Episoder
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Dean Atta is an award-winning author and performance poet and in this touching and revealing episode we hear about the inspiration for his memoir and how the deeply personal book - yo-yoing back and forth from his childhood - stays grounded by its focus on the body "starting at the crown moving through to the roots".
The courage present throughout all Dean's work is reflected in the conversation and both Jules and Dean touch on serious topics alongside the defiant, whimsical joy he brings to the episode.
CW: brief references to sexual assault, homophobia, racism and depression
More about Dean's work:
Dean Atta (google.com)
Thank you to the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery for help making this podcast possible. -
What kind of biscuits do you lay out for a national icon? I settled on gingers and spent too long arranging them on one of my wife’s favourite plates. We record at my home (ten points if you can hear the bin lorry during the chat!) and Jackie was kind enough to come over and share the stories behind this new collection of poems, and its title, ‘May Day’, a chronicle of activism in the UK over six decades.
It’s a feisty conversation, with peaks of revelry as Jackie recalls her encounter with Maya Angelou (doing an impeccable impression of her) and deeper, quieter and more sombre moments for both Jackie and I, as we reflect on loss, feelings about family and the notion of home.
It was quite the moment for me, to hear Jackie recite lines of two different poems in this episode, gifting Somewhere for Us listeners with a personal glimpse into the collection through her own voice. Jackie Kay has survived years of appalling experiences she reveals, which I hear in her bite and her fight for a better, kinder world.
May Day is out now, published by Picador and available in all good independent book shops.
About Jackie Kay
Jackie Kay was born in Edinburgh. A poet, novelist and writer of short stories, she has enjoyed great acclaim for her work for both adults and children. Her novel, Trumpet, won the Guardian Fiction Prize. She has published three collections of stories with Picador, Why Don’t You Stop Talking, Wish I Was Here, and Reality, Reality; two poetry collections, Fiere and Bantam; and a memoir, Red Dust Road. From 2016 to 2021 she was the third modern Makar, the National Poet for Scotland. She lives in Manchester and is Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Salford. -
Manglende episoder?
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Having pressed send on her 8th studio album (and 11th album in total) just hours before we begin, Horse McDonald is back at the starting gate raring to go, but as she soon reminds me in this candid chat, she’s in the same race as everyone else.
It's all in the music for Horse, and she's still powerfully singing it out loud and proud some 34 years since her first album, 'The Same Sky' in 1990. In this episode, Horse shares the stories behind her long awaited and self-produced new album, 'The Road Less Travelled', her experience of grief and loss, frustration with the music industry and how singing saved her life. A must listen for Horse fans but a warm invitation too, if you're a newcomer, to learn about this Fife-born stalwart of Scottish music.
The Road Less Travelled (Randan Music) CD and VINYL are out May 25th, 2024. See www.horsemcdonald.com if you would like further information or to purchase CDs or Digital Downloads. -
Actor John Bell has been standing out on the small and big screen since 2007 and has been involved in some of TV and Film's most iconic productions. As a 10 year old he won a part in Dr Who which has since led to a fantastic career playing Bain in the Hobbit film series and longstanding role of Ian Fraser Murray aka 'Young Ian', in Starz TV's epic adventure, Outlander. Hear how it feels to be part of some of the world's biggest fandoms!
Also find out why Edith Bowman lost her rag at him at the Scottish Baftas and why his parents are still his role models after his very showbiz coming out story.
Listen out for a Somewhere for Us Podcast EXCLUSIVE around 37 minutes in… -
Following the episode with Greer Ralston and Rachel Dax, Jules heads to Glasgow to meet Lorna who currently features in Ralston's latest exhibition.
Lorna is positively gleeful about playing alongside her childhood hero, Horse, and can be found sparkling alongside her with full band and strings, on some the UK's most iconic stages. More info on Horse's The Road Less Travelled 2023 tour here.
Lorna and Jules talk role models, custom-made guitars and the future of queer music. We also hear how it feels to have your stage wardrobe immortalised in paint!
