Out In The City members travelled by coach arriving at the National Coal Mining Museum in time for lunch. The museum, based at the site of Caphouse Colliery in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, has a café serving homemade food at reasonable prices.
Coal mining boomed and at the beginning of the 20th century the mines had more than one million employees, most of them in Yorkshire. Now all coalmines are closed and renewable sources, nuclear power plants and especially gas generate electricity.
Caphouse Colliery began operating in the 1770s or 1780s, but closed in 1985. It was established as a museum in 1988.
There is plenty to see on the surface but the museum also offers guided underground tours. Visitors can experience the conditions miners worked in and see the tools and machines they used as the industry and the mine developed through the years.
Our guide
We split into two groups to go down the 140-metre mine. For comparison Blackpool Tower is 158 metres tall. I don’t know about the first group, but our guide was an ex-miner with a strong Yorkshire accent. Before getting into the cage lift we had to wear hard hats and a torch pack and leave behind all our belongings containing a battery (phones, cameras, car keys and watches) as coal emits methane, which is highly inflammatory, as well as poisonous.
Our guide led us through narrow passages as he gave us a talk through 180 years of mining, explaining the origin of the expression ‘shut tha’ trap’ when families (including women and children) worked in the pitch black mines for twelve hour shifts and the only schooling was on Sunday.
The Mines and Collieries Act 1842 barred women and girls of any age to work underground and introduced a minimum age of ten for boys employed in underground work, leading to the widespread use of horses and ponies in mining in England. Sadly, the pit ponies often went down the pits for life. Also girls sometimes cut their hair and presented as boys to continue working.
As heavy machinery was introduced miners endured deafening noise and extreme heat – more than 45 degrees centigrade. They worked only in their underpants! However, they organised in trade unions and through strikes and other pressure they eventually improved their working conditions.
The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday and a visit is highly recommended.
Vote for Out Together to help Older LGBT+ in Yorkshire
The National Lottery People’s Choice Awards have shortlisted 80 charities and groups for funding in 2023.
Out Together is the only group representing the LGBT+ community and they could win up to £70,000 to help older members in Yorkshire keep well, have fun and stay connected.
The project connects people from the LGBT+ community through social activities. The funding will help build connections between older and younger LGBT+ communities to create an understanding of the experiences the older generation has faced, reduce loneliness and ensure people feel part of their community.
Voting is open until 12.00 noon on Friday, 26 May and you can vote here.
Don’t Say Gay
Don’t Say Gay is a documentary film about Section 28, which is currently being financed.
Here is a creative teaser, which is a way of showing what the film might look and feel like.
The next stage of filming will be interviews including with the founders of Stonewall, Scottish protestors who challenged libraries to include the Pink Paper, and the founders of LGBTQ+ history month. There will also be a teacher who wasn’t out during Section 28 and a couple of people who went to school under the law to talk about their experiences.
The world continues to repeat the mistakes of Section 28. The law in Florida dubbed ‘Don’t Say Gay’ impacts young people who have reported books being removed from library shelves whilst teachers are being reprimanded who want to continue to be out and teach their classes about LGBT+ themes and topics.
More countries and states bring in anti-LGBT+ laws from Uganda to Tennessee and many of them use similar approaches that Section 28 used.
The film is a human rights film that wants to highlight what state sponsored silence looks like and the devastating impact it can have on the minorities it targets. It’s more important than ever before. Please share the teaser online, use tag @section28film on Instagram or Twitter or direct people to section28film.com to build anticipation of the film.
Any sharing helps with the fundraising to finance the next stage of filming and archive and music clearance.
This 3-part series featured audio interviews with gay men recorded throughout the 1980s and 90s and archived at the British Library.
“AIDS: The Unheard Tapes”was nominated for a BAFTA in the Specialist Factual category announced on 14 May 2023.
“Russia 1985-1999: Traumazone” won the award, but for “AIDS: The Unheard Tapes” to have been nominated is of course a huge honour. By the way the photo is George Ure playing me!
The three programmes are still available on BBC iPlayer.
IDAHOBIT is celebrated on 17 May 2023
We are happy and proud to announce that the theme for the 2023 edition of the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) will be “Together Always: United in Diversity”.
Decided during a large consultation with LGBT+ organisations from across the world, the theme will allow for advocacy and celebrations in many forms – from human rights defenders, LGBT+ voluntary and community groups, millions of people in our communities and our allies.
