"Queer": Neurodivergence and LGBTQ+ Culture

Join us on Friday 23rd June for an expansive and joyful panel on Queer Neurodiversity.

About the panellists:

• Our host, Kestral Gaian, is an activist, an author, a technologist, a musician, and a poet. She has produced content for UK Radio Pride, written choral music for the Melbourne Women's Choir, released two EPs, and been published in multiple poetry anthologies.   In addition to her own poetry collection and a YA novel, Kestral has edited a collection of people’s experiences under Section 28.
   
• Erin Ekins (she/her) is a queer autistic writer, speaker and self-described “attempter of activism”. She has an interest in all areas of autistic social justice, but has a particular passion for improving understanding and acceptance of the intersection of autism and queerness. She runs the blog queerlyautistic.com and is the author of the book 'Queerly Autistic: The Ultimate Guide for LGBTQIA+ Teens on the Spectrum'. 
   
• Laura Kate Dale (she/her) is a video game journalist, author and activist. She is known for writing about the trans and autistic communities in relation to video games and for her video game industry leaks. Many of her topics tackle accessibility for disabled players and LGBTQ+ representation. She is the editor of the ground breaking anthology 'Gender Euphoria: Stories of joy from trans, non-binary and intersex writers' (2021), the upcoming 'Who Hunts the Whale: A satirical novel set in the exploitative world of big-budget game development' (2023) and 'Uncomfortable Labels: My Life as a Gay Autistic Trans Woman' (2019). 
   
• Lizzie Huxley Jones (they/them) is an autistic author and editor based in London. They write joyful stories that centre queerness and disability, including their most recent book, 'Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend' (2023) from Knights Of, which had a book launch at The Common Press earlier this year. They are also the editor of Stim, an anthology of autistic authors and artists, which was published by Unbound in April 2020 to coincide with World Autism Awareness Week, and a contributor to the anthology Allies: Real Talk About Showing Up, Screwing Up, And Trying Again (2021), and in addition to their work as a writer they are a sensitivity reader and editorial consultant, and were an editor at independent micropublisher 3 of Cups Press.

All recent works by the authors will be available to buy on the night. This event will take place in the Common Counter bar and will be fully wheelchair accessible with step free access and a disabled toilet. For the comfort of our guests and panellists, hand sanitiser will be provided at the entrance to the space, and although masking is not required it is appreciated.