Sir Robert Peel and the Bury Transport Museum

Sir Robert Peel, born in Bury in 1788, is one of the town’s most celebrated figures. Twice serving as Prime Minister and founding the British Conservative Party, Peel’s legacy is deeply intertwined with the history of Bury. The Peel Memorial, a prominent monument in the centre of the town, stands as a testament to his significant contributions.

Just a few minutes walk from the town centre is the Bury Transport Museum, housed in the historic Castlecroft Goods Warehouse. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the town’s rich transport heritage. The museum is part of the East Lancashire Railway experience, which runs from Bury to Heywood, Ramsbottom, and Rawtenstall. The museum features a collection of vintage vehicles, including buses, trams, and steam engines, with highlights such as the steam roller ‘Hilda’ and a World War I memorial to railway workers.

Visitors to the museum can explore interactive displays and exhibits that transport them back to the 20th century. The museum’s collection includes vintage signboards, luggage cabins, and trunks, all meticulously restored and maintained. The engaging displays make the museum a perfect outing, offering both educational and fun-filled experiences for visitors of all ages.

Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply looking for an enjoyable day out, the Bury Transport Museum and the legacy of Sir Robert Peel offer a unique and enriching experience.

More photos can be seen here.

Improving access to screening in Greater Manchester

The video was made in collaboration with NHS Health Innovation:

As part of the continued public and community engagement work that is being undertaken as part of the Health Innovation Accelerator programme, Health Innovation Manchester invited members of the LGBT Foundation Pride in Ageing programme to share their thoughts and experiences of engaging with the healthcare system.

These conversations focussed on potential ways to increase engagement within the LGBTQ+ community in terms of access to NHS screening, and in raising awareness of health risks associated with prevalent diseases across Greater Manchester.

Through conversation and active listening with members, Health Innovation Manchester was able to better understand lived experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, including needs, and perspectives on how the health and care system can better engage with its diverse communities across the city-region.

The Health Innovation Accelerator has been established to improve the diagnosis and treatment of disease across the 2.8m Greater Manchester population.

The Accelerator is addressing several diseases including liver, heart and lung disease, by using academic, clinical and industry excellence to better understand data, digital tools and innovative point of care testing to improve health outcomes for patients.

Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) is a key component of the Accelerator, with the overall aim of empowering the public to engage in focus group discussions, co-creation sessions, creative campaign design, peer led interviews and observing people in their own environment to understand their experiences, perspectives and everyday practices.

UK’s First Purpose Built Majority LGBTQ+ Housing Scheme

Work has finally got underway on the start of the UK’s first majority LGBTQ+ housing scheme here in Manchester.

The exciting new £37 million flagship development – which is being built on the site of the former Spire Hospital on Russell Road, in the Whalley Range area of Manchester – will be comprised of 80 one and two-bedroom apartments for older people over the age of 55 for social rent, alongside an additional 40 affordable shared ownership apartments. 

Plans for the scheme have been co-produced in partnership with the Russell Road Community Steering Group, Manchester City Council, and the LGBT Foundation.  

Delivered in partnership with contractors Rowlinson, and funded through Great Places, the Homes England Strategic Partnership, GMCA Brownfield Housing Fund, and Manchester City Council, the high-quality and sustainable building will offer a ‘safe and welcome feel’ with an ‘inviting presence’.

While the goal is to create an inclusive space, the scheme has also been designed to respect the surrounding conservation area. 

On top of this, the low carbon scheme will also feature shared communal facilities including lounges, treatment rooms, and landscaped gardens.

The Council says the new scheme is part of its ambitious target to deliver at least 36,000 new homes across the city region by 2032 – at least 10,000, of which, will be social rent, Council, or considered ‘genuinely affordable’ housing.

It comes after more than 800 ‘Extra Care’ homes have been built in Manchester in recent years, and are another 1,000 are in the pipeline – to meet the demand for older people in the city. 

“This is a real milestone moment for this development,” commented Cllr Gavin White, who is the Executive Member for Housing and Development at Manchester City Council.

“The Council has believed in the positive impact an LGBTQ+ majority housing development could have for this community for many years, and to celebrate the social rent homes officially starting on site is a great moment for the city. 

