Mum’s the Word

Explore the joys, complexities, and realities of queer family life with local influencers and acclaimed authors as they discuss the unique challenges facing queer mothers — from pregnancy (why? who? how? when? …. but seriously, HOW?) to roles (the ‘other’ mother? … and who is the ‘Daddy’?), representation and community.

Brighton-based creators and advocates Jessica and Claudia Kellgren-Fozard will share their experiences parenting as a same-sex couple navigating chronic illness and bringing their LGBTQ+ parenting journey to their 1.2 million followers on YouTube. Brighton writer Kirsty Loehr (A Short History of Queer Parenting) brings her trademark humor and historical perspective to the conversation around contemporary queer family structures. Rounding out the panel is award-winning Scottish author Kirsty Logan (The Gracekeepers, Now She is Witch) to discuss how themes of family, queer parenting, and maternal identity intersect with her fiction and non-fiction work.

Chaired by Brighton University’s Dr Vedrana Velickovic, the panelists will discuss the power of visibility, navigating the challenges of queer (m)othering, and what it means to build a proud, joyful community today.

Jessica and Claudia Kellgren-Fozard are Brighton-based creators, advocates, and proud parents sharing an honest and joyful look at modern family life. Together with their five-year-old son Rupert, one-year-old twin daughters Augusta and Theodora, and their beloved dog Tilly, they have built a loyal online community through their shared platform, @jessieandclaud as well as Jessica’s main page @jessicaoutofthecloset. After meeting 12 years ago and getting engaged just four months later, the couple celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary in September. Passionate advocates for LGBTQ+ and disability rights, they use their platforms to champion inclusivity, visibility, and representation with warmth and authenticity.

Kirsty Loehr is a writer based in Brighton. She lives with her son, her cat, her girlfriend, her girlfriend’s two children, and her girlfriend’s two cats. She explores humour and history in her writing, attempting to bring a fresh and engaging perspective to the past.

Kirsty Logan is an author of novels, short stories, chapbooks and collaborative projects with musicians and illustrators. Her books have won the Lambda, Polari, Saboteur, Scott and Gavin Wallace awards. She lives in Glasgow with her family, where she is working on film and TV projects.

Dr Vedrana Velickovic (chair) is a Principal Lecturer in Literature and Academic Subject Lead for History and Writing at the University of Brighton. Her research focuses on contemporary literature and culture, with particular expertise in Black British, post-communist/Eastern European, and queer writing. She is the author of Eastern Europeans in Contemporary Literature and Culture, a pioneering study of Eastern European migration and representation in British cultural texts. Alongside her teaching and research, she is actively involved in decolonising higher education, fostering inclusive curricula, and building community partnerships. Her work bridges scholarship, cultural engagement, and social justice through literature and public humanities initiatives such as queer intergenerational reading groups. She is currently involved in ‘The Visible Other-Mother’ project funded by the AHRC IAA and led by Dr Caroline Ackley (University of Sussex) that explores the experiences of LGBTQI+ non-gestational parents along the South East Coast.

This panel is part of the Visible Other-Mother project led by Dr Caroline Ackley (University of Sussex) in partnership with Release Brighton and co-facilitated by Dr Vedrana Velickovic (University of Brighton) and Charlotte Wilcox (University of Brighton). Find more information here. This University of Brighton Ignite IAA project is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).