LGBTQ+: Wales' first bilingual magazine launched in lockdown

Wales' first , bilingual, LGBTQ+ magazine launches this month

What is believed to be Wales' first national LGBTQ+ bilingual magazine has been launched.

LGBTQymru will "celebrate, connect and support the communities of Wales - not just the LGBTQ+ community but Wales as a whole", those behind it say.

Founder and editor Bleddyn Harris has created the quarterly online magazine after launching the first Wales-wide virtual Pride last year.

He said it would "showcase the community".

After the cancellation of annual Pride celebrations across the UK as a result of the pandemic, LGBTQymru created their virtual event in July, attracting 30,000 online views.

Mr Harris, 28, from Merthyr Tydfil, said: "We had so much interaction and representation, it was fabulous. People from all over Wales were involved and there were really interesting conversations that just don't happen.

"I just kept thinking, what next? And I realised there has never been an LGBTQ+ magazine in Wales. We all felt this was an opportunity to create something sustainable, a legacy piece that will last."

Bleddyn Harris wants the magazine to celebrate those from the LGBTQ+ community

Mr Harris said the festival had brought so many people together at a time when they had found themselves "further away from one another".

"I wanted to continue that, I felt the magazine was the best way to do that. The best platform to showcase who we are as a community."

LGBTQymru said it was important for the LGBTQ+ community that it is produced by the community.

'Community to have role models'

"In mainstream media anything to do with LGBTQ+ is through the lens of cisgendered individuals or is watered down and made more palatable, and I wanted this magazine to be honest and real, showcasing that the LGBTQ+ community is unique in that it embodies every race, every culture, and every ethnicity," Mr Harris added.

"I never had role models growing up. I thought I was the only one and different, and hopefully this magazine will allow younger members of the LGBTQ+ community to have role models and see that they can be who they are and not need to apologise for it.

"Creating this magazine is hugely important because we are celebrating people who often get overlooked, in a world where some would otherwise like us to be quiet."

• 'Huge distance' travelled on LGBT attitudes

• LGBT community's art on show

• LGBT pupils 'need better support' from schools

This has driven the reason why the magazine is bilingual.

"The magazine promotes identity so it was a conscious decision to commit to this being a bilingual magazine. It was important to ensure that Welsh speaking LGBTQ+ people could engage with the content and read it in their language of choice," he said.

Mr Harris said the project would also be positive for its use of community reporters.

LGBTQymru want the magazine to inspire the LGBTQ+ community and allies too

Jordan Howell, 27, is one of the magazine's four reporters.

'It's really exciting'

The journalism student from University of South Wales has three pieces in the first edition which has just been released.

"I think it's a really good thing for Wales and it's been great to be a part of and being able to do something for the LGBTQ+ community," he said.

"To have the first thing I have done for print being Wales' first ever LGBTQ+, bilingual magazine is really exciting. I have really enjoyed doing and I just cant wait to see it."