Working with the LGBT Foundation, we know that older LGBTQ+ people worry about being able to access appropriate and inclusive housing later in life. Although we hope all older person’s accommodation is welcoming to everyone, this scheme will provide safe, secure and affordable housing for LGBTQ+ people to live with dignity.

We look forward to the completion of these homes that will complement and enhance this part of Whalley Range, and be an important part of this community.”

The project is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2027.

Birthdays

Holocaust Centre North Exhibition: “Memorial Gestures”

A group of us travelled to New Pudsey, with some difficulty due to delayed trains and cancelled taxis. But it was a very worthwhile day, although an exhausting one.

We had a lovely lunch at the Mill Café – most of us sat outside due to the warm weather, before making our way to the historic 1912 Mill.

The exhibition – “Memorial Gestures” – is the culmination of three years of a unique artist residency programme. In this time, 14 artists, writers, and translators have been invited into the Holocaust Centre North Archive to engage with the growing collection of personal papers and historical material.  

Through textiles, video, ceramics, installation, drawing, photography, print, found objects and written word, these artists explore themes of migration, trauma, memory, hope, resilience and survival. Their work reflects a deeply personal engagement with history, forming a dialogue between past and present – one that gains resonance in today’s climate of rising antisemitism, authoritarianism and displacement.  

Each artist brings a distinct voice and lens, shaped by their own identities, histories, and lived experiences. Exhibited together for the first time, their work invites a collective conversation not just among themselves, but with you, the audience. 

One artist concentrates on the issue of gay men:

Paragraph 175 (Text by Matt J Smith)

Paragraph 175 was the legal code in Germany that persecuted same sex desire.

Gay men were assigned pink triangle badges within the camps.

Sachsenhausen camp was known for housing a disproportionately high number of gay men during the Holocaust. It had a subcamp called Klinkerwerk which made bricks.

The work conditions were lethal. Only partial records remain, including a list of 231 names of pink triangle prisoners who died there.

There are few records of pink triangle prisoners. Shame stopped many families reuniting with their pink triangle relatives. Seen as criminals, many pink triangle prisoners were sent directly from camp to prison when freed by the Allies to complete their sentence.

The photograph above shows 175 small clay brick tiles, each the size of an inmate’s number badge. On each tile I wrote the name of one of the 231 pink triangle men in pencil. Each man deserves to be remembered. When the tiles were fired, the graphite disappeared, and the record of their life also vanished.

Paragraph 175 was the law before the Nazis came to power. However, in 1935 they changed its remit so that more men could be targeted. Men could now be imprisoned for five years for a quick kiss or a touch that lingered too long. By 1944 no physical contact needed to have taken place, with just the intention of homosexual behaviour being enough to lead to incarceration.

The photographs in the panel are all from the Holocaust Centre North Archive. While there is no suggestion that the individuals pictured here were gay, their gestures could be read – or misread – as expressions of same sex desire. I was interested in how even entirely innocent behaviour could be seen as suspicious, and how the persecution of one group could influence the behaviour of all. The images actually depict groups of friends, colleagues, brothers, sisters or cousins.

Unlike the pink triangle prisoners recorded on the tiles, the memory of the people in these images is carefully looked after by family members and the Archive. Permissions needed to be sought to use the images, and we were unable to clear permission for one of the chosen images. Its intended location is left blank.

Some pink triangle prisoners were offered potential early release from the camp if they agreed to castration.

The 1935 iteration of Paragraph 175 remained in the West German criminal code until 1994.

More photos can be seen here.

Barry Manilow was ‘insulted’ by public reaction when he came out as gay at 73 in 2017

Barry Manilow (born 17 June 1943) was finally ready to take a chance when he officially came out in 2017.

After decades of keeping his sexuality private, the music legend, then 73, opened up about being gay in a People magazine cover story.

But Manilow was surprised at the reaction to his revelation – or lack thereof.

“You know, it was a non-event,” the Brooklyn-born singer, 82 tomorrow, said. “I was kind of insulted. I thought it was gonna be a big deal. Oh my God, it was nothing,” he continued. “Nobody said anything about it.”

However, Manilow chalks it up to his fans not really being surprised.

“At that point, they all knew immediately,” he said. “They liked my music, they liked me. And they were happy that I had somebody to come home to.”

That somebody is Garry Kief, Manilow’s husband and manager. In the 2017 People magazine story, the “Can’t Smile Without You” crooner revealed that the couple secretly got married in 2014 after being together since 1978.