At a time when hard-won advances for our LGBT+ communities around the globe are increasingly under threat, the power of solidarity, allyship and community across identities, borders, and movements has never been more necessary.
When we unite, in all our beautiful diversity, we can really bring about change!
When it comes to transgender human rights, there should be no debate
The vast majority of the LGBT+ community believe framing the discussion of transgender rights as a ‘debate’ is harmful, a Gay Times survey has found.
The findings come as the UK media puts topics like self-identification and using the spaces that align with someone’s gender identity in the spotlight, despite trans and non-binary people being estimated to make up just 1 per cent of the population in Britain.
This is often framed as the so-called ‘trans debate’, which frequently sees human rights issues tossed around as if they are a trivial matter and are used to fuel a wider anti-trans agenda.
On 29 March 2023, two days before Trans Day of Visibility, talkRADIO ran Twitter polls asking if a woman can have a penis and whether or not a man can get pregnant.
“Equalities watchdog launches study aiming to ‘reduce distress’ in trans debate,” wrote The Telegraph a week earlier, referencing alleged “fears” that trans activists are “harming freedom of expression” and abusing feminist academics.
Four years earlier, the same outlet ran a think-piece titled: “The tyranny of the transgender minority has got to be stopped.”
“Stonewall should stay out of trans rights war,” read another headline on 22 May 2022, this time in The Times.
The list of examples could go on, as a quick Google search of “trans debate” returns 137,000,000 results.
Despite how frequent this characterisation is becoming, the Gay Times’ survey has revealed that framing the discussion in this way is not welcomed by the LGBT+ community.
Of the 996 respondents, more than three quarters (77.5 per cent) have seen trans rights described as a ‘debate’ in the UK media.
96.4 per cent said they believe this framing to be harmful, a figure which rises to 96.6 per cent when looking solely at LGBT+ people who took the survey.
“We know how detrimental anti-trans rhetoric in the media is, particularly when framed as a ‘hot topic’ for ‘debate’,” said Bex Shorunke, the PR & Media Engagement Manager at trans charity Mermaids. “Since when did a human being’s fundamental rights, and access to spaces, become something up for discussion?”
There are also serious concerns in the way trans issues are portrayed by the UK media, with just 0.9 per cent of respondents believing it to be a ‘completely accurate’ depiction and 6.2 per cent viewing it as ‘somewhat accurate’.
Almost 9 in 10 (86.4 per cent) believe trans issues are ‘somewhat’ or ‘completely’ inaccurately reported on, and just 6.5 per cent believe it to be ‘fair’.
Peter Tatchell, one of the UK’s most prominent human rights campaigners, said the Gay Times “survey result is a damning indictment of transphobia in much of the UK media.”
“Trans voices are routinely ignored, demonised and ridiculed,” he continued. “In contrast, inflammatory, inaccurate and bigoted anti-trans views are given ceaseless coverage. Most journalists would never dare publicise similar abusive opinions about disabled, Black or LGBT+ people, but many seem to think that trans people are fair game.”
Only 2.8 per cent of respondents said they ‘never’ see transphobic reporting in the UK media, a stark contrast to the 44.9 per cent who see it ‘often’ and the 27.3 per cent who see it ‘sometimes’.
A further 14.9 per cent stated that they see it ‘all the time’, with just 1 in 10 (10 per cent) ‘very rarely’ encountering it.
“The press watchdog has failed completely to uphold fair, impartial reporting,” Tatchell added. “It is unfit for purpose and should be disbanded.”
A lot of the UK’s print media is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) in order to hold outlets to account and ensure high standards are being met.
Gay Times contacted IPSO to ask if there were any plans to update its guidelines on trans reporting, particularly when it comes to the depiction of these issues as a ‘culture war’ that is up for debate.
“IPSO periodically updates all its guidance and plans to refresh its guidance on the reporting of transgender issues towards the end of this year,” a spokesperson stated. “As with all IPSO guidance, it is designed to explain how the Editors’ Code applies to the reporting of particular topics. It aims to support editors and journalists to uphold high editorial standards, but does not supersede or replace the Editors’ Code itself.”
Trans Media Watch is an organisation that exists to help the media report on trans issues with accuracy, dignity and respect.
jane fae, Chair of Trans Media Watch, who stylises her name in lowercase, told Gay Times that the findings “are disappointing but not at all surprising.”
