From homelessness to leading one of London’s fiercest queer-affirming nights, Remi’s CHAOTICA is a loud testament to resilience amid the UK’s new gender laws.
For four months, Remi lived without a home in London, navigating the harsh realities of homelessness while holding onto a singular vision. Despite the uncertainty, they launched Chaotica, a queer-affirming club night that would soon become both a lifeline and a sanctuary.
“I booked a bunch of queer people I knew and called in favours,” Remi says. “It’s hard to have a vision you believe in so strongly but not have somewhere to lay your head at night.” Yet, in the face of personal turmoil, Chaotica thrived, with its debut event selling out.
“That first event saved me,” Remi says. “It was perfect. I was like ‘I am not f*cking going
anywhere.’” For Remi, Chaotica is more than just a party – “it is a place to forget, dance, feel love and find community”, they say, “something invaluable during one of the hardest chapters of my life”.
“I DIDN’T REALISE HOW MUCH I WAS LEARNING ABOUT LONDON’s
CLUB SCENE –
WHAT IT OFFERED AND, CRUCIALLY, WHAT IT LACKED.”
After studying music at university with dreams of recording an album, Remi found themself facing a different reality – one defined by exclusion. As an effeminate, gay, Black, androgynous person navigating London’s nightlife, they quickly saw the gaps in the city’s club scene. “I grew up in Peckham, and for four years I’d dress up, looking fierce, put on a size 10 outfit, and go out every weekend”, they say.
“I didn’t realise how much I was learning about London’s club scene – what it offered and, crucially, what it lacked. I was in cisnormative spaces, constantly aware of how they didn’t support people like me.” It was this growing sense of invisibility that sparked Chaotica – a club night designed to be unapologetically queer, where representation wasn’t an afterthought but a foundation. “It is a safe space before anything else,” Remi says. “It’s a place where everyone can openly embrace their gender fluidity.”
Determined that no one else should feel the same isolation they once experienced, Remi makes accessibility a priority. “I always try to offer free tickets before a certain cut-off point, so people can just show up, regardless of money,” they say.
However, creating a truly safe space means more than just opening doors. Remi is clear about the importance of maintaining a zero-tolerance policy on harassment. “Consent is so important. It’s not hard. People need to feel safe in these spaces,” they say. “I don’t tolerate people feeling unsafe or unwelcome – especially when people are being brave enough to be queer, wearing outfits that empower sex appeal. Yes, Chaotica is hedonistic and free, but sexuality should be welcomed, not tokenised.”
In April 2025, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the terms ‘woman’ and ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 refer specifically to biological sex, not gender identity. This decision has profound implications for transgender rights, particularly concerning access to single-sex spaces and services. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued new guidance aligning with the Supreme Court’s interpretation, stating that transgender women are not legally considered women.
“The ruling has shifted everything”, says Remi. “More than ever queer nights need to be loud and proud. We all have to rise. Chaotica is political and socialist, it keeps its ears to the ground. I want to be involved in the movement and fight back.”
As founder, Remi provides a crucial role in preserving queer cultural heritage in London’s nightlife scene. They believe that nightlife is more than just entertainment; it is a space for survival, care, and the preservation of queer history. “Dancing has to be the weapon and Chaotica is a platform of joy and defiance against the injustices faced by queer communities”,
Remi says.
Alongside these political struggles, queer club nights are grappling with another crisis – the rapid closure of grassroots music venues across the UK. These spaces, far more than just dance floors, have long been sanctuaries for queer, female-led, and POC communities, offering not only music but a sense of safety and belonging. These grassroots venues are more than dance floors – they preserve the history of dance culture and set clear boundaries against discrimination without fear of violence.
“It’s really, really frustrating to see the closure of these venues – they are people as well”, says Remi. “Grassroots venues are pivotal for queer club culture, they give access for us to express, and the thought of losing that altogether is terrifying.”
MVT CEO Mark Dayyd called on MPs to ‘act fast’ to save independent venues in a speech in Parliament, with the loss of a grassroots venue once every fortnight according to Music Venue Trust (MVT). Alongside this, the number of grassroots LGBTQ+ venues in London has fallen from 125 to 53, a net loss of 58%.
As mainstream dance music venues, dominated by cisgender white male line-ups, take over, alternative genres and subcultures risk being forgotten. With electronic music deeply rooted in queer and POC culture, these closures signal not just a loss of venues, but the potential for a cultural erasure.
“It’s important to be booking queer talent because that’s how you keep these spaces alive,” Remi says. “Chaotica isn’t just a party – it’s a space where queer history is celebrated, where we remember that so much of club culture is rooted in queer resistance. With everything happening around gender legislation, these are more than dance floors, they’re sanctuaries that need protecting.”
Photography – Laks