We’re pleased to announce a new date for our Gender Awareness Training. Booking is now open for 15 March 10am – 1pm. This online session is aimed at freelancers, individuals and organisations where less than 6 people would like to undertake this training.
This 3 hour Gender Awareness Training session is designed to pass on knowledge and best practice enabling you to better serve and meet the needs of clients and customers of all genders, particularly those who fall under the Transgender umbrella.
We cover topics including, language, intersectionality, non binary identities, allyship gender in a global context, feminism, LGBTQ+ herstory and transgender health and equality and the law.
Learning Outcomes – You will;
Feel more confident in your knowledge of the experiences of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ+).
Understand what gender inclusive language is and when to use it.
Learn about LGBTQ+ histories, rights and current legislation and understand what this might mean for trans and non-binary people living in the UK today.
Explore practical steps to help build gender inclusive practices and spaces, including by being an ‘ally’ to trans, non-binary and gender minoritised people.
As one past participant said;
‘This training was empowering and motivating, and I felt that the trainer created a really safe space for respectful and open discussion’.
Each participant will take away a resource pack with content covered in the session along with further advice and reading. Places are limited, and priced on a sliding scale. Book via Eventbrite now!
Access Information – We will take two breaks during this session and each participant receives information on session structure in advance. Closed Captions will be provided via zoom and the training is supported with slides with text and images.
This week in the UK it’s Transgender Awareness Week from 13 – 19 November.
CW: Transphobia.
Transgender Awareness Week is a week to celebrate the achievements of our trans and gender expansive siblings and talk about the ways we have to go in fighting for transgender liberation.
We want to use this moment to recognise how tough the last year has been for many trans and non-binary people living in the UK. If you are trans or non binary, you’ll probably be all too aware of the rise in transphobia. But for those outside the community, we’ve made this short summary to be able to evidence what that looks like in the UK right now.
In the last year alone;
> The UK Government blocked the Scottish Gender Reform Bill.
> A significant change to the 2010 Equality Act is being pursued by the government, which would redefine “sex” to refer specifically to a person’s sex at birth. (This has not been enacted yet, but follows the trend of increased transphobia from the Conservative government).
These actions are part of an ongoing culture war and moral panic. They have a direct impact on the ways we as trans people navigate the world and undermine trans people’s ability to live authentically and in peace. Hate crimes against trans people are up by 186% in the last 5 years and up by 11% in the last 5 years. (ONS Data).
When this transphobia intersects with race, disability, immigration status or other issues that can further marginalise people, health and equality outcomes can be even worse. It is no coincidence that the UK continues to fail to recognise its complicity in colonialism and the way this upholds power structures designed to give social advantages to very few people.
There is of course so much to celebrate in the contributions and achievements and strength of trans people, but this week we ask our allies to educate themselves on some of the issues outlined above and then check carefully how those in power, who we can hold accountable, are voting and making decisions.
Change is possible, but only through education, policy and action. Thats why we believe passionately in our Gender Awareness Training and its contribution towards this work. Our Gender Awareness Training empowers participants to advocate for and enact practices that better meet the needs of trans and gender diverse people.
Next week we are hosting a Live Q&A about our Gender Awareness Training. Find out more and book a free place here.
Solidarity always with those fighting for transgender liberation.
These sessions are available to book for business and organisations who want to support teams to meet the needs of clients, customers and service users of all genders, particularly those who fall under the Transgender umbrella.
We’ve been delivering our Main Gender Awareness training session over the last two and a half years, to a whole range of organisations from sectors including health, education, youth services, local government, charities, culture and business.
In this time, we’ve listened to participant and client feedback and revised the main session content several times in response to this feedback and the changing landscape here in the UK in relation to transgender rights. This has enabled us to keep meeting our clients where they are, and supporting teams to feel more confident in discussing transgender and non-binary rights and implementing equitable practices in the workplace.
We’ve also expanded our trainer team, taking on experienced and highly qualified professionals well used to supporting different groups’ learning and who have plenty of experience developing training content that supports equitable practices for marginalised communities.
In response to client feedback and the need to challenge dominant narratives about the lives and rights of trans people here in the UK, we have developed three new Gender Awareness Training sessions. These sessions will raise awareness of different issues affecting trans and non-binary people in the UK today and are pitched at different levels to support team members at different stages of learning and development.
