Poor Lass started out as a collective run zine in 2012, created by Seleena Laverne Daye and Em Ledger. Its aim was to boost the visibility of working-class stories and experiences within DIY feminist, queer and punk cultures. The zine covered topics such as work, family, education, neighbourhoods, race, health, identity and relationships.
Since 2018, Poor Lass has also become a podcast which provides the ability to discuss prominent cultural, social and political events, from a working-class perspective, as they occur. Seleena & Em are passionate about lifting the voices of the working classes and providing a platform for us all to learn more about the intersectionalities surrounding it which make us the people we are.
In this series of special podcasts recorded in partnership with The Civic, as part of our No Boundaries programme, Poor Lass explore the experiences and the intersections of being disabled and working class.
Future episodes will land in October and November. Dates TBC.
Episode 1
In the first episode, Em and Seleena’s guest is Rachel, who shares her experience of hearing loss and discusses what diagnosis looks like, disclosure and agency, being able to share her needs, societal and internalised shame, the politics behind identifying with the word Deaf and also disabled, barriers to work and communication, how covid-19 impacted on the Deaf and hard of hearing community and how we can all help to make their lives easier.
Episode 2
For this episode, we’re exploring the intersections between class and disability and have invited special guest Sarah along. Sarah talks about what it’s like to be diagnosed autistic as an adult and looks back on her childhood, discusses the fact women are under-diagnosed, what it’s actually like to get diagnosed, how becoming a parent shifted things for her, how she was able to cope and where she’s at now. As ever, we finish on what people can do to be kinder and how the world can be more accommodating to those with autism.
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Episode 3
For this episode, we’re teaming up with the incredible Drawn Poorly zine to talk about the intersections of class with disability & illness. Drawn Poorly collates stories from people of all backgrounds and experiences and creates a safe space to tell them. We chat to Rose who is behind the zine and two contributors: Bhav & Peg. Bhav shares her experience of PCOS & endometriosis and Peg shares their experience of fibromyalgia & mental health. We talk about access to diagnosis and support, what it’s like to work while in pain, benefits and the UK system (including PIP assessments) and as always, how we can all be kinder and have more empathy for those around us.
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