Supporting trans rights and podcasting: How Suzi Ruffell does comedy
euronews.compodcasts, including ‘Like Minded Friends’, an unscripted natter with friend and fellow queer comedian Tom Allen which she describes as ‘a mess’.“Our podcast is a moment of peace where you just hear chit-chat.
And it’s important to us that it’s openly queer chit-chat,” Ruffell adds.Ruffell has been in stand-up comedy for over a decade, with her profile rising after the launch of her Amazon Prime special in May 2022.There is a strong tradition of gay men in British comedy, but the same can’t always be said for the rest of the queer community.
Has Ruffell seen acceptance of queer acts change over her years of touring?“There are more people from our community who do stand-up," she says.“It’s become a lot less hostile in the clubs and on the ground doing shows.
Places like Mach Fest and the Edinburgh Fringe have really encouraged that.”Ruffell claims the internet has revolutionised how comedians find their audience, allowing podcast listeners and YouTube viewers to fill out her audiences in a way unimaginable 20 years ago.She also claims that much of her audience are straight, even if her most dedicated fans are often queer.“A misconception is that queer acts play to queer audiences,” says the comedian.“When I’m on tour there’s always more straight people in the audience.“Plenty of people from our community come to see me, and they’re often the ones that wait around at the end to get a photo.”This comes at a time when some comics are using their platforms to tell jokes about the trans community, a core letter on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.“With every civil rights movement there are groups of people who’ll do offensive jokes about the movement,” says Suzi.“I think it’s imperative there are voices out there to counteract.
