Polari Press

@polari

Queer publishing and design studio. Not affiliated with any other Polari-named things. polari.press | polari.com

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Polari Press@polari· 5d

The clues were in Nicholas Hoult’s Met Gala outfit.

Some guy cosplaying a fascist... erm, I mean... taking inspiration from Tom of Finland.

Polari Press@polari· 9d

The softest of soft launches but we just published our new website at polari.com 🫣 Please be gentle.

Polari Press@polari· 14d

If we sold just 12 more prints, we’ll be able to have donated over £1,000 to The Sameer Project in Gaza. They’re currently in desperate need of support and have had to pause their food donations due to lack of funds. 100% of the £15 price is donated: polari.press/throw-sand/

A poster on a pale pink background reads “Throw sand in the gears of genocide” in a custom uppercase font. In the background are some Palestinian poppies in red.

Polari Press@polari· Jul 13

Cover reveal for the reissue of ‘Erased’ by James McDermott which was our first poetry pamphlet in 2021. Out at the end of August, preorder now: polari.press/erased

An A5 book cover in hot pink with the world ERASED
JAMES McDERMOTT
in uppercase letters in black, they are mostly blocked out with white lines.

Polari Press@polari· Jun 28

Still an hour left to get yourselves to Hackney Pride and come find us at Chats Palace in the Art & Makers Market.

A lavender pink poster with black text in monotone photocopy style reads:

28 JUNE
HACKNEY PRIDE FAYRE

LGBTQIA+
MAKERS MARKET
CLOTHES SWAP
FOOD STALLS
WORKSHOPS
CABARET NIGHT

In partnership with
Hackney

$CHATSWORTH RD MARKET 10:00 - 17:00 • FOOD & MARKET STALLS 10:00 - 17:00 • POSITIVE EAST POP-UP 12:00 - 13:00 • DIY PATCH-MAKING 13:30 - 14:30 with Silly Little Craft Club 15:00 - 16:00 HOMERTON LIBRARY 11:00 - 17:00 • CLOTHES SWAP hosted by QueerSwap 11:30 - 15:30 • CLOTHING EMBELLISHMENT with Fen Fitzgerald 11:00 - 12:30 • SHORT FILM SCREENINGS 14:30 - 15:30 16:45 - 18:00 curated by Fringe! 11:30 - 13:00 • LEATHER WORKSHOP 14:30 - 16:00 hosted by Emily Witham 12:30 - 14:30 • QUEER SMELL CLUB hosted by Diffractive Studio 15:30 - 16:45 • LEARN POLARI with Dan de la Motte CHATS PALACE ART INSTALLATIONS by Alec Stevens and Neil Martinson 11:00 - 17:00 • ART & MAKERS FAIR 11:00 - 12:15 • GROUNDING YOGA CLASS hosted by 8th Sister Yoga 11:00 - 12:00 • TALK: A QUEER HACKNEY with Crystal, Mayor Zoe + Aisha Shiabu-Lenoir 11:30 - 13:00 • BADGE-MAKING HANGOUT 14:30 - 16:00 hosted by Badge Cafe 12:00 - 14:00 • 10 MINUTE PORTRAITS by inkyLayla 14:00 - 16:00 • SELF DEFENCE CLASS hosted by Bender Defenders 19:30 - 21:30 • CABARET AT THE END OF THE FAYRE curated by Pretzel Cage featuring: Azara, Cazeleon, Co Kendrah Major Dom, Mitzi Fitz, Pretzel Cage$

Polari Press@polari· Jun 24

Meant to post this yesterday for Alan Turing’s birthday but my brain melted in the heat and I forgot… Polari Press will be at Hackney Pride this Sunday (at Chat’s Palace), selling copies of our limited edition risograph print entitled ‘The queer joy of Alan Turing’ shown below:

A risograph print of Alan Turing in aqua and pink. The aqua photo is of a serious pose, with a smiling photo in pink.

Polari Press@polari· Jun 19

Love receiving news of another #BrexitBonus! This one is from Royal Mail and is news that there’ll now be a €3 (+ handling fee) charge when exporting to the EU. 😒

Screenshot of part of an email:

As someone who has sent a parcel with us to the EU in the last six months, we wanted to let you know that, from 1 July 2026, changes to EU import rules mean a duty will apply to all parcels containing goods sent from Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) to EU countries.

What you may need to know
• The duty doesn't apply to gifts under €45.
• The €3 duty will apply per HS code, plus any EU handling fees, to parcels valued at €150 or less.
• The €3 duty, plus any EU handling fees, will apply to all business-to-consumer goods under €150, including those sold by non-EU sellers registered under Import One …

Polari Press@polari· May 24

Today marks 38 years since Section 28 came into law in the UK on 24th May 1988, effectively banning anyone who worked in government buildings (like schools and libraries) from offering any support to vulnerable young queer people.

An upside down photo of Thatcher from the 1987 Tory conference.