“We’d been together for so long and then, you know, we were able to get married, and it was no big deal,” he said.

But Manilow admits that sharing this love story would’ve been a much bigger deal when he was topping the charts with hits such as “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs” and “Looks Like We Made It” in the ’70s.

“You couldn’t come out back then. I didn’t want to. I didn’t care about it,” he said. “All my friends knew. And I think as the years went on, all of my fans knew. But you just didn’t talk about stuff like that back then.”

But Manilow is happy that things have changed for today’s generation of pop stars to come out.

“Well, you can do that now,” he said. “When I started off, you couldn’t. It would ruin your career. You couldn’t even say the word ‘gay.’ ”

It makes it all the more impressive that Manilow and his husband have been together for 47 years.

“You know, Garry’s got his own career, and I’ve got my own career, and we respect each other. It’s a great relationship.”

That kind of longevity extends to Manilow’s six-decade career. After getting his start doing jingles and accompanying artists such as Bette Midler on piano, he made his self-titled debut in 1973.

And, although Manilow is launching a farewell arena tour, he’ll still perform at his Radio City and Las Vegas residencies.

200-year-old condom ‘in mint condition’ says museum

The sheath is dated to about 1830, the museum says

An almost 200-year-old condom – in “mint condition” – has just gone on display at an exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

It is thought to be made of a sheep’s appendix and features an explicit print representing a nun and three clergymen.

The rare artefact dates back to 1830 and was purchased by the museum at an auction last year. The condom is part of an exhibition on 19th Century prostitution and sexuality. Prints, drawings and photographs also form part of the display.

Rijksmuseum curator Joyce Zelen confirmed that after obtaining the item, they inspected it with UV light and ascertained that it had not been used.

Since it was put on display the museum has been packed with people – young and old – and the “response has been amazing”, she added.

Ms Zelen explained the condom is believed to have been a “luxury souvenir” from a fancy brothel in France, and that only two such objects are known to have survived to the present day.

The museum said the unusual item “embodies both the lighter and darker sides of sexual health, in an era when the quest for sensual pleasure was fraught with fears of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases – especially syphilis”.

The explicit print on this specific object shows the nun sitting in front of the three men with her dress up and her legs apart pointing her finger at the clergymen, all of whom are standing in front of her holding up their habits.

The condom also bears the inscription “Voilà mon choix”, meaning “There is my choice”.

It will be on display until the end of November.

AIDS Quilt on Display

Brave and beautiful people are being remembered as part of the UK Aids Memorial Quilt, a patchwork creation of 42 quilts and 23 textile panels representing 384 people who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS in the UK, made by the people who loved them.

The huge quilt will be on display in the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall in London between 12 and 16 June. Although different parts of it have been on display before, the showing at the Tate will be the largest public display of the quilt in its entirety since it was created in 1994.

All Are Welcome Here

Gay News

Gay News was a fortnightly newspaper founded in June 1972 in a collaboration between former members of the Gay Liberation Front and members of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality. At the newspaper’s height, circulation was 18,000 to 19,000 copies.

Amongst Gay News’s early “Special Friends” were Graham Chapman of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, his partner David Sherlock, and Antony Grey, secretary of the UK Homosexual Law Reform Society from 1962 to 1970.

Sex between men had been partially decriminalised for males over the age of 21 in England and Wales with the passage of the Sexual Offences Act 1967. After the Stonewall Riots in New York in 1969, the Gay Liberation Front spread from the United States to London in 1970. Gay News was the response to a nationwide demand by lesbians and gay men for news of the burgeoning liberation movement.

The paper played a pivotal role in the struggle for gay rights in the 1970s in the UK. Although essentially a newspaper, reporting alike on discrimination and political and social advances, it also campaigned for further law reform, including parity with the heterosexual age of consent of sixteen, against the hostility of the church which treated homosexuality as a sin, and the medical profession which treated homosexuality as a pathology. It campaigned for equal rights in employment (notably in the controversial area of the teaching profession) and the trades union movement at a time when left politics in the United Kingdom was still historically influenced by its roots in its hostility to homosexuality. But it also excavated the lesbian and cultural history of past decades as well as presenting new developments in the arts.

Gay News challenged the authorities from the outset by publishing personal contact ads, in defiance of the law; in early editions this section was always headlined “Love knoweth no laws.”