So what’s on offer?
Firstly, for organisations looking for a shorter session for those new to the subject of transgender equality, our Online Intro Session is a great first step towards supporting teams to feel more confident when discussing gender and trans rights. This 1 hour session can be delivered for up to 30 people online.
For those who have perhaps already had some workplace based LGBTQ+ Awareness Training, or feel confident in their knowledge, and are looking more specifically at developing teams’ awareness of the issues affecting trans / non-binary and gender expansive people, our Gender Beyond the Binary session can provide this more focused training. This session is available to book online or in person as a 2.5 hour session or online only as a 1 hour session.
Finally, the Going Further Session is designed to deepen participants’ knowledge of gender, sex and the most pressing issues affecting trans and non-binary people, further increasing the confidence of participants to support trans, non-binary and gender minoritised people in professional and social situations. This 2.5 hour session is aimed at those who have already undertaken our Gender Awareness Training Main Session or who have already undertaken LGBTQ+ Awareness Training in the last two years. It can be delivered online or in person.
If this sounds like just what your organisation is looking for, you can find out more details about the range of training we offer on our Gender Awareness Training page. Our sessions can be delivered both in person and online and our tiered pricing helps organisations of different sizes access this important resource.
For many trans people, 2023 has felt like an onslaught, in terms of the legislative threats to safety and dignity, ever increasing wait times to access gender affirming healthcare and the ongoing moral panic around trans lives supported by the press and media.
We believe that providing access to knowledge, leading research and best practice researched and delivered by those with lived experience, along with space to discuss the practical implementation of policies and practices that can support trans and gender diverse people to live freely and authentically, is an important part of the fight for transgender liberation and gender equality.
Start your organisation’s journey towards equitable practices and policies for trans and non binary people by finding out more about our Gender Awareness Training today.
Time for a roundup from our Pride month edition of our ever popular drag king cabaret, The Kingdom Come!
This special edition’s theme was chosen by our community and as usual featured kings, costumes and plenty vegan cake (this time provided by Sheffield based Little Town Pantry). This sold out event was also a fundraiser for Andro and Eve – vital for a small queer arts organisation navigating a very challenging situation when it comes to funding, the cost of living crisis and specific to Sheffield, use of accessible, well located venues. But thats another blog post….
L-R, Billy Butch, Richard Energy, Unknown Amazon, Toby Carvery, Wesley Dykes, Shardeazy Afrodesiak. Credit -Nelly Naylor (2023).
And so to the night, hosted by the seriously suave and silly Richard Energy. His puppetry was on point, but the jokes and camaraderie he created were the things that made this so special and helped everyone feel so welcome. Yay!
Richard energy performs with his Lip Sink at The Kingdom Come. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)
We were treated to incredible performances by drag kings including Unknown Amazon, Billy Butch, Wesley Dykes, Shardeazy Afrodesiak, and Toby Carvery. These acts packed a punch, ensuring no one forgot the true meaning of Pride as a fight for our rights as LGBTQ+ people, while also being seriously entertained. A big thanks to all these acts for performing at The Kingdom Come.
The Kingdom Come 7. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)
The community showed up in style and with many a placard, helping transform Crookes Social Club into a haven of queer joy and power. A special thanks should to the venue for their support and our team who helped things run smoothly.
The Kingdom Come 7. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)
We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who bought a ticket, donated to our crowdfunder or played the raffle HARD (yes there was a queue to get tickets at one point). You helped us raise an amazing £1,076 which we were able to use as match funding for an Arts Council bid. If successful, this will help support a programme of work with accessible events and creative opportunities for everyone to participate in and celebrate queer culture.
Unknown Amazon performs at The Kingdom Come. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)
In the meantime, enjoy the photos of The Kingdom Come; Pride is a Protest edition taken by Nelly Naylor. And don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter to be first to hear news from us x
Billy Butch took us all to church. Credit: Nelly Naylor (2023)Toby Carvery at The Kingdom Come 7. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)All smiles at The Kingdom Come 7! Credit: Nelly Naylor (2023)Round of applause for the drag kings! Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)Wesley Dykes at The Kingdom Come 7. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)Shardeazy Afrodesiak at The Kingdom Come 7. Credit – Nelly Naylor (2023)
We’re excited to announce an opportunity for drag kings and things to perform at The Kingdom Come #7 on the 29 June!
