I’ve just got back from a music and contemporary arts festival.
On paper it looked amazing.
There was a great variety of different activities, workshops, music acts, comedy, literature. There was tons to see and do over the weekend.
I was excited to see the programming was diverse and there were even a few LGBT+ artists on stage – including myself.
The only thing is, I felt uncomfortable.
It was a family friendly event and predominantly a white, middle class audience. For me, there were far too many kids and families. They were everywhere.
I felt uncomfortable and unsafe to be expressive or show any affection towards my girlfriend.
It felt hostile to anyone that didn’t have kids, never mind the added dimension of being queer!
There wasn’t enough diversity in the audience for me. I wanted to see more real-life demographics represented.
I noticed something at the end of the weekend that settled me a little. On one of the bars, there was a sign. It said “if you are feeling unsafe please ask for Angela behind the bar.” I loved that.
Over the years, I’ve been to loads of places where I’ve felt uncomfortable in my own skin. I guess the one I made myself endure the longest was working in a College! I wasn’t out at work so I was constantly hiding the real me and on high alert.
I’d love to hear your experiences.
I’d love to know where have you been that you have felt uncomfortable in your own skin and why.
Was it on holiday, in a job? Maybe it was whilst doing a hobby or leisure activity?
Tell me about your experiences!