Student blog

There are some incredible organisations in Brighton that platform women and nonbinary people in their practice. Brighton is generally a progressive, accepting place, but if you find yourself looking for more community, a change from the usual event, or just looking to support gender minorities, these organisations can be a great place to start. 

Dyke Night 

A weekly event designed by lesbians, for lesbians. Also taking place at The Actors, Dyke Night is every Thursday, and the themes can range from karaoke to open decks, from pet night to games night. 

The amazing thing about Dyke Night, in my opinion, is the fact that once you’ve gone once, you now have this community of people like you that act as familiar faces and friends. The thing about Brighton, and this extends to the universities here as well, is that it feels incredibly tight-knit very quickly - so there is no need to fret] if you’re new to the area or haven’t made any friends. Coming alone is never frowned upon at Dyke Night, and once you make the leap, it really feels like a homecoming. 

They can be found at @dykenightbrighton on Instagram, or at The Actors every Thursday from 7:30. 

BBG Brighton 

BBG is a DJing collective for minority gender expressions, and if you’ve been out in Brighton you may have heard some of its members playing their mixes. They also collaborate with Dyke Night for an open decks event every second Thursday of the month. With a radio residency on 1BTN Radio and future sets planned at Brighton Pride, BBG are part of the wave of DJ’s encouraging change. 

Because of some of the specialist equipment used to DJ, it can seem out of reach for some people. BBG try to bridge the gap by doing ad hoc workshops, as well as a two  month DJing course that I had the opportunity to be a part of. It was one of the first things I found before moving to University, and I knew that I would need something to offset the sheer amount of change and newness of everything. The intro to DJing course helped me find friends, learn a new skill, improve my self expression, and helped me settle in to Brighton overall. 

They can be found @BBGbrighton everywhere, and on the BBG Brighton website. 

Aghh! Zine 

Aghh! Zine focuses on taboo, less talked about subjects, and prioritises submissions from women to function as a safe space for those who feel like they exist outside of the mainstream. They can be found all around Brighton, whether conducting a zine-making workshop as part of the Coast is Queer (an annual literary festival that takes place in Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts!) or at the Black Brighton Market at the Actors. If you have a creative mind, wish to be a published poet, or simply just like to collage sometimes - you will get something out of their work. 

You can find the zine in person at Kemptown Bookshop, The Queery, or online. 

They also periodically take submissions for their publications, so you can follow them at @agghzine to see when the next submissions are taking place. 

If you are new to Brighton, whatever your gender expression, I recommend seeking out new hobbies and interests to broaden your horizons. Brighton is a wonderful, diverse environment, with plenty to do for everybody. Societies at university and communities outside of it are both very important and organisations like FemFest, Dyke Night, BBG and Aggh! Zine help to uplift a thriving community. 

Serena studies Law and French at Sussex. She is super passionate about music and poetry.