2020 and 2021 so far have been years of protest and unrest, with marches and demonstrations, at the same time as many of us have been encouraged to stay inside. Debut author of The Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney (Dialogue Books), Okechukwu Nzelu, joins multi-genre author of Queer Sex (Jessica Kingsley Press), Juno Roche, to discuss the past and present of queer activism and its representation in, or erasure from, literature. Jamie Windust, author of In Their Shoes (Jessica Kingsley Press), a pioneering memoir of non-binary life, joins them on the panel.

Jamie Windust is an award-winning LGBTQ+ author, presenter and model living and working in London. Their debut book In Their Shoes: Navigating Non-Binary Life published to critical acclaim in October 2020, remaining in the top 10 of the trans charts to this day. As well as being an author, Windust was appointed Contributing Editor at Gay Times in June 2020, where their work continues to explore the nuances, brilliance and joy of the trans community. As a presenter Jamie has hosted events such as TEDxLondon Womens’ in 2021 live from Abbey Road Studios, as well as co-producing their debut series with Jameela Jamil and her platform IWeigh to celebrate the launch of their book. Jamie’s modelling work has seen them work with the likes of Jean Paul Gaultier, MAC, UGG, ASOS and Gucci. In Their Shoes was published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers and Jamie is represented by PFD Agents for all literary work.

Juno Roche is an internationally recognised trans writer and campaigner, and Founder of Trans Workers UK and the Trans Teachers Network. On the Independent‘s Rainbow List 2015 and 2016, they are a trustee of the Sophia Forum and received the 2015 NUT Blair Peach Award for their campaign ‘Why Trans Teachers Matter’. Born in Peckham, Juno studied Fine Art and Philosophy at Brighton and English Literature at Sussex, and contributes to a wide range of publications including Bitch Magazine, Dazed, Vice, Broadly, Cosmopolitan, The i, The Tate Magazine and Refinery29. Their first three books, Queer Sex, Trans Power and Gender Explorers were published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Their memoir, A Working-Class Family Ages Badly, will be published by Dialogue Books in 2022.

Okechukwu Nzelu is a Manchester-based writer. In 2015 he was the recipient of a Northern Writers’ Award from New Writing North. In 2020 his debut novel, The Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney won a Betty Trask Award and was shortlisted for the Betty Trask Prize, the Desmond Elliott Prize, and the Polari First Book Prize. Okechukwu’s second novel, Here Again Now, will be published by Dialogue Books in March 2022. He is a Lecturer in Creative Writing at Lancaster University and he will co-hosting the Hachette Pride’s Podcast, Pride in Writing: Finding Your Story.