FEATURE:QUEER RAVE CULUTRE, INCLUSIVITY AND QUEER EXPRESSION
PROMOTION: QUEERS AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE 05/03 @ BRIDEWELL STUDIOS
During my early twenties I found myself dwindling in Liverpool’s club scene, the mundane playlist of the usual loop of bars I’d been going to for a few years seemed to be creating more problems than fun for me. After dabbling as a bit of a “Liverpool prinny” I noticed my stilettoes, curly blow and false lashes began to feel like a costume for me. Although I admired (and still adore) this glamour on other people, this societal pressure was constricting me. I was beginning to drift from the club scene entirely… and then one night I walked into a new event just starting up: HUMBLE ABODE.
As I dipped my head to avoid knocking it on the ceiling and wondered down a set of stairs into a dark room I came to a table where people dabbed glitter around my eyes and cheeks. The throb of what I now know as techno vibrated in my body as I slipped onto the pulsing dancefloor. There were women kissing women, men holding men and there was people who did not belong to either gender spilling out across the room in colours and movement. I felt like I had finally found a place that I understood, and that understood the parts of me I could not yet explain. The night was filled with flirting, feeling, dancing and discovering. I think back to this night with that specific mushiness only nostalgia can bring us and recognise how it launched me headfirst into a place of authentic expression, creativity and artistic freedom.
A handful of years, and many parties later, I’m now close friends with Humble Abode residents and co-founders Hector Lee, Abbie Morris and Pyxidata and can’t even imagine navigating Liverpool’s creative scene without their support.
They’ll be loads of lost queer people thinking “where can I go to?” so promoting our queerness for event will hopefully welcome these people.
QUEERS AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
Ahead of their environmental fundraiser event: QUEERS AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE taking place at BRIDEWELL STUDIOS in Kensington on 5th March they sit down with me to talk about the importance of queer rave culture and why we must preserve queer spaces.
“People who have known about our events for a while will know it’s a queer night, but this next event coming up is the first one we’ve actually used the word ‘queer’ in its title,” Abbie Morris explains, “They’ll be loads of lost queer people thinking “where can I go to?” so promoting our queerness for event will hopefully welcome these people.”
“We are very welcoming of everybody, including heterosexual people too,” Pyxidata adds, “but these heterosexual people know this is a space not necessarily created for them.”
RAVE & RELEASE
Raves have historically played an important role within queer culture. Not only is it where fashion trends are birthed and music explored, but they serve as spaces for safety and community for many queer people. As a community constantly rejected, queer people have always found spaces where they can thrive, away from the threat of queerphobia.
“Community is such an important thing,” Hector Lee says, “even though were all different from each other we’re still all here for the same reasons. As much as you can feel the pressure to fit into a bracket, the moment you take that pressure away you open yourself up to a hell of a lot more.”
There is a unique feeling of release at raves, and especially within queer rave culture a sense of personal exploration within the community of ravers.
“For a lot of people in the light of day it’s hard to stare at your identity, sexuality or gender,” Abbie tells me, “But then you go to a queer music event, and you dance and you meet some people and there’s a safety blanket there for you to explore yourself within.”
“It gives the room for experimentation,” Hector agrees, the three residents flow in and out of each other as they speak, “It’s hard to explain why going down into a dark club gives you a feeling of: okay so who am I going to be tonight?”
Pyxidata concludes, “It’s not just a place to get fucked. It’s your place. It’s your fantasy”
INCLUSIVE, SAFE, QUEER AF
Inclusivity within the queer community is a main priority for Humble Abode, an event that strives to always be learning how to make their parties more accessible, inclusive and welcoming to all people.
“The majority of the gay clubbing scene is only accommodating for cis, white, able bodied, gay men (like myself). And that’s so damaging,” Pyxidata admits, “more of these spaces should be pushing for inclusivity.”
These honest conversations need to be had within the community so we can all continue to lift one another up, and ultimately throve together.
In recent years there’s been a dramatic rise of queer culture within the mainstream, however the lack of support and protection actually placed on queer lives leaves a bitter taste.
“Sometimes you end up with what was once a really safe queer club becoming a place everybody just goes to now, which means there are queer people who no longer feel safe in this now mainstream popular club,” Pyxidata explains, “But the underground scene can be strange too..”
Within underground queer rave spaces such as Berghain in Berlin venue promoters and managers will follow a very specific style, and only allow those who fit into that style into their venue. Running as a queer venue, holding onto a space to protect underground queer culture the venue does this with the safety of their audience in mind. Within these spaces people may explore kink, sex, gender, and anything else that falls within queer expression. To enable people to do this safely, certain boundaries have to be put in place. Often though, these venues feel exclusionary in their exclusivity.
“It’s a double edged sword,” Hector Lee shares, “I get it. But I feel like if I went to these venues I’d be worried about being rejected, because I wear a lot of colour and that’s such a big part of my personality and how I express myself,”
Pyxidata nods, “It’s hard because the positive of that is preserving the scene that was always there... but what to you damage by doing so?”
You don’t want to see a promoter reaping the benefits of their artists without actually supporting them
RESHAPE THE SCENE
I’m interested in what the future looks like for queer folk, and to see what changes the Humble hotties want to see in our music scene.
“There’s such a huge problem with sexual harassment in nightclubs, especially the over sexualisation of queer women / femmes [feminine expressing people],” Abbie opens, “I would like to see more work done towards making people feel safe from this. I want to see clear policies on sexual harassment, protection for queer people.”
“Sometimes I’m treated like a piece of fucking meat in a gay club! You shouldn’t be felt up without consent in any setting,” Pyxidata adds, with Hector Lee layering, “I don’t think many people speak about this as an issue in gay clubs to be honest.”
As our conversation continues to roll Pyxidata tells me, “One thing I really struggle with at the moment, with queer culture becoming more mainstream is people booking queer performers without addressing queer issues. That goes back to queer people always being there for entertainment, not necessarily accepted or validated as people.”
“You don’t want to see a promoter reaping the benefits of their artists without actually supporting them,” Abbie emphasises.
“It’s so important is that venues are actively hiring queer people,” Pyxidata concludes the point, “because nothing makes you feel safer than just seeing a queer person there.”
WELCOME TO OUR HUMBLE ABODE
Humble Abode are completely unique in their creativity. Watching them mix together is honestly magical, the fun and freedom they express creates a genuine sense of family. They encourage us to become mischief makers, creating a space for everyone to simply be. There is no hierarchy at a Humble Abode, with local art and culture at the forefront of all they do.
But you’ll just have to come an experience it for yourself I suppose…
Words: Olive
Photographs: Olive
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