that last week out of the blue we saw Poppy, the captain from Space Babies, and this week the product driving the narrative was Poppy Honey? Probably. And there was dear old Mrs Flood, actively surveilling our heroes and clearly readying to put her dastardly bigeneration plan into action. Ford's appearance won't have taken William Russell's world record for longest gap between appearances as the same character in the same show. She reprised her role as Susan in 1983's The Five Doctors. Russell set the record when he appeared in The Power of the Doctor in 2022, 57 years after his character, Ian Chesterton's initial departure. The Rani, originally played by Kate O'Mara, first appeared as a renegade Time Lord in 1985's The Mark of the Rani. When Archie Panjabi said she was the definite article, she was echoing Tom Baker's words in his 1974 debut story, Robot, where, newly-regenerated, he told Harry Sullivan 'You may be a doctor, but I'm the Doctor. The definite article, you might say.' In 2002, Sylvester McCoy's Doctor and Bonnie Langford's Mel visited the Intergalactic Song Contest in an expanded media audio adventure called Bang-Bang-a-Boom! Graham Norton got to deliver the news of Earth's destruction in hologram format. He has previously made not one but two unscheduled Doctor Who appearances. First, a BBC One sound error added a cheering crowd and his hot mic voice to the tense opening of Rose in 2005. Second, an overlaid cartoon promo of him generated 5,000 complaints for ruining the cliffhanger of The Time of Angels in 2010. He got exterminated for it. Wish World is already upon us, part one of the season finale. See you then! Season 2 Episode 1: The Robot Revolution Episode 2: Lux Episode 3: The Well Episode 4: Lucky Day Episode 5: The Story and the Engine Episode 6: The Interstellar Song Contest Episode 7: Wish World Episode 8: The Reality War Season 1 Episodes 1 & 2: Space Babies / The Devil's Chord Episode 3: Boom Episode 4: 73 Yards Episode 5: Dot and Bubble Episode 6: Rogue Episode 7: The Legend of Ruby Sunday Episode 8: Empire of Death Christmas special: Joy to the World 60th anniversary specials Special 1: The Star BeastSpecial 2: Wild Blue YonderSpecial 3: The GiggleChristmas special: The Church on Ruby Road Flux / Series 13 Chapter one: The Halloween ApocalypseChapter two: War of the SontaransChapter three: Once, Upon TimeChapter four: Village of the AngelsChapter five: Survivors of the FluxChapter six: The VanquishersNew Year's Special: Eve of the DaleksSpring special: Legend of the Sea DevilsBBC centenary special: The Power of the Doctor Series 12 Episode 1: Spyfall part oneEpisode 2: Spyfall part twoEpisode 3: Orphan 55Episode 4: Nikola Tesla's Night of TerrorEpisode 5: Fugitive of the JudoonEpisode 6: PraxeusEpisode 7: Can You Hear Me?Episode 8: The Haunting of Villa DiodatiEpisode 9: Ascension of the CybermenEpisode 10: The Timeless ChildrenNew Year's special: Revolution of the Daleks Series 11 Episode 1: The Woman Who Fell to EarthEpisode 2: The Ghost MonumentEpisode 3: RosaEpisode 4: Arachnids in the UKEpisode 5: The Tsuangra CondundrumEpisode 6: Demons of the PunjabEpisode 7: Kerblam!Episode 8: The WitchfindersEpisode 9: It Takes You AwayEpisode 10: The Battle of Ranskoor Av KolosNew Year's special: Resolution Series 10 Episode 1: The PilotEpisode 2: SmileEpisode 3: Thin IceEpisode 4: Knock KnockEpisode 5: OxygenEpisode 6: ExtremisEpisode 7: The Pyramid at the End of the WorldEpisode 8: The Lie of the LandEpisode 9: Empress of MarsEpisode 10: The Eaters of LightEpisode 11: World Enough and TimeEpisode 12: The Doctor Falls2017 Christmas special: Twice Upon A Time Series 9 Episode 1: The Magician's ApprenticeEpisode 2: The Witch's FamiliarEpisode 3: Under The LakeEpisode 4: Before The FloodEpisode 5: The Girl Who DiedEpisode 6: The Woman Who LivedEpisode 7: The Zygon InvasionEpisode 8: The Zygon InversionEpisode 9: Sleep No MoreEpisode 10: Face The RavenEpisode 11: Heaven SentEpisode 12: Hell Bent2015 Christmas special: The Husbands of River Song2016 Christmas special: The Return of Doctor Mysterio Series 8 Episode 1: Deep BreathEpisode 2: Into The DalekEpisode 3: Robot of SherwoodEpisode 4: ListenEpisode 5: Time HeistEpisode 6: The CaretakerEpisode 7: Kill The MoonEpisode 8: Mummy on the Orient ExpressEpisode 9: FlatlineEpisode 10: In the Forest of the NightEpisode 11: Dark WaterEpisode 12: Death In Heaven2014 Christmas special: Last Christmas Series 7 Episode 1: Asylum of the DaleksEpisode 2: Dinosaurs on a SpaceshipEpisode 3: A Town Called MercyEpisode 4: The Power of ThreeEpisode 5: The Angels Take Manhatten2012 Christmas special: The SnowmenEpisode 6: The Bells of Saint JohnEpisode 7: The Rings of AkhatenEpisode 8: Cold WarEpisode 9: HideEpisode 10: Journey to the Centre of the TardisEpisode 11: The Crimson HorrorEpisode 12: Nightmare in SilverEpisode 13: The Name of the Doctor50th Anniversary special: The Day of the Doctor2013 Christmas special: The Time of the Doctor Series 6 Episode 1: The Impossible AstronautEpisode 2: Day of the MoonEpisode 3: The Curse of the Black SpotEpisode 4: The Doctor's WifeEpisode 5: The Rebel FleshEpisode 6: The Almost PeopleEpisode 7: A Good Man Goes To WarEpisode 8: Let's Kill HitlerEpisode 9: Night TerrorsEpisode 10: The Girl Who WaitedEpisode 11: The God ComplexEpisode 12: Closing TimeEpisode 13: The Wedding of River Song2011 Christmas special: The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe Series 5 Episode 1: The Eleventh HourEpisode 2: The Beast BelowEpisode 3: Victory of the DaleksEpisode 4: The Time of AngelsEpisode 5: Flesh and StoneEpisode 6: The Vampires of VeniceEpisode 7: Amy's ChoiceEpisode 8: The Hungry EarthEpisode 9: Cold BloodEpisode 10: Vincent and the DoctorEpisode 11: The LodgerEpisode 12: The Pandorica OpensEpisode 13: The Big Bang2010 Christmas special: A Christmas Carol
