On 17 November we attended the Pride in Leadership event where the Director Claire Ebrey was in conversation with Stephen Whittle.

Stephen is Professor of Equalities Law in the School of Law at Manchester Metropolitan University. A multi-award winner, he co-founded Press for Change in 1992, and was president of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) between 2007 and 2009.

The discussion covered Stephen’s incredible life story, his perceptions on the progress to date and what we need to do next, and his advice for business leaders.

You can watch the whole event by clicking on the video below.

Stephen’s biography

Stephen transitioned from female to male in 1975. Having lost numerous jobs because of being transgender, he was working in the property development and building trade when in 1985 he decided to obtain legal training on the part time LLB evening course at Manchester Metropolitan University. He primarily wanted to challenge the discrimination he and other trans people experienced. He went on to obtain a Masters, and a PhD.

In 1992, Stephen co-founded Press for Change (PFC), the UK’s trans rights lobby group. PFC’s very successful campaigns have resulted in several major case law successes at the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights, which have led to significant legal changes since the mid-1990s, including the Gender Recognition Act 2004, and full protection under the Equality Act 2010.

Stephen has advised on transgender rights and law to the UK, Scottish, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Hong Kong, and South African governments, as well as the European Union & the Commission, and the Council of Europe. He regularly advises lawyers and writes briefs, or is an expert witness, for courts worldwide. He has authored many academic papers, non-academic articles, several books and writes a regular blog.

He recently co-created exhibitions on what it means to be trans. In 2013, he advised on, and wrote the historical timeline for Liverpool Museum’s exhibition Portrait of a Lady, the history of transsexual people in the UK told through the story of model, April Ashley.

He is married to Sarah – they’ve been together since 1979, and have four children.

Stephen’s honours include:

• 2002 | Human Rights Award by the Civil Rights group Liberty, for his commitment and dedication to ensuring the advancement of rights for transsexual people through judicial means in the UK, Europe, and around the world
• 2005 | OBE for ‘services to Gender Issues’

• 2006 |Virginia Prince Lifetime Achievement Award by the USA’s International Federation for Gender Education.

One Magazine

Founded 70 years ago on 15 November 1952, ONE, Inc. was one of the most prominent early American homophile groups, known as the publisher of ONE Magazine, the first widely distributed gay and lesbian publication in the country.

In the 1950s, LGBT+ people in the US still faced insurmountable legal and social barriers to communicating openly and building community. Despite the risk, organisations such as ONE, Inc., the Mattachine Society and Daughters of Bilitis saw periodicals as a crucial means to organise members and celebrate LGBT+ life and culture.

ONE, Inc. launched the first issue of ONE Magazine in January 1953. The publication quickly took off as a hub for stories on homosexual love, poetry, book reviews, scholarly articles, and even artwork. However, this success was built not without challenges. The October 1954 issue of ONE Magazine was seized by the Los Angeles postmaster on charges of obscenity, catapulting ONE, Inc. into a 4-year-long legal battle that reached the Supreme Court.

The landmark 1958 ONE, Inc. v. Olesen ruling was the first to address free speech rights with regards to LGBT+ people, and laid the groundwork for the creation of a national network of activists and publications.

We’re proud of the multigenerational work that our forebears did to pave the way for queer culture today.

Mattachine Society’s “Homosexuals Are Different” Advert

The Mattachine Society advert, printed sixty years ago, bears the image of a zebra proudly wearing spots instead of stripes – and it shares a message still relevant today.

“Homosexuals are different … but … we believe they have the right to be,” the advert reads. “We believe that the civil rights and human dignity of homosexuals are as precious as those of any other citizen … we believe that the homosexual has the right to live, work and participate in a free society. Mattachine defends the rights of homosexuals and tries to create a climate of understanding and acceptance.”

The image comes from the New York Public Library, which has the original advert in its Manuscripts and Archives division. The library also displayed the advert as part of its “Love and Resistance: Stonewall at 50” exhibit in 2019.

The advert also marks the Mattachine Society’s definitive answer to the question of whether to assimilate, a question that activist Jim Kepner pondered in a 1954 issue of the magazine ONE.

“Are homosexuals in any important way different from other people?” Kepner wrote. “If so, ought that difference be cultivated, or hidden under a bushel, or extirpated altogether? … What can a Society accomplish if half of it feels its object is to convince the world we’re just like everyone else and the other half feels homosexuals are variants in the full sense of the term and have every right to be?” (For the record, Kepner was all for the differences. “Homosexuals are natural rebels, he wrote.”)

Uncle Donald

Donald Eckert (known as Uncle Donald) curated a website TheCastro.net about the emergence of the gay community in San Francisco’s Castro District in the 1970’s.

The aim was “to keep the history of the Castro Street experience alive, to preserve our memories, to help us all remember where we came from so that we can steer true north to where we are going, and to thank the greatest gay generation for paving the roads, opening the doors, and standing up when others did not.”