Text over the top reads: “CHILDREN
HAVE AN INALIENABLE RIGHT
TO BE GAY" with the once homophobic words from her speech censored out in pink.

Polari Press@polari· Mar 9

“Anti-transgender activists clashed with women’s rights and anti-racism campaigners.” More of this wording please. It highlights that maybe, just maybe, “anti-trans activists” haven’t actually ever been supportive of women’s rights at all… 🤔🤨🧐

Screenshot of the article reads. My emphasis added between asterisks:

New MP Hannah Spencer was given a police escort after an anti-hate demonstration turned violent.

The Green Party MP had made a speech at the Greater Together Manchester event on Sunday afternoon in Piccadilly Gardens.
The 34-year-old, who won last month's Gorton and Denton by-election, was held by the police towards a waiting car after *anti-transgender activists clashed with women's rights and anti-racism campaigners*.

The Green Party said Spencer "won't be silenced and will continue to speak up for the communities that she has been elected to represent."

Polari Press@polari· Dec 24

Just made the second donation to the Sameer Project in Gaza today from sales of my Risograph art print. The posters are still on sale or give directly. People in Gaza still need us. Wishing everyone a merry festive season. 💝

A photo of a computer screen with details of payments to the Sameer Project. The first payment from November is for £574.85 and the second payment (from today) is for £148.43.

Polari Press@polari· Dec 8

Sold over £100 worth of the Gaza fundraiser posters at Queermas yesterday in Deptford. 😍 Only 13 of the red posters left now so buy yours now and we’ll be able to send more money to the Sameer Project before Christmas. polari.press/throw-sand-i...

An image of the poster in red. Text reads “THROW SAND IN THE GEARS OF GENOCIDE” overprinted in green on an image of red Palestinian poppies.

Polari Press@polari· Nov 21

A reminder that children do indeed have an inalienable right to be gay. 🩷

Artwork showing an upside down photo of Margaret Thatcher grinning menacingly at the Tory Party conference. Erasure poem text reads “Children have an inalienable right to be gay” in uppercase letters. The words that make the original statement homophobic have been removed with bright pink strips.

Polari Press@polari· Nov 21

'Erased was a joyous collaboration between James and me. Now more than ever we need to challenge the erasure of our identities. It's exciting to create a new edition that continues to push back and uses the bigot's words against them.’ — Peter Collins

A photo of Peter Collins, arms folded and smiling to camera. He’s standing in front of a wall displaying his artwork.

Polari Press@polari· Nov 21

‘I'm giddy with glee to be working again with Polari Press to reissue the publication and to create a new range of art, helping the poems and the timely message of Erased reach even more readers.’ — James McDermott

A photo of James McDermott standing in front of a brick wall. They’re a white man with short fair hair and stubbly beard.

Photo: Louis Catliff

Polari Press@polari· Nov 21

💞 News! 💞 To mark the fifth anniversary of ’Erased’ by James McDermott—our first poetry pamphlet—we’ll be releasing a new edition next year, featuring new artwork by @peter.polari.com

Black text on a bright pink background reads:

Erased by James McDermott. Reissue.
Coming 2026.

Polari Press@polari· Nov 7

Made the donation of £574.85 to the Sameer Project from sales of our Throw Sand art print. Thanks to everyone who bought a copy. Keep sharing so we can raise more money: polari.press/throw-sand-i...

A photo of a computer screen with a partially cropped email reading:

Dear Polari Press,

Thank you for your contribution of £574.85 on November 6th 2025. Your support makes a difference!

See our activities and transparent budget on https://opencollective.com/the-sameer-project and share the link to help us spread the word!

Help us raise more money!
Share this URL: https://opencollective.com/the-sameer-project

If you need help, contact support.

Warmly,
The Sameer Project

Polari Press@polari· Oct 24

And ending on seeing @longbarrowpress.bsky.social who have recently published a gorgeous poetry collection by my old Religious Studies teacher Steve Ely. Small world!

A hardback book with a black and white distorted and torn image of the author Steve Ely and title ‘Eely’.

Beneath, a printed sheet of paper has info on the book (but sorry I can’t really read it to write it out!)

Polari Press@polari· Oct 24

Great to meet John Bently who runs Bonesandtheaft bonding over Railton Road (him as a resident and me as publisher of ‘On Railton Road’, a play about the gay squats in the 1970s.

A cover of a black book with a paper square with red text in what looks like a linocut print with the wording:

RAILTON
ROAD•HE
RNE•HILL
END•2015

Polari Press@polari· Oct 24

Among the many exhibitors were Pilot Press featuring ‘All by teachers died of AIDS’ by Sam Moore. I published Sam’s follow-up pamphlet ‘Long live the new flesh’ as a limited edition Singer-sewn pamphlet in 2022.

A table top display of books including Sam’s pamphlet with a white cover and black text.

Polari Press@polari· Oct 24

Lovely to visit @smallpublishers.bsky.social this afternoon at Conway Hall. So much inspiration!

