Megan Taaffe – Carol Ann Duffy

Carol Ann Duffy has had the most influence on me as she was the first female queer poet who I learned about in school. I was fascinated by her portrayal of relationships from a women’s perspective, as often women are simply products of the male gaze. She also raises the importance of equality, particularly for LGBTQIA+ people. Representation is crucial in our media, and everyone deserves to be seen! Ultimately, Duffy inspired me begin creative writing, and has been the basis of multiple academic essays for me since then, she was also the first woman to hold the position of poet laureate – I’ll never forget the first poem of hers I read!