Sarah Waters, by BJ Epstein.

To celebrate LGBT History Month, 2013, Polari is publishing a daily series of LGBT Heroes, selected by the magazine’s team of writers and special contributors.

“Sarah Waters is a writer who both seems to revel in the “lesbian” label and also manages to cross over into the mainstream at the same time. Her novels are literary texts that just so happen to feature lesbian characters and lesbian lives.”

Blur, ‘Girls & Boys’.

To mark LGBT History Month, 2013, Polari asked its contributors to recall a song that had an impact their own stories.

“I knew I was a girl who was attracted to girls, but as a young teenager I didn’t quite understand that it was really possible to live like that.”

Cosmo for Femmes.

BJ Epstein takes a look at Sweden’s new magazine for lesbian and bisexual women … and finds it wanting.

“There is certainly a population out there that wants tips on performing better cunnilingus along with advice on open relationships, horoscopes.”

Not Standing Down To Jeers.

BJ Epstein writes about writes about men who leer at lesbians in an attempt to get back on top. To celebrate International Day Against Homophobia/Biphobia and Transphobia Polari Magazine is publishing a series of stories from its writers about homophobic, transphobic and biphobic incidents.

“I smiled at the men and said, ‘Yeah, and what of it?’ They looked taken aback, as though wondering how I dared to question their right to say whatever they wanted to me.”

What are the LGBTQ characters in the new brand of Young-Adult novels like?

BJ Epstein, who teaches teaches Young-Adult ficiton on her courses at the University of East Anglia, talks about the LGBTQ characters in contemporary works.

Characters in YA books can often seem more like caricatures than fully developed people. There are distinct types for gay male and female. As is typical of popular culture in general, many gay males are portrayed as fashionable and funny, and sometimes a bit camp.

What do you really mean when you call someone a twat?

Why is it considered ok to use words that refer to genitalia to insult people? What does this say about what we think, who we are, and what we’re ashamed of?

My hope is one day we’ll reach a point where when someone says, “Oh, he’s such a twat,” the response will be, “Sounds like he’s a great person, then, because twats are wonderful, beautiful things.”