A photo of the main hall with lots of booksellers at their stalls which are in several rows. The walls are wood panelled up to a gallery level which surrounds three sides of the room. On the other wall, a stage area has further stalls.

Polari Press@polari· Oct 12

The answer:

A photo of white painted graffiti on the wall of a brick and concrete building in London that was painted after Thatcher’s death. It reads:

“The witch is dead but spell remains”

Photo by Neil Delete.

Polari Press@polari· Oct 9

Just packaging up the latest orders for the Gaza fundraiser. Angel is always on hand to help. 🐈‍⬛😻 A ceasefire may have been agreed—we hope that it lasts—but this doesn’t stop the campaign to liberate the Palestinian people from occupation and apartheid. The Sameer Project still needs your help.

A teak dining table with a bit of a clutter of boxes and packaging has a stack of the Throw Sand posters kept in an open black archival box. Lying next to the box is my cat Angel. She is quite small, short black fur, and has one eye. She’s looking up towards the camera. She’s “helping”.

Another photo of Angel, this time on the box of prints, with her leg reaching out to claw the tube box packaging.

Polari Press@polari· Oct 4

After launching them at Queeriosities last weekend, the A3 Risograph posters are now up on our website with all profits going to the Sameer Project in Gaza: polari.press/throw-sand-i...

A poster that says “Throw Sand in the Gears of Genocide” against a monochrome image of a bunch of poppies in red.

A poster that says “Throw Sand in the Gears of Genocide” against a monochrome image of a bunch of poppies in green.

Polari Press@polari· Sep 27

Still a couple of hours left (and all day tomorrow) to come say hi at Queeriosities art market in Copeland Gallery, Peckham. Until 6pm tonight. 5pm tomorrow. I’m sharing new work including this Risograph of Alan Turing being his cute gay self.

Polari Press@polari· Sep 18

We are supporting the Global Strike for Gaza by pausing online sales every Thursday. These posters are available to download and print out and use free: linktr.ee/polaripress (Commercial distribution not allowed.) #GlobalStrikeForGaza

A portrait A3 poster in red and green, shows a scientific illustration of an olive branch with leaves and olives in shades of green. Over the top, in a centre-aligned Art Deco style font, red text reads:

GLOBAL
STRIKE
FOR
GAZA

EVERY THURSDAY
EVERY WEEK

POLARI PRESS

Same poster as the previous image but with the colours reversed.

Polari Press@polari· Aug 18

Polari Press statement on the unaffiliated Polari Prize. As director of Polari Press, a queer-focused independent publishing house and design practice, I've been watching the developments of this year’s Polari Prize. 1 / 6

Defending the rights of trans people is vital to me.

As a gay man who grew up under the cloud of Section 28, I see today's transphobia for what it is: an all-too-loud echo of the homophobia that weighed heavily on my younger self, regurgitated and repackaged for a new era of bigotry.

For the record, l'd never knowingly publish a book by an author with transphobic views.
Polari-the queer language made necessary due to discrimination and criminalisation against us-holds an important place in our shared history, and it means a great deal to me personally. I plan to continue using it as the name for my practice.

Peter Collins
Founder & director
Polari Press

2/2

Polari Press@polari· Jul 19

We are not exaggerating when we say this is the return of Section 28, but for trans kids. Labour have banned teachers from “encouraging” children questioning their gender. Another word for “encourage” is “promote”. This will silence teachers from supporting trans or questioning children.

Screenshot of a dictionary overview for the word “encourage”. “Promote” is the first synonym.

Encourage
Verb
Synonyms: promote, advance, boost, further, animate, back up, cause, enliven, exalt, get, have, induce, inspire, invigorate, make, stimulate, support

Screenshot of an entry on Wikipedia. The word “promote” is highlighted (by me) in purple:

Section 28 refers to a part of the Local Government Act 1988, which stated that local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales
"shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality" or "promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship". [' It is sometimes referred to as Clause 28,121 or as Section 2A in reference to the relevant Scottish legislation.

Polari Press@polari· Jun 13

Inspirational words that are immediately informing the work on our own manifesto: The right to live The right to breathe The right to stand by All the things That I believe

A panel of the AIDS Quilt which is black fabric with green lettering. The top, in uppercase text reads:

Our Chris
The Lad

March 1961 – January 1988

Beautifully embroidered text underneath, also in green, reads:

The right to live
The right to breathe
The right to stand by
All the things
That I believe

Polari Press@polari· Jun 12

If you do one thing in London this weekend please go see the UK’s AIDS Quilt in the Tate Modern Turbine Hall.

Panels of the UK AIDS Quilt laid out in the Tate Modern Turbine Hall. I’d write more but it’s a bit overwhelming.

Polari Press@polari· Apr 16

Any trans people struggling with the UK Supreme Court ruling please reach out. There are groups who can support you including @switchboardlgbt.bsky.social Know that we stand with you today and every day. DM us if you'd like a Polari Press care package and we'll see what we can do.