This open call is aimed at those who have less than 18 months experience performing as their drag character.
You’ll be expected to perform one act no longer than 6 minutes long, at our drag king cabaret, The Kingdom Come, Pride is a Protest Edition on Thur 29 June at Crookes Social Club. We’ll need you at the venue for tech by 4pm on the day of the event.
In return we’ll pay you a fee of £75 and send you a set of photos of your performance, taken by a professional photographer, and you get to feel the love of our supportive community.
Who can apply?
> Drag kings or gender expansive drag acts > With 18 months or less experience performing as their drag act > Who are based in Yorkshire or the North of England > Who are able to commit to the date and times above
We will not consider applications from acts based in locations other than Yorkshire or the North of England, Northern talent to the front please! (We consider Northern talent to be inclusive of the East and West Midlands).
This is a great opportunity to have your act seen by a large and enthusiastic audience. Your act should be suitable for performing on a raised stage to a seated audience of 300 people. We are sorry that there is currently no step free access to the stage.
To apply, please complete the short Google Form and attach a video file or share a link to a short video of your drag act.
Deadline for submission – Midday 6 June
Are you ready to perform on our stage like Mark Anthony?
We will be in touch with the chosen act by Friday 9 June. We are unable to give feedback to unsuccessful submissions, but we may keep your details on file for future bookings.
We look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions about this opportunity please drop us a line to hello@androandeve.com. Please note, we are a team that works part time so the best way to reach us is by email and there may be a delay in us responding.
FAQ’s
I am not a drag king, can I apply? Sorry no, The Kingdom Come is strictly for drag kings and drag acts existing beyond the binary. We programme other types of performance and drag queens at our other events.
I’ve never performed as my drag king before, can I apply? Given the scale of this event and audience size, we are looking for acts who have some performance experience but are looking to take their act onto a different size stage and appear on a bigger platform. Therefore we do expect you will have some experience of performing as your drag king or thing.
I am based in an unspecified location, but there is a lack of opportunities for local drag acts, can I apply? We are fiercely proud of being based in South Yorkshire and celebrating queer culture. We want to support more acts from the North of England. Acts based in Yorkshire will be prioritised over other areas in the North, where opportunities may be available through our friends who also make up the Queer Arts North Network.
What other opportunities will there be for newer or non king acts to appear on one of your stages? Our open mic slots at A Reyt Queer Do are more suited to those brand new to performing and are also a place where we programme a diverse range of performance styles. Sign up to our newsletter below to be first to hear of further opportunities this Autumn.
Andro and Eve’s programme is developed by listening to voices from our LGBTQ+ community. We always collect feedback from those who attend our events and workshops. Additionally, each year we undertake a survey to hear from those who might not have had the chance to have their say, and ask a wider range of questions to help us understand what matters to our community.
We are always keen to plan ahead reflecting on the views of the community which we serve. So if you have time, please do complete our 2023 Community Survey. Your opinions matter to us. It should take 5 – 10 minutes to complete.
If you leave your email address, we will enter you into a prize draw to win a bundle of Andro and Eve merch, including our black logo tee, postcards, pin badges and stickers plus new queer zine, Fresh Air!
Follow the link to have your say in our Community Survey! The form will close at midnight on 16 February.
A Reyt Queer Extravaganza. 2022. Credit – Misha Warren
We want to say a huge thank you to all the artists and freelancers we’ve worked with this year along with our volunteers and board for helping bring people together through queer culture. And a massive thank you to those who’ve supported our work by attending our events or workshops, buying a zine or some merch or sending us a donation. Links above if you want to do the same!
So in no particular order here are 10 highlights of 2022 for Andro and Eve!
1.Our first live cabaret event in 2.5 years – A Reyt Queer Do!
A Reyt Queer Do. Credit – Sophie Okonkwo
Hosted by Sadie Sinner, with Rhys Pieces, Ditzy O Darlin and a cracking line up of emerging talent, everyone who came down to Sidney and Matilda had a great evening. Read more about the event here.
