QueerAF: the podcast backed by Joe Lycett that changes LGBTQ+ lives
We’ve been regular listeners of the QueerAF podcast for a long time now. The podcast has won a number of awards, and it’s quite easy to understand why. The QueerAF podcast is truly one-of-a-kind, each episode is a captivating story, told by a queer producer, discarding the binary and telling tales of queerness, sexuality, gender and identity.
Where this podcast stands out from the rest is that they don’t just create podcast episodes and podcast series on a whim. QueerAF have now registered themselves as community interest company meaning they are able to focus on commissioning, supporting and building a new generation of queer creatives. This means they are able to fund emerging and underrepresented queer creatives, and then support them as their careers grow.
Set up by Jamie Wareham, QueerAF has received a number of iconic backers from all over the creative sector. The blossoming platform is backed by a range of media professionals (at Forbes, Sky, AudioBoom), LGBTQIA+ community leaders (at UK Black Pride, National Student Pride), queer business leaders and other queer folk have all joined as founding members of the organisation.
Perhaps, the most noteworthy founding member is the comedian formerly known as Hugo Boss – Joe Lycett! When asked about the platform Lycett said: “As I was growing up seeing queer people on television was a lifeline for me and many others in understanding that there was nothing wrong with me. As well as giving a sense of the wider queer community. Representation in the media remains vitally important for young queer people and I wholeheartedly support it.”
QueerAF has already made an impact on LGBTQ+ lives. My Genderation founder and trans and non-binary activist, Ugla Stefanía said: “As someone who’s written for mainstream platforms, I’ve been increasingly frustrated with how I am not allowed to write about certain things… with QueerAF I am really interested in delving deeper into the media structure, and how it enables the anti-trans moral panic that is sweeping across the UK.“
Whilst QueerAF has grown exponentially in a short spell of time, what excites us the most is how it feels like QueerAF are only at the beginning of their journey. It is exciting that emerging technology has been usilitsed to provide a platform for queer creatives to flourish – and then rewarded for their work and telling their stories. Welcome to the new age of digital media!
Get stuck in and listen to the back catalogue of content available on their podcast stream. If you have a smartphone, you can find the QueerAF podcast for free – wherever you get your podcasts. To find out how you can support QueerAF head over to: wearequeeraf.com/subscribe.