On 27 October young adults from the Watford PRISM LGBT+ project went to see the ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ musical at the Turbine Theatre in London. The musical tackles issues around conversion therapy, stereotyping, sexual orientation and gender identity, subjects that are discussed at the project as part of the curriculum programme.
PRISM (standing for ‘proud, resilient, inclusive, scrumptious me’) is a project for LGBT+ young adults and those who are questioning their sexuality or gender. The weekly SfYP project offers a safe, inclusive space to join in with activities and discussions with other LGBT+ people aged 18 to 25 in the Watford area.
The trip offered a range of benefits, from a new cultural experience for those who had never seen live theatre before, to the life skills and confidence gained by planning their route and travelling into London independently. The relatable content of the show prompted further discussions about their own journeys and experiences regarding gender, sexuality and feelings evoked by the show.
Feedback about the trip from the young people:
“I enjoyed everything, and I really connected with the show because of my own identity.”
“It was fantastic! I loved being in a public space surrounded by other queer people, it changed the way I saw myself in busy spaces. Sort of like there was still space for the queer part of my identity.”
SfYP Youth Workers at the PRISM project actively encourage members of the group to help plan the weekly sessions. Following the theatre trip, the group felt that gender identity was something they would like to explore further and decided to invite G(end)er Swap to the next project session. G(end)er Swap is an initiative and awareness-raising campaign that celebrates gender diversity through the medium of fashion, and they led a fun workshop at which the group enjoyed creating textile patchworks to express their gender identities.
Find out more about SfYP support for young LGBT+ people
