I really look forward to the day when words like, brave, shocked or courageous are no longer used when sportsperson tells the public that their sexuality isn’t heterosexual. Having watched the Channel Four programme, Britain’s Gay footballers (a misleading title as apparently there aren’t any) saw Amal Fashanu, niece of Justin Fashanu, go out on the field to find out why there hasn’t been any ‘out’ gay footballer’s before or after her uncle.

Over the last twenty years this same question has been asked time and time again, with the same reason being reeled out that it is either fear of the fans chanting homophobic abuse, or that it is the footballer’s managers keeping the idea alive that an ‘out’ gay footballer would be less bankable. Of course this belief is only kept true while premier league footballers are discouraged from ‘coming out’; and as for the chanting? Well to a degree that is part and parcel of the game, something Amal witnessed when she went to a home game at Brighton football stadium. Here the chants were more tongue in cheek, with the Brighton football team hearing cries of “We can see you holding hands” and “Does your boyfriend know you’re out”. Neither of these battle cries were directed at a particular football player, and in reality, not homophobic. However, when (hetrosexual) Sol Campbell defected from Tottenham to their bitter rivals, Arsenal United back in 2001, he found himself the target of an extremely vile chant from the Tottenham supporters: “Sol, Sol, wherever you may be, you’re on the verge of lunacy and we won’t give a fuck when you’re hanging from a tree, you Judas c**t with HIV. Campbell rightfully complained and said if this was shouted out on the street then that group would be arrested. At first the police said it would be impossible to make any arrests due to the vast number of the crowd, however, video footage was later used with several Tottenham fans receiving a fine and a three year ban from all matches. With arrests now being made against fans who shout homophobic abuse from the terraces, along with Premier footballers being slapped with huge fines for sending homophobic tweets, we can at last see gay hate within football being taken seriously.

Of course, chanting from the terraces at your rival team is all part of the game, it’s what makes football special, but there is no room for racial or homophobic abuse in sport in the Twenty-first Century. There has been a drive to bring up the issue of homophobia in football, with the Red Card Homophobia, similar way that the  Kick it Out campaign tackles racism in football, but no high profile (straight) football player has been willing to back the Red Card Homophobia campaign for fear of being thought of as gay. Although the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) are taking some notice of tackling Homophobia in football with a new poster campaign,  they seem to still be dragging their feet saying it will take many years for all those involved in football to change their views on there being an out footballer playing for a premier league.

This idea that all those involved in premiership football can keep saying the time isn’t right, maybe in five, ten fifteen years time we will see an ‘out’ footballer player is just allowing homophobia to continue to thrive. The majority of other sports people who have decided to stop hiding their sexuality and have ‘come out’ have said it’s the best thing they have ever done, simply because they can be themselves. Let’s hope that we don’t have to wait another twenty years for a footballer to come out. Who knows, a forward thinking manager may take the reins soon and see that a promising gay footballer player can be out and proud about his sexuality and when he does his sexuality will be secondary to his ability to play a great game of football.

Second Half.

February 2012 is LGBT history month and to coincide with the upcoming Olympics for the second year running the focus is on sport. With only another 161 days to go, the world will be focused on London and the opening event. Even those who hardly give sports the time of day will surely have a sense of pride as we all come together and root for our UK sports men and women to gain as many gold medals as possible.

Of course there will be many LGBT people, myself included, who will be reminded that sometimes sport can make us feel excluded. I can still remember standing in the freezing rain on the school sport field, knowing that I will be last to be picked for the football team. A humiliation made all the worse as I watch Adrian Scarf being picked before me, even though he had chronic asthma and no sense of direction. But then I discovered I was rather good at other sports like hurdles, relay, discus and javelin. By achieving in these areas I was able to dismiss the idea that I didn’t like sports, I just didn’t like being singled out as being rubbish at contact sports.

Admittedly, when I left school and discovered the gay pubs and clubs, I left all interest of sports behind me and would only mention the Adrian Scarf story, dismissing sports altogether. (let’s face it, a camp story will usually overide a converstaion about school sports!)  I’m sure many other LGBT people have told simular tales, which have helped feed into the  myth that LGBT people have little or no interest in sport. However, over the last couple of decades this view has been challenged in a variety of ways. Back in 1982, San Francisco saw the start of the now hugely successful gay games, while here in the UK there are now  gay rugby teams, Kings Cross Steelers, Bristol Bisons RFC  football teams, London Romans Football Club, London Lesbian Kickabout and trans swimming group, Marlin Swimming Groups and more locally the LGBT sports organisation, BLAGS, showing  that there is a thriving LGBT sports community. Another important element in changing the perception that sport and LGBT people don’t mix is having high profile sports men and women publicly ‘coming out.’ 

