Mufseen
“A typical barbershop can be a very masculine and intimidating environment for me. Even admitting that as a grown man sounds silly to me, but it’s true.
When I sit down in the barber’s chair, I enter a conversation with a man who is quite literally holding sharp objects over my head while asking me a series of questions about my life. As someone who has been in the closet in the past, I don’t like this. I suddenly become acutely aware of my own words. When talking about my partner, do I use he/him pronouns or keep it vague? If anything related to sports comes up, do I admit I know nothing or try to bluff it? These were all things I had to think about when I was younger, and that fear has embedded itself into my nervous system. Even years later, when I get a haircut, I notice that I enter a state of hypervigilance again.
The great thing is that I’m now much more confident and happy with my life, so when I get a haircut I don’t shy away from discussing my queerness, and I’ve found many hobbies and interests that I can talk about. I still feel that fear deep down every time I go, but I fight it with a smile, and I hope that over time going to the barber’s will become a fully natural experience for me.
It’s so important to have inclusive and accessible barbershops, so that everyone can sit in the barber’s chair, look in the mirror, ask for what they want, and leave feeling beautiful.”
Mufseen (he/him)
Mufseen is a queer community advocate, podcast host and storyteller whose work is rooted in giving back to the communities that shaped him. Growing up queer within a Muslim background, he learned early how difficult it can be to express yourself when support feels limited or conditional.
That experience drives much of what he does. For several years, Mufseen provided pro bono support to Pride in London as Finance Director, helping sustain one of the UK’s most visible queer spaces from behind the scenes. He later went on to create and host Queer Talk, a podcast exploring LGBTQ+ news while celebrating queer joy across the UK and beyond.
Alongside this, he continues to raise awareness of issues affecting queer South Asians, ensuring those stories are heard within wider LGBTQ+ conversations. His work and voice have been featured in Gay Times, Attitude and the Guardian.
For Mufseen, being queer is something to reclaim and celebrate. Once feeling strange and out of place, he now sees queerness as a source of strength and pride. That shift began at Brighton Pride when he was 17, standing among dancing crowds, glitter and rainbow flags, where shame gave way to belonging and acceptance.
His message to younger queer people is simple and direct: Being queer is a superpower and never think otherwise. You have more creativity and passion than so many others and there’s a community out there who will support you and your dreams.
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This is UNCUT — a raw, striking portrait series by award-winning photographer Chris Jepson capturing the power and pride of Queer Joy, shot in a barber’s chair. No filters, no retouching, no compromise. Just bold, beautiful people taking up space exactly as they are.