Tanya Compas

Tanya Compas is a British youth worker and LGBT rights activist, working especially with queer Black young people in London.[1]

Life

Compas used to work as a caseworker for the Albert Kennedy Trust, where she worked with homeless young LGBT people.[2]

In 2019, she became homeless after falling out with her family, due to Compas's sexuality. She explained that her "sexuality wasn’t a secret but the difference was when I brought my girlfriend to my family home to stay over; they couldn’t ignore the fact that I’m gay".[3][4] She then had to spend Christmas alone, without her family, and decided that she would use her experiences working in the charity and social work sector to create events which would support other Black queer youth who are estranged from their families. In December 2019, she started the "Queer Black Christmas" event in London to do so, using a Crowdfunder to raise money for it, raising just over £7000.[5][6][7]

During the national lockdown in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020, she decided to start raising money to set up the "Exist Loudly Fund", with which she intended to "support the needs of young people in the queer black community", with projects such as "monthly workshops, mentoring projects and fun activities, ... [and] physical supplies, like breast binders".[3] Following the resurgence of Black Lives Matter protests in the UK, her Crowdfunder gained in popularity,[8] raising £110,000 for this fund, which was enough for her to register it as a charity.[3][9]

Personal life

She came out when she was 23,[3] and has a girlfriend.[4] She identifies as gay[3] and genderfluid.[10] However, in 2020, she Tweeted that she doesn't like using the word "identify" to refer to someone's gender or sexual identity, as it "makes it seem like its a choice". She also said "I don't identify as queer, I AM queer".[11]

In 2018, Amnesty UK named her as "one of the UK’s most inspiring women",[6][12] and the Evening Standard listed her on its Progress 1000 list of London's most influential people.[13]

References
  1. Compas, Tanya (27 June 2020). "Navigating Being Queer, Young & Black With Tanya Compas". British Vogue. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  2. Andersson, Jasmine (3 December 2019). "Former homeless LGBTQ youth worker launches campaign to give other queer black people somewhere to celebrate". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  3. Chappet, Marie-Claire (27 July 2020). "Inspiring changemaker Tanya Compas reflects on BLM, social media activism & raising over £100k for the black queer community". Glamour UK. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  4. Akpan, Paula (16 July 2020). "Tanya Compas is changing the lives of Black queer young people in London (and beyond)". Time Out London. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  5. Akpan, Paula (18 December 2019). "This youth worker is giving young LGBTQ people a Queer Black Christmas". I-D Vice. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  6. Lothian-McLean, Moya (29 November 2019). "Activist crowdfunding for 'Queer Black Christmas' for people estranged from families". The Independent. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  7. Pike, Naomi (21 February 2020). "Activist Tanya Compas Is Creating "Spaces For Joy" For Young Queer People Of Colour". British Vogue. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  8. McCabe, Katie (4 June 2020). "Donate to these anti-racism charities and organisations doing amazing work in London". Time Out London. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  9. Damshenas, Sam (3 June 2020). "Tanya Compas launches Exist Loudly Fund for Black LGBTQ+ youth". GAY TIMES. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  10. Compas, Tanya (26 March 2019). "Tanya Compas Is Fighting For A Space For Queer Black People To "Exist Loudly"". Bustle. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  12. London, Bianca (8 March 2018). "These are the most inspiring women from around the UK, as voted for by Britain". Glamour UK. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  13. "The Progress 1000: London's most influential people 2018 - Social pillars: Charity & Philanthropy". Evening Standard. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
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