Away from the football stadium, it would seem that such rampant homophobia is not as prevalent in other sports, there are at least one LGBT sportsperson who is openly gay in their chosen sport. In the UK the most recognisable out sportspeople to recently come out include ,International Rugby Referee, Nigel Owens ,BBC sports presenter, journalist and jockey, Clare Balding, Welsh Rugby player Gareth Thomas, power-lifter Chris Morgan and England’s Cricket wicketkeeper,Steven Davies. Premier footballers should take note; Rugby didn’t fall into disrepute, Cricket wasn’t swallowed into a pit of despair and most importantly, sports fans continue to love, praise and support their chosen game and sportsperson regardless of the players sexuality.

It may take a very long time for some people in sport and supporters, particularly football, to pull their knuckles off the floor, and raise their eyes to the light and see we are no longer living in the dark ages and that there are some fantastic sports people out there who just happen to  kick, throw, lift, dive or even bat for the other team.

me at GO.GO Festival last year. Photo by Lizzy Doe

For those that didn’t go to the festival , you may have got a taster of the GO.GO style if you attended Brighton Pride in 2011 where GO.GO and Zhoosh teamed up together to run the Women’s Performance Tent where GO.GO showcased their abilities at attracting the best of UK female talent for their stage line-ups, It was a huge success and the tent packed the whole day.

Zhoosh & the GO.GO team. Pride 2011.

The Women's Performance Tent. Brighton Pride 2011. Photo by Jane Wrin Photography.

To wet our appetites further, GO.GO have revealed a taster of the eagerly awaited 2012 GO.GO festival line up which has revealed Jill Jackson, Wallis Bird and Bitch will be playing.

Jill Jackson. Back by demand.

Kate and Becky, organisers of the boutique festival, now in its third year, say they are delighted with the line-up, which comprises of some of the most wanted artists by festival goers, Zhoosh included – we came away with quite a number of CD’s last year bought from the artists, we loved them so much!

Katie & Becky. Founders of GO.GO Festival

Becky Sampson, director of the festival, said:

“We surveyed both new and existing customers to ask festival goers who they would most like to see on stage in 2012. We are thrilled to announce Jill Jackson, Wallis Bird and Bitch, who were amongst the most requested performers in the survey. We listened to what GO.GO girls want, and are making sure they get it! The full line-up including headliners will be announced over the next few weeks – watch this space!”

Other artists announced so far include The Cut Outs, Hooker and JOAN ov ARC. The organisers promise a talented line up from both up and coming and established acts from across the globe, including singers, musicians, DJ’s, dancers and comedians.

“We are creating a unique line up that can’t be seen anywhere else, so have handpicked artists who we know our audience will love” Becky said.

The survey highlighted other areas which festival goers would like at GO.GO, and the organisers are investing in extra zones, activities and facilities in to 2012’s festival to maximise customer experience and offer a great value inclusive weekend package. New for 2012, London’s Candy Bar is hosting the Main Bar, recreating the famous venue as seen on channel 5’s Candy Bar Girls. Two other club tents complete the trio, with dress up shenanigans and themed parties at the burlesque style Peacock Lounge, and massive club nights in the infamous Big Top. High energy dance classes, workshops and the legendary GO.GO comedy sessions and speed dating are back, bigger and better than ever. For R&R, the Pamper Lounge and the Library are enchanting escapes from the excitement of the festival.

Since its launch in 2010, GO.GO has become the UK’s No.1 festival for lesbian and bisexual women and their friends. Having attracted over 2,500 women in 2011, the festival site has moved from Kent to London and increased capacity. Taking place at Damyns Hall, London, between 8th-10th June, the festival is at the end of the District Line on the London tube network.

