ICONS with Hugh Fox
It was a real honour for me to be invited to participate in this project by Photographer Hugh Fox.
Hugh saw something in me and the work I do, and invited me to take part!
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It was an opportunity for me to work with Hugh and be captured in a really beautiful and intimate way, by Hugh, as well as encourage me to share some stories and experiences of people who I feel are ICONS
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I had SO MANY people to choose from... But I chose three really wonderful people, each who have contributed to positively impacting on the lives of others and making strides in their own; and although are each within different communities, each share being part of my Trans+ community.
See Below the message from Hugh, and then the images and my chosen ICONS
Text From Hugh Fox:
HF : "From my series with @bureau_rodney based around the idea of Icons - I wanted to explore this idea through portraits of people I consider are doing something unique or incredible and against the grain, and in turn, asking who they consider an icon.
Asher is a passionate vegan, an active champion for the queer, trans community and also runs creative workshops for kids, helping to empower them through art and expression."
"Asher Fynn - What do you think makes an icon?"
AF : I think ‘ICON’ is usually applied to someone who is untouchable, inaccessible… existing in the echelons of celebrity or elite society. But, I often think some of the most iconic people are locals; whose faces we can see and hands we can touch, and who make an impact on our own lives and livelihoods. I feel like ‘ICONIC’ behaviour can be resistance against the grain, causing a disturbance in the status quo, making strides with limited means, or speaking up for others… I know a lot of drag artists who I think are iconic, in the same way I know a lot of people who live and work in the community are iconic.
"What does a modern icon look like to you?"
AF : I think it’s expected for ‘ICONS’ to be super-human, or afforded some great opportunities or resources… but I think every person is capable of being ‘ICONIC’!
MY ICONS:
Alice Denny
Alice Denny is instantly recognisable in the streets of Brighton and Hastings… always beaming and with her wonderful mermaid coloured hair!
Alice is a woman, a parent and a poet, who has been writing for as long as she can remember. She moved to Sussex from Hertfordshire, to bring up her family and work as a psychiatric nurse, before she moved to Brighton… It was there, with the support of ‘LGBTQIA+ Switchboard’ and ‘The Clare Project’, where she found the courage to live her life as her authentic self!
What followed for her, was a renewal of energy for poetry and writing!
In 2014, Alice was involved in the ‘Trans*formed Project’, which records - in their own words, the lives and experiences of Brighton & Hove’s Transgender community
In 2015, Alice was voted as the Second Pride Ambassador, marching at the front of Brighton Pride Parade!
In 2016, she curated the Trans Community Area at Brighton Pride, which has developed into an established and important part of Brighton Pride
In 2017 Alice’s book ‘No Fear, No Shame’ was published, which is a beautiful collection of her poems that offer an insight into her life and journey
In 2019, Alice appeared in the documentary ‘Inspiring Minds’, alongside Peter Tatchell, Rikki Beadle-Blair and Travis Alabanza (more icons!!!). The film is a lyrical and poetic portrait of 9 British LGBTQIA+ people, who “inspire with who they are and what they represent”.
Alice has performed at every Trans Pride Brighton, since it started in 2013! 2022 will be the first year that she is not performing, but will be there with us nonetheless..! I’m really looking forward to spending time with her there, especially as this will be my first year performing there.
Alice has appeared in My Genderation, which is a beautiful film project by Fox Fisher, Lewis Hancox and Owl (more icons!!) that celebrates trans lives and trans experiences, created entirely by trans people, about trans people, for everyone!
“It took long years for me to find the life, body, to match my mind… and I should treasure whatever time I’ve left to spend with womankind… yes, it took far too long, for me, to find this life, this body… to match this mind. And I swear to treasure whatever time I’m spared to share with humankind. And so, before I have to go, to leave this woman’s world behind… I want the whole world to know: I’m going to shine. I’m going to shine. I’m going to shine, shine, shine and blind”. From Alice’s Poem ‘I’m going to shine’
It was through performing poetry in open-mic spots, around the pubs and cafes of Brighton, where I met Alice Denny. She is one of the earliest people to have had a direct, in-person influence on my understanding of my own gender identity. Alice’s poetry is particularly powerful because it is open and honest, and at that point I hadn’t heard anyone from my community speaking so intimately about their journeys of love and life. And it made a big impact on me…
Alice was the first person I ever really came out to, which was at a poetry night we were both performing at… so she holds a special place in my journey. I remember her being so open to something that was causing me so much tension… and she gave me this great big hug!!!!
You can read more about Alice Denny, here:
brightontransformed.com/stories/alice/
You can find more about Brighton Trans Pride, here:
You can find out more about My Genderation, here:
You can find more about Brighton Trans*formed Project, here:
brightontransformed.com/about/
You can see the film Inspiring Minds, here:
Ruth Sullivan
Ruth Sullivan lives in Brighton with their husband and gawj staffie BABS!!!
Since their teens, Ruth has been uncovering their roots and identity as a Romany traveller, connecting to people within their community, and learning and understanding the stories and experiences of their family.
Ruth is passionate about intersectional Youth Work, creating opportunities for representation of complex and nuanced identities, at cross-sections of communities.
Ruth is the Manager of the Young Carers Team, at the Carers Centre for Brighton and Hove (shout out to all of the amazing carers team SUPERSTARS!). The Carers Centre provides a range of activities and groups for Young Carers, including school holiday activities, creative workshops, or after-school sessions.
