LGBT+Me- Meet The Maker!

Here at Marginal Publishing House, we develop lots of diverse and interesting literature. One comic that is SUPER diverse and interesting is the wonderful, ‘LGBT+Me’, written and illustrated by Bell Carr and co-creator Paul Harris. LGBT+Me is due to be published in the Autumn of2022.

LGBT+Me is a comic book that follows the story of Bea and their friends from school, having a sleepover! Some of them she knows well, some not so much. When fun and games turn to honest discussions, will they get past their vulnerabilities and open up to each other? In the morning perhaps they will have become closer friends with a better understanding of themselves and each other.

This story and its educational resources give a small insight into the experiences of children and young people who are beginning to question their identity. It aims to show caregivers how beneficial an open and welcoming outlook can be, as well as reassure young readers that it’s normal to question these things.

LGBT+Me

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LGBT+Me 〰️

We had the pleasure of chatting to the person who brought these characters to life, Bell Carr. Bell has worked very hard over the past year and a half to develop, design, make and finish LGBT+Me with support from their friend and co-creative, Paul Harris. We wanted to ask Bell some questions about LGBT+Me so that you can understand the story more and get excited for what is to come!

What is LGBT+Me and

what inspired

you to make it?

LGBT+Me is an educational comic and zine mashup aimed at young people and their guardians. Our story follows a group of kids having a sleepover, some of them know each other well and others are meeting for the first time. Throughout the evening they do the usual fun activities - watching films, playing games, eating lots of food. As the night goes on they discuss various topics around identity and their experiences, particularly sexuality and gender identity. Some characters are just beginning to learn about and question these things, as they are at a turning point in their lives. The book goes between comic pages where they explore how it may feel to deal with these things and zine pages which explain in detail what different identities mean and how they may present in a person.

I wanted to make this publication because when I was the age of these characters (11-12) there was absolutely zero accessible education around LGBTQIA+. Literally none. The only exposure I had to the concept of being queer was jokes at school about someone being a 'lesbo'. You were assumed to be cisgender and heterosexual and that was that. I barely knew trans people existed until I was an adult. That feels completely ridiculous. I know that it would have saved me a lot of pain and confusion to have learned about these things at that age - I also think of all the people around me I could have been an ally to, but I didn't know they were there. I don't want young people to have to go through that. I went with the setting of a sleepover because I remember that for some reason, they would often end with lots of soul searching and 'deep' talks. I never related to any of these talks because they were usually about boys, but I love the idea of kids feeling safe enough to use that space to think about their identity.

Do you

have a favourite

moment

in the book? If so,

what is it and why?

My favourite moment is right at the end (spoilers!!). When Robin and Jasper are leaving together, Robin's stepdad asks how they are. They grin at each other, admiring their colourful painted nails and say "We're great!". It doesn't sound like much, but this is such a big thing for Robin. They've been on a journey throughout the evening gradually starting to explore their gender identity and think about how they had categorised small things like painting your nails as something only certain people can do. They have realised that regardless of how they identify, they can absolutely paint their nails a bright colour and feel confident about it. This is Robin's first time expressing this side of themselves in front of family, but having the support of Jasper helps them to be brave. It's a great sign of things beginning to change for Robin, and I just feel proud of them in that moment.

Why do

you think this book

is important

for everyone?

The world can be a very hostile place if you're a marginalised person. The UK especially has made it feel quite unsafe for trans and nonbinary people recently. I believe that education is important to combat this. If LGBTQIA+ identities are normalised from a young age - more people will feel confident in coming out and more people will become an ally. Young people may face less confusion and potential trauma as teenagers and adults if they already know who they are or might be. This book can also take away the responsibility of a young person having to explain their identity to their guardians. Teachers may feel more able to talk with students through a comic, as this format feels more accessible and approachable. I want this book to feel like a mediator, a toolkit, a caring friend.

There is a strange misconception among intolerant people that LGBTQIA+ education is being forced onto children, that we're trying to brainwash them. But queer people don't just appear when you become aware of them, we've always been here and always will be. Education means that we don't have to hide it. We have had so many years of only seeing straight white cis men dating straight white cis women in media and books, of children being told what they can and can't do because of the body they were born with. Education allows children to be as unique as they feel, to know that whoever they are is okay. Education improves healthcare and legal rights. Education prevents mental ill health and suicide. These are things we should want for every child, not just ones in certain groups.

What was

the hardest

part of making LGBT+Me?

My biggest moments of doubt whilst making the book were when I would picture the wrong kind of person reading it. I would find myself imagining them thinking that what I was writing was bad or dangerous in some way - because I've seen that attitude so much. I obviously want to change these attitudes, but it still scares me. It feels vulnerable to write a book like this, even though it's not about me. I guess I want to protect myself and the children I'm writing it for, because I don't trust everyone to be as open and accepting as they should be. This is an internalised fear I need to work on, but the continuous encouragement from my steering group and other staff at Comics Youth drowned it out. Pride is a very brave thing that I fight to have every day.

Other than that, just making a book for the first time is really hard to be honest!

Ifyou

had any advice to give

to fellow creatives,

what would it be?

First, don't be such a perfectionist. Thumbnails don't need to look good. Not every panel has to be packed with detail. Stop focusing on how smooth that one line looks. You can change the colours later if you really want to. Nothing is permanent until you print it. I wasted so much time and energy looking at everything I did with a laser eye, knowing full well that most people reading either won't notice or won't even be able to see it. If you try to do everything perfectly you'll burn yourself out. I also find that you lose your true style. Just see how it turns out sometimes! Don't try to fix it!

Second, ask for lots of feedback. All the time. Friends, family, people at school/work, online communities. Get used to people seeing your work and maybe making a suggestion or two. It really helps to get someone else's perspective, they might think of something you never would have. The more feedback you get, the more confident you can feel in the finished product.

What did you find to

be really fun when

making the book?

I loved seeing the characters slowly come to life. When I first designed them I didn't have any particular personalities in mind, but as I worked on the script they all started to develop and suddenly I knew exactly how I wanted them to be. Character design is a lot of fun, especially with animal characters. I got to name them and create this little universe where they all exist and support each other. Bea and her friends have become inspiring to me, even though I'm the one that made them.

Favourite

character in

LGBT+ME and why:

I love Winnie, she's so fun and silly and has no shame in being herself. I would love to be as confident as her! I also love how supportive she is of other characters, you can tell that she's a good friend.

Who will your favourite character from LGBT+Me be? You can get your hands on a copy of this wonderful self-discovery adventure in October 2022- with updates on releases being on our Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and right on this very website! Want some even better news? IT’S FREE! That’s right- you can delve into the world of LGBT+Me for nothing but a willingness to learn. We believe learning should be accessible. If you want to reserve your own copy of the comic, you can do so here.