Zhoosh recommends to all you Brightonian women and their friends to join us at GO.GO’s third outing, joining the thousands of women who’ve already become GO.GO girls.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.gogofestival.com

If you still need some persuasion, check out Zhoosh’s GO.GO posts from 2011 at the GO.GO festival and Brighton Pride and the amazing talent they had on their stages in 2011:

Knock me down with the Freemasons and GoGo Festival

A GoGo I did GoGo too

Greymatter @GoGo Festival

AMiTY and GoGo Festival

Thank you

Katherine Ellis Live at Brighton Pride & Shakedown Festival

‘The UK’s lesbian Glastonbury is back for its third year and growing each time’ g3 Magazine

‘The unique boutique festival is the largest – and only – festival of its kind in Europe, bringing together 2’500 women in the UK capital, London’ Diva Magazine

‘2,500 women, 50 performers, one giant, muddy field. What’s not to love?’ Lesbilicious

‘GO.GO will be remembered for all its brilliance. It has set a benchmark in the women’s festival calendar, elevated above the usual girl meets girl event. It lived up to the hype and expectation, showcasing international and homegrown LGBT talent and buzzing parties which brought together the lesbian community of Kent and far beyond’ She-Nanigans

“I’m Belinda O’Hooley from folk duo O’Hooley & Tidow. Our new album ‘The Fragile’ was released last week and we have had 4 star reviews across the board in The Guardian, Mojo, Uncut, The Word, Songlines etc.  We are performing at HOVE Folk Club at The Poet’s Corner on Friday 2nd March as part of our UK tour and invite you to come along”.

Belinda O'Hooley & Heidi Tidow

Purveyors of chamber folk; O’Hooley & Tidow are at this moment trying to take in and comprehend the torrent of plaudits and accolades that keep rolling in for our new album ‘The Fragile’ and have received formidable praise from the national press.

Colin Irwin in MOJO describes their album ‘The Fragile’ as “plaintive, inviting, disquieting, mysterious, harmonic, austere, beautiful, oblique and sing-along” whilst Mick Houghton for UNCUT warns listeners that the album is “not for the faint hearted” adding “The self-written, reflective songs are heightened by stark but beguiling arrangements and their stirring voices”.

The album is already high up in the Amazon Folk/Songwriter charts due to the volume of advance orders.  It has already received national airplay with Mike Harding of BBC Radio 2’s Folk Show describing the songs as “…interesting…deep and quirky’” whilst Cerys Matthews at BBC 6 Music praised ‘The Fragile’ as “a marvellous listen…packed full of gems.”

Friday 2nd March sees O’Hooley & Tidow performing at Hove Folk Club at Poet’s Corner.

“Please come along and hear our music for yourselves. If you are a new follower to our music you can expect an irresistible blend of poignant, thought provoking songs, striking arrangements, sublime harmonies and our infamous cheeky Northern banter”.

You can find out more about O’Hooley & Tidow on their website at www.ohooleyandtidow.com

The L Project charity single and video has been released - with ALL proceeds and royalties going straight to their chosen charities Diversity Role Models and Stonewall who help prevent LGBT bullying in schools.

The song aims to help raise awareness and money for charities which work to prevent LGBT bullying among young people. The track, written by Georgey Payne (GreyMatter), is a positive message ‘It Does Get Better’ to anyone who experiences the struggles that can come with being different.

Every single artist, promoter, sponsor, supporter, everyone involved with The L Project has given up their time and come together because they believe passionately in giving hope to young LGBT people that it gets better.

The song is now ready to buy, watch, and raise awareness. We are asking everyone please share this video on your Facebook walls today, and on others, tweet, email, do whatever you can. If we all link up as a community and friends, then we can spread this message far and wide. We will then reach the ones who really need to hear it, before it’s too late.. ‘Download & Share’ this is what we need you all to do..

Watch the video and share it:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EUifVn-TC4

The ‘It Does Get Better’ music video

Buy the single now!
iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/it-does-get-better-ep/id496653583

Amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/It-Does-Get-Better/dp/B006ZT3KY8/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328919260&sr=301-1

NOW AT NUMBER 37 on Amazon and 39 in the UK iTunes chart…We want it to get to Number One!

You can find out more about the L Project in the following Zhoosh Blog Posts:

• The L Project’s single ‘It Does Get Better’ released TODAY! Zhoosh interviews co-creator Sofia Antonia Milone

• The L-Project, Update and Behind the Scenes footage
• The L Project

You can find out more about Diversity Role Models and the work they are doing in UK schools to tackle LGBT bullying in the following podcast by Zhoosh:

The L Project Supporting Diversity Role Models by Zhooshbrighton on Mixcloud

Watch the video and share it:
http://youtu.be/4EUifVn-TC4

Buy the single now!
iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/it-does-get-better-ep/id496653583

Amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/It-Does-Get-Better/dp/B006ZT3KY8/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328919260&sr=301-1

Brighton and Hove City Council’s LGBT Workers Forum (LGBTWF) celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. The forum is open to any council staff that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The management of the LGBTWF is undertaken by an elected steering group of six staff, that attempts to reflect the demographic membership of the forum.