Here is one of Uncle Donald’s Presentations:

P is for PARADE

Publisher of Personal Page is Pleased to Present Pictures and Provide Pleasant Prose Pertinent to Previous Pride Parades.

Personally Present at Plenty Past Public Parties, Playing Photographer Pointing Pentax at:

Pushy Perverts Promenading in Provocative Pink Pedal Pushers,

Pumped Pansies Posing Positively Perfect Physiques,

Prominent Politicians Passing in Plush Polished Phaetons Promising Prosperity,

Portly Priests Posing as Private People Promoting Peace and Penitence,

Passionless Plebes Passing Pamphlets Promoting Progressive Programs,

Perky Pert Peachy Prostitutes Prancing Proudly,

Pleasantly Polite (Probably Paranoid) Police Providing Protection.

Possible Part of Popularity of Past Pride Parades:

Personal Presence Posed Potential to Prevail in Plan to Pick Physically Perfect Promiscuous Partner and Pursue Prurient Possibilities Playfully Probing Pleasant Pal’s Private Parts!

Bridgewater Hall Mid-Day Concert

On Tuesday 15 November, the Scott Brothers Duo (Jonathan Scott – organ and Tom Scott – piano) entertained us with a fantastic mid-day concert.

It was an unmissable programme demonstrating the range of sounds available from this brilliant combination. Their programme included original works for piano and organ as well as the duos own arrangements of well known classical works.

Liverpool Town Hall Tour

The next day, fifteen of us gathered at Victoria Train Station to take the fast train to Liverpool Lime Street Station where we met two others. Here we split up as some settled for a meal at Wetherspoons and others wanted something a little more … well, a little more than Wetherspoons, and then we met up again at Liverpool Town Hall for a guided tour at 2.00pm.

The guided tour allows visitors an exclusive opportunity to explore one of the finest surviving town halls of the 18th century!

A base for the city’s Lord Mayor and all civic business, the Town Hall was established back in 1749 and is much revered, due to its masterful Georgian architecture.

Passing residents, visitors and commuters may have already admired the breath-taking exterior of this iconic landmark, which is crowned by a statue of Minerva and has all manner of decorative curiosities hidden in plain view. However, stepping inside will leave you with a whole new perspective of a building which has greeted Queen Elizabeth II, The Beatles and the Dalai Lama among many other esteemed guests.

From the impressive vestibule – complete with a decorative vaulted ceiling, a tiled Minton floor and an ornate fireplace – we were guided upstairs towards the upper level, where we were welcomed by the luxurious grand, sweeping staircase. We could view the city’s civic regalia – an exquisite collection of silver which only ever comes out of its display cabinet during major official functions.

Once upstairs, we admired the astonishing interior of the Town Hall’s dome, before ambling through an impressive collection of reception rooms, and leading through to the Main Ballroom. This sublime room comes with a maple sprung dance floor beneath a dazzling glow of chandeliers.

We returned to the ground level to the poignant surroundings of the Hall of Remembrance, which contains Liverpool’s official Roll of Honour and we could pay our respects to the city’s fallen.

We were then guided through to the distinguished oak and mahogany decorated Council Chamber, which serves as the epicentre for all civic business.

In the basement is the plushest, most old-fashioned working toilets in existence in which scenes from the popular BBC series Peaky Blinders was filmed.

So, if you’re in search of a visual feast, laden with history and civic importance, then look no further than the resplendent Liverpool Town Hall!

You can see some fantastic photos here.

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Transgender Day of Remembrance is an annual observance on 20 November that commemorates the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.

Beyond The Rainbow’s Arch

Beyond The Rainbow’s Arch is a podcast written and produced by Harry Hansen in 2021. It features interviews with Bill, Ken, Lynn and Tony from Out In The City and Lawrie from Pride in Ageing at the LGBT Foundation.

Listen here.

Pride in Practice

We know that many LGBT people worry about accessing services for fear of experiencing discrimination or even hostility on the grounds of their sexual orientation, gender identity or trans status.

The Pride in Practice programme works with GP practices, dental surgeries, pharmacies and optometrists in Greater Manchester to ensure that all lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people have access to inclusive healthcare that understands and meets the needs of our communities.

Andrew Gilliver, Pride in Practice Co-ordinator at the LGBT Foundation visited Out In The City asking us about accessing local primary care services and our experiences as older LGBT+ persons.

We discussed questions such as:

• How does your GP practice treat their LGBT patients?
• Why is it important that my dentist knows my sexual orientation / trans status?
• What can optometrists tell us about our wider health?
• How can we get the best service from our pharmacy services?