2. Drag Kings!
Mark Anthony performing at The Kingdom Come 6. Credit – Dawn Kilner
From both our online drag king workshops with Christian Adore, to ALL our live events this year, and especially The Kingdom Come, an event designed solely to share the UK’s most exciting drag king talent, we were thrilled to be making space to platform these amazing artists, that too often get overlooked in the drag scene. Long live the kings!
3. Fresh Air Zine
We worked with Site Gallery’s Society of Explorers to create a brand new zine, inspired by our Gender Awareness Training. Packed full of illustrations by artist Luci Pina its a gorgeous resource for young and older people alike. You can still get a copy for free here.
4. A Reyt Queer Extravaganza
A Reyt Queer Extravaganza. Credit – Misha Warren
Our biggest ever event was a collaboration with Ghetto Fabulous, with our artistic director, Finn Warman, working closely with artistic director and choreographer Darren Pritchard to programme and produce this event featuring over 20 performers to an audience of 300 people at The Leadmill. Hosted by the legendary Rikki Beadle – Blair, to say it was an epic endeavour, but utterly worth it, is an understatement! Read more about the event here.
5. Forgeous
Through queer dance and movement workshops that we produced in collaboration with Ghetto Fabulous in June and July, new queer dance collective, Forgeous were forged in all their gloriousness. They then made their debut performance at A Reyt Queer Extravaganza. Hear more about their experience in this short film made by filmmaker Toni Lee.
6. Teamwork!
Ibk Adebambo and Finn Warman at A Reyt Queer Extravaganza. Credit – Misha Warren
2022 marked a year of Finn and Ibk working together as a producing duo, and for a brief time our team grew with other freelancers joining to help produce and promote our work. Not to forget our amazing volunteers who helped everything run smoothly at our events and Doncaster Pride. Martha has now stepped back from their role as Assistant Producer, but will work with us on a more ad hoc basis in future. A huge thank you for all their contributions to Andro and Eve.
7. Gender Awareness Training
Our second year of delivering this bespoke session saw us training over 250 people throughout the UK and giving them the tools and confidence to better serve trans and gender expansive clients and audiences. We also recruited a brilliant team of freelance trainers who will be very busy in 2023 with more training sessions. Please get in touch if your team could benefit from this professional development opportunity. You can book for our open session the 1 February here.
8. Festival of Debate – The Transgender Issue with Shon Faye
In May our artistic director Finn hosted a Q&A as part of the Festival of Debate in Sheffield with renowned writer and author Shon Faye about her first book, The Transgender Issue. To see a crowd of gender diverse people and allies centre and listen to the very real issues affecting trans people today, and make space for trans joy, was a really wonderful highlight.
9. Queer Delight
Following an open call in the summer, we commissioned filmmaker Alexis Maxwell to make a short digital film. The resulting animated poem, Queer Delight is a pure joy to watch, and the audio described version was beautifully enriched by Adedamola Bajomo.
10. Our Community
We were so happy to welcome so many new faces to Andro and Eve events, with folk working with our Safer Spaces policy, and generally being so warm and friendly to everyone. It was also super heartwarming to have plenty familiar faces return to our audiences and to witness the joy of being together once more.
So thats our year in a snapshot – there’s plenty more we could mention, truly, its been a wild year, but we hope you’ve enjoyed taking a moment to reflect on whats been achieved and the fact that 6 years after our first event, we’re still here, still queer and making space to celebrate queer culture.
If you want to make sure you’re first to hear whats in store for 2023, then make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter. The whims of social media platforms have been very much highlighted this year, so it’s more important than ever that we have other ways to stay connected!
Wishing you a peaceful and warm end to 2022 x
Feeling Fabulous Workshop with Ghetto Fabulous. 2022. Credit – Emma Bentley – Fox
Last month our drag king cabaret, The Kingdom Come made its long overdue return to Sheffield. Suffice to say, we were very excited. The queer future is here, and drag kings are definitely part of it!
Taking over another new venue for us, Crookes Social Club, we transformed this community venue into a silvery, spacey fantasy ready for our stellar line up to take to the stage.
