“As a kid in the 1970s-80s I had a lot of ideas and questions, but didn’t know where to take them.  I felt like none of the roles that were expected of me quite fit.  I saw a world full of injustice and inequality and knew I wanted to make a difference – I just didn’t know how.  I wasn’t ready or able to be bold and choose my own unique path.  I tried being: an actor, stage manager, straight, a community artist, single mother, full-time office worker, a man’s wife, Elvis impersonator, a consultant in cultural strategy, feminist activist, a singer, someone who carries a briefcase, goes to meetings in Westminster and wears suits and other costumes… nothing seemed to really fit. 

In my 40s, after giving birth to my second kiddo, I took a leap of faith in myself and started to put what matters most to me ahead of meeting other people’s expectations.  I gave some irregular identities a go: queer, artist, solo parent, entertainer, ethical non-monogamist, writer, neurodivergent, life coach, consent geek, expert, leader…

Some of these are labels I still choose to wear with pride, using the privileges I can access to foster understanding and champion equity. Still, I feel that expectations, assumptions and labels can often lead to misunderstandings, judgements and polarised positions.  I’m also self aware enough to know I don’t want to get stuck or limited by a fixed idea of who I am.  I am committed to trying to ‘be the change I want to see in the world’, and I’m pretty sure that changing the world means embracing uncertainty and discomfort, celebrating our differences and finding a common ground that everyone can benefit from.

JENN WILSON – NOVEMBER 2023