We aim to support LGBT staff through a mentoring scheme, as well as networking and social events, such as our annual attendance at Pride, and our recent Winter Social held at Project 56, which raised over £300 for the LGBT Switchboard. We also provide information and hold events for council staff, such as our first LGBT conference, which took place in March last year.

LGBTWF at Pride 2011

We work hard to eliminate the homophobic, biphobic and transphobic experiences that some of our members’ experience. We recognise we have made some impact, however we still feel there is some way to go. We proudly recognise the achievement of becoming the top performing local authority in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2012, however we recognise that Stonewall’s work does not include trans people, so we are working pro-actively with trans members of staff as well as other external groups and organisations to identify ways to improve workplace equality for trans people.

We also engage and support in partnership working with local LGBT charities, organisations and events, such as ‘Allsorts Youth Project for Holocaust Memorial Month, and the currently running ‘Ourstory’ LGBT history charity exhibition in Brighton Jubilee library as part of LGBT History Month.

Also for LGBT History Month we are hosting a groundbreaking debate with high profile speakers, which will try to build bridges between faith communities and the city’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The event – ‘Swords into Ploughshares: Building Bridges between the LGBT and Faith Communities’ – is on Wednesday 15 February from 6.30pm to 9.30pm at Brighton Unitarian Church in New Road, Brighton. Please email lgbtworkersforum@brighton-hove.gov.uk or phone 01273 291280 if you would like to book a place at this free event.

The LGBT Workers Forum can also be found on twitter at:  @LGBTWF

The waiting is finally over.. the brilliant single ‘It Does Get Better’ created by The L Project is released today!  Zhoosh caught up with the project’s co-creator Sofia Antonia Milone during this exciting time to discuss the aims of the project, the single and the one and only Lizzy the Lezzy…

The support The L-Project has gained since it began last year has been phenomenal (even DIVA has got involved), when you started out did you ever think it would become this big?

I think honestly, though we had very big ambitions, and knew the community should and would want to get behind the project because it’s so obviously a worthy one, we have been quite overwhelmed by the backing and support we’ve received from not only the the gay media as you mention, but the online social pages like WHOF (Wipeout Homophobia on Facebook).  The internet has been our friend, and we’ve made a great many of them on it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EUifVn-TC4

The ‘It Does Get Better’ music video

Zhoosh has noticed Lizzy the Lezzy is a big supporter of the project and even auditioned to be part of the line-up.  What was it like working with her?  I can imagine she was a handful…

Lizzy is a unique individual with some very interesting talents.  She is very passionate, but she had some useful ideas that we took on board. We hope she enjoyed her time with us, short as it was, as much as we did.  We are in no doubt that we have not seen the last of her.

What’s been the most fun aspect of The L Project project so far?

Watching the numbers rise in support of the cause.  Recording was fun, sure, emotional even, but my main role over these last few months has been curbing Georgey’s (Payne, co creator) excitement leading up to the release.  We’ve been giving Facebook fans secret airings of the song to bait them, and the comments and feedback has been truly wonderful.

All proceeds of the single are going towards Stonewall and Diversity Role Models.  There are quite a few LGBT charities; why did you decide to support these charities in particular?

Yes, this is very true.  In the future, should we be in a position to, we might well back other charities.  But for this song, and the message we’re hoping to convey, it made sense to choose these two specifically.  Stonewall is one of the oldest and most well known for championing gay rights, it has a lot of experience and history behind it, and is well known by the community as well.  Diversity Role Models on the other hand is very young, and their aim is very specifically aligned to our cause, in that they take role models into schools to educate young people about diversity.  We feel the combination of the two is a good balance.

The single was previously called ‘Breathing Life.’ Why did you change it to ‘It Does Get Better’?

The original title is a line from the song, but it became obvious to us after recording that people were going to naturally start calling it something more aligned to the chorus line ‘It Does Get Better.’   Those lines were inspired by the US ‘It Get’s Better’ campaign and we’re all fighting for the same change in thinking so it makes sense for us to call it that.

