Shon Faye: Love in Exile

Shon Faye grew up quietly obsessed with the feeling that love was not for her. Not just romantic love: the secret fear of her own unworthiness penetrated every aspect and corner of her life. It was a fear that would erupt in destructive, counterfeit versions of the real love she craved: addictions and short-lived romances that were either euphoric and fantastical, or excruciatingly painful and unhinged, often both.

Faye’s experience of the world as a trans woman, who grew up visibly queer, exacerbated her fears. But, as she confronted her damaging ideas about love and lovelessness, she came to realise that this sense of exclusion is symptomatic of a much larger problem in our culture. Love, Faye argues, is as much a collective question as a personal one. Yet our collective ideals of love have developed in a society which is itself profoundly sick and loveless; in which consumer capitalism sells us ever new, engrossing fantasies of becoming more loved or lovable. In this highly politicized terrain, boundaries are purposefully drawn to keep some in and to keep others out. Those who exist outside them are ignored, denigrated, exiled.

In Love in Exile, Shon Faye shows love is much greater than the narrow ideals we have been taught to crave so desperately that we are willing to bend and break ourselves to fit them. Wise, funny, unsparing, and suffused with a radical clarity, this is a book of and for our times: for seeing and knowing love, in whatever form it takes, is the meaning of life itself. Join Shon in conversation with writer Sophie K Rosa as she makes the case that love is as much a collective question as a personal one.

Age restriction: 14+

EVENT FORMAT & INFORMATION 

• The doors will open at 18:00
• From 18:00 - 19:00 attendees will arrive and find a seat.
• From 19:00 - 19:50 the speakers will talk from the stage
• From 19:50-20:30 there will be a Q+A with the audience where participation is optional.
• During the event attendees will be expected to sit and listen although if they need to get up to use the toilet that is fine. If attendees need to stand or move around while listening that is also fine and there is space at the back to do this.
• The event will finish at around 21:00 although attendees can leave at any time.

ACCESSIBILITY

• Accessibility information for the Leadmill is available on their website and on AccessAble.
• Seating: Unreserved seating is available at this event, but if you’d like us to reserve a seat for you or you have specific requirements, please get in touch.
• Masks: FFP2 masks will be available for free.
• Audio: Microphones will be used at this event.
• Quiet space: A quiet space is not available at this event.
• If you have any questions regarding accessibility for this event, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].