“Steps” Gay Member Ian “H” Watkins Releases Radio Documentary ‘The Only Gay in the Village’

2023-08-24
11:33

Dance-pop group ‘Steps’ band member Ian “H” Watkins’ will be releasing a new radio documentary titled ‘The Only Gay in the Village.’

The touching documentary will be exploring the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals who grew up as the sole queer people in their town or village in the UK.

Airing on Virgin Radio Pride UK on August 8, Tuesday, Watkins narrates the hour-long documentary and shares in detail how he felt like “the only gay in the village” growing up in Cwmparc in Wales.

The documentary which is produced by audio content agency This Is Distorted also presents the powerful perspectives of a variety of contributors from the queer community, and showcases first-hand accounts that detail the highs and lows of seemingly being “the only gay in the village”.

It also highlights the need for awareness, education, and countermeasures against acts of hatred and intolerance. Hate crimes statistics have more than tripled since 2012 according to the Hate Crime in England and Wales.

Both Virgin Radio Pride UK and This Is Distorted praised each other for “continuing to start conversations around those difficult issues the LGBTQ+ community faces” and exploring “important issues and telling thoughtful and thought-provoking stories.”

Watkins recently performed at Brighton Pride’s Fabuloso festival where he sent a message of solidarity to the trans community.

“Those people under attack, especially, are the trans community, who we love. To trans people, to people who are identifying in a different way, or maybe you just need to hear this: you matter. You are valued, and you are loved,” he said addressing the crowd.

The performer also refused to perform at a Dubai show in June that banned the members from making any mention of sexuality.

‘The Only Gay in the Village’ is available on Virgin Radio Pridecast or wherever you get your podcasts.

Sources: (1) (2) (3)

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