Photo credit: Cherry Au (edited by El Nine Hogg)
This month’s curator for Bodyswap, a series of events held at the East London nightclub Dalston Superstore to celebrate the transgender community, says there is a lack of ethnic diversity in the capital’s trans and queer scenes.
The DJ and artist Princess Xixi, who is British-Chinese, said: “The mainstream gay scene in London has a level of whiteness associated with its queerness. I want to emphasise that queer people of colour are here, and we exist.”
She said her vision for her curatorship involves a significant focus on embracing genres pioneered by people of colour, such as grime, drum and bass and Afrobeats. She adds that her choice is a deliberate one as she said Dalston Superstore and other LGBTQ clubs in London don’t usually feature these music genres.
While London is seen as a hub of culture, community, and diversity, gay culture has faced scrutiny for harbouring a toxic environment. In a 2021 report by Stonewall UK, just over half of Black, Asian and minority ethnic LGBTQ people said they had experienced discrimination or poor treatment from others in their local LGBTQ community because of their ethnicity.
Bodyswap was initiated by Emma, known as the drag artist Milk Shandy alongside a team at Dalston Superstore. It aims to provide a weekly safe space for creative self-expression and celebration for the transgender community.
A new curator is appointed each month, who stamps their own vision and brand of creativity on the events. It is now in its third month.
Danni Spooner, a young model, and founder of transgender magazine “PlayThey”, was the curator for May. “One of my main focuses is that the right community is in the room,” they said.
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