Is the single influenced by any of your own personal experiences of being an LGBT person?

I’d usually let Georgey, as the songwriter, answer that but I think it’s fairly clear that the song; one which strives to bolster those who hear it, was written by someone with great empathy.

Who are your LGBT influences/idols?

I honestly don’t think I have any idols, LGBT or otherwise. I admire a great many people, none of who are famous, a lot of whom are helping promote this project, and give up so many hours of their time to good causes it’s hard to keep up. I think there are lots famous people who do good for the LGBT community, not limited to those who identify as LGBT. And of course there are some wonderful role models, people who have risked their careers and come out, and shown the world it’s possible. Ellen Degeneres, Stephen Fry, Ian McKellen, Martina Navratilova, Derren Brown… oh, okay, maybe I do have an idol. Yes. I do idolise Derren Brown. Sorry, what were we talking about?

The single cover of 'It Does Get Better'

What are your hopes for the single?

For it to find its way onto commercial radio, to reach a wider audience, and start being heard by the people who we feel will really benefit from the message.  Oh, and of course for them to buy it, share it and for us to raise silly amounts of money for the charities.

Will we be able to see the single performed live anywhere?

Yes, we’re plotting.  We will announce this once we have full confirmation of dates and venues.

We hear there will be a few versions of ‘It Does Get Better.’  What are they and how do we get our hands on them?
There are four versions.  The radio edit, the full edit, the beautiful piano track from the song that Belinda O’Hooley wrote and recorded, and finally wait for it… the karaoke version!  We hope this will inspire a few people to cover the song, with or without humour.  They can all be bought form the same outlets as the single such as iTunes and Amazon.

What are your plans post The L Project?  

The more we work on this project, the more both Georgey and I realise this is just our first project.  There is still plenty of work to be done surrounding this campaign, but there are also other projects we’d like to do to raise money for similar causes.  All I can say is - stay tuned!

Zhoosh would like to thank Sofia for the interview and wish The L Project the VERY best of luck with the single, we’ve bought our copies and highly recommend you buy yours.  Click here to buy it on Amazon and iTunes.

For more information, check out The L Project’s Facebook page, Twitter page and their website.

In fact I was not disappointed. We did not go to wonder at Mrs Thatcher, but rather to admire Ms Streep’s flawless performance surely ! And Madonna’s first stab at directing a reinvention of Mrs Simpson? Better luck next time ! would not be an inaccurate comment.

But worrisome thoughts wriggle in the midnight hours. Why have I when writing this blog denied both women the courtesy of their titles? Why is it that, even in as late in history as the 20th century, two women, in whose unsafe hands nations were seen to be hurtling towards disaster – were so hated?

And think earlier – Joan of Arc had a hand in changing French history did she not …..Look what happened to her!

One would hope that the great launderette of time will come to rinse away the obloquies from yesteryear. But the American ogress and the British dragon still remain unwashed inside dual mephitic taints of arrogance and ambition, although cosily explained now by the effects of dodgy YXX chromosomes ** and incipient dementia.

So are the fears for the future of womankind depicted in the iconic film “Born in Fames” justified? Will nothing change ? Behold how the promises of Equality and Justice after the Second American Socialist Revolution begin to drain away ? Why is violence to women, sexism and racism, like emblems of the undead, returning to haunt the streets of New York ……

This was the vision of Lizzie Borden, the woman director of Born in Flames in 1983. The connection of the cinematic kind continues. But was Ms Borden right? Come and see the film and make up you own mind.

Born in Flames is being shown as part of LGBT History Month Sunday 5th 11AM at Duke of York’s Picture House, Preston Circus, Brighton, BN1 4NA. Book Tickets: Duke of Yorks Cinema. Phone: 0871 704 2068.

Tickets £7 on the door and in advance (D of Y members concessions ap)

Find out more: Zhoosh Events Guide

**see “That Woman” by Anne Serra 2011. [ Madonna has very clearly read this biography ]

The Brighton & Hove Libraries Service have a number of events and activities taking place in February 2012 to mark LGBT History Month and is marking Holocaust Memorial Day January 27th with an exhibition (now until 30th Jan) tracing the way Germany’s Nazi Party changed the world for male and female homosexuals and transvestites. 

LGBT Exhibition for Holocaust Memorial Day January 27th

Jubilee Library are holding an exhibition at this time until January 30th: Behind Our Story – For Holocaust Memorial Day January 27th. 

