UoG lecturer writes and presents new Amazon Prime documentary exploring LGBTQ+ experiences
A University of Gloucestershire lecturer is the writer and presenter of a compelling new Amazon Prime documentary offering a deeply personal insight into the lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ people.
Living Out Loud follows Simon Wegrzyn, who competed as their drag persona Copper Topp in the fourth series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. In the documentary, Simon reflects on their own journey while also sharing the stories of other members of the LGBTQ+ community across the UK.
Available on Amazon Prime, which reaches more than 200 million members worldwide, the documentary provides a significant international platform for Simon’s story and the wider experiences of the LGBTQ+ community.
For Simon, lecturer in BA (Hons) Drama and Performance Practice and BA (Hons) Performing Arts, Living Out Loud was an opportunity to combine personal storytelling with wider social and political issues in a way that felt both timely and meaningful.
Simon said: “The project started with a social media call-out asking people to share their stories, and the response was incredible, reaching over 200,000 people. It showed there was a real need for these voices to be heard.
“The documentary explores how and why the UK, which was once ranked first in Europe for LGBTQ+ rights, has fallen to 22nd out of 45 countries over the past decade.
“Living Out Loud was an absolute joy to film because it felt so immediate. We were working in real time, travelling across the country, meeting people in their own communities, and responding to events as they happened.
“Hearing such personal stories was incredibly inspiring, and it gave me a renewed belief and confidence in myself as well.”
Simon hopes Living Out Loud will reach audiences beyond the LGBTQ+ community, supporting and promoting an environment in which everyone is treated fairly and with respect.
Simon said: “I’m really pleased with how the documentary has turned out. What’s been especially rewarding is the response. The feedback from both the industry and audiences has been overwhelmingly positive, which has been incredibly encouraging.
“I want people who don’t identify as LGBTQ+ to watch it with an open mind. To listen, to empathise, and hopefully come away recognising that we’re all just people. The more we understand each other, the less room there is for fear or demonisation.”
The production of Living Out Loud has created valuable professional-development opportunities for University of Gloucestershire students, providing them with practical industry experience alongside their academic learning.
Simon said: “The students have been incredibly supportive. One of the most rewarding parts of the project was being able to bring two of our graduating BA (Hons) Drama and Performance Practice students, Phoebe Ashley and LJ King, onto the production to shadow the team and gain first-hand experience of a professional documentary shoot. I’d love to continue creating opportunities like that and involve more students in future professional projects.”
Simon said the experience of making the new documentary would further enhance their own teaching by ensuring their students benefited from their industry knowledge and professional practice.
Simon said: “Every professional project I take on makes me a better educator. Real industry experience keeps my teaching current, relevant, and grounded in how the industry actually works.
“When students see their lecturers working professionally beyond University of Gloucestershire, it makes the industry feel more accessible.
“It shows them that building a creative career is possible and, hopefully, gives them the confidence to harness their own talent and carve out their own path.”
Image: Simon Wegrzyn pictured in the documentary Living Out Loud