DIVA’s editor-in-chief, Roxy Bourdillon, will be part of a special event all about queer memoir and life writing
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE PROVIDED
Book lovers, you have been summoned. Brighton & Hove’s highly anticipated LGBTQIA+ festival The Coast Is Queer is back. Returning on 9 October, the seventh instalment of this essential space will see headline writers like Munroe Bergdorf, Joelle Taylor and Travis Alabanza speak passionately on stage.
Since 2019, over 7,000 have been inspired by the festival’s jam-packed programme of writers, agents and readers. 250 writers have taken part so far, and this year promises to continue sparking exciting and daring new conversations.
Lesley Wood, CEO of New Writing South said: “The Coast is Queer returns to Brighton in 2025 – a defiant, joyful, energising antidote to the constant conflict and noise of our times. It is a transient moment of communitas, of shared humanity and solidarity, needed now as much as any time in our turbulent queer history. We warmly invite you to join us as we explore the infinite ways queer writers feed our imagination and open our minds.”
One event that should be on your radar is Truth And Daring, a discussion between Roxy Bourdillon and Jeremy Atherton Lin, chaired by Sam Solomon, all about the ethics of creating a memoir. For keen DIVA fans, you will have already picked up (and engulfed) your copy of DIVA’s editor-in-chief’s debut novel What A Girl Wants.
Here are some of the events taking place:
Thursday 9 October
Opening Event with Ruckus! – Federation co-founder and Sussex alumnus Topher Campbell, in association with Black at Sussex, launches the festival with energy and insight.
Friday 10 October
It Ain’t Over Until the Bisexual Speaks – Vaneet Mehta, Lois Shearing, and Sam Mills, chaired by Hafsa Qureshi, explore bisexuality’s intersectional complexities and common erasure.
From Page to Stage – Coral Wylie, Debbie Hannan, and Tabby Lamb, chaired by Dorothy Max Prior, discuss adapting queer stories for the theatre.
Graphic Sexuality – The Novel Art of Being Queer – Curated by Brighton and Sussex students, this panel delves into queer comics, zines and graphic novels.
Re:Search – Ways of Finding Queer History – Students showcase creative and radical ways researchers uncover and share hidden queer histories.
Getting an Agent – Leading queer agents share insights on the representation process and landing your first deal.
Building a Queer List in a Straight Industry – Editors from indie presses to Big 5 publishers discuss championing queer books and authors.
Getting Your Work Out There – Publicists and writers share practical advice on traditional and self-publishing queer work.
An Evening with Joelle Taylor & Friends – Join Joelle Taylor and two powerful guest poets as they perform and discuss The Night Alphabet.
Life Writing and Memoir – Topher Campbell explores queer memoir and life storytelling through a personal lens.
Queer Girls Book Club x Christina Fonthes – Christina Fonthes joins a special book club event to discuss her debut novel.
Saturday 11 October
This Queer Arab Family – Celebrate the launch of this landmark anthology with editor Elias Jahshan.
Do You Believe in Life After Loss – Andrew Flewitt, Luciana Cousins, and Juno Roche reflect on loss, identity, love and religion.
What Can We Do About It? – Lucy Webster, Ian Henzel, Hafsa Qureshi, and Sen Raj, chaired by Ellen Jones, discuss hopeful strategies for queer futures.
Truth and Daring – Queer Memoir and Life Writing – Roxy Bourdillon and Jeremy Atherton Lin, chaired by Sam Solomon, discuss the ethics and craft of memoir.
Not That Innocent – Queer Crime Fiction – With DG Coutinho, Jack Jordan, Piotr Cieplak, and Lesley Thomson, chaired by Ayse Huseyin.
Horrifyingly Queer – Heather Parry, Natalia Theodoridou, Onjuli Datta, and Mikaella Clements, chaired by Chloe Michelle Howarth, explore queer horror writing.
Black History: Reclaiming and Retelling – Paula Akpan, Jacob V Joyce, and Coral Wylie, chaired by Sue Lemos, discuss Black queer histories and storytelling.
In Conversation: Yael van der Wouden & Vedrana Velickovic – A compelling exchange between the Women’s Prize for Fiction winner and a leading literary critic.
Juno Dawson’s Lovely Trans Literary Salon – A literary salon hosted by Juno Dawson, featuring Munroe Bergdorf and special guests.
Open Mic Night – A vibrant, inclusive evening for queer voices to take the stage and share their work.
Sunday 12 October
Screening: 3000 Lesbians Go to York – A powerful documentary followed by a Q&A with producer/author Jane Traies, director and editor.
A Morning with Damian Barr and Curtis Garner – Celebrate Damian Barr’s new book The Two Roberts with co-host Curtis Garner.
Is a Shared History Possible? – Kit Heyam, Paula Akpan, and Jane Traies, chaired by Dr Nat Arias, explore intersections in queer histories.
Care Café with Lois Weaver – A free, informal gathering hosted by performance artist and queer elder Lois Weaver.
Letters To My Little Trans Self – Panel with contributors Juno Roche, Ebony Rose Dark, Luc Grey, and Travis Alabanza.
In Conversation: Ali Smith & Jackie Kay – Two literary icons come together to close the festival in an unforgettable dialogue.
Letters to My Younger Trans Self Workshop – Serge Nicholson and Libro Levi Bridgeman lead a powerful, reflective writing session.
Intergenerational Reading Group – A discussion hosted by the University of Brighton AHRC IGNITE programme, bringing generations together through queer literature.
Buy tickets and festival passes at www.coastisqueer.com
DIVA magazine celebrates 31 years in print in 2025. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA+ media and keep us going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.