To facilitate this work, LGBT Foundation would like to hear from you. If you would like to share your experiences of primary care please contact pip@lgbt.foundation

Our ageing population: Living longer lives

The population of England and Wales has continued to age, with Census 2021 results confirming there are more people than ever before in older age groups. Over 11 million people – 18.6% of the total population – were aged 65 years or older, compared with 16.4% at the time of the previous census in 2011. This included over half a million (527,900) people who were at least 90 years of age.

This article goes beyond the numbers to explain why census data are particularly useful. What do we know about the lives of older people and the challenges they face? How do the data help to plan for an older population? And, what do older people themselves think about ageing and how we could all age better?

Why are data about ageing important?

Angele Storey is head of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Ageing Analysis team.

She said: “While living longer is something to be celebrated and our ageing population presents opportunities, it also has implications for the economy, services and society. Knowing the size and structure of the population is fundamental for decision makers and policy makers in the UK.”

The ONS works in partnership with organisations such as the Centre for Ageing Better, Age UK and the International Longevity Centre to ensure that evidence on the UK’s ageing population is relevant and helpful.

David Sinclair, chief executive of the International Longevity Centre UK, said: “For all of the big challenges which come with an ageing population, we are reliant on data to help us to tell the story. The census data give consistency, within reason, over 200 years and also allow us to look to the long term. The census gives really detailed local data, which is extraordinarily important. One of the other advantages for us, is that it is accessible and free.

Good quality data presented in really clever ways can identify and target interventions better, that can help address inequalities.

We have done some work that shows if you keep people healthier for longer, they work more, they volunteer more, they care more and they spend more money. You can use data to present solutions.”

How diverse are older people?

Older people are as diverse as the rest of the population, and it is important not to assume everyone has the same issues and needs simply because of their age.

That is the view of Dr Elizabeth Webb, head of research at Age UK, which provides national and local support and advice to older people, as well as the friendship helpline service Silver Line.

She said: “Older people don’t all fit neatly into convenient boxes and stereotypes. They are enormously varied in terms of their age, health, capabilities, independence, disability, their caring responsibilities, engagement with the labour market, incomes, and the extent to which they’re dependent on the state. There are also other diversities like ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity. Later life is diverse and complex.”

What are the challenges of ageing?

The Centre for Ageing Better was launched in 2015. Dr Aideen Young, Senior Evidence Manager at the Centre, highlights some of the challenges facing older people.

She said: “Older people are a highly diverse group in terms of health and wealth, and within that group there are people very much in need – who are living in poverty, in poor housing and in poor health. Their precarious situation has been exacerbated by the cost of living crisis. They are the people that we really need to pay attention to.

We have the oldest housing stock in Europe so there are many people living in non-decent and inappropriate homes. These homes are simply not suitable for people who are older or who have disabilities.”

The UK had been ageing very slowly when compared with places such as South Korea, Hong Kong or Singapore.

Dr Webb added: “If we had more accessible public transport and public toilets this wouldn’t just be good for older people, it would help people on lower incomes, people with disabilities, and parents and children too. A lot of our interests align.”

Angele Storey said a census provides one of the best sources of data for planning. “It can also be combined with administrative-based data or survey data to build a greater understanding of complex populations and their needs,” she added.

Which areas have the oldest populations?

Across England and Wales, 2021 Census data showed that the local authorities with the highest proportions of older residents in their populations tended to be either or both rural and coastal areas. North Norfolk had the highest, where a third of residents (33.5%) were aged 65 years and over.

The local authorities with the lowest proportions of residents aged 65 years and over were the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets (5.6%), Newham (7.2%) and Hackney (7.9%).

Dr Young said: “However, it’s not enough just to know where the older people are because of course it also matters whether they are ageing well in those places. We are also looking forward to the coming census data, at both a national and local level, that tells us about other aspects of people’s lives, for example, their health and the number living alone. We also look forward to data on the numbers of older people from ethnic minority communities because we know there is enormous inequality in how they experience ageing. We need to know the numbers to be able to know where action is needed; we need the numbers to present to policymakers and that’s why the census data is so vital for us.”

Lizzie Gent, aged 64 years, lives in Manchester and is a part-time librarian and volunteer. She moved to half-time working in 1997 to look after her partner Marion who had multiple sclerosis. She died around eight years ago.

Lizzie said: “Like many people who lose a partner, I had to build another life after she died and become someone different.

That’s when I started volunteering and I also joined a choir. I am now chair of the choir committee. I cycle a lot and do a fitness routine at home some mornings. I hope I am going to carry on cycling into my 90s.

Most of my friends are my age and are fit and active. I am also surrounded by really positive older women in their 70s. Some live with things like arthritis or other aches and pains. My mum is aged 99 and lives in a care home. I am very aware of other friends who are struggling to pay for their elderly parents’ care.