More about Lorna Thomas
Lorna Thomas | United Kingdom | Bassist -
Greer Ralston is Giving it All to Art and filmmaker Rachel Dax is telling her story in a forthcoming documentary film. Dax and Ralston forged a friendship during the Pandemic that has brought their artistic and personal worlds together and chatting with Jules around Greer's dining room table, they share their mutual passion for supporting and championing fellow LGBTQ+ artists.
In this episode, find out what's drawing Greer back to her roots as a figurative painter, how painting clothes is reconnecting her with her community and why Rachel can't wait to shine a new light on her work and the women behind the paintings. Join Jules, Greer and Rachel as they also venture out to see Greer's exhibition, ‘Under The Surface’ on show at the Stirling University Innovation Park.
About Rachel Dax
https://daxitales.com/
About Greer Ralston
https://www.instagram.com/greer.ralston -
Published in August 2023
"We are here building something together and to hold space for the dreamwork" says Katucha, of the anti-racist and anti-transphobic community she's hoping for. In this episode, Ru, Katucha and Jules share their Pride stories; past, present and future and what they're hopeful for living in Scotland. We talk love, language, allyship and how sometimes we need to "kill joy" to build a better, safer world.
CW: Mentions of racism, homophobia, transphobia and a brief mention of suicide
About Dr Katucha Bento
she/her
Katucha Bento, co-founded the Free Afro-Brazilian University, loves to work in collaboration with people and nature for social and environmental justice. Works with subversive language and queer insights. Is the auntie and guide-mother of fantastic humans called Chizara, Jason and Chibueze. Currently she teaches at the University of Edinburgh.
Instagram @katuchabento
About Rujazzle
she/her/they/them
Rujazzle is a Glasgow-based drag queen, artist, host and producer, who described herself as the 'Painted Lady, Walking Exhibition(ist) and Arty tart'
Instagram @rujazzle
References
Sara Ahmed - author of The Feminist Killjoy Handbook
Lighthouse | The Feminist Killjoy Handbook (lighthousebookshop.com)
The Feminist Killjoy Handbook – Argonaut Books
Dr Gail Lewis
Gail Lewis (academic) - Wikipedia
Majur
Major, trans singer from Brazil. Here she is praying for the feminine Orisha Oyá (fire, warrior, shapeshifter between butterfly and buffalo).
M A J U R 🧜🏿♀️ (@majur) • Instagram photos and videos
Instagram @majur -
Meet Alice and Eoin! They are two young Queer people living in the rural town of Grantown-on-Spey, in the Cairngorms National Park. Their candid conversation with Jules, highlights themes around support, bullying, inclusive education, finding your community and LGBTQ+ visibility.
Along with their revealing conversation, you'll be transported to the heart of Grantown-on-Spey and the town's very first LGBTQ+ event, hosted by Somewhere: For Us!
How far do they have to go to find LGBTQ+ role models?
Somewhere: For Us in the Cairngorms is proudly supported by the Community-Led Vision Fund, through the Scottish Government and the Cairngorms National Park Authority.
Jules wishes to extend special thanks to Alice Patton and Eoin Jones for their time and honesty and the supporting staff at Grantown Grammar School. -
The episode is supported but the Rural Community Engagement Fund, delivered by Support in Mind Scotland and published alongside Issue 9 of Somewhere: For Us magazine, November 2022 - https://www.somewhereforus.org/
Buy The Hebridean Baker books - Hebridean Baker - Home
Alongside our podcast, you can become a magazine member to receive each issue of Somewhere: For Us magazine, featuring over 90 pages of LGBTQ+ content, as well as free gifts for every member - https://www.somewhereforus.org/become-a-member
Your membership helps to fund vital support for LGBTQ+ artists and enterprises across Scotland! -
Storytelling is messy and so are mandla's watermelons. Join Jules and mandla as they chat about mandla's first solo show and Scottish debut, 'As British as a Watermelon', the importance of queer friendships and how language can provide a necessary layer of protection when sharing a story like mandla's.