“One constant in our work representing trans people to the UK media is the enormous toll that this sort of constant transphobic presence in the press is wreaking on the trans community,” fae stated.
She further explained that this reporting often worsens the mental health of trans people and makes them “more likely to hide at home and not go out”.
“For their part, the UK press and media are utterly shameless,” fae continued. “They twist. They sensationalise. They are more than happy to lead with stories that are simply untrue, even where these stories can have significant negative consequences for trans people.”
Trans Day of Visibility takes place on 31 March each year in order to celebrate the trans community and raise awareness of the discrimination they continue to face.
Gay Times ran its survey for 24 hours from the morning of 15 March through to the following day, with a total of 996 respondents having their say.
This ‘60s soul songstress rocked the Toronto soul scene – and strict gender norms
Jackie Shane was born on 15 May 1940 and started her soul-singing career in her native Nashville, Tennessee, donning makeup and long hair even as a teen in the 1950s Jim Crow South.
She took to performing as part of the travelling Cetlin & Wilson carnival to make her name and live her truth on stage. In 1959, the carnival found its way to Ontario, and she knew she’d found where she was supposed to be.
“I never felt that good before. I felt so free,” she later recounted to Toronto musicologist Rob Bowman. “I just loved it.”
Moving to Quebec for a short time, she came to collaborate with Frank Motley and his Motley Crew as their lead vocalist. Her new gig led her back to Ontario, with Toronto becoming her home base as she travelled around recording and performing.
Shane started cutting singles, like her 1962 cover of William Bell’s “Any Other Way”, along with Motley. That song in particular caught fire in her new Toronto scene, making its way up the local charts and earning her a top two hit in the area.
Despite her foundational impact on the Toronto Sound in the ’60s, Shane came to shun away from the spotlight in the ’70s. She wouldn’t be seen much by the public eye until 2017, when reissue label Numero Group worked with her on a double-LP compilation of her work. Her star shone once again, earning her a well-deserved “Historical Album” Grammy nomination.
For decades, Shane was identified as a gay man or drag queen in the press. She herself identified a number of different ways before publicly settling on “trans woman” in an interview that same year, just a couple of years before her passing in early 2019. Such is the nature of queer identity and terminology over decades, of course. What matters most is that she was Jackie, and she was ferocious.
To quote a bit from a live performance of her song “Money“: “When I’m walkin’ down Yonge Street — you won’t believe this — but you know, some of them funny people have the nerve to point the finger at me and grin and smile and whisper. But you know, that don’t worry Jackie, because I know I look good. And every Monday morning, I laugh and grin on my way to the bank because I’ve got mine.”
Check out Jackie Shane’s scene-stealing cover of “Any Other Way”:
Dates for the diary – Greater Manchester Pride Events Taking Place
This week we visited Carnforth, a market town situated around seven miles north of Lancaster, which grew in the 19th century through the presence of the railway and ironworks.
The name “Carnforth” is thought to derive from its old function as a ford of the River Keer on which it is situated. Over time the name “Keer-ford” may have morphed into the modern “Carnforth”.
In 1945, Carnforth railway station was used as a location for the David Lean film Brief Encounter, starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard.
Fans of this film were one of the major factors in the recent refurbishment of the railway station, including construction of a refreshment room to match the studio set used in the film. This reopened in 2021 as the Brief Encounter Refreshment Room Bistro and Bar.
The heritage centre, now run by the Carnforth Station Trust, features a small cinema area, shop and exhibitions. A few of us ventured into the town, and all in all we had a great day out.
Photos can be seen here. Some are black and white photos with some subjects in colour!
Legacy of ’67 – The Symposium
The Legacy of ’67 project launched in February 2022 to illuminate the stories and histories of LGBT+ people before and after the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967. Personal stories of older people who identify as LGBT+ were collected and preserved in Archives+ at Manchester Central Library. These interviews formed the basis for a theatre show and exhibition.
The Symposium is the last public event of the project – a day-long gathering of presentations, discussion and debate inspired by speakers from the arts, law, academia, research and more exploring the changes in attitude towards LGBT+ people since the 1967 Sexual Offences Act, and how these changes have impacted our communities.
The day will be engaging, stimulating, conversational, discursive, thought provoking, funny and participatory.
Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided.
The event will be on 6 June 2023 from 10.00am to 5.00pm at Friends’ Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS.