Called The Third Sex in the Third Reich, it traces the way Germany’s Nazi Party changed the world for male and female homosexuals and transvestites, from the very beginning of its reign to well beyond the end.

It has been compiled by Brighton Ourstory, Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual History Centre with the support of Brighton & Hove City Council’s Equalities and Inclusion Unit. The exhibition includes poems written by members of Allsorts Youth Group, with the help of Queer Writing South, inspired by the famous “First they came for…” poem by Pastor Martin Niemoller.

Over 50,000 gay people were arrested and imprisoned by the Nazis

Eighty years ago, Germany’s capital city, Berlin, led the world in its liberal attitudes towards same-sex love. Within three weeks of the Nazi Party taking power in 1933, Berlin’s gay clubs were being closed down and its gay organisations and publications banned. The Nazis wanted to cleanse German society of people it didn’t approve of. When the first concentration camps were opened gay men were among the first to be interned.

Although few in number by comparison with other groups persecuted by the Nazi Party, gay men were treated particularly harshly. Unlike the Jews, homosexuals were not targetted for extermination but their treatment meant they died in larger numbers than some other groups.

Linda Pointing from Brighton Ourstory said, “It’s been an emotional experience for us, researching this profoundly dreadful aspect of LGBT history. The exhibition isn’t always a comfortable read but Brighton is not unlike Berlin at that time and we should take note. One of the quotes we’ve used is Thomas Jefferson’s ‘The price of liberty is eternal vigilance’.” The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is ‘Speak Up Speak Out’.

LGBT History Month 2012 @ Brighton & Hove Libraries

LGBT Film Screenings

Jubilee Library will be hosting two special film screenings in celebration of LGBT History Month. Film screenings will take place on Sunday 19 and Sunday 26 February at 1pm. Film screenings are free and no advance booking is needed.

Due to their film licence they are not allowed to externally advertise the titles, so you will need to phone them to ask or pop in and look at the posters for what and when.  For further information please contact Jubilee Library on 290800.

Shhhhh but This Sunday, January 29th, Jubilee Library is showing: Bent (18 and over) and at 11:15am Aimee & Jaguar (15 and over) at 1:30pm.

LGBT Police Liaison Team

Jubilee Library is pleased to be welcoming the LGBT Police Liaison Team to a host a drop in session. PC Rachel Piggott will be on hand in the library foyer on Thursday 7 February 10am-4pm to offer understanding and advice in relation to reporting hate crime and safety tips for the prevention of hate against our local community.

PC Rich Bridger, Claire PC Rachel Piggott, and Sergeant Alex Evans

Libraries Services LGBT Consultation

Brighton & Hove Libraries Services would love to hear your views on the existing LGBT sections at Jubilee and Hove Libraries, the stock provided across the city and the events they host.

Have you been to the LGBT section at the library? Whether you are an avid borrower or are yet to discover your local library we would be pleased to hear your thoughts.

Postcards which feature three questions can be collected from, and returned to any of the city’s 15 libraries. Visit your local library to have your say. If you prefer to comment via email please visit www.citylibraries.info for more information.

For further information about any aspect of the LGBT consultation please contact Lucy Castle Reading and Learning Manager on 01273 290800 or email readingandlearning@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Jubilee Library, Brighton

LGBT stock display: Your recommendations

Read a great book or seen a great film?

Through the ongoing consultation process you have been recommending titles you would like to see us stock. Throughout February there will a display of the most recently purchased LGBT titles in the main hall at Jubilee Library. All stock will be available to borrow.

You can recommend a title you would like to see in stock. This could be something for children, young people or adults including audio visual material.

Happy 60^th Birthday Peter Tatchell.

To some, Peter Tatchell is the People’s Protester, to other’s he is an annoyance, for this author he is a hero. Citing his constant campaigns for human rights, highlighting environmental issues with his role as the Green Party’s Parliamentary candidate for Oxford East, and for being the one man brave enough to twice attempt a citizen’s arrest on evil tyrant and outspoken homophobe, Robert Mugabe.

Born in Melbourne, Australia, today Peter celebrates his 60^th birthday. Within this time he has dedicated much of his life to highlighting the atrocities dealt out by one human to another, exposing hypocrisies, while making us all take a moment to really stop and think.

