The Views Room

Raga D'Silva, host of Older Queer Voices, sat down with Matthew Page for a deeply moving conversation about identity, belonging and what it means to finally feel whole.

Growing up in foster care from the age of three, Matthew shares his journey through rejection, discovering he was gay in 1970s Britain, becoming a foster carer himself, and later finding his birth family through DNA testing.

Together, they explore race, sexuality, chosen family, the lifelong search for where we belong, and why hope remains one of the most powerful things we can hold onto.

...

Raga D'Silva talks to Heather Paterson in a brilliantly powerful conversation on tattoos, identity, visibility and the stories we carry on our skin in this episode of The Human Scrapbook.

Heather describes herself as a "human scrapbook". With more than 100 tattoos and a life dedicated to LGBTQIA+ activism and community leadership, she shares what it means to carry memories, meaning and identity on your skin.

What starts as a conversation about tattoos becomes a deeper exploration of belonging, judgement, self expression, visibility and navigating a world that often makes assumptions before we speak.

...

Bridging Generations | Older Queer Voices Festival Special

What happens when queer generations come together?

In this special live edition of Older Queer Voices, host Raga D'silva is joined by four remarkable guests for an inspiring conversation about visibility, resilience, allyship, representation and the power of shared stories across generations.

Guests include:

Professor Sue Sanders;  Educator, activist, co-founder of LGBT+ History Month and one of the UK's most influential voices in LGBTQ+ education, history, and visibility.

Dan Porter; Chair of Tesco's LGBTQ+ Network, Head of Employer Brand and Recruitment Marketing a...

Host, Raga D'silva, sits down with activist, writer and lifelong campaigner Savitri Hensman for a powerful conversation on identity, faith, race, ageing and LGBTQ+ inclusion.

From growing up as a queer woman of colour in 1970s Britain to co-founding the Black Lesbian and Gay Centre and advocating for justice across communities, Savitri reflects on decades of activism, resilience and hope. Together, they explore faith, belonging, ageing, care, social justice and the work still needed to build a more inclusive world.

A thoughtful and inspiring episode from the Older Queer Voices Podcast.Recorded for the Older...

Sridhar Rangayan shares his coming out story with Raga D'silva

Coming Out Stories from India Series one  Episode  Six 
A Views Room Presentation

Curated and produced by Nicola Fenton
Hosted by Raga D’silva

Follow us on You Tube  https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom

Instagram @theviewsroom

emailtheviewsroom@gmail.com

Raga D’silva, host of the Older Queer Voices Podcast, sits down with trailblazing activist Femi Otitoju, current Chair of Queerwell, the UK’s community-led LGBTQ+ mental health and wellness charity focused on providing accessible, affirming support including therapy, coaching and wellbeing services for LGBTQ+ people.
Femi is also one of the UK’s most influential Black LGBTQ+ voices, a diversity specialist, former Chair of Switchboard, and among the first out Black lesbians to speak openly about being gay on UK television in the early 1980s.
In this powerful conversation, Femi reflects on growing up as a Black...

In this episode of Older Queer Voices, host Raga D’silva is in conversation with Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, a pioneering lesbian activist from Sri Lanka and founder of Equal Ground.

Rosanna shares her powerful journey from a young girl in Sri Lanka struggling with her identity, to finding freedom and belonging in San Francisco, and ultimately returning home to  Sri Lanka to challenge injustice. Her story is one of courage, clarity and deep purpose, shaped by acceptance from her parents and a lifelong commitment to human rights.

The conversation explores the harsh realities of criminalisation in Sri...

Trigger Warning:

In this powerful episode of Older Queer Voices, host Raga D’silva brings an urgent and deeply moving conversation into the open; domestic abuse within LGBTQ+ communities.

With honesty and care, Raga is joined by Debbie Cannon, a specialist in trans and non-binary domestic abuse, and Michelle Weltman, who shares her lived experience of surviving abuse in a same sex relationship.

