Mini Cini

For LGBT+ History Month Out In The City showed the film “Before Stonewall” at the Mini Cini in Ducie Street Warehouse.

Revealing and often humorous, the award winning “Before Stonewall” exposes the fascinating and unforgettable decade-by-decade history of homosexuality in America, from 1920s Harlem through to World War II and the witch hunt trials of the McCarthy era. “Before Stonewall” is essential viewing for all those who have celebrated their sexuality, or have been persecuted because of it.

If you missed it (or want to watch it again!) go to https://www.youtube.com/ and search for “Watch Before Stonewall – (1984) Movie”.

There is another film called “Before Stonewall” from 1979, but I prefer the earlier documentary.

Controversial Alan Turing Sculpture Unveiled

After years of planning meetings, a sculpture honouring Alan Turing was finally unveiled at Cambridge’s Kings College, where he studied maths, the foundation of his illustrious career.

Turing, a gay man, is widely considered the father of computer science and artificial intelligence. He is most famous for his work on breaking the German Enigma codes during World War II.

Despite his essential work, he was punished by the British government for his sexuality and was chemically castrated after being convicted in 1952 of “gross indecency” with another man.

Turing died by suicide in 1954. He was 41.

Queen Elizabeth II officially pardoned Turing under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy in 2013. The Historic England Planning Commission, however, was less forgiving when it came to permission to build the sculpture in Cambridge.

“We consider that it would harm the particular character, created by the interplay of buildings and landscape, which makes the college so remarkable a place,” they wrote in a letter to the Cambridge City Council.

The large sculpture is a heavy series of blocks meant to portray a man’s figure. It is made of steel and copper so that it will oxidise into a deep red colour over the years.

Sir Antony Gormley, the designer, joked that he had worried the sculpture “wasn’t controversial enough” during the unveiling ceremony.

“I’m amazed by the way the sculpture speaks to the buildings and the buildings to the sculpture,” he said. “They’ve immediately entered a kind of dialogue. I have to say it took a long time to get here. It was 2015 when the journey started, and the planning permission was perhaps the biggest hurdle, though everyone agrees it looks like the sculpture has always been here.”

‘A tabloid on legs’: Divina de Campo wears red wig and newsprint protest dress to Parliament event

The same week PM Rishi Sunak made a joke about trans women in front of murdered trans teen Brianna Ghey’s mum, Drag Race star Divina de Campo hit the Houses of Parliament and made a stand.

Drag artist and theatre star Divina De Campo attended an LGBT History Month reception on 7 February 2024 hosted by Speaker of The House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and used the opportunity to highlight the continued rise in anti-LGBTQ hate crime and normalisation of inflammatory rhetoric from elected officials in recent years.

Divina’s protest dress and shoes – made specially in Manchester and worn throughout the aforementioned event – displayed derogatory headlines that have been written about LGBTQ people over the last 10-15 years, as well as hate-crime statistics, and reference to the lack of access to services for LGBTQ people. Explaining the purpose behind wearing the dress to the event, Divina emphasised that parliamentarians ought to understand that their words and actions have real-life consequences. 

Ban Conversion Therapy

LGBTQ+ people have nothing to be ashamed of and there is nothing wrong or broken about who we are. Our sexual orientations and gender identities are diverse and should be celebrated.

Yet conversion practices are still legal in the UK today. Conversion therapy isn’t therapy. It’s abuse.

Since the UK Government failed to fulfil its promise to ban this abusive practice, parliamentarians from across parties have been rallying to bring forward the legislation themselves. 

On Friday 1 March, a private members’ Bill to ban conversion therapy will have its Second Reading. We need your help to get as many MPs there as possible, and vote.

Email your MP

Ask your MP to attend the Second Reading of the Private Members’ Bill to ban conversion therapy on Friday 1 March.

Please personalise your email as much as possible. Tell your MP why this issue matters to you by including any experiences faced by yourself, your friends, or your family. And remember to include your postal address for maximum impact. MPs need to know they’re talking to a constituent!

• Go to https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/
• Type in your postcode.
• Click on Send a message
• Copy and paste the following draft letter, but personalise it if you can.

Draft letter

(Your postal address)

Dear MP,

Re: Second Reading of the Conversion Practices (Prohibition) Bill – Friday, 1 March 2024

I am writing to you as a constituent to ask you to attend the Second Reading of the Private Members’ Bill to ban the abusive practice of conversion therapy on Friday 1 March and to vote in favour of the Bill. 

It has now been over five years since the UK Government first promised to ban conversion therapy – but the LGBTQ+ community is still waiting. I’m sure that people have written to you multiple times, and to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and I’m ashamed that this abuse has been allowed to continue across the UK.

According to the UK Government’s own research, 7% of LGBT people have been offered or undergone conversion therapy. This indicates that, in the past five years, thousands of people in the UK were put at risk of harm. This needs to stop.

There is widespread public support for banning conversion therapy. The Bill is a cross-party effort, and it is the Government’s own policy. There is support from across the House to get this legislation over the line.

Therefore, I urge you to attend the Second Reading of the Conversion Practices (Prohibition) Bill, sponsored by Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP, on Friday 1 March 2024 – and to vote in favour of its passing.

I understand that Fridays are traditionally reserved for you to be present in your constituency. However, this matter is of the utmost importance to many of your constituents, including myself. In this instance, where attendance by minimum 100 MPs at the Reading dictates its validity, your presence in House would only demonstrate a commitment to your constituents’ needs and interests. 

As it is important to me that you please commit to voting in favour of this Bill, I would appreciate a response from you outlining your intentions. 

Yours sincerely,

(Your name)