Tickets are £5.00 or free to people who are unwaged or low waged. Booking is essential here.
Rainbow Lottery – Win a Summer Getaway!
As the weather (slowly!) gets more summer-y, we’re thrilled to be able to bring you this amazing prize.
To thank you for your ongoing support for Out In The City, we’re giving you the chance to win a fantastic European City Break this May! Whether you want to see the architecture and nightlife of Barcelona, sample the art and food of Florence, soak up the culture in Paris – or simply unwind and see the sights – this prize is simply not to be missed!
The special prize draw will take place on Saturday 27 May. For existing ticket holders there’s no need to buy separate tickets, you will be automatically entered into this prize draw. Of course, you are welcome to buy additional tickets. Every ticket you buy is an extra chance to win, and an extra fundraising boost for Out In The City.
After a bee-utiful lunch in Manchester city centre, we made a beeline for Bee Corner, an urban beekeeping experience, tucked away bee-hind Islington Mill in Salford. As luck would hive it, a bus came straight away.
I know I’m just winging it, but bee puns are good for your health. It’s true: they give you a dose of vitamin Bee! OK, I’m pollen your leg.
Our host, Amber and her team, really looked after us – you’d better bee-lieve it. We started off with refreshments before donning our protective outfits and visiting the hives.
The experience is very “hands on” and Amber is very knowledgeable. We bought some Salford honey, and If truth bee told, this trip is un-bee-table.
And now Culture Corner – a poem and a riddle:
The Last Bee
After the last ee had uzzed its last uzz,
the irds and the utterflies did what they could.
ut soon the fields lay are, few flowers were left,
nature was roken, and the planet ereft.
Poem by rian ilston
What music do bees like?
If you answered Bee-thoven, Bee-yoncé, The Bee-tles, The Bee Gees, Justin Bee-ber or Sting, give yourself a point.
The perfect party to make your Eurovision week go with a boom bang a bang!
Join the gorgeous Angel Delight, for an evening of singalongs, card games, bongo bingo, music quizzes and lots of surprises, all with an added Eurovision sparkle!
Doors open at 7.30pm. Bar will be open all evening. Over 18’s only
Wednesday, 10 May 2023 8.00pm
Register here for Angel Delight’s Eurovision Drag Party
Manchester Central Library
King Charles III is crowned as British monarch
Will King Charles III address LGBT+ rights?
In a solemn ceremony the Archbishop of Canterbury anointed Charles III king.
What will be the new king’s stance on the issues that impact the LGBT+ communities? Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign saw transformative changes in the UK, including major laws that advanced LGBT+ rights including the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967 and the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act in 2014.
However, the late queen avoided commenting publicly on LGBT+ rights. She kept herself out of social and political issues, and it seems that LGBT+ rights, even in the 21st century, were considered just that.
LGBT+ rights advocates in the UK, and in the Commonwealth of Nations that the king will now head, are waiting to see if he will be more vocal about LGBT+ rights. Charles has largely followed in Queen Elizabeth’s footsteps, and there is no record of him speaking on LGBT+ rights.
For the transgender community, especially in Scotland, which passed an updated Gender Recognition Law only to have it blocked by the conservative government, barring it being signed into law by the king in the process known as “royal assent,” the king remaining silent has become problematic according to LGBT+ rights advocates.
Same-sex relations remain illegal in many countries once colonised by Britain — many of which now form the Commonwealth.
Obviously, things don’t happen instantly. You can’t change a culture and people’s way of thinking over night. Homophobia is one of the many lingering legacies of the British Empire, which carried over into the Commonwealth of Nations headed first by Elizabeth and now by her eldest son.
Around the world LGBT+ people are outlawed by legislation criminalising same-sex sexual activity and through so-called ‘cross dressing’ laws and public order offences, which disproportionately affect trans people.
Many of these laws remain virtually unchanged since they were first introduced in the 19th century. Throughout Elizabeth’s reign, as the British Empire gradually fell away and was replaced by the Commonwealth, many of those former British colonies — now independent countries, have begun working to recant anti-LGBT+ laws.
While some, such as Uganda where a draconian law was passed to essentially imprison LGBT+ people, there have also been advances. Recently the premier of Australia’s Victoria state castigated anti-LGBT+ groups and in New Zealand lawmakers recently banned so-called conversion therapy and recognised self-identity for trans New Zealanders.
LGBT+ rights across the Commonwealth are changing rapidly, though unevenly. It is hugely important that the government owns up to the nation’s past. Given this legacy, the UK has an important role in supporting LGBT+ people around the world.
The question now is as Charles takes the throne and the reins of both the monarchy and the Commonwealth, will the king remain silent or speak out?
Pride on the Range
Whalley Range Pride features a parade, music, entertainment galore, a dog show and loads more!
Meet at the Nip & Tipple, Upper Chorlton Road, Whalley Range, Manchester at 11.30am, Saturday 27 May followed by various events at The Carlton Club.
Petition: Commit to not amending the Equality Act’s definition of sex
It has been reported that the Government may amend the Equality Act to “make it clear that sex means biological sex rather than gender.” The Government has previously committed to not remove legal protections for trans people, an already marginalised group, but this change would do so.
Currently, the Act protects trans people from discrimination on the basis of both sex and “gender reassignment”, regardless of whether they have undergone medical transition or hold a Gender Recognition Certificate. It can allow trans people to access single-sex spaces such as Domestic Violence shelters, bathrooms and hospital wards.
The proposed change would remove a legal protection for trans people and encourage discrimination. A petition asking the Government to refuse this change to the Equality Act 2010 was signed by more than 138,500 people as at 1 May 2023.
The petition closes on 15 May 2023 but as more than 100,000 have signed the petition, Parliament is going to debate the issue. The debate is scheduled for 12 June 2023.
Previously, on 25 January 2023, the Government responded to the petition:
“This Government believes in individual liberty. There are processes with appropriate checks to allow for those who wish to legally change their gender. Changes to the Equality Act are not necessary.
The Equality Act 2010 provides protection against discrimination, harassment and victimisation across a number of grounds, including sex. We are committed to upholding Britain’s long-standing record of protecting the rights of individuals against unlawful discrimination.
The Government is also committed to maintaining the safeguards that allow organisations to provide single-sex services. It is important that the principle of being able to operate spaces reserved for women and girls is maintained, in line with the Equality Act. Government is committed to tackling harassment and abusive behaviours by all individuals, and ensuring single-sex spaces are safe for those using them.
The Act makes it clear that providers have the right to restrict use of spaces on the basis of sex and gender reassignment where this is justified.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) have published guidance on the existing legislation which provides much needed clarity to those offering single-sex spaces.
Finally, this Government believes in the principle of individual liberty and in the humanity and dignity of every person. There are processes in place, with the right checks and balances, to allow for those who wish to legally change their gender to do so. We have listened to the responses in the Gender Recognition Act consultation and have taken steps to modernise the way that individuals can apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate as a result, reducing the cost and moving the process online. Everyone that decides to transition, deserves our respect, support and compassion.”
This hit love song from the ‘50s is chock-full of very gay subtext
The straight-laced 1950s weren’t known for their flourishing gay culture. The Lavender Scare was forcing LGBT+ people out of their jobs in droves, homosexuality was still considered a mental illness, and the Stonewall Riots were still a decade away. But one song still managed to be a breakthrough hit, even with lyrics that could easily be a rallying cry for gay rights when viewed through a modern lens.
“Secretly” is a pop song by Jimmie Rodgers, released in May 1958. It tells a story of forbidden love: “Why must I meet you in a secret rendezvous? / Why must we steal away to steal a kiss or two? / Why must we wait to do the things we want to do?” he laments.
Through the first half of the chorus, the song might be taken as your classic Romeo and Juliet situation: two lovers, forced apart by unknown circumstances. “Wish we didn’t have to meet secretly / Wish we didn’t have to kiss secretly / Wish we didn’t have to be afraid / To show the world that we’re in love.”
Then, though, the song takes on a political slant: “Till we have the right to meet openly / Till we have the right to kiss openly / We’ll just have to be content to be in love secretly.”
Hmmmm. We don’t know about you, but asking for “the right to kiss openly”? Sounds pretty gay to us!
Also, the song uses no gendered pronouns or other gendered identifiers for Rodgers’ love interest, which was unusual for love songs of the era. Regardless of Rodgers’ specific intention for the song, it certainly speaks to the idea of fighting the status quo, a contrast to the conservatism of the ‘50s. Nonetheless, the song was a hit, peaking at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Some folks have interpreted the song as being about an interracial relationship, given that interracial marriage wasn’t legal in all US states until 1967. That’s the beauty of “Secretly”: it speaks to all the hidden relationships of the ‘50s that deserved to see the light of day. Whatever interpretation speaks to you is fair game.
