Gender and queerness is undeniably a tricky subject to navigate as a teacher leading a group of young people, especially nowadays when identity has become more of a complex idea. There isn't one 'correct' way to discuss these concepts, and when so many young people (and significantly those in theatre, where exploration is seen as far more acceptable) are very well-versed in the subcultures surrounding these ideas, it can feel like a bit of a minefield. Having said that, queerness in Shakespeare is something I feel must be understood and explored – often it's seen as something niche or ultimately unimportant to the grander narratives, but it's a part of many people's everyday lives, and to queer and gender-diverse youth it can be really valuable to see themselves in classic texts, and get to explore that as something legitimate onstage.

This is where we, the CSSF Youth Board, come in – we want to make teachers and students feel more empowered to discuss these topics and feel comfortable doing so. In the 'Shakespeare, Gender and Queerness Subgroup', we are coming together to create resources for teachers and facilitators participating in the Shakespeare Schools Festival, centring the experiences and ideas of queer youth and allies, and what we would love to see in sessions. So far, we've discussed the relevance of Shakespeare to young people today, and the contemporary significance of Shakespeare's queer themes – would Mercutio, for example, read as gay to an Elizabethan audience like he does to so many modern ones? We also talked about the importance of casting consciously – casting with an understanding of how your actor affects the role – and how seeing yourself in the character you're playing or interpreting a role from your own informed perspective can allow us to take ownership over these texts. As a gay girl myself, I really appreciate attention being given to how we can navigate these topics respectfully, but also in a way that's fun! I think Shakespeare has so much potential for interpretation by queer young people, and I'm so excited to continue this fantastic work.