In the first year of publication, editor Denis Lemon was charged and fined for obstruction, for taking photographs of police behaviour outside the popular leather bar in Earls Court, the Coleherne pub.

In September 1973 Gay News, in conjunction with the Gay Liberation Front, recognised that they were receiving a large volume of information calls to their offices. Accordingly, they put out a call for a switchboard to be organised. Six months later, on 4 March 1974, the London Gay Switchboard (now Switchboard – LGBT+ Helpline) was formed. Gay News alongside Switchboard and the Health Education Council went on to hold the first open conference on HIV/AIDS in Britain on 21 May 1983. At this conference Mel Rosen, of Gay Men’s Health Crisis, New York, declared “I hope you get very scared today because there is a locomotive coming down the tracks and it’s leaving the United States.”

In 1974, Gay News was charged with obscenity, having published an issue with a cover photograph of two men kissing. It won the court case.

The newspaper was featured in the 1975 film Tommy.

In 1976 Mary Whitehouse brought a private prosecution of blasphemy (Whitehouse v Lemon) against both the newspaper and its editor, Denis Lemon, over the publication of James Kirkup’s poem The Love that Dares to Speak its Name in the issue dated 3 June 1976. Lemon was found guilty when the case came to court in July 1977 and sentenced to a suspended nine-month prison sentence and personally fined £1,000.

When all totalled up, fines and court costs awarded against Lemon and Gay News amounted to nearly £10,000. After a campaign and several appeals the suspended prison sentence was dropped, but the conviction remained in force. The case drew enormous media coverage at the time. In 2002 BBC Radio 4 broadcast a play about the trial.

Gay News Ltd ceased trading on 15 April 1983.

Queer Fest

Join us on 21 June, for Queer Fest, a full day of celebrations of LGBTQI+ literary, arts and culture. There will be stalls from a variety of artists and writers, as well as drop-in badge making with Sarah-Joy Ford. On the day of Queer Fest we also are pleased to announce the opening of a brand new exhibition, “I’ve had enough of secrets” by Steven Appleby.

Please see above for more information about the event, including scheduled Q&As with Steven Appleby and Malcolm Garrett as well as Matt Cain with David Catterall; spoken word performances; Polari Bible Readings with Jez Dolan; figure drawing with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Admission is free. Some events will be bookable.

With Love, Mr Gay (by Josh Val Martin)

Saturday 21 June – 7.30pm

The Box @ The Met, Market Street, Bury BL9 0BW

“Dear Mr. Gay, if you move my bin again, I will get an ex-mercenary to destroy you … from flat 2.”

This (real) letter was blue-tacked to my flat’s front door, and thus sparked a neighbourhood feud over both my sexuality, and the placement of the blue bins.

Determined to find peace, and not let the conflict consume me, I sought advice and interviewed experts: a dog trainer, a historian, a Middle East peace negotiator and, of course, my Auntie Clare.

With Love, Mr Gay is my true story, featuring cabaret, comedy, interviews and showtunes, as I’m accompanied by the personification of a laughing Buddha statue from B&M, who acts as my unlikely spiritual guide.

Join us on our heartfelt and hilarious mission to find fabulous ways of ending deeply personal battles – even when the idea of peace seems impossible.

Funded by the Bury LGBTQI+ Forum and Bury Pride as part of the of Bury LGBTQI Literary Festival.

Book tickets here – £12 / £10 concessions

Robina Asti

Robina Asti

Born in Manhattan on 7 April 1921 and raised in Greenwich Village, Robina Asti was a trans woman, WWII veteran and aviation pioneer.

She spent much of her adult life residing at 1175 York Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Though she transitioned in the 1970s and lived publicly as a woman for over 40 years, she only became more widely known when she was in her 90s, after she successfully challenged discriminatory federal policy.

In 2012, following the death of her husband, artist Norwood Patten, Asti applied for Social Security survivor benefits. Despite holding legal documents identifying her as female, including her pilot’s license, the Social Security Administration (SSA) denied her claim, citing her gender at birth as a problem.

Represented by Lambda Legal, Asti appealed and won, prompting the SSA to revise its policies for transgender spouses nationwide. Her case became a landmark moment for transgender rights and was documented in the short film Flying Solo: A Transgender Widow Fights Discrimination.

