Human books come to life in new Northampton project to smash stigmas

An activist from the Romani Gypsy Traveller community, police officers, LGBTQ members, a prison officer and many more all made up a library of human books at a new event on the Market Square on Friday.

The event was a first for Northampton's Community Court Yard who are set to hold three more this year, surrounding different topics including knife crime and refugees.

It’s hoped the events will boost community spirit and get people to stop judging each other.

Matthew Torosen, community co-chair of Northampton Borough Council's LGBTQ+ and Allies group and co-chair of Northampton Pride, was there to represent the gay community.

He said: "I was invited to take part, I've heard about living libraries before. My day job is to do with equality and diversity anyway so I'm always looking at new ways to get information across to people that's not in a lecture or classroom setting.

“Actually having a conversation with somebody seems a great idea and friends of mine have got involved with events like these in the past elsewhere so I thought I would give it a go."

Prompter questions were put on each table, in front of the different community representatives, to guide those wanting to start a conversation but were unsure what to ask.

Matthew added: "I think there's the stereotype of gay men being dizzy, a bit helpless and a bit silly and really, only there as sort of an ornament maybe to go on a hen night or to say someone looks fabulous in a dress or to go shopping.

"I hate shopping, I have no distinct clothes and I think the stereotype to break down is that we are a vast community. We have everyone from bouncy club bunnies who enjoy going out to doctors and scientists."

Megan Leyman was also at the event, held at Zapato Lounge, to represent the transgender community.

She said: "I've been more open the last year and I'm transitioning to female at the moment, I started on hormones two months ago.

"It seemed like a very interesting project to take part in. People are still not sure when it comes to transgender people. I'll be brutally honest, I don't like to give a label to myself I like to think of myself as a new and happier version of myself but I hope it helps people get a better understanding."

She often blogs about her transition online under her account name, Bonfire Cherry, and says being open is something she is able to do now she's told her family.

Lois Brookes-Jones is an activist from the Romani Gypsy Traveller Community and said being a part of her community is something to be proud of but she's had a tough times.

She said: "I come from people that are nomadic, I come from people that are unapologetically working class and proud of our heritage and our language.

"This is something to understand when it comes to travellers and this nomadic way of life even though there's a lot of travellers we are still Romani even though we live in houses because it's not always been a process of choice it's been forced upon us."