Romeo De La Cruz. Credit: Dawn Kilner
Our hosts for the evening was the ‘godfather of the modern UK drag king scene’ Adam All, and his partner, Apple Derrieres. With Sigi Moonlight, Mark Anthony, Romeo De La Cruz and Brokeback Yorkshire, our sold out audience was treated to thrills and spills all over.
Adam All and Apple Derrieres hosting The Kingdom Come #6. Credit Dawn Kilner
With Adam and Apple blasting out the power pop anthems, Mark Anthony treating us to his seductive boylesque moves, Brokeback Yorkshire being the campest and sexiest gay cowboys we’ve seen, Romeo De La Cruz powerfully commanding the stage with their choreography and Sigi Moonlight taking us on a sublime yet silly seaside journey!
This was also our first live show where we were able to offer audio description, beautifully delivered by Dot, and our BSL interpreter, Max smashed out the BSL with panache galore.
Sigi Moonlight as Captain Birdseye. Credit: Dawn Kilner
A huge thanks to Crookes Social Club for the warm welcome, to all our artists and crew and brilliant volunteers for helping things run smoothly. We also want to say massive thanks to our community, who on the night, through fervent raffle action, managed to raise £246 for our Pay it Forward Ticket fund. This fund helps us provide free and discounted tickets to those who need them at future events.
Our friendly crew and volunteers were serving up cake and smiles!
The Kingdom Come: Queer Future Edition was our last event of 2022, but we’ll be back in 2023 with more queer joy and delight. Just make sure you’ve signed up to our newsletter to be first to hear about upcoming events and opportunities.
We are thrilled launch our new film, Queer Delight by artist Alexis Maxwell. We commissioned this film after an open call this summer.
Queer Delight is an animated poem inspired by conversations with LGBTQ+ people. It explores and celebrates how delight is experienced in the queer community through mesmerising visuals, music and text.
We’re also happy to be able to offer an audio described version of the film too. Audio description has been provided by Adedamola Bajomo. Just scroll down to play the audio described version.
Alexis Maxwell is a contemporary storyteller based across the North. Using a blend of text, tech and animation they explore ways of interpreting everyday experiences into creative oral history. Self-taught animator and long-time fan of all things spoken word; they draw from interdisciplinary practices to breathe life into poetry.
They love art that embraces a sense of self and community; exploring how diverse voices and experiences can come together to overlap and intersect. But most importantly they love the pursuit of joy and all the challenges that come with it. You can follow Alexis on Instagram here.
We hope you enjoy the film as much as we do, and it brings you plenty delight!
Film and music by Alexis Maxwell Audio Description by Adedamola Bajomo Commissioned by Andro and Eve 2022 Supported using Funding from Arts Council England.
So we’re thrilled to share a specially commissioned film by filmmaker Toni Lee that shows the making of A Reyt Queer Extravaganza and what it meant to the participants and artists involved.
Toni Lee filming participants of Forgeous, Sheffield. Credit – Misha Warren
This collaboration with Ghetto Fabulous was a year in the making, with queer dance and movement workshops in June and July, which brought together a group of LGBTQ+ people from South Yorkshire who were supported to create their own collective and who made their performance debut at A Reyt Queer Extravaganza.
Forgeous onstage at The Leadmill. July 2022. Credit – Misha Warren
A Reyt Queer Extravaganza in July was Sheffield’s first queer led ball, and a huge event, with 25 performers taking to the stage at The Leadmill, and 300 audience members. This film celebrates the people and processes involved in making it all happen. As one audience member said..
The whole event had a brilliantly inclusive feel to it. It felt like everyone on the stage and in the audience was being encouraged and uplifted
Relive the memories, or see what you missed and have a watch now!
Credits
Cinematography and Editing – Toni Lee
Stills photography – Emily Obeng
Artistic Directors – Darren Pritchard for Ghetto Fabulous and Finn Warman for Andro & Eve
Workshop Facilitator – Sym Mendez
Host of Reyt Queer Extravaganza – Rikki Beadle Blair
With thanks to The Leadmill, Montgomery Theatre, Andro & Eve staff and volunteers and all the fierce performers who took to the runway.
This project was made made possible through funding from Arts Council England and The Civic, Barnsley.
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