“Born for You”

This film, directed by Fabio Mollo, is based on a true story set in Italy.

Luca together with his male partner desire to adopt a child. However, the couple encounter difficulties within their relationship and split up.

Meanwhile, a pregnant woman delivers a baby girl with Down syndrome and rejects the child, abandoning her in the hospital. The hospital authorities name her Alba.

Although thirty seven heterosexual couples, looking to adopt, reject the child, the authorities are reluctant to encourage Luca because he is homosexual.

With the help of an enthusiastic, but inexperienced lawyer, Luca shows determination and the social worker eventually warms to the idea of entrusting Alba to Luca. He is overjoyed.

He is the first single gay man in Italy to adopt a child. Be sure to take a handkerchief as this is a very emotional film.

This film was shown as part of Odeon Pride Nights – community focused events where they are screening LGBTQI+ films at the Odeon Cinema, Great Northern, 235 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4EN. The next films are “Out” on Monday, 1 December at 7.00pm and “The Bearded Mermaid” on Monday, 5 January at 7.00pm.

Herculine Adélaïde Barbin

Herculine Adélaïde Barbin, later known as Abel Barbin (8 November 1838 – February 1868), was a French intersex person who was assigned female at birth and raised in a convent, but was later reclassified as male by a court of law, after an affair and physical examination.

Herculine Barbin: Being the Recently Discovered Memoirs of a Nineteenth-century French Hermaphrodite is a 1980 English language translation of Herculine Barbin’s nineteenth century memoirs, which were originally written in French.

Most of what is known about Barbin comes from her later memoirs. Barbin was born in Saint-Jean-d’Angély in France in 1838. She was assigned as female and raised as such; her family named her Alexina. Her family was poor but she gained a charity scholarship to study in the school of an Ursuline convent.

According to her account, she was enamoured of an aristocratic female friend in school. She regarded herself as unattractive but sometimes slipped into her friend’s room at night and was sometimes punished for it. Her studies were successful and in 1856, at the age of 17, she was sent to Le Château to study to become a teacher. There, she fell in love with one of her teachers.

Although Barbin was in puberty, she had not begun to menstruate and remained flat chested. The hairs on her cheeks and upper lip were noticeable.

In 1857, Barbin received a position as an assistant teacher in a girls’ school. She fell in love with another teacher named Sara. Sara’s ministrations turned into caresses and they became lovers. Eventually, rumours about their affair began to circulate.

Although in poor health her whole life, Barbin began to suffer excruciating pains. When a doctor examined her, he was shocked and asked that she should be sent away from the school, but she stayed.

Eventually, the devoutly Catholic Barbin confessed to Jean-François-Anne Landriot, the Bishop of La Rochelle. He asked Barbin’s permission to break the confessional silence in order to send for a doctor to examine her. When Dr Chesnet did so in 1860, he discovered that although Barbin had a small vagina, she had a masculine body type, a very small penis, and testicles inside her body. In 19th-century medical terms, she had male pseudohermaphroditism.

A later legal decision declared officially that Barbin was male. She left her lover and her job, changed her name to Abel Barbin and was briefly mentioned in the press. She moved to Paris where she lived in poverty and wrote her memoirs, reputedly as a part of therapy. In these memoirs Barbin would use female pronouns when writing about her life prior to sexual redesignation and male pronouns following the declaration. Nevertheless, Barbin clearly regarded herself as punished, and “disinherited”, subject to a “ridiculous inquisition”.

In his commentary to Barbin’s memoirs, Michel Foucault presented Barbin as an example of the “happy limbo of a non-identity”, but whose masculinity marked her from her contemporaries.

Barbin’s own writings showed that she saw herself as an “exceptional female”, but female nonetheless.

In February 1868, the concierge of Barbin’s house in rue de l’École-de-Médecine found her dead in her home. She had died by suicide by inhaling gas from her coal gas stove. The memoirs were found beside her bed.

The birthday of Herculine Barbin on 8 November is marked as Intersex Day of Remembrance. The event appears to have begun on 8 November 2005.

South Korea census allows same-sex couples to identify as spouses in “historic” change

The South Korean census will allow same-sex couples to identify themselves as spouses for the first time in a move LGBT+ activists have praised as a significant step toward equality.

The census is conducted every five years. The Ministry of Data and Statistics confirmed that committed same-sex couples can now check “spouse” or “cohabiting partner.” In the past, doing so would cause a form to be rejected or marked with an error.

While homosexuality is not criminalised in the country, same-sex marriage remains illegal. There are also no anti-LGBT+ discrimination protections, and only 23% of the public fully supports LGBT+ people being open about who they are.

Despite South Korea’s portrayal in its global entertainment industry as modern and gay-friendly, the country has long tolerated LGBT+ discrimination and, in a 2020 report, was ranked among the least gay-inclusive countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The absence of progress can be traced to lobbying efforts by The United Christian Churches of Korea and other church associations, and to very public hate campaigns by loosely affiliated groups like Anti-Homosexuality Christian Solidarity, who have deep-rooted connections to the country’s political class.

Efforts to pass a broad anti-discrimination law through the legislature have failed many times, but hope was renewed last year when the country’s liberal party took a majority of seats in the legislature.

Advocates have praised the census change as a critical step forward.

Rainbow Action Korea, a coalition of 49 LGBT+ groups, called it a “historic decision” and “the first step towards having LGBT+ citizens fully reflected in national data.

“We believe this will lead to further change,” the country’s Justice Party also said in a statement. “The day will come when even transgender citizens are visible in national statistics.”

While LGBT+ rights have a long way to go in South Korea, advocates scored another major victory in the summer of 2024, when the nation’s top court ruled to uphold the rights of people in same-sex relationships, giving them the same rights as people in heterosexual relationships.

The landmark ruling states that benefits from South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) can be claimed by people in same-sex partnerships and that treating same-sex couples differently from heterosexual ones is “an act of discrimination that … violates human dignity and the right to pursue happiness.”

Older LGBTQ+ Londoner’s Guide

LGBT+ Consortium has been hosting the Older LGBTQ+ Londoner’s Roundtable, a group of LGBTQ+ organisations who support or are led by LGBTQ+ people over 50. This group meets quarterly to discuss the serious gaps in provision for older LGBTQ+ people in London and the challenges that older LGBTQ+ people face, including the social and health consequences of a lifetime fighting discrimination.

One of the aims of the roundtable has been to map services and groups after the closure of Opening Doors in 2024.

Together they have created the Older LGBTQ+ Londoner’s Guide to Socials, Events and Services 2025 which offers a smaller-scale list of LGBT+ groups, additional resources and contact information.

Access this free new guide, sharing events, socials and services for Older LGBTQ+ Londoners.  The guide is intended to be shared, distributed, and freely printed. Please share this resource far and wide if you can.

Introducing LGBT Foundation’s new national billboard campaign running through November and December, following the success of This is What a Woman Looks Like – this is Man Enough.

Man Enough was created to challenge harmful stereotypes about masculinity and to celebrate the visibility of gay, bi, and trans men. Through powerful images of queer brotherhood, allyship and solidarity they want to send a clear message to men of all backgrounds and identities: who you are is enough, and it matters.

Being Man Enough isn’t about fitting into outdated ideas of masculinity. It’s about showing up – for yourself, for others, and for your community.

From billboards across the high streets of our cities to the timelines of your favourite social feeds, this campaign is a visible, proud declaration that all men – trans men, gay and bisexual men, men of colour, disabled men, older men, working-class men, migrant men, and many more – of all shapes, sizes and walks of life – deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

Special thank you to everyone who answered the public open call for men to take part in this campaign.

Thank you to QPOC artist Scarlett Novoa for helping bring the campaign to life.

Transgender Parent Day

Transgender Parent Day is celebrated on Sunday, 2 November.

The day, first established in 2009, is observed annually on the first Sunday of November to honour transgender parents and parents of transgender children. 

It serves as a non-gendered alternative to traditional Mother’s or Father’s Days and highlights the resilience and love of these families.  

Glamour UK features trans cover

Glamour UK proved how to “Protect the Dolls” with a sharp witty response against JK Rowling complaining about its latest cover, which features a group of trans women.

The fashion magazine honoured nine “ground-breaking” trans women in a cover story for its annual award, which commemorates women who have made “extraordinary and inspirational” changes over the past year.

Its latest issue, revealed in a social media post, dated 30 October, features campaigners, musicians, actresses and authors all wearing “Protect the Dolls” shirts created by Connor Ives.

The phrase is often used by trans women to affirm their femininity and as a synonym for trans rights. Its usage originated in 80s ballroom culture.

Featured on the cover are Munroe Bergdorf, Maxine Heron, Taira, Munya, Bell Priestley, Dani St. James, Ceval Omar, Mya Mehmi, and Shon Faye.

JK Rowling (also known as Robert Galbraith), whose gender-critical views about trans people are extensive and well-recorded, was quick to complain about the magazine’s decision to name the nine “dolls” as women of the year.

The Harry Potter writer claimed that, by choosing to platform transgender women, the magazine is suggesting that trans women are “better” than cisgender women.

In a post on X, she wrote: “I grew up in an era when mainstream women’s magazines told girls they needed to be thinner and prettier. Now mainstream women’s magazines tell girls that men are better women than they are.”

Nowhere in Glamour UK’s cover story does it suggest this. This is only the second time the magazine has picked a trans woman for one of its awards in its almost three-decade history. JK Rowling herself was selected for an award in 2005.

A social media spokesperson for the publication made its thoughts on Rowling’s criticism clear, replying in a post on X / Twitter: “Better luck next year Jo x.”

Glamour UK’s feature highlighted the continued activism of its nine inductees and focused on positivity amid growing hostility towards trans people.

Asked what sisterhood means to her, Not A Phase chief executive, Dani St James emphasised the community’s need to stick together as the UK grows more volatile.

“We are only going to get through this if we stick together and support one another through this very difficult time, and what is likely to be an even more challenging period ahead,” she said. “Sisterhood for me is the assurance that I’m able to share that experience with people and get through it.”

A Pictorial History of the Art of Female Impersonation

Female impersonation, dating back to almost Garden of Eden days, embraces many vivacious, volatile and, indeed, voluptuous personalities in its history. Pursuers and pursued, loved and lovers, wanted and wanton, have all donned the drag to achieve their ends.

At the turn of the 20^th century, the great comedian, Dan Leno, had but four tragic years to live. Dogged by mental sickness he was never more relaxed than when earning his laughs whilst dressed as a skinny, hard faced middle-aged dame. Here was a pioneer of female impersonation who won the hearts of the nation at a time when people dare hardly admit that such outrages of supposed normality existed.

Within a very short time the boards of the music hall were bouncing with many impersonators of both sexes. Whilst Hetty King, Vesta Tilley and Ella Shields all did their best to achieve manhood, Wilkie Bard, Malcolm Scott and Bert Erroll did their darndest to deceive as dames.

Among the other “greats” of this period must be included G S Melvin as a rampant girl guide; Shaun Glenville, held by many to be the top dame of all time; Duggie Byng, master of slightly saucy songs; and, although not British, mention must be made also of the fabulous Babette who played several circus seasons in this country. Dating back to this period are George Lacey and Clarkson Rose, both topping pantomime bills in 1966 – what indestructible troupers. Bless ‘em!

The start of the current boom came in the mid-forties with the touring revue, “Soldiers in Skirts” which played the ailing music halls with tremendous success. Once a year, around December and January, the whole scene becomes a gay, festive whirl when the song “There’s nothing like a dame” becomes literally true. From village hall to London Palladium, pantomime dames thrust forth their falsies. This is their season of fulfilment and they make the most of every delightfully shocking second.

Now that the Empires, Hippodromes and Palaces are but memories of the past, impersonators found an eager audience in the patrons of London’s East End pubs and in clubs up and down the country. Among the most creative entertainers in this field being Tommy Osborn, Chris Shaw and Danny La Rue. There are, of course, many more holding the flag of the dames high today, a fitting tribute to the fine artistes of the past. Long may they reign!

The video looks back in time at the bygone days of the 60s Drag Scene and beyond through the World wars and into the late 19^th Century Music Hall.

Enjoy a saucy jaunt down memory lane with some forgotten greats!

Birthdays

“An Opened Letter”

Until the year 2000, it was illegal to be gay while serving in the British Armed Forces, leading many to be thrown out of the military for their sexuality.

A year ago an apology for their treatment was issued after an independent review recommended that the UK government make reparations – including giving compensation – but that is yet to happen.

One example is Paul Wilson who joined the Army band aged 15 – unaware then of his sexuality. His career was brought to an abrupt end when officers found out he was gay.

He was subsequently arrested, held in the jail at Edinburgh Castle and later dismissed from service.

A spokesperson for the UK government said it “deeply regrets” the treatment of LGBT service personnel and that it has been working to implement a number of reparations.

King Charles III has unveiled a memorial to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender military personnel after a decades-long campaign against a ban on being gay in the armed forces.

In his first official engagement in support of the LGBT+ community, the King visited the sculpture, named “an opened letter”, at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The memorial is dedicated to those from the LGBT+ community now serving in the forces, as well as those who served at a time when it was illegal to be gay in the military.

During the ban, which lasted until the year 2000, those who were gay – or were perceived to be – faced intrusive investigations, dismissal and in some cases imprisonment.

Affected veterans, many of whom attended the ceremony, said the monument signified “closure” after years of campaigning first to change the law, and then to push the government to make reparations.

The bronze sculpture was designed by Norfolk-based artist collective Abraxas Academy.

It resembles a crumpled piece of paper containing words from personal letters which were used as evidence to incriminate people.

The artists, Charlotte Howarth and Nina Bilbey, say that the “concept for the memorial symbolises the personal letters of endearment collected as evidence to convict, expel and imprison LGBTQ+ personnel during the ban, and the anxiety of living in constant fear of receiving a formal letter accusation.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the memorial “stands as a lasting tribute to the bravery and service of these veterans”.

The visit is the King’s first official engagement in support of the LGBT+ community

Louise Sandher-Jones, the minister for veterans and people, told the BBC she was “horrified” to hear how people suffered under the ban, and said the memorial’s unveiling represented a “moment of healing”.

The LGBT+ Veterans Memorial is one of 49 recommendations made by The Etherton Review, an independent report commissioned by government which looked at the treatment of LGBT+ veterans who served under the ban.

The report’s author, the late Lord Etherton, said it gave “shocking” evidence of a homophobic culture, bullying and sexual assaults endured by those who were pursued under the ban, including Pádraigín Ní Rághillíg.

Ms Rághillíg, 69, hadn’t realised she was lesbian when she joined the Women’s Royal Air Force in 1976, but began to understand her sexuality when she developed feelings for a female friend.

After divorcing her husband, she was posted to RAF Gibraltar where she worked as a telegraphist, a job which saw her work with morse code and given high level security clearance.

However, when a colleague saw her kissing a woman from the Women’s Royal Navy (WRN) it signalled the end of nearly a decade of service.

She says she faced intrusive interrogations in which she was asked intimate questions about her sex life, was outed to friends and family and lied to in an attempt to get her to give up the names of other gay personnel.

While waiting for repatriation back to the UK, Ms Rághillíg says she was sexually assaulted by a male colleague in an attempt to turn her straight.

She said: “He was touching my breasts and trying to put his hand down my trousers. He said: ‘I’ll sort you out’.

“Apparently there was some kind of sweepstake, some of the guys were betting on who could ‘sort me out’, which was terrifying.”

Similar accounts of dozens of other LGBT+ veterans who were sexually assaulted after revealing their sexuality are well-documented in the Etherton Report.

Abraxas Academy, a collective of artists behind the LGBT+ Armed Forces Community Memorial, were chosen from over 35 submissions by a panel made up of current and former LGBT+ personnel and groups including the Royal British Legion.

Nina Bilbey, design lead for the monument, said it was “humbling” to be involved in such an emotive project.

She said: “They’ve waited so long for some kind of recognition, we didn’t want to let them down.”

For Ms Rághillíg, the memorial signals “closure” for the treatment she endured in the name of the ban, and will also help ensure the ban and its effects are remembered for future generations.

“Given another 20 or 30 years, none of us will be left, but the memorial will be there and that’s really important,” she said. Pádraigín was given high security clearance in her role as a telegraphist while stationed in Gibraltar

The memorial project was led by Fighting With Pride, an LGBT+ veterans support charity set up to campaign for justice and support those impacted by the ban.

Its chief executive, Peter Gibson said: “It’s a deeply emotional moment, expressing in physical form that what happened to them should never have taken place.”

Veterans impacted by the ban can apply for a financial redress payment of up to £70,000.

Mr Gibson said he hoped the memorial would encourage veterans who have not yet come forward to apply for reparations, or to get in touch with the charity for support.

“We know there are more veterans who suffered under the ban who are owed justice and reparations,” he said.

Other measures already completed include pardons for criminal convictions, a special LGBT+ veterans ribbon for those affected by the ban and the return of medals and berets.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said it “deeply regrets” the treatment of those impacted by the ban, and that what they experienced was “not reflective of today’s values or the inclusive culture of our armed forces”.

It added: “We commend the courage of those who have shared their experiences, and we remain dedicated to ensuring all personnel feel valued, respected and able to thrive in our armed forces.”

The dedication of the memorial marks King Charles’s first official support of the LGBT+ community since he became King in September 2022. Like his mother and predecessor, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles has largely avoided discussing LGBT+ rights publicly. That has led activists like Peter Tatchell to say that through “his silence, he acquiesces with our tormentors.”  His sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, have both supported the LGBT+ community through positive messages and HIV initiatives.

Breaking the Code

A group of us from Out In The City went to HOME Theatre 1 to see a new production of Hugh Whitemore’s Breaking The Code.

Alan Turing is famed for cracking the Enigma code at Bletchley Park, effectively securing victory for the Allied forces in WWII. He is arguably one of the most important and inquisitive minds of the twentieth century.  

In this brilliant play we got to know a human being who loved, lost and never stopped asking questions in a quest for truth and understanding.

For the first time, taking into consideration his recent Royal pardon and the development of Turing’s law, the original play featured a new epilogue by Neil Bartlett that speaks to Turing’s lasting legacy on modern Britain.

What Is Paint The Town Red?

Paint The Town Red is George House Trust’s month-long campaign during November to resist, show solidarity and remember people living with HIV in the run-up to World AIDS Day.

They are asking you to Act Up and show support by ‘painting the town red’, whether it be wearing a red ribbon in support of people living with HIV or organising a fundraiser that supports their life-changing work.

For 40 years, George House Trust have been inspiring people living with HIV to live healthy confident lives through support, advice and advocacy services.

Today, they offer over 30 services to people living with HIV from all backgrounds across Greater Manchester and Liverpool, with their support ranging from peer-support after a first diagnosis to formula milk for new parents and employment upskilling and support.

By supporting George House Trust, you are helping thousands of people living with HIV and contributing to a world where HIV holds no one back.

Painting The Town Red By Resisting, Acting Up and Showing Solidarity

Starting on 1 November and culminating on World AIDS Day on 1 December, they are aiming to raise £40,000 in their 40th year for people living with HIV. Your support, whether it be for the whole month or just for one day, can help to create a world where HIV holds no one back.

For more info, please contact info@ght.org.uk

Concessionary Bus Pass Trial – November

The 9.30am restrictions on the use of bus passes for older people creates inequity, particularly in accessing health-related appointments.  We were therefore delighted that the decisive step was taken to pilot a scheme in August that gave older and disabled residents in Greater Manchester access to free bus travel at any time of day. This pilot has been extended for a second trial period this November.   The scheme allowed concessionary pass holders to travel before 9.30am, a restriction that normally limits free travel until after the morning rush. During the August trial, more than 100,000 early-morning journeys were made, with up to 6,000 people using the benefit each day.   Often dubbed “twirlies” by drivers for being “too early” to board, passengers with concessionary passes were finally able to travel freely on early services – a move that advocates say had a real and immediate impact on people’s daily lives. Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) want to make travel easier and more affordable for everyone. The trial will allow eligible pass holders to get out to work, healthcare, leisure and shops round the clock.   What you need to know Trial takes place on buses from 1 to 30 November 2025. Unlimited, free bus travel is valid for TfGM issued older person’s or disabled person’s travel pass holders only. Available on Bee Network buses, not on trams and trains. Passes also accepted before 9.30am on non-Bee Network buses within the Greater Manchester boundary only. As well as free early morning travel, the trial will allow pass holders to use the Bee Network’s night buses as well.

Oscar Wilde’s library card reissued

The date of Oscar Wilde’s death, 30 November 1900, has been used as the new card’s expiry date

The British Library has honoured late Irish writer Oscar Wilde by reissuing a reader’s card in his name, 130 years after his original was revoked following his conviction for “gross indecency”.

The celebrated novelist, poet and playwright was excluded from the library’s reading room in 1895 over his charge for having had homosexual relationships, which was a criminal offence at the time.

The new card, collected by his grandson, author Merlin Holland, is intended to “acknowledge the injustices and immense suffering” Wilde faced, the library said.

Mr Holland said the new card is a “lovely gesture of forgiveness and I’m sure his spirit will be touched and delighted”.

The decision to revoke Wilde’s pass for the library – then the British Museum reading room – was recorded without comment in the trustees’ minutes for 15 June 1895.

He had been in prison for three weeks at the time after being handed a two-year prison sentence with hard labour.

The author was convicted after he lost a libel trial against Lord Queensberry, who had accused him of being homosexual after discovering that his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, aka Bosie, was Wilde’s lover.

The library regulations at the time said anyone convicted of a crime should have their card revoked.

‘Letter from prison meant so much’

The British Library holds handwritten drafts of some of Wilde’s most famous plays including The Importance of Being Ernest, An Ideal Husband, A Woman of No Importance and Lady Windermere’s Fan.

Its collection also includes De Profundis, the letter he wrote to Bosie from Reading Gaol.

Mr Holland collected the new card at a ceremony at the venue on what would have been his grandfather’s 171st birthday.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Holland said he felt both “proud” of his grandfather and slightly burdened by the responsibility of handling his legacy.

“People will so often write in to me and say, ‘I cannot tell you how much your grandfather’s De Profundis meant to me’,” he explained.

“It has a note of positivity at the end … he’s going to come out of prison and do something again.

And people have written to me saying, ‘In a moment of terrible depression about my own life I read De Profundis, and I just wanted you to know that your grandfather’s letter from prison meant so much to me’.”

Dame Carol Black, chair of the British Library, described Wilde as “one of the most significant literary figures of the nineteenth century”.

She said that by reissuing his library card, “we hope to not only honour Wilde’s memory but also acknowledge the injustices and immense suffering he faced as a result of his conviction”.

She added that they were “delighted” to welcome his grandson – who is the author of a new book, After Oscar: The Legacy of a Scandal – to receive the library card on his behalf.

Meet Sir Lady Java, the 1960s trans performer

Did you know that Los Angeles once had a law that banned drag performances? That’s why we’re celebrating Sir Lady Java, a trailblazing transgender activist who fought that law in the 1960s.

Almost half a century before “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “Pose”, Sir Lady Java was a popular dancer, comedian and drag performer in Los Angeles’ nightlife scene, working alongside Sammy Davis Jr and Richard Pryor among other people.

Born and raised in New Orleans, she moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. She worked as a waitress at the Redd Foxx Club on North La Cienega Avenue in what is now West Hollywood.

At the same time Sir Lady Java was making a name for herself, the LA Police Department began cracking down on shows featuring “female impersonators” or anyone dressing in drag. As Sir Lady Java’s popularity grew, she became a target for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), who used Rule Number 9 to shut her down.

Rule Number 9, passed in 1958, was a municipal code that prohibited bar owners from hiring anyone who performed as or impersonated the opposite sex.

In 1967, when Sir Lady Java wanted to continue performing at the Redd Foxx Club, the owner applied for a performance permit but was denied.

In response, Sir Lady Java organised protests and picketed outside the Redd Foxx Club, demanding her right to work.

After her protest, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit on Sir Lady Java’s behalf against the LAPD. However, the court refused to hear her case because only bar or club owners could file such a lawsuit. Since no owner would step forward, the case was dismissed.

Still, Sir Lady Java made history because she was the first person to challenge the code in court.

Two years later, Rule Number 9 was overturned. Sir Lady Java was able to return to the stage and continued performing in Los Angeles nightclubs throughout the 1970s and early 80s.

Sir Lady Java laid the groundwork for future generations in the fight for transgender rights.

In 2022, her trailblazing efforts were recognised; the 79-year-old was the community grand marshal in the LA Pride Parade.

New book celebrates gay rights pioneer

Craig Rodwell is, sadly, not nearly as well known as he should be, given his accomplishments. He opened the first bookstore devoted to gay and lesbian literature. He led a chant of “Gay power!” at the Stonewall riots and contributed many articles about the struggle for equality and fair treatment. He helped organise the first Pride march. Thankfully, journalist John Van Hoesen’s new book, “Insist that They Love You,” tells Rodwell’s story.

Rodwell was born in Chicago in 1940 and spent his early years at a Christian Science-run children’s home. As a teenager, he roamed the streets, connecting with older men. One of those lovers was arrested and later died by suicide. He moved to New York to study dancing and joined the Mattachine Society, one of the first groups involved in “gay liberation.” He dated Harvey Milk, a challenging relationship, as the older Milk was still closeted while Rodwell was out and deeply involved in the cause. This was when being gay was a crime and public exposure risked getting fired and evicted.

In 1967, he opened the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop, which openly displayed gay and lesbian books and materials. It had large, inviting windows, different from the typical places gay people congregated. Many walked past it, working up the courage to go in. Once they did, they found a welcoming place where they could learn and connect with others. Van Hoesen writes about the diversity of the Bookshop’s employees, gay, lesbian, black, and white, who all loved the sense of community and purpose Rodwell created.

That same year he helped form the group Homophile Youth Movement in Neighbourhood and created their periodical HYMNAL. He wrote many articles for them and later, for QQ Magazine, describing the forces in straight “heterosexist” society, as he termed it, against gay people. He wrote about mafia-controlled gay bars, including the Stonewall Inn, seedy places that overcharged for watered-down drinks. He decried how the law was used to persecute gay people, describing his arrest for wearing “too-short” swim trunks. He explained what to do if arrested: never speak without a lawyer present and never provide names of other gay people. Van Hoesen helpfully includes these articles in an appendix.

Rodwell’s history of activism is impressive. In 1966, he participated in a “sip-in” protesting a law forbidding bars serving alcohol to homosexuals; it took three attempts before one refused to serve him. He and his partner happened by the Stonewall Inn when the riots began, offering the protesters support. He helped lead a group that picketed Independence Hall in Philadelphia every year as an “Annual Reminder,” arguing with organiser Frank Kameny over the required conservative dress code.

He organised the first Pride march in 1969. One of the biggest challenges was getting all the different gay rights groups, with different objectives, to work together. The police only issued the permit the morning of the march. Among the book’s photos is one of Rodwell and his partner afterwards, looking exhausted but happy.

Rodwell never sought the spotlight for his work, always working with others. Yet he often chaffed against many of the organisations’ philosophies, one of the few Mattachine Society members to use his real name. He refused to sell pornography in the Bookshop, or work with gay business owners funded by the mob. He even threw some customers out. Let’s hope this biography shines more attention on this lesser-known leader of the gay rights movement.

‘Insist That They Love You: Craig Rodwell and the Fight for Gay Pride’
By John Van Hoesen
c.2025, University of Toronto Press
£22.99 / 432 pages

We are the Bridge

We were born in one world … and grew up in another.
A world where summers meant open windows, the hum of a box fan, and the smell of fresh-cut grass.
Where neighbours waved from their porches, and if your bike chain broke, you didn’t Google it – you knocked on a door and someone came out with a wrench.
We lived in a world built on patience.
We waited for letters to arrive.
We waited for the library to open.
We waited for our favourite song to play again on the radio – and when it finally did, it felt like magic.
Then, almost overnight, everything changed.

Phones shrank. Music became invisible.
News arrived before the coffee finished brewing.
We learned to type, to swipe, to tap.
We learned to talk to machines – and to have them talk back.
We’ve seen milk delivered to the door in glass bottles …
and we’ve scanned groceries without speaking to a single cashier.
We’ve dropped coins into payphones …
and we’ve made video calls to loved ones across oceans.
We’ve known the deep quiet of a world without notifications –
and the noise of one that never stops buzzing.
And sometimes, the younger ones look at us like we’re behind.
But what they don’t see is this:
we know both worlds.
We can plant tomatoes and write an email.
We can tell a story without Google – and then fact-check it with Google.
We know the weight of a handwritten letter and the reach of a message sent in seconds.
We’ve lived long enough to understand that you can change without losing yourself.
That you can honour where you came from while still learning where the world is headed.
We’ve buried friends and welcomed grandchildren.
We’ve seen diseases disappear and new ones arrive.
We’ve unfolded paper maps – and followed glowing blue lines on GPS.
We’ve sent postcards with stamps – and emojis with a single tap.
And maybe that’s our greatest gift:
the memory of a slower, gentler time,
and the courage to adapt to a world that never sits still.
We can teach the young that not everything needs to happen instantly.
And we can remind our peers that it’s never too late to try something new.
Because that’s what we are –
the bridge between what was and what will be.
And as long as we keep standing strong,
the world will always have something solid to cross on its way forward.
Because every generation builds the road a little further – and ours?
Ours remembers both the dirt path and the highway

A very enjoyable afternoon – good food, good company and plenty of gossip … a perfect afternoon!

More photos can be seen here.

Intersex Awareness Day

Intersex Awareness Day is an internationally observed awareness day, each 26 October, designed to highlight human rights issues faced by intersex people.

For the past decade, the Intersex Human Rights Fund (IHRF) at the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice has been supporting the intersex rights movement, nurturing connections between activists, and advocating for intersex rights and wellbeing.

In just ten years, the IHRF has supported gains in intersex rights at the local, national, regional and global levels. The intersex movement continues to grow in strength and visibility, with accomplishments that are truly remarkable.

Recently, in 2024, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution addressing intersex rights. This groundbreaking resolution, which IHRF grantee partners advocated for, calls for UN member states to support “the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health” for intersex people. This international achievement was the result of many years of advocacy.

Michalina Manios

Intersex model Michalina Manios was a finalist on the 2011 season of Poland’s Next Top Model.

During her appearance on the show, Manios explained that she was assigned a male identity at birth and was raised in that gender identity until she was 18 years old, something she said felt like being imprisoned. At that point, she then legally changed her gender to female.

“Functionally, I developed as a woman, but unfortunately, I was assigned a male identity, not any other. My body and mind developed toward femininity, but my genitals didn’t. I was ashamed to go to physical education classes because I was embarrassed”, Manios said.

Intersex individuals have innate variations in physical traits that differ from typical expectations for male or female bodies, including variations in reproductive organs, hormones or chromosome patterns. An estimated 1.7% of infants are born intersex – roughly the same number of people born with red hair.

“Visibility is crucial,” said a spokesperson from Poland’s leading LGBTQ+ advocacy organisation, the Campaign Against Homophobia. “When public figures share their truths, it chips away at stigma and ignorance.”

At the start of 2020, Poland’s anti-LGBTQ+ Law and Justice Party (PiS) began declaring regions across the country as “LGBT-free zones” in an attempt to remove LGBTQ+ “propaganda” from the public. Both the US and the European Union condemned the zones as violations of human rights. By early 2020, roughly one-third of the country had established “LGBT-free zones.” However, the PiS party suffered defeat in the 2023 national elections. Then, in 2025, the party’s last of the state-sanctioned anti-LGBTQ+ zones was finally eliminated.

Avril A – Housewife Superstar

My partner Norman first met Avril A at his aufruf on 17 August 1974 in the United Synagogue in Prestwich. He was called up to read part of the Torah as he was getting married the next day. Norman knew Avril’s  husband Philip as they both attended King David’s High School in Cheetham Hill.

Avril A was a Jewish housewife by day, club superstar by night and also a thrifty cook. She is known particularly for her gay club performances in the 80’s and 90’s. Her videos are hilarious and despite never making the big time, Little Lady Dynamite remains a much-loved legend.

Avril was a one-off and is posthumously launching an album – “Avril A – Housewife Superstar”.

Listen to “Little Lady Dynamite” here:

Research

We often receive requests from students for help with research. Please let us know if you are interested in participating (where eligible). Please contact us here.

The latest requests are here:

PhD research for older LGBTQ+ people

Harriet Argyle is currently researching the experiences of older LGBTQ+ people (67+) with residential and domiciliary care settings in the UK.

As part of this she is using online questionnaires and in-person interviews to talk to LGBTQ+ care receivers and their families, friends and support networks as well as professional care providers and middle-late aged LGBTQ+ adults (40s, 50s, 60s+) on their concerns, assumptions and fears about the future and the care sector in general. 

This research focuses on the importance of identity recognition and sexual citizenship in LGBTQ+ people’s later life. Concerns over having to go back into the closet are frequent as are fears of abuse, neglect or ignorance from staff who are not trained and not prepared to provide care for the specific needs of LGBTQ+ people. Dignity, respect, privacy and the ability to live authentically while getting the support they need are integral to LGBTQ+ care receivers mental, physical and emotional health. 

Please see attached the research leaflets.

Harriet Argyle BA, MA (she, her) 

If you have any questions, please contact harriet.argyle2019@my.ntu.ac.uk

Your Story Matters

Cesar Augusto Kampff, a psychologist and PhD candidate in the Graduate Programme in Cultural Diversity and Social Inclusion at Universidade Feevale, Brazil is conducting groundbreaking research in Brazil, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.

The study is on the psychological aspects involved in the processes of recognising and sharing one’s sexual orientation (coming out) among cisgender lesbians and gay men aged 50 and over.

He is kindly requesting your participation in this research, which is essential to better understand the experiences of the mature lesbian and gay population, give visibility to these life stories, and build knowledge that helps combat violence, prejudice and discrimination.

Research like this is only possible with the support and voices of those who have lived and continue to live these experiences. Your contribution will help strengthen public policies, support practices and initiatives that promote respect for diversity.

The interview can be conducted via a questionnaire, which can be sent by e-mail so you may answer it at your own pace.

Thank you in advance for your trust and for sharing your story. To participate or learn more, please email cesarkampff@gmail.com