Together, they unpack the uncomfortable realities that often go unseen. From coercive control and emotional abuse to the unique ways identity can be weaponised, this conversation sheds light on experiences th...

Trigger Warning:

In this powerful episode of Older Queer Voices, host Raga D’silva brings an urgent and deeply moving conversation into the open; domestic abuse within LGBTQ+ communities.

With honesty and care, Raga is joined by Debbie Cannon, a specialist in trans and non-binary domestic abuse, and Michelle Weltman, who shares her lived experience of surviving abuse in a same sex relationship.

Together, they unpack the uncomfortable realities that often go unseen. From coercive control and emotional abuse to the unique ways identity can be weaponised, this conversation sheds light on experiences th...

In this episode of Older Queer Voices Podcast, host Raga D’silva sits down with Jo Rzymowska MBE, a trailblazer in global travel and one of the UK’s most visible LGBTQ+ business leaders.

With a career spanning over four decades across brands like Disney, Thomas Cook and Celebrity Cruises, Jo shares her extraordinary journey from a young overseas rep navigating life-changing experiences, to leading with authenticity at the highest levels of business.

She speaks candidly about growing up with a refugee family history, discovering her identity, and the long, complex path from hiding her sexu...

In this episode host Raga D'silva is joined by Lisa Power, one of the most influential LGBTQ activists in the UK. 

From volunteering on the Lesbian and Gay Switchboard during the early HIV AIDS crisis to co-founding Stonewall, shaping sexual health policy, and preserving LGBTQ history through projects like Queer Tours and Queer Britain Museum, Lisa has dedicated her life to queer rights. They explore her journey coming out in the 1970s, the challenges of navigating a binary and often hostile queer movement, and the radical early activism that included organising large marches without the internet or s...

In this episode of Older Queer Voices Podcast, host Raga D’silva interacts with Jennifer Jeffries, speaker, author, and wellness advocate from the Gold Coast, Australia. Jennifer’s work celebrates women’s power, wisdom, and sovereignty, especially for older women, through her Present Day Wise Woman philosophy and podcast.

We explore Jennifer’s extraordinary journey, from growing up in a conservative household, joining the Australian army at seventeen, being dismissed for being gay, to becoming a global advocate for resilience, health, and unapologetic queerness. She shares her insights on nervous system repair, the Rise Strong Method, and how olde...

Content Warning 

This episode of Older Queer Voices is not just about history. It is about memory, protest, grief, and survival.

Host Raga D'silva is in conversation with Jonathan Blake, one of the first people in the UK to survive an AIDS diagnosis. Diagnosed in 1982 and told he had just months to live, Jonathan’s life became an act of resistance in a time when fear travelled faster than facts and silence was often more deadly than the virus itself.

In this deeply moving conversation, Jonathan shares
•⁠  ⁠What it meant to receive a diagnosi...

Older Queer Voices stands in solidarity with our Trans and Non-binary community in India.

This powerful episode discusses the current situation in India for transgender and non-binary communities, in the context of the proposed Transgender Persons Protection of Rights Amendment Bill 2026 and its potential impact on the right to self-identification, dignity, and protection from discrimination.

The conversation explores how these developments relate to the landmark NALSA vs Union of India  2014 decision reaffirmed something powerful - the right to self-identify, and the right to live with dignity and without discrimination. That was not symbolic. That was a...

In this episode of Older Queer Voices with Raga D’silva, we explore how community, advocacy, and practical support come together to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people as we grow older.

Our guests are Dr. Paul Martin OBE, founder and CEO of the LGBT Foundation, and Tina Wadden, Head of Education at the Foundation. 

The LGBT Foundation, based in Greater Manchester, is one of the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ health and community support charities. It provides helpline support, talking therapies, domestic abuse services, community safety programs, recovery initiatives, advocacy for trans people, and much more...

In this episode of Older Queer Voices, host Raga D’silva explores the powerful history and legacy of the butch–femme dynamic within lesbian communities.

