Pride Party

The Out In The City Pride Party was a great success – 60 people attended and we were entertained by Frank n’ Flirter and Wolf.

The raffle raised £143.00, so thank you to all who attended.

Some great photos can be seen here.

Claire Mooney

Tributes have poured in following the death of singer songwriter Claire Mooney.

Claire appeared at Oldham Pride in 2009 when she wowed the crowd. She supported many prides and organisations and was generous with her time. Claire was a fighter in more ways than one, she fought for women’s rights, the repeal of section 28 and made the world a better place for everyone.

She will be missed and as someone has already said “Rest in Power Claire”.

New Christopher Isherwood Biography

“Christopher Isherwood: Inside Out” is an insightful biography of the prolific writer, author of “Goodbye to Berlin” (the inspiration behind “Cabaret”), “A Single Man” and “Christopher and His Kind”, among others. Katherine Bucknell, director of the Christopher Isherwood Foundation, as well as editor of several collections of Isherwood’s diaries and letters, draws on his letters, journals, creative work and interviews to build an extensive look at this talented writer.

Christopher William Bradshaw Isherwood (26 August 1904 to 4 January 1986) was born in High Lane, Cheshire to landed gentry, with properties, a large house and servants. His father was in the British Army and the family moved around for a while, including a stint in Ireland. His father went to fight in World War I and died in France, leaving his mother to look after Isherwood and his younger brother. This clearly affected Isherwood, although he wouldn’t discuss it until much later. While this section of his childhood is important to Isherwood’s later development, the many details make for slow reading.

The book really picks up when Isherwood travels to Germany in 1929, where he fully embraced his sexuality. In Berlin, he first lived next door to Magnus Hirschfeld’s Institute for Sexual Science, a centre which pioneered research and treatment for various matters regarding gender and sexuality and which advocated for the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Isherwood met many young German men, falling in love with Heinz Neddermeyer, who he tried to help get out of the country as the Nazis gained power. His short novels “Mr Norris Changes Trains” and “Goodbye to Berlin” are fictionalised versions of the people he met and his experiences there, although they don’t tell the whole truth about his sexual adventures.

Decades later, as the German translation of “Christopher and His Kind”, a nonfiction account of Isherwood’s time in Germany, was to appear, Neddermeyer, now with a family, wrote to Isherwood despairing that the book would out him. The translation wouldn’t be published until after Isherwood’s death.

Isherwood emigrated to America with his school friend, the poet W H Auden, in 1939. The two collaborated on several plays and covered Japan’s invasion of China, even sleeping together several times. This move, near the start of World War II, plus Isherwood’s pacifist refusal to fight, caused bitter feelings with some friends in England.

He settled in Los Angeles where he discovered the Vedanta Hindu-inspired philosophy. He translated the Bhagavad Gita with the religious leader Prabhavananda, who he deeply admired. Although Isherwood struggled to practice all of Vedanta’s teachings, including celibacy, the religion accepted him completely.

He also met Don Bachardy on Valentine’s Day in 1953 with whom he would spend the rest of his life. Thirty years younger than Isherwood, Bachardy shared with Bucknell the challenges in their relationship. While Isherwood encouraged him to study art in England, Bachardy had affairs there, as did Isherwood back in LA. In their letters, Isherwood was “Dobbin” while Bachardy was “Kitty.” Seeing their love grow and develop is one of this book’s pleasures.

Despite the biography’s length and slow start, it reveals an honest yet sympathetic look at Isherwood’s life and work. It should inspire readers to pick up his books, either again or for the first time. ‘Christopher Isherwood: Inside Out’
By Katherine Bucknell
864 pages

The Candlelit Vigil

The Candlelit Vigil in partnership with George House Trust is the heart of Manchester Pride Festival and the culmination of the weekend’s celebrations. Each year, The Vigil closes the celebrations with a moment of reflection in Sackville Gardens – the home of the Alan Turing memorial, The National Transgender memorial and the Beacon of Hope, the gardens are transformed into a sea of flickering candles as the celebrations calm and come to an end.

Carefully curated by three respected individuals: Nathaniel J Hall, Kate O’Donnell, and Cheryl Martin, this moment of reflection is a time to come together to honour those who are suffering, persecuted and have lost their lives due to HIV. It serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ communities, both in the UK and around the world. Through the soft glow of candlelight, attendees create a united front, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to combating HIV, raising awareness, and fostering a more inclusive and accepting society.

The Candlelit Vigil is completely free to attend, but if you cannot attend in person, you can watch the vigil livestream on YouTube. Follow this link from 9.00pm.

George House Trust is an organisation providing HIV support, advice and advocacy services since 1985. The Candlelit Vigil is a powerful symbol of remembrance, solidarity, and hope. George House Trust plays a pivotal role in curating this meaningful event, leveraging their expertise and dedication to improving health outcomes and supporting those affected by HIV.