Asti was also a decorated WWII Navy pilot and lieutenant commander, who flew reconnaissance missions over the Pacific and who later worked as a test pilot.

After the war, she became a successful mutual fund executive before transitioning in the mid-1970s, a decision that cost her high-powered finance career but allowed her to embrace her identity more fully. She then took a job as a makeup artist at Bloomingdale’s and later became chair of the Hudson Valley chapter of the Ninety-Nines, an international organisation of female pilots.

In 2019, Asti co-founded the Cloud Dancers Foundation, which advocates for elderly trans individuals. In July 2020, Asti was recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest active pilot & flight instructor at age 99.

She passed away in 2021 in California, shortly before her 100th birthday. Through her many accomplishments later in life, however, Asti helped shift public policy and broaden recognition of transgender people – especially elders – within both LGBTQ+ communities and US legal frameworks.

Birthdays

Q. You know what winds up bigots more than a photo of a Pride-themed train?

A. A photo of a Pride-themed train passing a stretch of water so you actually see two Pride-themed trains.

Out In The City Recent Activities

After dining at The Piccadilly Tavern, a group of us travelled to New Islington to play dominos and Scrabble. We had a very enjoyable afternoon in the relaxed atmosphere of the Community Room at Mayes Gardens.

Angel reviewed “Miss Brexit” a show at The Contact Theatre:

“A group of ‘seniors’ have come to watch “Miss Brexit” in a theatre room at Manchester University. Some excellent satire. English humour in all its splendour.

Four Europeans: a French Swiss, a Portuguese, a Catalan and a Cuban Hispanic were “nominated” to leave the British “home” post-Brexit, in a parody of “Big Brother”.

The lies of Brexit promoters were exposed, as well as the simplicity and contribution of EU citizens to British life. Norman from our group was the final judge. He chose the Catalan girl, who by the way, loved the “Meal Deal” to eat cheap!”

Bury Pride was held on 7 June on Knowsley Street outside the Town Hall. There was free entertainment, acts on stage, food and drink vendors along with stalls by community groups, local businesses and rides for all ages.

Patrick reviewed Bury Pride:

“Thanks to all who supported Bury Pride yesterday. Special mention goes to my wonderful line dance group, the Prairie Dogs for opening the acts on the stage in the afternoon. Fabulous dancing. Thanks to my colleagues from the NASUWT Teaching Union for their participation and support, and the fantastic support from the brilliant staff at Cafe Loco on Bury Market. All added to a great Pride.”

If you want to find out more about our future activities go to “Next Outings” on the website.

Terry Higgins

Terrence Lionel Seymour Higgins (10 June 1945 – 4 July 1982) was among the first people known to die of an AIDS-related illness in the United Kingdom.

Marking what would have been Terry Higgins’ 80th birthday, Queer Britain will host the Terry Higgins Memorial Quilt. The quilt was produced by Terrence Higgins Trust and The Quilters’ Guild and will be on display in London at the UK’s first and only LGBTQ+ museum from 11 to 15 June.

Since opening its doors in May 2022 in Granary Square, King’s Cross, the museum has welcomed over 100,000 visitors, providing a revolutionary space to celebrate, preserve, and explore LGBTQ+ histories. 

The museum is now planning to redevelop its permanent collection and launch a series of special exhibitions throughout 2025, celebrating unheard stories, sharing new perspectives, and commemorating key cultural moments, in which the Terry Higgins Memorial quilt will feature.

The quilt features eight magnificent panels, representing different elements of Terry’s life, celebrating his legacy and aims to engage as many people as possible in where we are today with the opportunity to end new HIV cases in the UK by 2030.

Museum director Andrew Given explains a new vision for Queer Britain:

“Walking through our galleries never fails to inspire, as I see the record of activism and change that our community has achieved. But there are so many stories yet to be told. That’s why we are delighted to announce this exciting programme of exhibitions and the redevelopment of our permanent collection – ensuring that Queer Britain continues to be a vital space for all LGBTQ+ stories.”

Richard Angell OBE, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said:

“For many years at Terrence Higgins Trust, we worked in the name of Terry, but without fully telling his story. This quilt is a literal rich tapestry of his life. It speaks to the experiences of so many queer people, from growing up in a small town, to finding his identity through friendship, community, work and music. I hope those who visit will see something of themselves in Terry’s story and understand the ways so many of us have benefited from his legacy.

