It’s “Happy Birthday” to Helen on 3 May.

Not a lot of people know this but we have two people who have attended Out In The City events with the same first name and same surname. So it’s “Happy Birthday” to David C (Peter’s husband) on 7 May and “Happy Birthday” to David C (David’s husband) on 8 May.

 

Concerns members of LGBT community may be suffering in silence during lockdown

Don (see below) from Out In The City was interviewed by Lise McNally at ITV television. The item was shown on Granada Reports on 1 May 2020 together with information about the LGBT Foundation’s telephone service “Brew Buddies”.

You can see it here

Members of the LGBT community are being urged not to suffer in silence if lack of access to safe spaces is putting their health at risk.

LGBT+ people around the world say ‘Stay home!’

 

Brew Buddies on Granada TV

Rainbow Brew Buddies (the LGBT Foundation’s new telephone befriending programme) will be featured on Granada Reports on ITV on Friday, 1 May in the 6.00pm bulletin, so do tune in to see them on tv!

They are particularly inviting sign-ups to this service from the over 50s. Find out more here: https://lgbt.foundation/rainbowbrewbuddies or give them a call on 0345 3 30 30 30 for more information.

Tony’s Coffee Time Picks

Manchester Cares is a community network of young professionals and older neighbours (over 65) hanging out and helping one another in our rapidly changing city.

I’ve contributed to their blog by sharing some picks from my music collection. So make yourself a tea or coffee and tune in. I managed to squeeze in a plug for Out In The City!

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Sonder podcasts

Would you like to make your own podcast? Sonder Radio have offered to help people from Out in The City record their own shows during lockdown. All people need is a landline or mobile phone so no great tech.

Can you imagine a world without music? Songs from the past can stir powerful emotions and transport us back in time. Pick your favourite pieces of music and make a rough note of the tunes and the memories. It’s best to pick 5 to 8 fairly short songs.

Sonder Radio will record you, over the telephone, talking about your choices, find the pieces of music and create the soundtrack of your life!

If enough people are interested we may be able to do an ‘Out In The City’ show – a group discussion on Skype on a particular theme or topic. Or it could be a really simple show where people just pick a song and tell a story about that song and Sonder stick together lots of mini stories with lots of different voices.

Please let me know if you are interested so we can take the idea forward. Send to openshawtony1@gmail.com

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Talking About My Generation Newsletter

Talking About My Generation was started as a campaign so people aged 50 and over from across Greater Manchester could change the record on what it means to grow older in the region. They were given the training to become community reporters so they could set the record straight on ageing by reporting on other people from their generation, charting their own stories of life over 50 and showing any challenges associated with ageing and how they are being overcome, to inspire people to live the life they choose, regardless of age.

I am delighted to now share with you the latest Talking About My Generation podcast and magazine – the “Life In Lockdown” edition.

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In a previous posting we reported that some of the biggest names in Manchester’s drag scene have collaborated with drag performers from around the world to raise money for Age UK.

The original target was £2,000, but the Quarantine Queens have exceeded that and raised £2,688 (so far). Thank you!!

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Miriam Tenquist, a student at Manchester University has contacted Out In The City to see if anyone over 60 years of age would like to be interviewed (over the telephone)? Eight of us have already agreed, but she is looking for a couple more interviewees.

It is for her masters dissertation, which is a Sociology MSc leading into a PhD, with a special focus on ageing populations. For her research project she is looking at the impact of groups for older LGBTQ+ individuals on social isolation.

The interviews will be about an hour long and will be done over the phone. Importantly the interview can be stopped or questions skipped if you don’t feel comfortable.

If interested please contact: miriam.tenquist@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk

Lesbian Visibility Day – 26 April 2020

Lesbian Visibility Day, now embedded in the international LGBT+ calendar, is a celebration of the world’s diverse lesbian community.

Held on 26th April every year, Lesbian Visibility Day showcases women-loving-women, providing a platform for lesbian role models to speak out on the issues facing female sexual minorities.

The origins of the day remain mysterious, but it has been running since 2008. Having initially started in the US, Lesbian Visibility Day – thanks to the wonders of the worldwide web – is now celebrated internationally.

Last year to mark the occasion, Out In The City visited Shibden Hall (Anne Lister’s house) in Halifax. Lister is often called “the first modern lesbian” for her clear self-knowledge and openly lesbian lifestyle. Called “Fred” by her lover and “Gentleman Jack” by Halifax residents, she suffered harassment for her sexuality, but recognised her similarity to the Ladies of Llangollen, whom she visited.