Aged just fifteen he campaigned against the death penalty, later he turned his attention to demanding equal rights for Aborigine people. In 1971, Tatchell moved to London and joined the UK branch of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF); the origins of this group began in New York with the now legendary Stonewall Riots.

By the time Tatchell joined the UK GayLiberation Front, the national press were taking notice. The GLC ideals would have a huge influence on Tatchell, as they campaigned not only for gay rights, but for an end to the strangulation gender norms held over everybody, regardless of their sexuality.

In 1983 Tatchell stood as a labour candidate for the Labour party in the Bermondsey by-election. Looking back, many people, including those in government and the press, consider the way Tatchell was vilified at a very dark time in political history. Although Tatchell was seen as a popular candidate, the hate campaign  by the press and other political parties led to Tatchell being afraid for his life.

While the papers made up lies with headlines screaming out, ‘Tatchell: Militant Gay Rights Extremist’, four words to strike fear in to the far right readers hearts, they printed altered photos so it would appear that Tatchell was wearing black lipstick and eyeliner, (a technique Tatchell would turn on its head in his own campaigns) further appeasing to the homophobic voter. The press also claimed that Tatchell had “burst into tears”, suggesting he was weak, after being beaten up while staging a gay rights protest in East Berlin. The truth was Tatchell had been arrested and interrogated by the secret police in East Berlin while staging the first ever gay rights protest in a communist country. It doesn’t take much to see how the national press were baying for Tatchell’s blood, which goes to show just how frightened they were of this man.

Just as shocking came the homophobic tactics used by Tatchell’s political opponents. Overnight graffiti appeared all over the constituency, with the slogan: ‘Tatchell is a communist poof’. Tatchell political campaign would be further undermined with thousands of leaflets pushed through voters letterboxes depicting a picture of Tatchell and the Queen, with the headline  ”Which Queen Will You Vote For?” Even the Liberal Party joined in, sporting lapel stickers saying, “I’ve been kissed by Peter Tatchell”, again another attempt to gain votes from the homophobic voters.

The outcome from all of this resulted in Tatchell being inundated with hate mail, abusive phone calls, death threats and hundreds of physical, violent assaults. All this led to Tatchell boarding up his flat and sleeping with a fire extinguisher and rope ladder by his bed.

Tatchell would later say, although the experience was terrifying, it changed the way politicians and Trade unionist viewed gay rights. For Tatchell it also showed him the power of the press and how he could promote LGBT rights through public media stunts, many of which he is now best known for.

As well as setting up organisation UK AIDS Vigil Organisation (UKAVO) promoting issues around HIV and AIDS, he was also a prominent influence in the London based AIDS activist group AIDS Coalition to Unlease Power (ACT UP).

These two groups would subsequently lead him to launch the more radical, and in many people’s eyes the contentious protest group OutRage.  

In 1994 Tatchell and OutRage ‘outed’ ten Church of England bishops, demanding they admit that they were homosexual, while hypocritically supporting anti-gay policies. Once again he came under attack from the government of and the national press labelled him a ‘homosexual terrorist’ and ‘public enemy number one.’

In 1998 Tatchell once again hit the headline when he burst in on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Easter sermon in Canterbury Cathedral.

Tatchell verbally attacked the archbishop, Dr. George Carey’s advocacy of discrimination against Lesbians and gay men.

In London, on the 30^th September 1999, Tatchell and three members of outrage made their first attempt to make a citizen’s arrest on Robert Mugabe, a man famous for his disgust of homosexuals, saying; “Lesbians and gays are “sexual perverts” who are “lower than dogs and pigs”. Mugabe continues to urge his people to expose anyone they think is gay or lesbian; this in turn has stirred up more hatred, causing all LGBT Zimbabwean’s to live in daily fear of their lives. It is this violation of Human rights Tatchell has used in his bid to arrest Mugabe, accusing him of “murder, torture, detention without trial, and the abuse of gay human rights”.

“Military interrogators beat both men all over their bodies with fists, wooden planks and rubber sticks, particularly on the soles of their feet, and gave them electric shocks all over the body, including the genitals. The men were also subjected to ‘the submarine’ – having their heads wrapped in plastic bags and submerged in a water tank until they suffocated”.
(Amnesty International news release, 21 January 1999).

Tatchell attempted another citizen’s arrests when Mugabe was visiting Brussels in March 2001, this time he was badly beaten by Mugabe’s henchmen, but Tatchell’s actions helped highlight Mugabe’s atrocities against his own people.