When Terry died there wasn’t even a test for HIV, let alone any treatment. Now we have the opportunity to end the epidemic in the UK by 2030. We owe it to Terry and everyone we lost to turn that goal into reality.” During 2025, the museum will also feature exhibitions celebrating 20 years of UK Black Pride, as well as on Jimmy Sommerville and Bronski Beat.

Terrence Lionel Seymour Higgins, known as Terry, was born 10 June 1945 in Priory Mount Hospital, Pembrokeshire. He lived with his mother Marjorie at 13 Priory Avenue in Haverfordwest and attended the local all-boys grammar school from 1956-60.

His mum was a nurse and oldest of nine children. She passed away in 1974, eight years before Terry’s death. He went to her funeral with his friend Linda Payan. While he was an only child, he had many cousins through his four aunts and four uncles.

He joined the Royal Navy when he was 18 years old, but was later subject to a dishonourable discharge. It seemed this was by choice. Having told a senior officer he was gay, said officer replied with “if we booted out everyone who was gay we wouldn’t have a navy left”. Having been refused discharge, he painted red hammer and sickle motifs around his ship, and was formally charged and asked to leave.

Terry moved to London, living in various up and coming areas, including Notting Hill and Streatham, before sharing a flat with friends in Barons Court Road, West Kensington. He worked for Hansard from 1976, and left for a PA role in the Middle East. On his return, he worked as a computer operator, for The Times and as a barman.

A DJ and music enthusiast, he travelled regularly to New York to buy records. He was really into the leather scene at the time, known affectionately to his friends as ‘Fat Terry’ and was a gay rights activist, involved in an altercation with the police at Pride 1980. Julian Hows tells how following the arrest of a radical activist, “the last quarter of the march sat down … refused to move … and several more arrests took place.” This includes Hows and Higgins. Terry, “dressed head to toes in leather, leaped from the “HEAVEN” (nightclub) float leather belt in hand attacking the police with it screaming ‘how dare you bitches attack my friends’.”

Terry was a self-taught piano player, enjoyed languages – speaking French, German and Spanish – and keen on astrology. He authored a book on the subject, The Living Zodiac, in 1974 with fellow Geminis received a generous write up. He travelled regularly to New York to get the latest records for his DJ sets – bringing back other bits of US gay culture – and holidayed in California.

During the summer of 1981, he became quite conscious about his weight. Although he only weighed about 13 stone, which was quite normal for a man of his height, he had a number of friends who were some 10 years younger and a couple of stones lighter. Terry decided to embark on another crash diet, but this time as the weight came off he also developed a rash. Towards the end of the summer Terry found it hard to stop losing weight, and the rash wouldn’t go away either. At first, his doctors thought little of it, although they grew more concerned as, over the following months, he gradually became weaker.

Tragedy struck in the summer of 1982 when in the April he collapsed on the dance floor at gay disco Heaven, and was taken to St Thomas’s Hospital in London. He discharged himself after a number of days when doctors were unable to diagnose or treat his condition.

In the middle of June, Terry collapsed again, this time while working as a DJ in Heaven nightclub. He was taken back to St Thomas’ and readmitted to the isolation unit, where he was diagnosed as having parasitic pneumonia. Although everyone expected him to make a full recovery, he died quite suddenly on Sunday 4 July 1982. He was just 37.

His partner Rupert Whitaker witnessed his last moments and later paid for Terry’s funeral from his student grant. While Rupert had raised the possibility of this mystery US illness but was rebuffed. On Terry’s death the doctors refused to talk about his condition to Rupert because he wasn’t “family”. Rupert and Terry’s friends were told to read about it in a medical journal.

Pneumonia was given as the cause of death. Rupert and friends like Martyn Butler, who also worked in Heaven, wanted Terry to never be forgotten and that the cause of death to be known – although very little information was available about the mysterious virus referred to as GRIDS or AIDS at the time.

Although Britain’s first AIDS case had been reported in The Lancet in 1981, it was the death of Terry Higgins that brought the disease fully into public view. His friends used his death as a platform for further action, and soon after set up Terrence Higgins Trust.

Age Without Limits Day – Wednesday, 11 June 2025

This year the theme of Age Without Limits Day is Celebrate Ageing. Challenge Ageism. 