This year, due to socially isolating, we recommend that you watch the “Invisible Women” documentary. On Facebook go to the Invisible Women page. Visit the Shop and you can buy the film for £4.99.

“Invisible Women” is a 25 minutes long documentary exploring the untold story of the North West’s LGBTQ past over the last 50 years through two women’s incredible journey, rebellion and activism.

Angela Cooper and Luchia Fitzgerald have spent the last half a century fighting for their rights as women and as lesbians.

Their work has revolutionised Manchester whilst transforming the lives of thousands of women and yet no record of them exists in the city’s archives; theirs is a story that risked disappearing from history. Until now.

Manchester, 1969: Luchia, a teenage Lesbian runaway from Ireland struggles to survive on the streets of Manchester. She’s arrested and sent for a lobotomy to cure her of her “deviant sexual tendencies”. Luchia escapes the lobotomy to seek solace in the New Union, a pub at the epicentre of Manchester’s underground gay community.

Luchia is at her lowest ebb when she hears a female student at the next table giving voice to every frustration she felt; Luchia pulls up a chair to listen. That student was Angela and this chance encounter sparked a relationship that has endured fifty years of euphoric highs and earth-shattering lows.

To reduce plastic and postage costs the film will be sent to you as a high res link ready to view as and when you please for the rest of time.

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In the last posting we reported that some of the biggest names in Manchester’s drag scene have collaborated with drag performers from around the world to raise money for Age UK.

The Quarantine Queens have raised £1,825 (so far). How good is that!!

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Alex from Manchester Pride sent the following message:

Just a quick one to let you know that the Online Consultation is live. I’d really appreciate it if you could share it within your networks.

Manchester Pride Online Consultation

The Online Consultation covers all things Manchester Pride and will be an invaluable tool in helping us develop all of our programmes to better represent, support and celebrate our wonderful LGBTQ+ communities.

The consultation is for all LGBTQ+ people living in Greater Manchester to better understand the community’s needs.

We’re also holding Listening Groups which will be an opportunity for individuals from further marginalised communities to interact with the Manchester Pride team and provide a safe space for them to share how they feel about the LGBTQ+ community in Manchester.

Manchester Pride Listening Groups 

These groups will be an opportunity for us to better understand how we can improve our support for the community throughout the year and improve visibility for marginalised groups and people.

Thanks in advance for your support with this! I hope you’re staying safe and staying proud!

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Brew buddies wanted as crisis calls double to LGBT Foundation in lockdown – Talking About My Generation

The LGBT Foundation is urging people to sign up as brew buddies for its new befriending service to support vulnerable people living alone across Greater Manchester during the Coronavirus lockdown.

The launch of the Rainbow Brew Buddies telephone befriending scheme comes after the charity experienced a doubling of calls to their crisis helpline. The service will help people get together for a chat and a brew over the phone at least once a week for around 30 minutes.

The charity is now urging people to sign up to volunteer with Rainbow Brew Buddies.

Pauline has already signed up to volunteer. She said: “I wanted to become a brew buddy as it offers something to any LGBT person of whatever age who feels lonely during the current Covid-19 crisis.

“As an older trans woman of 72, who lives alone, I am aware how this “lockdown” can make anyone feel totally alone and down, and I think that speaking to the same person over the phone for 30 minutes every week will help a great deal.

“Just being able to chat with someone who listens is a great boost. And I am so lucky to have family and friends that I can speak with every week on the phone; this is my way of giving back and reaching out to offer support to those who are less fortunate than me. Will it make a difference – yes.”

The service will be prioritising those from LGBT communities in Greater Manchester who are most socially isolated, and are most impacted by restrictions in place due to the Covid-19 outbreak, such as older people, those who are without close family and friends to reach out to, disabled people, those on low income or who have been made redundant and those on the UK Government Vulnerable People list.

Paul Martin OBE, Chief Executive of LGBT Foundation, said: “We can all agree that a chat over a brew is one of life’s greatest simple pleasures, but not everyone always has someone to do this with regularly.

“Connecting with others is a crucial part of your wellbeing, and we want to ensure that every LGBT person feels a connection to someone in their community.

“Our message with Rainbow Brew Buddies is simple – no LGBT person should feel that they are alone.

“Through Rainbow Brew Buddies, those who are feeling particularly isolated at this time can know that there is always someone that is just a phone call away for a cup of tea, a check-in and a chat. It is vital every single LGBT person knows that you are not alone, that LGBT Foundation loves you and that we are still here if you need us. I strongly encourage you to reach out and join our scheme, where you will find a listening ear and someone who will always be there for you.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, is supportive of the programme.

