These are the lesbian and bi comedians you need to know about

Women are not given half as much credit as they should be for how amazingly funny they are. For some reason, a dead weird trope that women are not hilarious beings has been farted out of the patriarchal machinations of this world we live in – but for the first time in far too long, society appears to be realising that this is simply not a case.

But where do us queer women go for a comedy fix from brilliant women who also happen to be a bit like us? Look no further, here’s some of the best bi and lesbian acts in the business who are rising through the comedic stratosphere…

Chloe Petts

The Funny Women Awards Runner Up 2018 and winner of the accolade in 2015, Chloe’s endearing presence becomes all the more fist-bumping when you take into account her sheer and utter terror in her youth of even approaching the stage.

“I wanted to do stand up since I was 14, but I was too scared,” said Chloe to Funny Women Awards.

“Eventually, the shame of having to say “no, not yet” grew so strong that I had to do my first gig. I got the bug after that.” Chloe is also a member of the LOL word, an all-female “gaggle of gays” who are the brightest in queer comedy.

Twitter: @chloepetts

Chloe Green

Moving through the roster of Chloes in the business, we have Chloe Green.

Self-described as trolling Tories by day, selling stories by night, Chloe Green does her own stand-up as well as performing as part of the LOL Word.

During one show, Chloe asked the audience to give her a shout out if they were gay – and one man named Joe decided it would be the perfect opportunity to come out to his parents.


“After the show Joe gave me a huge hug. He was on holiday, he explained, and had been trying to find the right moment to come out to his family (how a basement comedy show constituted “the right moment” remains a mystery),” she said to DIVA Magazine.

“Totally earnest, he asked me what it was like to be a queer comedian. At that moment, it was the most privileged, special and badass thing.” Twitter: @_chloegreen_

Shelf Comedy

Open up Shelf Comedy’s website, and you’ll see one simple strapline – “lesbians”.

They may have potentially been friends for more than a decade out of convenience, but the natural rapport between Shelf Comedy’s Rachel Watkeys Dowie and Ruby Clyde shines through.

As well as receiving a trough of critical acclaim themselves, they run a monthly comedy night, The Shelf Word, with some of London’s finest funny faces. Twitter: @shelfcomedy

Sophie Duker

How can you say no to a “sexy-cerebral comedy underdog”?

Although Sophie has been in comedy since her improv days at university, she has now translated her career from the circuit onto the small screen.

As well as appearing in Comedy Central pilot What I Wish I’d Said as well as Channel 4’s Riot Girls, Sophie hosts MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRLS, an international, intersectional feminist comedy show that appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2016 and 2017.

A proud member of the queer community, Sophie has passed comment on some of the rampant sexism and transphobia that goes on in the industry – and kudos to her.

“I routinely have to sit through transphobic comics, comics who mime beating their wives and/or children onstage, people with privilege punching down for cheap laughs, and I wish they would all either find their limits or get in the fucking sea,” she said in an interview with Gal-Dem after appearing in their Women of Colour comedy night.

Twitter: @sophiedukebox

Desiree Burch

Desiree is heavily regarded in comedy both in the States and in the UK.

For those who might know her as Mayor of Night Vale, Pamela Winchell in literary podcast Welcome to Night Vale, Desiree has traversed everything from Fringe to Royal Albert Hall.

As well as this, Desiree holds the accolade of the best Fringe poster of 2016 – because who doesn’t love an entire face made out of penises?

The former New York dweller is also an acclaimed playwright too – her play Tar Baby was shortlisted for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression award.

Twitter: @desireeburch