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Queer Minds

@queermindsfestival

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A festival of ideas • Returning September 2026

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I was delighted to take part in Queer Minds again this year and to be chaired once again by the incredible Tstarnay! Gay’s the Word sold out of all their copies of Big Man. I’ll pop into the store to sign some when new stock comes in.

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Insightful and fascinating conversations this afternoon at Queer Minds Festival 2026 with content provided by Jesse du Preez ,Ewan Murrie, Dean Atta, Tstarnay, Dylin Hardcastle, Jenny Chamarette, Joe Conroy, Scott Bryan, Amanda Collier, Jamie Windust and Shakeel Kimotho

hosted by @benpechey and @queermindsfestival held @21soho.sq and merch by @gaysthewordbookshop

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Morning! Up for some Queer Garden joy today? Come join me @hornimanmuseumgardens from 12pm or @queermindsfestival from 4pm. Back to school in a queer and leafy fashion…

#qisforgarden #hornimanautumnplantfair #naturewriting #queergarden #queerplants

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Big Man Book Tour (September)

Big Man has been officially launched and here’s where you can catch me on tour for the rest of the September in London, Cardiff and Eastbourne! Go to the Linktree in my bio for further details and tickets.

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🖤 My debut adult novel, Big Man, is out today, and I’m currently deciding what sections to read at the book launch tonight at Hackney Central Library. See you there if you’re coming, or see you on tour.

💛 I’ve loads more dates in London, plus I’m coming to Cardiff, Eastbourne, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cheltenham, Brighton, Manchester, Stroud, Swindon, and more to be announced.

🔗 Tour dates and tickets in the Linktree in my bio.

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The book launch for my debut adult novel, Big Man, is this Thursday, 3 September, at Hackney Central Library. It’s free to attend, but you’ll need to register on Eventbrite.

Books will be on sale from Pages of Hackney, but also available to loan from the library.

I have plenty more free and affordable events in London this month in Soho, Queen’s Park, Islington, Walthamstow, and Kensington.

Plus, I’m coming to Cardiff and Eastbourne.

Find all these and more in the Linktree in my bio.

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Your roundup of this weeks events that don’t result in a hangover 🪄

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Sixty years ago today a major beat of queer resistance stood its ground in New York city.

One of the city's oldest bars, Julius' became a gay bar in the 1960s. It was soon - and remains - part of the same Greenwich Village circuit as the nearby Stonewall Inn.

On April 21, 1966 members of queer activist group the Mattachine Society organized what became known as the “Sip-In.”. It was a LGBTQ attempt to challenge the NY authorities and their draconian laws that prohibited bar owners from serving who they believed to be homosexual via various legal and societal loopholes.

Sixty years ago and in response to this bigotry and societal oppression, Dick Leitsch, Craig Rodwell, and John Timmons went on a bar crawl to confront the rulings. When they reached Julius they were refused a drink...

So, the trio and a growing group of Greenwich gay folk and reporters held their own and created a 'Sip In' that refused to be refused service and soon played its part in helping to change LGBTQ history and equalities.

Julius later hosted at least two Bond music alumni in an anniversary show of queer defiance, liquor and music, and has become a major film location in its own right, as well as a brilliant queer hub for the city and queer identity.

#Julius #LGBTQ #NYC #SamSmith #BondQueerBond

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🍹✨ Meet THIRSTY QUEEN — the mobile bar that brings the party to you! ✨🍹

Serving fun, flair, and fabulous drinks, THIRSTY QUEEN is a vibrant mobile bar run by Rubella Vaxine — Ruby to her friends — your dazzling drag queen diva, alongside her husband Jonny. Together they roll up ready to shake, stir, and serve unforgettable party vibes wherever the celebration takes them!

Expect big energy, inclusive vibes, and seriously fabulous drinks — the kind of bar experience your guests will be talking about long after the last call. 💋

Perfect for: Pride events, Festivals, Private parties, Functions & celebrations

For Bookings & info:
Thirstyqueenmobilebar@gmail.com

#dragqueenuk #queerpride #dragqueens #lgbtpride #queerpride

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✍️ Free LGBTQ+ Writing Workshop
Everyone has a story to tell.
Do you want to explore your creative side through writing? Whether it’s a memory, a short story, a poem, or something entirely new, this free LGBTQ+ writing group is a welcoming space to experiment and express yourself.
Join us for three friendly, fortnightly workshops led by novelist and playwright Robert Holtom. The sessions take place on Fridays, 2 to 4pm, on Friday 23rd and Friday 13th February, at Mitcham Lane Baptist Church, Furzedown.
At the end of the workshops, you’ll be invited to share your work in a booklet celebrating the diversity of voices across Wandsworth.
🌈 Free to attend
📍 Furzedown, SW16
🖊️ Open to all LGBTQ+ writers and beginners
📩 Message to take part!

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🫂 DAY 18,19,20,21 COLLABORATION 💫

✨ These past days, I’ve been reflecting on what truly shapes the way we live: friendships, moving forward, embracing the unknown, and finding balance.

🌱 Friendships remind me that we’re not here to do this journey alone. They hold us in love, truth, and connection when we forget our own strength.

➡️ Forward means choosing to keep breathing, creating, and growing—carrying the lessons of the past but refusing to stay stuck in it.

🌌 Unknown is where life always meets us. Nothing is certain, and while that can feel scary, it’s also where possibility lives. The unknown is not a threat—it’s the space for new beginnings.

⚖️ Balance is the practice of returning to ourselves. Not chasing perfection, but learning to hold both the highs and lows, the joy and the challenge, with awareness.

Together, these themes remind me: life isn’t about controlling everything—it’s about staying open, trusting the path, and finding alignment in the process.

✨ Friendships hold us. Forward calls us. The Unknown expands us. Balance grounds us.

Thank you for reading my #socialmediajournal
A reflection of me , that I will read once in the future to see how I was evolving.

With Love,
Piotr

#Friendship #Forward #Unknown #Balance #HealingJourney #Mindfulness #Authenticity #Resilience #InnerStrength #Growth

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