Joining the conversation are partners, acclaimed writer and poet Joelle Taylor and artist Emily Witham. Together they share personal journeys of discovering and embracing their identities as butch and femme, while reflecting on the cultural, historical, and emotional significance of these roles.

From growing up in different generations of queer visibility to discussing how butch–femme relationships provided protection, affirmation, and community, this episode dives deep into the lived experiences behind...

Serving in Silence is a powerful conversation about the hidden history of LGBTQ service in the UK Armed Forces.

In this episode of the Older Queer Voices podcast, host Raga D’silva speaks with Sharon Pickering, former member of the Women’s Royal Naval Service whose career ended after she was outed as a lesbian, and retired Commander Roly Woods, who served more than 20 years while hiding his identity.

Their stories reveal the fear, secrecy and courage of those who served their country while being forced to live double lives under a military ban on LGBT...

What Does Six Decades of Courage Look Like?

In this powerful episode of Older Queer Voices, Raga D'silva speaks with legendary human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell to reflect on a lifetime of activism, protest and love.
From helping organise the first UK Pride march in 1972 to facing 104 arrests, violent attacks and ongoing threats, Peter shares the untold stories behind the headlines. We talk about the birth of the Gay Liberation Front, Section 28, trans rights, global human rights struggles, and what keeps him going at 74.

This is not just a history lesson. It is a...

Franco Stevens, founder of *Curve* magazine, joins Older Queer Voices with her wife Jen Rainin, filmmaker and co founder of Frankly Speaking Films, to talk about visibility, partnership, storytelling, ageing and queer legacy across generations.

In this deeply personal and timely conversation they also discuss the current backlash against LGBTQ rights in the United States, including how long fought protections like same sex marriage are being questioned, and the broader impact of that political climate here in the UK. They reflect on the murder of *Renée Nicole Good*, a 37‑year‑old queer mother and writer who was s...

Creative Ageing in the Queer Community

In this episode of Older Queer Voices, we explore the power of creative ageing;  how theatre, storytelling, and artistic collaboration can enrich later life for older LGBTQ+ communities.

We are joined by two incredible voices in this space, Dr Georgia Bowers, a theatre-maker and researcher, and Professor Andrew King, an expert on ageing and queer lives. Together, they lead the Life House Project, an innovative initiative using theatre and creative methods to support older queer people in sharing their experiences around housing, care, and well-being.

This episode s...

Coming out Stories from India’ with Harish Iyer. Watch this episode as we delve into the various sides to Harish and his coming out journey. “I told my Mom, ‘I love you. If you want me to marry a woman, I will. But suggest that to me only if you had a daughter and you would get your daughter married off to a gay man” and … how did Harish Iyer’s mom respond? “I was not confident to come out as Harish. I had a lot of pseodonyms. My first ID was Yash” “My sexuality is what I fought for. I want to be...

Coming out stories from India - Raga Olga D'silva talks with Winnie Chopra about her journey of coming out in, India. You would think this gorgeous, confident, butch Lesbian woman would have it easy in life. Watch as she slowly 'comes out with her truth. The vulnerability is endearing. 

Coming Out Stories from India. Series 1 Episode 4
A Views Room Presentation

Curated and produced by Nicola Fenton
Hosted by Raga D’silva

Follow us on You Tube  https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom

Instagram @theviewsroom

emailtheviewsroom@gmail.com

On Older Queer Voices, we often talk about ageing as accumulation; of love, of memory, of resilience. But ageing is also about learning how to live with what cannot be undone.

In this episode, Raga spoke with someone who, at 27, was living a full and ordinary life; friendships, laughter, plans for the future. And then, in one moment, everything changed. An accident. The loss of three friends. Prison. And a life forever divided into before and after.

At 27, Teresa’s life changed forever when she fell asleep at the wheel after a music fe...

A Christmas Wish for 2026: 'Banning Conversion Practices in the UK'

In this powerful episode, we talk about something that cuts right to the heart of LGBTQ+ community - safety, dignity, and human rights in the UK; the ongoing fight to ban conversion practices.

