For this Pride month we thought we'd celebrate by giving you a very special one-off episode!! In this episode we speak to a previous guest from way back in Season 1 and speak to Che Stephenson-Hunter, Sarah's wife who has recently come out as non-binary. In this episode Che talks openly about some of the challenges they've faced coming out later on in life and why they believe this time is the right time for them to embrace their authentic self. It may only be a short episode but there's a lot packed into it so grab a cup of your favourite liquid and listen on!

Links to items referred to in the episode are as follows:

Previous episode featuring Che :
Buzzsprout

Che's Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/chestephensonhunter?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=38n7pk

Che's top surgery fund https://gofund.me/44c2ed02

Laura Scarrone Bonhomme

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Gender, Sexual, and Relationship Diversity Specialist

Co-Founder & Director at Affirm

https://affirm.lgbt

Skunk Anansie

https://open.spotify.com/track/1gQqkCXLsxsSSNUz6Cx02N?si=gUuV6rdLRfKgWXweO1e18A

Che's photo website Home (dorizmedia.com)

Back after the traditional (or soon to be) August break, Pk and Sarah discuss their thoughts on Equity and Equality, their understandings of the concepts, language and why Simply Equality is called Simply Equality.

Hello dear listeners. On this episode Sarah talks to Ebony Rose Dark (any pronouns) about her experience of being a V.I.P visually impaired cabaret and dance performance artist, the intersections of disability and LGBTQIA+ identity and race. There were unfortunately some issues with the audio while we weer recording and while we've tried to fix as much as possible, we know it's not perfect.

However, we hope that won't detract from the brilliant conversation with Ebony and their wonderful thoughts on his experiences and hopes. If you want to find out more about Ebony, check out their socials:
Instagram: @ebony_rose_dark
Twitter: @Ebony_Rose_Dark

If you're interested in learning more about Quiplash check out their website: https://www.quiplash.co.uk/

Hello dear listeners! Apologies for the long and unintended break, but we're back. And in time for Pride month. This is the first episode of the season and a very special episode in the life of Simply Equality. I'm joined by my business partner, Pk Kulasegram and while we briefly touch being a limited company, mostly this episode is a discussion of what it means to be queer and disabled and what Pride means to us.

The handle for the tiktok account we discuss is:
@madeline_pendleton

Do feel free to check out simplyequality.com

With apologies for the unexpected break I'm pleased to be back with a very special new episode discussing issues around mental health in the LGBTQ+ community.

According to recent government data, an estimated 3.1% of Britons over the age of 16 now identify as LGBTQ+, with the number of young people under 16 doubling over the last 4 years.

However, statistics alone only tell us part of the story.

Whilst there have been many advances in equality for LGBTQ+ people over recent years, there is still much more that needs to be done.

Although being LGBTQ+ doesn’t necessarily mean you will have poor mental health – all the evidence shows that there are alarming levels of mental ill health amongst the LGBTQ+ community, compared to those within the general population.

A recent study by Stonewall found that:

· Half of LGBTQ+ people had experienced depression and 3 in 5 had experienced anxiety

· 1 in 8 LGBTQ+ people aged 18-24 had attempted to end their life

· More than 1 in 10 trans people (12%) attempted to take their own life, compared to 2% of LGB people who aren’t trans.

· Almost half of trans people (46%) have also had thoughts about taking their own life.

With these figures rising each day; we need to make sure that our LGBTQ+ friends, family and colleagues are sufficiently supported in the workplace, and society at large.

Join Rebecca Reed (Mental Health and Suicide First Aid Trainer) and Sarah Stephenson-Hunter (LGBTQ+ Trainer, Speaker and Podcaster) as they talk about navigating language, workplace support and supportive conversations in order to become an ally of those within the LGBTQ+ community.

Want to continue the conversation? Join us on our online workshop on Tuesday 4th October @ 13:00 - 14:30 PM. Book your ticket here on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/411082377457

£5 from every ticket going to Mosaic LGBT+ Young Persons Trust who work tirelessly to support young people in the LGBTQ+ community.

Find more about Rebecca Reed:

· Website: https://www.siendo.co.uk/

· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-reed-cheetham/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/siendo-wellbeing

· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/siendo.wellbeing

· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siendo.wellbeing

Find more about Sarah Stephenson-Hunter:

· Website: https://www.simplyequality.com

· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-stephenson-hunter-she-her-02225a96/

A new year, the perfect time to launch season 2 of my podcast!! I know it's been some time coming but hopefully you'll agree it's worth the wait!!

For the first episode of this new season I speak to Jennie Williams, the CEO of a UK based disability led organisation called EnhancetheUK.

I first met Jennie when we were on a panel together last year and what can I say, we hit it off immediately!!! Join me as I talk with her about the work of EnhancetheUK and her own experiences of having multiple disabilities as well as exploring her sexuality. jenny's particular passion is breaking down the taboos around disability and sex and so do be aware that we do talk about issues around access to sexual expression for disabled people particularly those in care homes as well as the subject of dating whilst disabled!!

Welcome to the final episode of this first series. Yes that's right the sad news is that this is the last episode in the current series...the great news is that I have a fantastic guest to finish the series with!!

Join me as I speak to Daniel Lol, , one of the founding members of ParaPride, an organisation that very much embodies what this podcast is about, exploring the intersection of disability and LGBTQ+ issues. I met Daniel a few months ago when we worked on a couple of projects together and I've been keen to get him onto the podcast since!!

Daniel is a double-leg amputee and a gay man and he shares openly some of the challenges he's had to face adjusting to being a disabled person and re-entering the LGBTQ+ community. he explains how these experiences led him to form ParPride and we also discuss issues around self-care and both physical and cultural disablism within the LGBTQ+ community and society more generally.

You can find out more about the work of ParaPride via their website www.parapride.org and I'd really encourage you to check out the work they do and support them if you can.

As ever thanks to you all for listening and for your fantastic feedback on the episodes thus far. This may be the last episode for a while but don't worry I'll be back soon enough with some more great guests sharing their lived experiences of being both disabled and LGBTQ+.

Welcome to part 2 of my focus on what it means to be neurodiverse and LGBT. Join me as I speak with Sam Hope, a non binary trans person with a combination of impairments.

I've known Sam pretty much from the early days of my own gender journey and I continue to be challenged and inspired by what they have to say on what it means to be LGBT and disabled. Sam talks about their own experiences of being trans, non-binary and being diagnosed as being autistic and having ADHD. They discuss the many ways in which the various different aspects of their identity have impacted on their life and led them to working as a counsellor, trainer and equality advocate.

You can find out more about the work Sam does via their website www.sam-hope.co.uk and I would encourage you to do so.