Following the recent impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on financial support for a charity that deals with one of the shocking consequences of lockdown on members of our LGBTQ community, The Gate Creative + Media reached out to QX for help in getting the message out. So here is that message.
The Covid-19 lockdown has impacted the LGBTQ community in a number of unexpected ways. From no longer having safe spaces, to being trapped in their homes with problematic or phobic housemates and family. This has caused a huge increase in people reaching out for help to services like LGBT Foundation’s helpline.
The increased demand has put a huge strain on their services and paired with the loss of fundraising from cancelled pride events, we knew we had to do something to the LGBT Foundation to keep supporting our community like they have done since 1975.
That is where the Locked Down and Out project came from. The core idea behind the work came quite quickly because it fell naturally out of reading stories of LGBTQ people stuck with intolerant and abusive families in lockdown. It’s a by-product of the pandemic that people don’t consider, so it felt appropriate to highlight these experiences in some way.
Ultimately, it didn’t feel right to do something flashy. Reality was powerful enough. That’s when we set off on the journey to creating this film with the incredible team over at Friend with the endlessly talented Lucrecia directing the project. She brought such an understanding and passion for telling this hidden story. Miya our lead actress was an incredible find by the team, we needed this story to feel authentic, and having an actress who understood the struggles of our hero really helped breathe life into the film.
LGBTQ abuse has more than doubled since lockdown – we really need to support the services in place to help those in trouble. If everyone who celebrates pride every year instead donated what they would spend on a couple of drinks to the fundraiser for the charity, we could help keep the spirit of pride alive and help LGBT Foundation to provide support to those in our community who need it, now more than ever.
https://justgiving.com/campaign/lockeddownandout
The film Locked Down and Out is available to view here. If you can’t give right now, Tweet your support and help us get the message out.
QX will do our best to help all charities that need our support at this difficult time.