Conversion practices; whether medical, psychological, religious, or cultural, seek to change or suppress someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Despite repeated government promises, these harmful practices remain legal in the UK, leaving thousands of LGBTQ+ people, particularly young people, at risk.

We are joined by Simon Blake, CEO of St...

We hear about transition.
We rarely hear about the children who live through it.

This exclusive episode brings together a trans woman and her daughter in a first-ever public conversation about family, rupture, migration, and what love becomes when truth changes everything.

Cynthia Fortlage lived much of her life as a husband and father, raising two children inside a family shaped by care, duty, and silence. Transitioning later in life reshaped every relationship around her. Her marriage ended. Her family was reconfigured. She left Canada and began life again in the UK.

...

Before transition entered their lives, Joanne Lockwood and Marie Manley were a couple rooted in routine, partnership, and family life; husband, wife, parents, navigating the world in roles that seemed permanent. 

But when Joanne stepped into her truth as a trans woman, both of them were pulled into parallel transformations - Joanne into her authentic self, Marie into a new understanding of her role, her identity, and her love.

Together, they re-built their relationship, re-imagined parenting, and re-defined what staying committed truly means. And in the midst of all this emotional reshaping, they also confronted a...

Clare Summerskill is a celebrated writer, comedian, actor and theatre-maker whose work has amplified lesbian and LGBT+ stories for decades. From her much-loved show Why God Created Lesbians to the powerful storytelling in At the Rainbow’s End, Clare has consistently brought humour, heart and authenticity to the stage. 

On Older Queer Voices Podcast, we explore Clare’s creative process, her craft, and the impact of her work while reflecting briefly on how lived experience shapes what she brings to audiences now.

Clare Summerskill attained her doctorate from Royal Holloway, University of London. Her academic publi...

As our LGBTQ+ communities age, we are entering new territory one filled with hopes, fears, systemic gaps, and deeply personal questions. What does it mean to grow older as a trans person in the UK today? What does dignity look like in later life? How do we protect identity, autonomy and respect in systems that don’t always understand us?

We are honoured to speak with Jacqui Gavin,  a remarkable woman whose life and work have shaped conversations on trans equality across the UK. Jacqui is a trailblazer, a powerful advocate, and someone who has spoken courageously abo...

In this episode of Older Queer Voices, we explore a powerful story of courage, injustice, and change. For decades, LGBT people were banned from serving in the UK armed forces many were arrested, discharged, or stripped of their medals simply for being who they were. Our guests, Emma Riley and Catherine Dixon, are two remarkable veterans who have dedicated their lives to fighting for justice and recognition for those affected by this cruel policy. Catherine (Cat) Dixon is an experienced CEO, solicitor, mediator, and a world record holder. Cat is currently the CEO of UKSA and has served as...

Marriage equality was a turning point; it gave our relationships the dignity and recognition we had fought for. But what happens when those relationships end?
What does love look like when the law is involved and what does letting go mean
for queer people who have built lives, families, and histories together? We talked love,
law, and loss with Barrister Rachel Cooper , a specialist in LGBTQ+ family law,
and Podcaster/Author Rosie Wilby, Podcast Host and Author of Is Monogamy Dead?’
and ‘The Breakup Monologues’, exploring how we heal and reinvent ourselves through
ending...

In this Episode Amanda Currie brings over 20 years of distinguished service within the UK Prison Service, where she played a pivotal role in advancing equality and inclusion for LGBTQ+ staff and prisoners alike. 

As an active member of GALIPS (Gay and Lesbians in the Prison Service), Amanda designed and delivered nationwide awareness sessions and talks aimed at enhancing senior management and staff understanding of LGBTQ+ issues and the unique challenges faced by the community within the prison environment. 

Amanda Currie’s story reminds us that our queer elders have lived full, complex, and courageous lives, often...

