Really Queer Really Queer Podcast

Tash (she/her) is an Inclusion and Diversity Consultant, presenter, speaker and LGBTQ+ activist, who is at the forefront of conversation. Tash uses her lived experience and identity as a proud Black Queer Woman to continue the focus on diversity and inclusion in society and in the workplace. Tash feels that her intersectionality can provide valuable insight into how to make both the workplace and world a more diverse and equitable place.


Tash is the Co-Founder of ‘Breaking the Distance’, a unique LGBTQIA+ platform, created to provide positive Queer representation on social media.


Queer people have to navigate homophobia, biphobia and transphobia all the time, because their world is heteronormative, mononormative and controlled by a cisgendered narrative.

Navigating this world creates ‘minority stress’ (expectations of prejudice, internalised homophobia, concealing, hiding, etc.).

‘Minority stress’ is chronic and over time it becomes a burden on our nervous system and impacts our mental health negatively. It’s important to be aware of ‘minority stress’ so that we can pay attention to our self-care, and reach out to our meaningful connections, which is one of the best strategies to counter ‘minority stress’.  

Learning to love ourselves is very important, especially when society gives us so many opportunities to self loathe.

Nurturing the part of us that is self-loving, self-caring and treating ourselves like our best friend is paramount to overall well being - but it can be a tough road for many people; there is no rush, it is important to be present and aware of the journey rather than wanting the destination without doing all the small steps.

Connection with self is also the awareness that there are very many parts of ourselves, and what we call “authenticity” is understanding the fluidity of all our parts, and how they interact with each other. 

Yassine Senghor is an EDI (Equality/Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) facilitator, mentor, speaker, consultant, writer, interviewer, host, sensitivity coach, podcaster and occasional accidental model!

She is proudly a visibly queer, fat, dark skinned, Black, African, immigrant and gender non-conforming woman with a mixed bag of mental health challenges and currently reckoning with parental loss. As a result, her passion for equality, equity and inclusion stems from the core of her very existence and drives all her work.

Connecting with others is one of the primal needs that we have as human beings. Our brain is wired for connections. Without connections, we become unwell. Because of shame and poor self-esteem/self-worth, Queer people have a hard time connecting with others meaningfully because connecting meaningfully requires “showing up” and therefore being vulnerable. Instead, we walk around with our armour because we don’t want to get hurt. We can’t have both: keep the armour on, and be in a meaningful connection.

For optimal well-being, as Queer individuals we need to learn to have connections with ourselves, our meaningful/non-meaningful others and the world. Each of those require different parts of ourselves to be engaged in the awareness of connection. 

In this episode Ben & Silva talk with Charlie Condou; a proud LGBTQ+ British actor and columnist, best known for this roles in Coronation Street, Gimme Gimme Gimme and Holby City.

Charlie is instinctively a communicator and someone who brings people together, Collectively discussions touch upon the importance of Charlies own well-being growing up, and how that informs his choices for his own children.

Ben and Silva also evaluate the challenges isolation can present to Queer people finding their way in the world, and how connecting with others can safeguard and benefit Queer individuals.

Surviving is not enough for our community anymore, we deserve to thrive! During this episode leading trans activist, Dani St James, talks openly about her lived experiences and draws on the lessons she has learnt on her own journey to a life that embodies the importance of living her truly authentic and best life.

Silva and Ben also explore key issues around what inner psychological resources are needed to thrive, where they can be found, and how as members of the Queer community, we can hope to build upon them.

Hello and a big 'Really Queer' welcome to those who have found our podcast.

We look forward to you being part of our Really Queer journey and hope you enjoy listening to the upcoming episodes as much as we have enjoyed making them.

A huge thank you to everyone who has made this series possible!

This trailer is a little taster of what's in store...