Sunderland University student makes waves with drag queen calendar

A University of Sunderland art and design student has created a one-of-a-kind drag queen calendar that has become the talk of the North East.
One of the images from the calendar by Haydn Brown PhotographyOne of the images from the calendar by Haydn Brown Photography
One of the images from the calendar by Haydn Brown Photography

Haydn Brown has teamed up with a Newcastle community in a bid to support transgender children and young people across the UK.

Haydn, who is studying a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, along with Louise Harvey, pulled together the Newcastle Drag Queen Calendar on the ‘spur of a moment’.

Haydn BrownHaydn Brown
Haydn Brown
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From drag queens posing on a carousel to more candid snaps taken behind the scenes at performances, the calendar aims to celebrate the very best that their hometown’s drag scene has to offer.

Haydn, 19, from Gateshead, said: “We really wanted to produce something that represented the Newcastle scene.

“It was important to us because as members of the Newcastle scene we spend a lot of time with so many diverse people from different backgrounds and places and it doesn’t matter who you are, or what you identify as, people will still spend the time to talk to you or go out of their way to help.

“I think we’re really lucky to have such a tight knit community that a lot of places don’t have. So we wanted to use the profits made from this calendar to help young people who don’t feel like they have a place to get the support they need to find one.”

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All proceeds from the calendar will be donated to charity Mermaids UK who work to support gender variant and transgender children, young people and their families.

The pair said they chose the charity because Mermaids supports a cause close to the hearts of so many people on the scene.

Haydn added: “We wanted to make sure any money raised went to a charity that everyone thought was important, especially with everything going at the moment regarding trans’ equality and trans’ rights.”

The calendar is now on sale across the UK.

Haydn is hoping to continue his career in photography once he leaves university.

To find out more about the project or purchase a calendar search for LAH photography on Facebook.