There was a lot of heartbreak, a lot of pain, a lot of fights, a lot of insecurities", shares Gurleen Arora with Raga Olga D'silva as she talks about her marriage breakdown, her coming Out journey and her current relationship with her same-gender partner.

A Views Room Presentation

Follow us on You Tube  https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom

Instagram @theviewsroom

emailtheviewsroom@gmail.com

Grief and loss are universal experiences but for older LGBTQ+ people, they often come with added layers; of invisibility, of complex family structures, of having lived through decades of stigma, and of watching chosen families slowly fade without recognition or ritual.

This episode of Older Queer Voices is a space to explore how grief shows up in our lives and our communities  not just through bereavement, but also through isolation, displacement, and the loss of cultural memory. We are joined by Simon Blake, CEO, Stonewall, and Rachel Bret, CEO, Sussex Beacon, to reflect on personal and professional e...

In this episode of Older Queer Voices, we turn our attention to Section 28, a piece of UK legislation that shaped the lives of LGBTQ+ people for over 15 years. Enacted by Margaret Thatcher’s government in 1988, Section 28 banned local authorities and schools from “promoting homosexuality,” a vague and chilling mandate that stifled support, erased representation, and instilled a culture of fear.

Though it was repealed in 2003, its impact still reverberates through the memories, traumas, and silences of a generation.

We are joined by two guests with deep knowledge and lived experience from this time:

Profes...

South Asian Queer Voices

Older Queer Voices | Breaking Taboos in South Asian Homes: Mental Health, Care & Queer Futures

In many South Asian households, we are taught to stay silent about the things that hurt us most; mental health, domestic and elder abuse in our homes and even the idea of putting our aging parents in care homes. These conversations are often buried under the weight of “log kya kahenge?” (What will people say?), even when silence comes at the cost of safety, wellbeing, and dignity.

In this episode, we break that sile...

This conversation is a truly special one. It’s about love, family, identity, and the realities of growing older as queer people.

I am joined by Dr. Jack López, a gay trans man, proud birth parent of four children from his first relationship and his current partner, Dr Iain Armstrong, a gay cis man. 

Together, they bring us a deeply personal and insightful conversation on the complexities of family, identity, and love.

They also bring an important perspective on what it means to age as a couple within our community, to navigate love...

Episode 2: Legal matters - Planning for Queer Elders, 

We dived into something that might not seem exciting but is absolutely vital: 

The law. For queer people, especially as we age, legal planning is not just about paperwork. It is about protecting our identities, our relationships, and our chosen families.

We spoke with legal expert, Kirsty Limacher about everything from writing a will to setting up powers of attorney, planning for care, and making sure your wishes are respected especially when your life doesn’t fit into a tr...

Our launch episode,  'Act Your Age,'  brings together three powerful voices, Jan Gooding, DJ Ritu and Jonathan Phang  who share honest reflections on ageing in the public eye. 

 From industry biases and the relentless hustle, to love, sex and the truth that desire doesn't disappear with age  this episode is raw, real and vital. 

They also speak about those in the LGBTQ+ community who still can’t come out, reminding us why visibility and these conversations matter more than ever. 
This podcast highlights that age is  truly just a number.

Follow us on You T...

'Coming out' stories from India - 

Raga D'silva talks with Debolina Dey about her journey of coming out in Siliguri, West Bengal, India. They  talk about being gay in small-town India and her process of self-exploration and discovery Do you know that there is a huge amount of strategising and censorship Debolina has to follow even today, in her day to day life. Does she feel free within? What does freedom mean? Does she believe that the page is turning? Let's find out....watch this very interesting video and share it around. A must watch! 

 
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"I thought that after marriage everything will be all right, that with a wife, I will have children and become "normal" and then I will be at peace. I was struggling and striving to be "normal." 

I never knew and nobody told me that I was gay and [that] this itself is normal and it will not change. 

That this is what is called homosexuality and it is not a disease. I tremendously regret for ruining her life. (ex-wife) I feel guilty, but I simply did not know better.

In this Episode Raga  D's...