DJ Paul Heron
“Gay Science dictates that a homosexual is at their most powerful after a haircut… or at least I certainly feel that way.
I’m at my most joyful when stood behind the decks playing my part in watching the queer community come together. To have the confidence to stand up there, I religiously have to have a fresh skin fade at the barbers before big gigs.
As someone who has struggled with body image for a large part of my life, a trip to the barbers has always been an important tool for maintaining my confidence.
I’ve always felt getting a fresh skin fade feels completely transformative – It’s the budget equivalent of a face lift and I don’t feel like myself without a fresh cut, so it felt very appropriate to shoot with Chris in the barber’s chair as it’s intrinsically linked to my queer joy.
Don’t tell my local barber but I’ve also always felt there’s something quite homoerotic about getting a haircut. The whole experience, the leather & steel chair, the moustached & bearded men and the general masculine energy.“
DJ Paul Heron (he/him)
Paul Heron is a DJ who has spent 26 years behind the decks at queer events around the world. Music sits at the centre of his life. He is a lifelong audiophile with a deep love for art, film, fashion, culture and politics. His passion lies in queer club culture and the way it has shaped society through music, art, theatre, film, and social and political change. For Paul, the dancefloor has long been a place where world-changing ideas take root, carried on the pulse of a disco beat, even more so in today’s political climate.
Being queer has given Paul a life far beyond anything he could have imagined as a young boy growing up in a remote Scottish coastal village. It has allowed him to live fearlessly, uniquely and without shame, in a world that often pushes people to conform. That freedom sits at the heart of how he moves through life and through his work.
Across his career, Paul has played at countless Pride events, from some of the largest in the world to small provincial celebrations, as well as returning each year to La Demence cruise. What stays with him most is not the scale of the crowd, but the meaning these spaces hold for people who may not have access to a visible or supportive queer scene at home. Being part of moments where people can live as their true selves, even briefly, makes him feel proud and deeply seen, and he hopes it offers the same to those on the dancefloor.
Music has always been Paul’s language. As a young person dealing with social anxiety, it became his safe space and his way of connecting with others. Through sound, he found confidence, community and his tribe, shaping not only his identity but his presence in the world.
To his younger self, and to queer kids growing up now, Paul’s message is simple. Embrace what makes you different. Follow what lights you up. Dream big. The journey may be unpredictable, but it will be worth it. The things that feel strange or awkward in childhood often become the very qualities that make you interesting and distinctive later in life.
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.