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21 Sep 2025

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Language is a Queer Thing Showcase

Six queer poets from India and the UK took to the stage and explored how language can be reclaimed, refashioned, and made bigger, to hold queer lives and longings.

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Through spoken word, this collaborative performance conjured memories of mothers, sea creatures and mythological beings, forgotten tongues.

With Megha Harish, Amani Saeed, Rachit Sharma, Mukahang Limbu, Parth Rahatekar & Kirran Shah

These poems took the forms of tango steps and sonatas, they drew us closer to spirit, faith, and the futures we dream of and can create together, with new ways of remembering and loving. Led by The Queer Muslim Project in partnership with Verve Poetry Festival, Language is a Queer Thing was supported by the British Council. This edition in Bradford celebrates 3 years of cross-cultural collaboration and queer poetry.

Credits
BBC Contains Strong Language was a partnership between the BBC, Word Up North and Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. It was supported by Arts Council England.

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Poet Kirsty Taylor wearing a green jacket performs using a microphone. Poet Kirsty Taylor wearing a green jacket performs using a microphone.

Part of BBC Contains Strong Language

The UK’s biggest poetry and performance festival for new writing came to Bradford for the first time.

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