For LGBT+ listeners, of course, a gay interpretation comes naturally. In 2012, On You Tube there is a montage of vintage photos of men together set to “Secretly.” Though not all the pictures are explicitly romantic, just like the song, they paint a clear picture of gay love for anyone reading between the lines.
“Although the years have gone by, whether it was secretly or out in the open, we loved then and we still love today,” reads the video’s caption.
Rodgers himself was never confirmed to be gay. In fact, he had three wives throughout his life, with whom he had five children in total. He died from kidney disease in 2021 at age 87, so his own interpretation of “Secretly” is anyone’s guess — but we’re sure he wouldn’t mind if we claimed this one for the gays!
Clonezone failed by police over attacks, owners say
The shop shared an image of the latest attack, which showed a GMP car on the street nearby
At a glance
Clonezone Manchester has been attacked three times in six weeks in what its owners called a “targeted hate crime”.
They said Greater Manchester Police had “failed” in its response to the attacks.
The force said the attacks were thought to be “hate motivated”, but it was still investigating so could not confirm that for certain.
The police response to a series of attacks has been a failure, its owners have said.
Clonezone Manchester said it had been targeted three times in six weeks, with the latest attack seeing its windows smashed by two men on a motorbike.
Its owners said they were the “victims of a premeditated, targeted hate crime” and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) had “failed us and allowed these attacks to continue”.
The force said the attacks were believed to be “hate motivated” but officers were still investigating.
The shop, which stands on Sackville Street in the heart of Manchester’s Gay Village, describes itself as a “gay superstore”.
In a statement on Twitter, its owners said it had been targeted because it was a “queer business” and it believed the attacks were symptomatic of wider issues.
They said the area, which centres around Canal Street, had “always been a safe space and that now sadly is becoming less and less of a reality”.
They added that they had been touched by the “outpouring of love and support” which had followed the latest attack.
Two people fled on a motorbike in the latest attack
Jeremy Hoad from local group Friends of Manchester’s Gay Village said he was shocked by the attacks, the latest of which happened two hours after GMP officers met with community leaders to discuss the incidents.
“It is really disconcerting [and] it’s frustrating,” he said.
“It worries people, whatever the motivation for the attack, and the police say they can’t attribute it to a hate incident.
“It concerns people in the LGBT+ community – it makes us angry that something like this is still happening.”
GMP said two people were seen on CCTV on Sackville Street on a “distinctive-looking red motorcycle”, before one jumped off to repeatedly smash the shop’s windows.
“After a minute or so, they jumped back on to the motorcycle and left in the direction of London Road,” it added.
Ch Insp Adam Wignall said GMP would not “tolerate these kinds of mindless acts of vandalism”.
“As such, we are providing ongoing support to the owners of the shop, whilst we thoroughly investigate these incidents,” he said. A force representative added that GMP’s theory was that it was “hate motivated at the moment, but we cannot confirm this as we are still investigating”.
Pride in Trafford ’23
Pride in Trafford is an exploration and celebration of identity and LGBT+ life in Trafford from Wednesday 17 May to Saturday 20 May.
Celebrate LGBT+ arts at Sale Waterside as they present another fabulous line up from comedy and cabaret, to theatre, dance and circus, plus a celebratory family day on the Plaza and an exciting closing party hosted by neighbours Mano a Bocca pizzeria. There is plenty for everyone to enjoy!
The programme kicks off on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia where they will raise the progress flag and enjoy speeches from the Leader and Chief Executive of Trafford Council.
Throughout the four days there will be theatre from emerging artist Sam Danson exploring an authentic bisexual experience in BI-TOPIA and a dark-humoured coming-of-age story Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me; a unique performance on Chinese poles exploring love, drugs and Islam in The Chosen Haram; as well as brilliant comedy from the acclaimed Stephen Bailey in the Laugh Riot stand up night, joined by Rosie Wilby, Marie Goulbourne and MC Jonathan Mayor.
There’ll be lots of entertainment for the whole family on the Saturday in Pride on the Plaza – with free activities throughout the afternoon as well as contemporary circus performances from High Tea (with a Twist) and a Closing Party at partner venue Mano a Bocca including comedy, cabaret, pizza, raffle and disco hosted by the infamous Belinda Scandal.
Out in the City 