Journalist Lucy Woods recently moved from London to Dumfries and was shocked at the lack of a LGBT+ community in the area.
She said: “I moved to Dumfries to study, and after being active in LGBT events in London, I was surprised to find there are no gay clubs, and little queer-specific spaces.
“After meeting Lavendar Menace, and getting involved in community LGBT events in Dumfries, I was asked if I’d guest edit and launch the first issue of The Dumfries and Galloway Queerier.”
And now Lucy and the team have started a fundraising campaign to raise £500 to cover the costs of the first print edition, which they hope will be released next month.
Discussing the inspiration, Lucy said: “We are creating a queer magazine to help unite our fantastic LGBT+ community in Dumfries and Galloway.
This is one of the largest regions in Scotland and has a huge queer population, but despite this rural isolation can fragment the many queer voices throughout Dumfries and Galloway: it is one of the last regions in Scotland to have its own Pride event – which is being run by the charity ‘DG Pride’. As a result, LGBT+ community members often feel dispersed and alone.”
She added: “We aim to create a space for people across the region to express themselves, as well as to inform them of events and opportunities they can access, to ensure LGBT+ people in Dumfries and Galloway become more connected and confident and have their voices heard.
“The magazine will create a more visible queer presence in the region and encourage LGBT+ events; slowly transforming Dumfries and Galloway into a hub for queer-friendly activities in the south of Scotland.”
To donate visit: www.gofundme.com/dgqueerier
