Episode 1: Queer House Party
The QHP team of Seren aka Wacha (they/them), Harry Gay (he/him), Taali Akosua Kwaten aka Taali Not Charlie (she/her), Nik Erz aka passer (they/them), and Liv Wynter (they/them).
There’s arguably no better community group to feature first on Queer Spaces: Behind the Scene than Queer House Party.
Self-described as a “DJ collective, community platform and award-winning queer party that’s accessible, radical, DIY and punk AF”, QHP originally began as a weekly virtual party at the start of the pandemic in March 2020, as a way of hanging out with their close circle of friends.
Liv Wynter (they/them)
These online events cultivated a much-needed community for queer people during various lockdowns in the UK and across the world - bringing those together even in countries where it is illegal to be gay. In a (presumably) post-lockdown world, the parties have moved to physical settings with people in (“from the URL to IRL”), however still retaining the online aspect for these events, which is crucial for their raison d'etre in regards to accessibility and safety for the community.
Wacha states that it “feels like an imperative” to continue their work, having really tapped into a need in the queer community - a “community that doesn’t always feel safe accessing the queer spaces that are in London, or the rest of England”. BSL sign language interpreters are utilised in all shows.
IRL audience at a Queer House Party night
Their rise has been meteoric; the collective were interviewed by the BBC during the height of #lockdown1, guesting on Jamz Supernova (an experience Seren describes with great humour in the podcast which really sums up the mood of that point in time) - and the collective will be touring with Years & Years very shortly. The team still work closely with other grassroots queer spaces and organisations, while raising money along the way.
A lot of ground is covered by Wacha and Harry in our podcast, offering insight into the health of the queer community and LGBTQ+ spaces in London and beyond. They talk passionately on how gay culture has become somewhat sanitised and capitalised, while being assimilated within the mainstream capitalist culture, and what does that mean when this happens. The energy, enthusiasm, and activism of QHP comes across strongly in person as they do at their parties.
Liv Wynter
QHP’s BSL interpreter Max Marchewicz signing over Zoom
Wacha and Passer
Taali Akosua Kwaten
Umbrella installation piece by Cybertease with ‘Fuck Terfs’ and ‘Fuck Swerfs’ written on them
Liv Wynter’s fresh poppers tattoo
Taali Akosua Kwaten and Liv Wynter
All images here were taken at QHP’s February event at The Garage with Cybertease (a sex worker co-operative and strip show sensation, created by members of United Sex Workers) and U OK HUN? (“OG Trash Queens of the East London queer scene”).
To keep up with Queer House Party, you can find them on Instagram @queerhouseparty.
Please do let us know about your favourite queer spaces, collectives, and organisations. Stories on your experiences of LGBTQ+ spaces are very much welcome.
Who should we include in future episodes? tim@queerspaces.uk
