Whilst brainstorming who would be this month’s BRICKS Voices cover star, we came to a blank, not because we couldn’t think of anyone to fit the bill, it was quite the opposite. This month marks the first pride of the decade, a monumental moment that we, unfortunately, can’t celebrate together, as over 100 pride events have been cancelled globally due to COVID-19.

At BRICKS, we strive to foster our ever-growing community, which has become increasingly more difficult as this pandemic has gone on. While in isolation, our community has faced many challenges, from Poland’s ‘LGBT-Free’ to the Hungarian government drafting a law to end legal gender recognition for transgender people. Through all of these challenges, our community has grown stronger, from Voices4 starting the #QUEERPROTESTATHOME campaign, to Queer House Party hosting digital club events in order to bring our community together during these precarious times. 

To continue this work and to make sure no one in our community goes unheard, we wanted to focus on some of the most authoritative queer voices who are diversifying the term queer and allowing space for new stories to take central stage. This is why for this month’s BRICKS Voices cover, we have decided to feature twelve queer voices across the creative spectrum, some of which are long term BRICKS contributors, who are defining what it means to be queer in 2020. Familiarise yourself with their stories and remember to share them with people who wouldn’t necessarily engage in queer experiences. By doing so, you’re allowing their voices to be shared beyond our echo chamber, helping to educate others and to hopefully create a more inclusive, supportive future for the queer community.