HE.SHE.THEY.
Interview by CultureDot
Guest: Steven CEO of HE.SHE.THEY.
December, 2023
Let’s get right into it. Freedom & self-expression. Tell us about some of the changes that you see taking place over the years and how it all relates to your collective.
I think things like Web3, avatars, AI apps and filters completely changed the way lots of people interact with the world. They are no longer trapped in or restricted by their physical form. I find that exciting and liberating. Not everyone can afford that really expensive item of clothes or is a whizz with make-up.
Moreover, it’s not always safe to present in that way, legal even or maybe in a more mundane way possible with uniform rules. You can be a 60-foot goblin online if you want. So, we’ve done virtual events for people where they can change their avatars, experiment with gender presentation and beyond. It’s also why in our physical clubs we have no dress code but mention you can wear jeans and trainers through to a gimp suit if you so choose! Because, ultimately, why not as long as consent is always established.
“…we’re all on different parts of our journey and have different positive and negative experiences. HE.SHE.THEY. is just another option for people to go somewhere.”
I think when we started HE.SHE.THEY., people weren’t as familiar with terms like nonbinary or discussing trans inclusion in a mainstream way. It was pre-movements like Stop Asian Hate, and the global resurgence of Black Lives Matter
Definitely not in a mainstream way and actively tried to get that into places that weren’t diverse. We just wanted to create spaces where everyone was welcome, all genders, all sexualities, all races, all body types because that’s what our friends are like. I’m queer but I don’t solely hang around with queer people, or white people. Safer spaces are important, where people don’t want to be the exotic one/othered or feel as much fear.
We call ours a brave space. It’s where different cultures come together, people aren’t there just as allies, they just exist and have an allyship with one another. I don’t find being in a room with 3,000 thousand people who look like me exactly exciting. I want to experience different cultures and people and have some sick shared experiences but we’re all on different parts of our journey and have different positive and negative experiences. HE.SHE.THEY. is just another option for people to go somewhere.
You mention that you are not solely LGBTQIA - can you elaborate on what this means?
We aren’t solely LGBTQIA+ at all. First of all, we’re owned by my queer ass self, but also Sophia who is a straight woman, the 3rd member is Ashraf who is a queer person of color, and all get on harmoniously. I think that structure exemplifies, that we’re about inclusion, same with our DJ booths, dancers, and dancefloors. I’m queer and white and my best mate is straight and half-Iranian. We go everywhere together. Our friendship is based on us having shared values, morality, humor and showing up for each other rather than who we sleep with or the color of our skin. We celebrate the differences and the similarities with HE.SHE.THEY.
“There are people from a range of genders, sexualities, races, and body types that are all linked by a chain representing our togetherness in our struggle to be free…”
"Kinship". How did this project come about? Any specific goal or message you were trying to convey?
It came about via a conversation we were having about community with some friends at Beatport, who’ve been really supportive of us. We wanted to convey Kinship in terms of community. Everyone who has been 3D scanned into the project is a dancer, DJs or runs HE.SHE.THEY. The goddess, that is Peaches is in it too because she performed at our 5th Birthday in London.
There are people from a range of genders, sexualities, races, and body types that are all linked by a chain representing our togetherness in our struggle to be free when everyone is free but also that together we form an unbreakable chain that links us all. Wax Wings who is our original resident made the soundtrack too which is awesome, so it’s really part of a family. The utility of it is to come to one of our club shows in Ibiza, so it’s all part of the ecosystem.
Web3 and culture. What are the benefits or drawbacks when integrating technology into your work?
I think what we touched upon before, the ability to freely express is great. Social media helps us both promote events and things but more importantly, forge community and show our values. We can reach people in Peru by streaming a show in London, or to someone in London who is unable to leave their house due to childcare, job, study or health reasons etc...or likes the music but doesn’t like clubs. I think that’s incredibly inclusive and democratizing.
How do you see this integration evolving in the future?
I think as VR and AI improve you’ll be able to feel like you are in the middle of the dancefloor and express yourself in evolving ways with avatars. I will always enjoy the IRL experience but the virtual experiences are great and for some people better and more convenient.
You have a world tour lined up. What kind of workload goes into planning something like this?
Our workload is insane. It’s a lifestyle and the only one. I put myself through the mill so much because I love music and care about what I’m doing and use it as a positive agent for change. We’re forever doing them in new places outside of big capital cities but those can be the most important shows because they need more inclusive nights. When you’re tired and random people thank you or tell you that it’s the first time they’ve been able to go clubbing with their partner and their straight friends, or that they went bodily confident at a show or whatever, it makes it worth all the aggro and stress.
“I put myself through the mill so much because I love music and care about what I’m doing and use it as a positive agent for change…”
Your resident DJ's. How do you find each artist and what are the characteristics you look for when recruiting for your label?
Residents wise, Music first, we’re friends with them all too so it naturally evolved. Artists on the label, we just literally have to like the music. We said no to artists small and big and yes to artists small and big. It’s very diverse but then so is talent! We get sent a lot of demos by people from the LGBTQIA+ community, people of color, women and intersections of them all because they can see themselves represented on the label and know we sign based on talent.
We’d never sign something that we didn’t like because someone was trans, and we have cis straight white men on the label too. Sometimes people get surprised at this, but we’re like, we’re booking based on talent and we don’t include everyone except straight white men. All sexualities, all genders, all races mean just that, ALL.
The future of HE.SHE.THEY. - What can we expect?
We’re not limited to clubs and dance music. We’ll do more fashion but I would love to work in different modalities too like have a reality show to show people about the party but also because it would be good TV and you’d see peoples’ humanity and them getting on and overcoming things together. I want to do comedy, write books, lots of things. As long as equality, diversity and inclusion are at the center, it’s something we can do. We’ve been doing some consultancy too for brands.
Finally - Speak freely on any topic you want. No boundaries. No length.
I wish there wasn’t so much nastiness in politics like we keep seeing trans, queers, black, brown, homeless and other groups, all scapegoated and weaponized in the name of retaining power. Culture wars are manufactured and if we all came from a place of treating people how we would want to be treated and not always in self-interest the world would be such a nicer place FOR EVERYONE.
End interview.
Photo Credits: @MARTIJNKUYVENHOVEN, @LASKIMAL, @benmcquaide-40, @BENMCQUAIDE, GILES SMITH, @PHRANK, @KOLABSTUDIOS, @OMERGAASH