Last year, Tatchell, joined international gay rights supporters Andy Thayer, Dan Choi and Louis-Georges Tin; plus Moscow Gay Pride committee member, Anna Komarova and other Russian gay activists as they attempted to march through Moscow, highlighting the right to hold a Gay Pride March. Once again they found themselves under attack from Neo-Nazis, while the Moscow police turned a blind eye.

Our suspicion is that many of the neo-Nazis were actually plainclothes police officers, who did to us what their uniformed colleagues dared not do in front of the world’s media. Either that, or the police were actively facilitating the right-wing extremists with transport to the protest.

Tatchell, along with Dennis L Carney, Vice-Chair of the Black Gay Mens Advisory Group (BGMAG) in London, campaigned with their Stop Murder Music and won the battle that stopped reggae stars, Beenie Man, Sizzla and Capleton as well as rapper Eminem from performing their songs that incited hatred towards gays and lesbians.

“The singers’ rejection of homophobia and sexism is an important milestone. We rejoice at their new commitment to music without prejudice,” said Mr Tatchell.

Whatever your thoughts on Tatchell, his commitment to highlight human right abuses, corrupt governments and LGBT equalities have been phenomenal. Happy Sixtieth Birthday Peter, I for one think you’re amazing.

Lesley Warwick-Love Dj'ing at the Marlborough

So, Lesley, tell me about your DJ background?

‘The Fondue Inferno’ has had many aliases over my 18 years of Dj’ing.  I made my mark as an underground DJ playing House, hard house and hardcore at Phase II’s and beach parties in Cornwall during the early 90’s.  After moving to Brighton in 2001 I played at various venues including Candy Bar Brighton, Brighton Pride and Calabash.  I changed my style mid 2000’s and an “anything goes” attitude has helped make my past 5 years as resident DJ at The Marlborough one of the most enjoyable Saturday nights out in Brighton.

So where and when is your new night?

My new night is called Athena at the newly named Psychosocial, which you might know previously as ‘Ocean Rooms’ on Morley Street. Athena@Psychosocial is a new monthly women’s night launching on February 10^th and will feature three floors of local female talent.

lesley DJ'ing at Brighton Pride

So why this new night?

Athena@Psychosocial is for women by women and aims to unite women and provide something for everyone.  It will showcase talented local women, giving something back to the community, but most of all, making it different!

There are three floors at Psychosocial, what type of music will be on these?

On two floors there will be different kinds of music:  on the 1^st floor Commercial, Rock, Pop, Funk, Soul, Reggae & 80’s etc; on the ground floor live acts plus House, Electro, Indie & R&B; The music floors are fronted by local resident myself, the Fondue Inferno and DJ Terri-Sian.  Each floor will showcase guest DJ’s and new local talent each month.

You will not just be doing music in the venue each month. What other things have you got planned?

On the ground floor is a chillout area for a quiet drink and a chat as well as Athena’s Hidden Market.  So for those who may be less interested in the dancing, there is this other area if they want to come along, enjoy a pub atmosphere to hang out in and shop with their mates.

The Market is local artists and businesses as well as all the traders we love to see at events such as Pride, selling popular products such as “toys”, as well as hand-made and designed jewellery and clothes.

Are any local charities benefiting from the night?

One pound from each ticket sale will be donated to a Brighton Women’s Charity. 

I heard there was quite a discussion about the name ‘Athena’?

I wanted to name the night after a strong woman.  That was important to me because I want to celebrate empowerment within women and the female community. There is so much talent in this city. Athena is a Goddess from Greek religion and mythology. She is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, justice, strength, the arts, and also the goddess of heroic endeavour. I felt it was very fitting!

Where can people find out more?

Early bird tickets are £6 and on the door £7.  Early Bird tickets are available on the Psychosocial web-site (www.psychosocialbrighton.com) available at The Marlborough on Princes Street and The Grosvenor on Western Street.

For more details checkout the Athena on Facebook and find out more about the night here

If people want to get involved as a DJ or in the Market?

I am still really eager to hear from those who are a DJ, singer or band and would like to perform at Athena@Psychosocial, and if you are interested in having a stall (there are still spaces!) please contact me:  fondue.inferno1@live.co.uk.

Zhoosh wishes Lesley aka The Fondue Inferno all the best with her new women’s night and recommend you all head there to check out the local talent and stalls.