-
I lived up to a negative trans stereotype the other day: I hid in a toilet because I shouldn’t have been there. It was the gents, of course. I should probably explain. Although I’ve transitioned legally and socially, there are times when I don’t present female: the days I’m getting electrolysis, which require me to… [more]
-
Another day, another bunch of saddening headlines: armed neo-Nazis with a police escort intimidating Pride attendees in the US, lesbian women attacked in the street in England, the usual raft of anti-LGBT hatred in the press. Two UK stories stood out for me, because they demonstrate two elements of the same thing: how anti-trans individuals… [more]
-
Most of the coverage I’ve seen of the so-called “straight pride” march apparently happening in Boston has demonstrated how broken much of the media has become. It’s been treated in “and finally…” style, a gently amusing little story in much the same style as a cat on a skateboard or a dog that can say… [more]
-
The various candidates for the Conservative party leadership haven’t just been falling over themselves to be sexist and homophobic. Some of them have been keen to talk about their pasts as drug hoovers too. Michael Gove has spoken about his use of cocaine while Andrea Leadsom has admitted to smoking cannabis. That makes her the… [more]
-
Lesbian couple attacked on London bus after refusing to kiss for men Why can’t we have a straight Pride month? Esther McVey: Parents should have power to stop 15-year-olds learning gays exist  Why can’t we have a straight Pride month? Restaurant refuses lesbian couple due to “unhealthy relationship” Why can’t we have a straight Pride… [more]
-
This is a powerful piece by Stella Duffy in response to today’s horrific photos of two lesbian women beaten up on a London bus. THIS is what it’s like. Every fucking day that I am not behind the closed front door of my home. THIS is what it’s like to walk down the street with… [more]
-
In February, the TRNSMT festival attracted a lot of criticism (including from me) for its line-up: after pledging to improve gender balance, 2019’s bill was less equal than 2018’s. Promoter DF concerts has now announced that there will be an extra stage at this year’s festival, the Queen Tut’s Stage (for readers outside Scotland, DF… [more]
-
I politely declined to go on a radio programme last night. The topic was YouTube’s selective enforcement of its anti-harassment and hate speech rules, with a look at the wider issue of online abuse, but the other contributor would be an antagonist who’d argue that the real victims of online abuse are the people who… [more]
-
Update: I never got to see Prince live, so I’m jealous that the excellent Professor Batty met him. Kinda. I used to wonder why Prince gave away so many songs, many of which were enormous hits: The Bangles’ Manic Monday, Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2 U, Chaka Khan’s I Feel For You, Martika’s Love Thy Will… [more]
-
You’ve probably heard of Bishop Thomas Tobin from Providence, Rhode Island by now. His tweet telling Catholics not to support Pride Month went viral and attracted a lot of comment, but very little of it was as intelligent and as powerful as this piece by Michael Coren. Coren is a former Catholic and who famously… [more]
Read me in books
My debut memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was a Scotsman book of the year and Damian Barr’s Literary Salon book of the week, and it was shortlisted for the 2023 British Book Awards book of the year in the Discover category.
My latest book, Small Town Joy, is a celebration of queer influences on and queer artists in Scots music and is out now.
I’m also a contributor to the excellent anthology Fierce Salvage, which is also out now.