The activities are an opportunity for the Young Carers to take a break from their caring role, build up their confidence and social network with other Young Carers. A Young Carer is an individual between the ages of 6-17, and each of them have a caring role at home, for a parent or a sibling with a disability. The person they care for could have a long term or life-limiting illness, a mental health condition, or a substance misuse issue.
Ruth is also part of the Exec team for Traveller Pride, which is a UK-based collective made up of LGBTQIA+ Travellers, who work together to provide support, representation and a platform for LGBTQIA+ Travellers. Traveller Pride was launched at London Pride 2019, and is now a CIC!
In 2022, Ruth made an appearance within Cherry Valentine’s powerful and touching documentary ‘Gypsy Queen and Proud’. This documentary offered valuable insight on the lives and realities faced by travellers who are LGBTQIA+, and what they experience within their own communities, as well as wider society.
I first met Ruth in February 2020, and they commissioned me to produce an experimental photography workshop for Young Carers, for which I featured amazing artist Oberon White as a Life Model… to give the Young Carers the opportunity to play, create, learn and be inspired together, through different styles and approaches to portraiture, followed by an exhibition!
But really importantly, the Young Carers in this group comprised of LGBTQIA+ people, and the workshop was a safe space for them to question and explore their own identities!
I’m really, really proud to say that Ruth presented this workshop at the Carers Summit 2020, to raise awareness of the lives and realities of LGBTQIA+ Young Carers, who’s experiences with their gender and/or sexuality goes largely undocumented, and therefore they are unrepresented.
I think it’s really important to note that the realities of Young Carers is not known nor represented wide enough… but, I would say that Young Carers are ICONIC!
Ruth is a superstar.
You can find out more about The Carers Centre for Brighton and Hove, here:
You can find out more about Traveller Pride, here:
You can watch the documentary ‘Cherry Valentine: Gyspy Queen and Proud’, here:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0bgrsh8/cherry-valentine-gypsy-queen-and-proud
Debbie Vincent
Debbie Vincent is a powerful vegan and animal rights activist!
She has dedicated so much of her life to fighting injustice, often at great personal risk.
In 2012 she was arrested for making a stand for the rights of animals.
During her court case, Debbie's kind character shone through, when Judge Cutler said: "I come to a conclusion you are a lady of very good character".
He went on to say "Indeed, if it wasn't for your complete obsession with your cause and an inability to accept its limits within law, there was so much good you have been able to do for other people you have met in your life and for all the animal welfare work you have done."
Debbie was part of one of the most influential Animal Rights campaigns ‘SHAC’ (Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty), taking on: Huntingdon Life Sciences. HLS is based in the UK. Annually, they still subject many tens of thousands of different species of animals - including dogs, rats and primates, to horrifying experiments on behalf of pharmaceutical companies… and Debbie was one of many activists who took a stand against this cruelty!
In April 2014, after 5 weeks of trial, she was found guilty of ‘conspiracy to blackmail’, and sentenced 6 years in prison. Because she is a woman who is Trans, there were fears in our community that she might not be put into a female prison, because there was a lot of negative and phobic press published about her at the time, which might have influenced the decision. But thankfully, she was sent to a female prison, where she was able to work during the day tending to the gardens, reading books she was sent, and would typically spend about 3 weeks at a time responding to all of the letters of solidarity she was receiving!!!
Debbie wrote in a letter from Prison:
“What is scary in this world is oppression and injustice, when people hurt people, animals and nature. What is beautiful in this world is resistance, when people say ‘enough is enough’ and act. Oppression and injustice are everywhere, but so is resistance. Because some people know that if you fight you might lose, but if you don’t fight, you’ve already lost.”
The day before Debbie left prison, she wrote:
“Being in prison hasn’t dampened my resolve to continue challenging and trying to change these injustices, wrong-doings, cruelty and all oppression. I’ll continue to live my life in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others, whatever their species, gender, race, etc… I live a privileged life and I will try and use that privilege to help those less fortunate than me”
Me and mum went to visit Debbie in prison in 2017, but she is now of course free…!!
Debbie is a kind, caring and compassionate person, who sacrificed her freedom… It takes a very special sort of person to put their own safety and freedom on the line, in the pursuit of liberating other beings, let alone different species… BIG LUV!
Following her release, Debbie went to a bail hostel in Reading, where she had to reside up to 6 months. While on probation, orders stipulated what she could do and who she is allowed to meet, and also where she might live afterwards.
Debbie was not permitted to use the internet, nor communicate with anyone within the wider Animal Rights community, nor attend any AR events. This continued for another 3 years, until her sentence ended in 2020.
I’ve just spoken to Debbie, and she tells me she’s just got back from hitchhiking around Cornwall, helping with beach cleaning. She shared some beautiful photo she took of the landscape
You can read more about Debbie and her time in prison, here:
www.veggies.org.uk/2014/04/debbie-vincent/
You can read about the Animal Liberation Front and the history of some of the above-mentioned campaigns, here:
animalliberationfront.com/ALFront/SHAC.htm
You can read Debbie’s Letter from the day before her release from prison, here:
You can read Debbie’s letter from prison, here:
A film about Huntingdon Life Sciences, ‘It’s a Dog’s Life’, here:
www.icontactvideo.org/archive/itsadogslife
Are YOU an LGBTQIA+ person who has faced a hate crime and had difficult experience with the police? You could try contacting Galop: