Leeds Pride (the 15^th anniversary celebrations) that were due to take place on 2 August 2020 has been cancelled. The event attracts over 50,000 people.

The Manchester Pride has also been cancelled. This is the full statement:

“We are both heartbroken and devastated to deliver the news that we have made the decision to postpone this summer’s Manchester Pride Festival until August 2021. 

Whilst we are a charity that campaigns all year round, the Festival is our flagship event. It is one of the biggest celebrations of LGBTQ+ life in the UK and the highlight of the year both for our team, and for many of you. 

This decision is not one that has been taken lightly. Our small team has been working tirelessly to ensure we would be prepared for every eventuality, and we have consulted with everyone that we needed to in order to reach this decision. To put it simply, the ongoing situation is incredibly uncertain and it would be too much of a risk to go ahead with plans to deliver the Festival this year. 

While some of you may have been expecting this, we know many of you will be just as disappointed and upset by this news as the Manchester Pride team. We have anticipated the many questions you may have and ask that you read through the communication on our website to better understand this decision.

We know that those of you who have bought tickets will be wondering what happens with them. To reassure you and to secure your place at the Festival we’re rolling them all over to the new date in August 2021.

Manchester Pride Festival has a massive impact on many people’s lives including our attendees, community organisations, local artists and Gay Village businesses. We extend our solidarity to everybody affected by this news, and although we cannot deliver the Festival as we know and love this year, we are still planning to celebrate LGBTQ+ life in Greater Manchester. We’re in the very early stages of working on ideas for an alternative celebration in 2020 and we’ll share our plans with you once they can be confirmed.

In the meantime, the Manchester Pride team will continue working towards our vision of living in a world where LGBTQ+ people are free to live and love without prejudice.

The Trustees and Team at Manchester Pride.”

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Manchester Pride have now released further details of their Listening Group for over 55’s. This will happen on 4 November 2020 via Zoom.

The Listening Groups are consultations so that the Manchester Pride team can better represent, support and celebrate the community.

The Listening Groups are as follows:

23 May 2020 – Trans Listening Group

5 June 2020 – Women’s Listening Group

14 July 2020 – Access Listening Group

8 September -2020 – Bi+ Listening Group

24 September 2020 – Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Listening Group

8 October 2020 – Non Binary Listening Group

4 November 2020 – LGBTQ+ 55+ Listening Group

More info on how to sign up here

You can take part using video and audio, video or audio or simply using the chat function. If you would like to take part but don’t feel comfortable using these methods please contact engagement@manchesterpride.com

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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 £3,015 (so far). Thank you!!

 

 

“Happy Birthday” to Ed on 11 May – at least you get to eat all the cake. Hope it’s gluten free!

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia is observed on 17 May 2020 and aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide.

Previously, the commemorations have taken place in 132 countries across the globe, including 37 where same-sex acts are illegal.

You may have heard of the acronym IDAHO, but you may not be entirely sure what it signifies – the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. It’s coming up on 17 May, so now is the perfect time to brush up on your knowledge of how IDAHO started, what it represents and how to celebrate.

For LGBT people, IDAHO serves as an interesting retrospective on our history and how much has changed as well as a chance to publicise how much we need to continue pushing for change.

It may surprise you to learn that up until 17 May 1990, the World Health Organisation classified homosexuality as a mental disorder. In 2004, the IDAHO movement chose this date to host the very first International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia to reflect the contemporaneous struggles and stigmatisation that still occurs across the globe for LGBT people.

According to the official website, IDAHO is an entry-point to understanding the vast community of individuals who identify with a diverse range of sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions and sex characteristics. Other commonly used acronyms for the day include IDAHOTB and IDAHOBIT – the day is intended to be used by all, with a non-exhaustive list of issues to publicise and ways to participate.

Indeed, the day has grown in scope and influence. IDAHO is a call to action and a reminder that our community needs to remain consistent in making demands in relation to equality. Accordingly, organisations and individuals are encouraged to participate at all levels – from national to local and community initiatives.

While physical events may be off limits for 2020, there are still a number of ways to show your solidarity on 17 May. Socially distant initiatives are a way to showcase your creativity as you get involved – you may be in a position to fundraise online, display a pride flag, join an online event or attend a social media protest. You may also take the opportunity to watch an LGBT documentary or read a book.

Discrimination and violence against LGBT people continues to occur at unacceptable rates, and we all have a responsibility to use our voices to speak up, in relation to our own challenges and the struggles of others. A culture of inclusivity and freedom can only extend to everyone if we fight for it.

Step up! For more information on IDAHO and to register your May commemoration, make sure you visit may17.org and register yourself to join in the springtime celebrations. The 2020 IDAHO theme is Breaking the Silence, and there are a number of online resources to help you research and plan your participation. There’s even a map tool online to see which countries are participating.

The Day is not one single campaign. It is a moment when thousands of ideas and initiatives converge over a single vision: freedom and equality for all sexual, gender and bodily minorities. You can join in whichever way you want: be creative, this is YOUR day!

 

How are you holding up? What are you doing to stay sane? Just asking for a friend 🙂 Seriously though, are you doing OK? We are doing the very best we can to get through these strange times.

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Launched by Sir Ian McKellen in June 2019, Pride in Ageing has already made huge strides in helping to ensure that Greater Manchester becomes one of the best places for LGBT people to grow older.

Pride in Ageing are holding their 1st Birthday Celebration Event: ‘Sensible Footwear’– a Q & A session with Kate Charlesworth

Friday 5 June 2020, 12.00 noon – 1.30pm

This is a public event to celebrate one year of Pride in Ageing. Lawrie Roberts, Programme Manager, will be joined on Zoom (an online platform that lets us all see and hear each other over the web) by Edinburgh-based cartoonist Kate Charlesworth, who will be answering questions about her landmark LGBTQ memoir ‘Sensible Footwear’.

Described by The Guardian as “joyous … leaves no stone unturned … an instant classic”. ‘Sensible Footwear’ is the first graphic history to document lesbian life in Britain from 1950 to the present and includes Kate’s recollections of visiting Canal Street whilst at art college in Manchester in the 1970s.

This event is being run in conjunction with LGBT Foundation’s Women’s Programme. Copies of ‘Suitable Footwear’ are available to order via the Myriad online store here with 25% off and free UK P&P using the code MYREADATHOME.

Free, limited spaces, please register for this event in advance here and you will receive a link or phone number to call to join the event on the day.

The Pride in Ageing programme was set up in response to concerns that too many lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people over the age of 50 are living in isolation and facing discrimination as a direct result of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Laws change but attitudes can be harder to shift.

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Lowry play

One of the trips we had planned was to see the play “The Last of the Pelican Daughters” at the Lowry in Salford – a play about family, money, what we inherit from our past, and what we choose to bring into the future.

The Wardrobe Ensemble were running a series of intergenerational workshops that bring older and younger people together to talk about the themes of the show: Inheritance, Money, Grief, Love and Family.

There is now a virtual version of the workshop which can be done with someone that you know and also with someone you don’t know. If you are interested in doing the workshop with a stranger of a different generation, please contact me to arrange: openshawtony1@gmail.com?

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Tony’s Coffee Time Picks

“I’m missing you all, so here is a playlist which reflects my feelings” which can be found here:

https://www.mixcloud.com/manchestercares1/tonys-coffee-time-picks-2/

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.