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‘Disabled, not invisible’ – this is the mantra that has motivated Disabled, Queer and Hear founder Wayne Allingham throughout his drag career.
Also known as Sugar Cube, Allingham hasn’t let his degenerative hemiplegia (a form of cerebral palsy) and learning difficulties get in the way of his love for performing. That’s despite often feeling like an outsider in the community.
In 2018, Allingham decided to create Disabled, Queer and Hear to promote inclusivity at drag venues across the country. With each show that he hosts, including an appearance at this year’s Pride on July 2, the intention is to break down barriers and remove stigma for disabled queer performers.
‘Being a disabled person is thought to be a burden on society, plus a lot of disabled folk have lost their confidence and feel like they haven’t got a safe space,’ Allingham says. ‘Disabled, Queer and Hear gives the disabled community a place where they can enjoy a night out with their friends and feel empowered.’
The project was born in the iconic Royal Vauxhall Tavern. He thinks of the former Victorian music hall-turned-gay stalwart as his ‘second home’.
In March, the RVT hosted Allingham’s perception-smashing LGBTQ+ Disabled Artist of the Year event. It saw dozens of disabled performers competing for the coveted title. The event was fully inclusive, with wheelchair access, specially installed accessible disabled toilets (the RVT’s loos are not wheelchair-accessible, as with most older pubs in London), Braille menus and a British Sign Language interpreter.
‘The energy was electric. There is so much love in the LGBTQ+ disabled community,’ he says. ‘I find it really empowering to give other disabled artists a platform in this public way. ‘Performing gives us the opportunity to show the world that we are human beings. Just because we have a disability, it doesn’t mean we’re going to stop or slow down.’
For the best queer events in London, head to the Vauxhall Tavern.
Find more LGBTQ+ events here.