About mandla rae:
mandla is agender and has no pronouns. Raised (by queer friends) in London and now based in Manchester, but would rather be in Scotland. So mandla tells me...
as british as a watermelon features at the Edinburgh International Festival 23-26 August - https://www.eif.co.uk/events/as-british-as-a-watermelon
This podcast has been supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund - thanks to National Lottery players. -
About this episode
Ellen Galford was born in 1947, in the United States and migrated to Scotland in 1971. Forming the solid foundations of her illustrious career, Ellen is a much celebrated author of a body of lesbian fiction that includes Moll Cutpurse, Her True History (1984), The Fires of Bride (1986), Queendom Come (1990) and The Dyke and the Dybbuk (1993).
Tim is a retired teacher and lives in Edinburgh. He has been involved in LGBTQ+ activism his whole life but in recent years he has been channelling his warm and generous energy into championing the rights of older LGBTQ+ people, the importance of intersectionality and the need for our community to be truly welcoming to all.
In this episode we discuss Tim and Ellen's early Pride March memories in both England and Scotland, living and working under Section 28, relationships and romance before homophobic laws adn hearts and minds changed, the onslaught of Thatcher and how community resilience has evolved and finally, we explore ageism and growing older and what could strengthen links between the generations of LGBTQ+ people today.
Tim and Ellen share unique lived experiences and fresh perspectives that lead the conversation to a natural and informed optimism, revealing how influencers like these two memorable guests, shaped our community long before social media existed.
References
Tim and Ellen reference "Bob and Sigrid" and the Lavender Menace - a Queer Books Archive & Blog - Welcome to Lavender Menace - Lavender Menace -
It’s our launch episode and Scottish writer Ely Percy chats to Jules about their Saltire-winning Scottish Book of the Year, Duck Feet, the search for a chosen family and why it’s important to write about identity on your own terms. But it all begins with why Bad Girls was a TV treat best enjoyed alone…
Ely Percy is a Scottish writer who grew up in Renfrew. Today, a two-time Saltire award-winning novelist embarking on their third (but first tartan noir) novel, Ely with humour and optimism about growing up and coming out in Glasgow, finding the language to come out as Agender and how believing in the impact of your stories keeps the joy of writing alive.
Their debut novel Vicky Romeo Plus Joolz was published in 2019 by Knight Errant Press, whilst their latest novel Duck Feet lay patiently in the background for 16 years, until it was finally published in 2021 when it went on to win Scottish Book of the Year at Scotland’s National Book Awards, the Saltires.
Ely suffered a brain injury when they were 14 leading to a diagnosis of retrograde, anterograde and post-traumatic amnesia, and in their own words, writing was, “for catharsis” through their recovery and beyond. First published nearly 30 years ago in Big! Magazine they also featured in Issue 5 of Somewhere: For Us Magazine in 2021 along with news of funding for a third novel, Kingstreet, lighting their path for 2022.
https://www.elypercy.com/
About Jules and the Somewhere: For Us Podcast…
A brand new LGBTQ+ arts, culture, heritage and enterprise podcast for Scotland and beyond, hosted by Jules Stapleton Barnes. After flirting with a radio broadcasting career in her 20's, Jules has since been immersed in LGBTQ+ community development work in Edinburgh, since 2010. Jules joined the Somewhere team in 2018 and is delighted to be bringing both worlds together to celebrate and champion our community through the click of a button.
"I want our podcast to shine a light on the incredible breadth of queer life in Scotland today; more diverse and deeper than stereotypes could ever capture. To celebrate the power of human connection, finding your community and a safe space where the dark and lightness of conversation leaves you feeling connected, supported and hopeful." - Jules, host of Somewhere: For Us Podcast
Find out all about Scotland's newest LGBTQ+ community podcast and all our guests here - www.somewhereforus.org
About Somewhere: For Us Magazine…
Read the story so far - https://www.somewhereforus.org/our-issues
Discover more, become a member, and buy the magazine here - www.somewhereforus.org/shop
Follow us on Twitter @Somewhere_ForUs and @somewhere_edi on Instagram -
Somewhere: For Us is a brand new LGBTQ+ arts, culture, heritage and enterprise podcast for Scotland and beyond, hosted by Jules Stapleton Barnes.
Our launch episode features Scottish writer Ely Percy! They chat to Jules about their Saltire-winning Scottish Book of the Year, Duck Feet, the search for a chosen family and why it’s important to write about identity on your own terms.
Listen to Episode 1 of Somewhere: For Us from March 20th, 2022.