The day will celebrate the value and contributions of older people in society and share people’s diverse experiences of growing older. When we celebrate ageing, together, on the day, we will challenge the negative beliefs and actions connected to older age. 

Birthdays (just one this time)

Edmund White, Gay Literary Icon, has died at the age of 85

Edmund White, the gay literary icon who witnessed the Stonewall uprising and influenced a generation of LGBT+ writers, died on Tuesday, 3 June.

He was experiencing symptoms of a stomach illness at the home he shared in New York City with his husband of almost 30 years, the writer Michael Carroll, and died while waiting for an ambulance. He was 85.

Over the course of his career, White published more than 30 works, including novels, memoirs, plays, and biographies. He received the PEN / Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction, the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Lambda Literary Award, among numerous other accolades. He was perhaps best known for his semi-autobiographical 1982 novel A Boy’s Own Story, which became a coming-of-age text for gay men of his generation.

White’s first hand account of the Stonewall uprising

Born in Cincinnati in 1940, White arrived in New York City in the early 1960s, where he quickly found himself at the centre of several significant LGBT+ political and cultural movements.

On the warm evening of 28 June 1969, Edmund White, then in his late 20s, and his friend and former lover Charles Burch were out “taking the air” in New York City’s Greenwich Village. They found themselves walking along Christopher Street toward Seventh Avenue and, as White tells it, stumbled upon one of the events that sparked the modern fight for equality.

But on that particular June night in 1969, as White and Burch approached Christopher Park — a slim triangle of green space between Christopher and Grove Streets – White noticed police vehicles parked outside The Stonewall Inn. 

“There were all these bright lights and policemen dragging out angry black drag queens,” White recalled of the events more than a half-century ago. 

As White and Burch looked on, the crowd began catcalling the police officers. Someone shouted, “Gay power.” People started throwing pennies and beer bottles at the officers.

“I suppose the police expected us to run away into the night, as we’d always done before, but we stood across the street on the sidewalk of the small triangular park. Our group drew a still larger crowd. Everyone booed the cops, just as though they were committing a shameful act. We kept exchanging peripheral glances, excited and afraid.”

He recalls a chorus line of queens and gay boys confronting the police in their riot gear. White’s recollections of the uprising are tinged with wry humour. But that’s not to say that the event didn’t have serious, momentous consequences. “Suddenly we saw that we could be a minority group – with rights, a culture, an agenda.”

BBC Sounds – Pride Collection

BBC Sounds have made lots of Queer radio programmes available to celebrate Pride Month. Worth turning on and tuning in!

Browse content from the Pride collection here.

Out In The City is 20!
It’s our 20^th Anniversary Year
It’s Pride Month
It’s Volunteer Week
It’s Celebrate Ageing – Challenge Ageism Day
That can only mean one thing:
P A R T Y !
Thursday, 19 June from 2.00pm to 4.00pm – 20^th Anniversary Party
Cross Street Chapel, 29 Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL

We will Celebrate Ageing and Challenge Ageism with great entertainment from Jennifer, Mindy, Pauline and the boys from Wolf. Buffet and raffle (supported by Morrisons Whitefield)

RSVP for catering purposes.

Please contact us on https://outinthecity.org/contact-us/ or text 07434 485 000.

Rainbow Lottery Super Draw!

Please support Out In The City by buying a Rainbow Lottery ticket or two (or more!)

With each Rainbow Lottery ticket, you are not just entering to win exciting prizes, you are also supporting our mission to support older LGBT+ people.

It’s a vital part of our fundraising as we receive 50p for every £1 spent and you have the chance to win cash prizes each week from £25 for three numbers up to a jackpot of £25,000 for six numbers – while helping us to achieve more for the LGBT+ communities over 50 years.

Buy tickets here.

Enter the monthly Super Draw before Saturday 28 June!   One lucky supporter will win a huge Nintendo Switch 2 gaming bundle which contains everything you need to enjoy amazing games – play on the go or connect to your new 50″ 4k UHD smart TV and play with friends and family, with 4 Joy-Cons and a Pro Controller. We’re also throwing in expandable memory, and a one-year subscription to Nintendo Online! If you feel like this prize won’t be a hit, you now have other options – £1,000 cash alternative prize, as well as the all-new, all-green option – planting 1,000 trees!

Play Now!

Birthdays