“I’m happy to fail. I’m terrified by the idea that I wouldn’t have given something an enthusiastic go.”

Joseph Galliano-Doig MBE (he/him) has carved his legacy & place in the LGBTQ+ history books as the man who founded Queer Britain, the nation’s first LGBTQ+ museum. And that statement above speaks to the person he is & his achievements.

That all sounds quite formal. I bloody love Joe! From jumping on board as a volunteer for Queer Britain in the early days of fundraising & working with him on virtual events during Covid, I’ve loved seeing his vision unfold as the museum opened. Witnessing him recognised for his commitment & seeing him shine - with an honorary degree & later an MBE. Of course, it’s also been an absolute pleasure getting to know him & forging a friendship.

And right now is an exciting time for Joe as he’s recently stepped down as Director of Queer Britain, a move that is packed with mixed feelings that was always part of the plan, to see what’s next as he looks forward to “inventing my future”.

Joe shares a glorious anecdote about ‘little Joe’ running towards the sea that paints the picture perfectly for his approach to life, and the projects he’s undertaken. He discusses his early family life, the influence of his big brother & the impact of trauma. Describing his younger self as an ‘anxious optimist’ - which he still identifies with today, Joe was incredibly well-behaved. He recalls his earliest crush & a pivotal moment in school in which he felt seen.

As an adult experiencing a challenging time & with the help of therapy, Joe reflects on a specific ‘line in the sand’ realisation of ‘this is where it stops’. It was here when it actually all began & Joe’s career flourished as a writer & journalist that led to him becoming editor of Gay Times, as well as a publishing books & later, setting up Queer Britain.

“Life is much more interesting lived as a verb than a noun”. We can see that Joe clearly embraces this. We chat about his love of music, playing the guitar & poetry, the importance of seeing & uplifting others and his life with his wonderful partner, Mark. This was such a fun, insightful conversation to have so enjoy!

We do cover some challenging topics so please take care of yourself whilst listening.