He added: “This is such a positive initiative. Rainbow Brew Buddies is about offering people a friendly ear and a chance to chat every week. This is important for all of us, but especially for those who, for whatever reason, might already be more isolated – our older residents, people without close family and friends, or those recognised as more vulnerable.”

To see if you are eligible for this service please read our detailed guidance here.

To sign up to volunteer for this service please contact befriending@lgbt.foundation or call 0345 3 30 30 30.

 

 

Some wise words: Two metres – is that OK? A hundred metres – two hundred metres – still see me? And keep in mind, when you are close to someone, really close, you cannot see them clearly, but when apart you cannot see anything else.

Some of the biggest names in Manchester’s drag scene have collaborated with drag performers from around the world to raise money for Age UK.

The 26 drag queens from five different countries join forces to perform a cover of “We’ll Meet Again” by Vera Lynn.

Manchester’s Anna Phylactic, Liquorice Black, Misty Chance and Julie Noted appear in the video, alongside RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and USA stars Courtney Act, Crystal, and Blu Hydrangea.

Other names from around the world include Hollow Eve, Pangina Heals, Peaches Christ, Yshee Black and Meth.

“Older people are some of the most isolated and at risk in this crisis and as the recent revelations about care homes have shown they are all too easy to brush under the chintzy carpet,” Cheddar Gorgeous, who organised the project, said.

“It’s always been a drag tradition to draw attention to things that matter with a bit of glitter and hairspray. We want to make sure our elders know that we love them, miss them and that we will meet again.”

Cheddar says it took her just two weeks to get videos from performers and edit it together, and says it’s been just as helpful to her as she hopes it is to the older generation.

“It’s been good for us drag queens too,” she says.

“We’ve been missing each other and performing for others.”

The video hopes to inspire people to donate funds to Age UK, providing older people with care and support.

“Older people can be so easily ignored, but they’re usually the ones who are struggling the most,” Cheddar adds.

“While we’re all able to stay connected with each other online, that’s something that many of them can’t do or struggle with. I hope that when people watch it they will stop to think about our elders and how they’re feeling right now. But, ultimately, I also hope the video is something older people can watch and enjoy too. I think drag is an incredible, special thing and it has always had the ability to connect people together.”

You can donate to the Drag Queens in Quarantine fundraiser here

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The LGBT Foundation is carrying out a survey on how LGBT communities are being affected by corona virus. Sparing 10 minutes to answer will improve their understanding of how our communities are being impacted and will ensure that the right support is being provided:

www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/covid19impactlgbt

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We have received the following message from Benji Taylor:

Good morning,

I am community development worker from the Integrating Care for Trans Adults Project at Yorkshire MESMAC and I am contacting you about our work.

For more info on the project please see: http://business-school.open.ac.uk/research/projects/icta/description

We are asking for your support as we keep up the momentum we’ve built up during these difficult times. We recognise that it is a scary and confusing time at the moment for everyone and we are all having to rethink how we go about daily life. This is why we think it is important to continue spreading word of the project because it is such a positive step for the transgender including non-binary communities.

From this project we plan to take our responses to the NHS and convey to them where their patients stand on the quality of care they are given. This is a brilliant opportunity for trans people to help create change within the care systems they are a part of.

We want to have as complete a picture as possible, this can only be achieved by having responses from all over the trans community, this includes the older members. Not only have they had more experiences but they’ve also been able to see how the NHS has changed over the years which is something we are very interested in hearing. Older people are also more likely to have more varied or complex medical needs, which means they have more interactions with the NHS, we want to know if being trans has affected their care.

This is also a trans/non-binary led project, which we believe is a vital and integral aspect of what makes the project important. This is the biggest project of its kind and it is unlikely to be repeated especially with such a strong trans presence behind it. We are a collaboration between community and academia; Yorkshire MESMAC, the Open University and the LGBT Foundation have come together to create this space for members of our community to evidence the ways health care needs to change but also to show where good practise is and how to emulate that.

It is so important not only to listen to trans people but also to have trans people as the listeners. There is so much empathy within this project because of the shared and similar life experiences. So often trans people have been used as psychological study rats, which creates no tangible outcomes. The Museum of Transology agrees that as trans people we have “research fatigue” from these cisgender/clinical lead studies. They also agreed that this is the most important project which British trans people can benefit from in this life time. We are very much of the mind that there is ‘nothing about us without us’.

What we would love you to do is forward this information and our survey through your channels.

For the survey http://www.thissurvey.com/ICTAWebsite

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any queries:

Email: b.taylor@mesmac.co.uk

I also have a twitter (@benji_mesmac), we would be grateful if you could retweet some of the project tweets.