To keep healthy and live longer I would advise people to keep active, maintain a good group of friends and do an activity that brings you into contact with people like singing or volunteering. Seek out new experiences and learn new skills. Try to enjoy life as much as possible and go out into the countryside.

People often have an image of older people as an amorphous bunch. It is important to acknowledge that older people have lived fascinating and interesting lives and have individual stories to tell.”

Dr Young encouraged people to think about the fact that they are going to get older themselves. She said: “Ageism is discrimination against your future self and that makes no sense.”

Touchy

Max, a young trans guy guides us through his discoveries around social touch with a funny and heart-warming animation.

Dandy Style, 250 Years of British Men’s Fashion

Most of the group dined at the China Buffet restaurant, but we all gathered at Manchester Art Gallery at 1.30pm in order to view the latest exhibition “Dandy Style”.

The exhibition explores approaches to men’s style and self-image. Fashion and art show what certain British men have chosen to wear and how painters and photographers have depicted them. On display was a vibrant mix of the historic and the contemporary, the provocative and the respectable, the personal and the public.

Beginning with the example of the Regency socialite Beau Brummell around 1800, the term dandy has come to define a range of contrasting, always rather mannered male styles; from tailored simplicity to flamboyant embellishment. This exhibition presents this elegance, carefulness and spectacle from the 18^th century to the present day.

During the 18^th century, fashionable British men dressed in highly decorated clothing. This remained the norm for those men able to afford it until around 1800. Embroidery represented the costliest of decorative techniques and still provides a rich source of creative inspiration for recent designers such as Versace and McQueen.

Although British menswear took a more sober turn in the 19^th century, even then, colour and decoration could be incorporated in subtle ways according to personal taste. Striped, checked and patterned trousers and waistcoats remained popular into the 1860s. Middle and upper class Victorian men also dressed flamboyantly in a domestic context wearing decorated or patterned gowns or smoking jackets to receive guests. Men dressed themselves as dandies, revelling in military-inspired ornamental braiding, subverting the seriousness of army uniform and wearing garments with deliberately aesthetic decoration such as floral embroidery.

The 1960s saw another generational revolt against social norms and restrictions towards more imaginative dress. Colour and pattern were allowed far freer rein. Shirt frills and ruffles, bold rococo patterns, bright printing and braiding were reintegrated into men’s wardrobes.

Menswear has retained a certain, though not universal, extravagance in the late 20^th and early 21^st centuries, largely driven by street culture. It now has an established confidence in a vibrant, unapologetic and multi-cultural context

It was an interesting exhibition and more photos can be seen here.

National Trust members vote to continue celebrating Pride despite bigots’ best efforts

The National Trust is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and owns a wide array of land and historic buildings across the country.

Earlier this year, anti-LGBT+ National Trust members submitted a motion to be put to a vote at the AGM asking members to back banning “divisive” Pride events.

The effort was spearheaded by Stephen Green, a National Trust member and director of the far-right, anti-LGBT+, anti-abortion, anti-evolution and anti-feminism website Christian Voice.

But at the AGM on Saturday, 5 November, when 127,000 (out of six million National Trust members) voted on resolutions, 65 per cent voted against the anti-LGBT+ motion.

The AGM also saw a vote for seven vacant council positions, with Green and other candidates running for election, under the banner Restore Trust. Green has referred to being gay as a “deviant lifestyle”, supported the death penalty for LGBT+ people, and argued that it is impossible for a husband to rape his wife.

Luckily, he and six other Restore Trust candidates were all unsuccessful.

On the Pride motion, a National Trust spokesperson said: “The National Trust was founded for the benefit of everyone. We serve the whole of our wonderfully diverse society and we want to do that to the very best of our ability. This includes supporting our staff, volunteers and visitors to take part in cultural celebrations including Pride, which they have been doing for many years. We fully support our staff, volunteers and visitors being able to take part in celebrations of LGBT+ society and history, including Pride.”

Transgender Awareness Week

Transgender Awareness Week between 13 – 19 November is a week when transgender people and their allies take action to bring attention to the community by educating the public about who transgender people are, sharing stories and experiences, and advancing advocacy around the issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community.

The event is closely followed by the Transgender Day of Remembrance on 20 November, which shows support for victims of transphobic violence.

There have been many pivotal historical moments that relate to transgender advocacy:

1952: Christine Jorgensen is featured in American national media – provided a large number of people with access to information about transgender issues for the first time as she was the first American publicly known to have undergone sex reassignment surgery.

1954: news of the first known British trans woman, Roberta Cowell, broke, gaining public interest around the world.

1964: American trans man Reed Erickson creates the Erickson Educational Foundation – the first foundation to donate millions to promote transgender and gay equality.

1972: Sweden legalises gender reassignment – the first country to legally allow citizens to change sex.

1975: the Gender Dysphoria Clinic at Queen Victoria Hospital, Melbourne was established by Dr Trudy Kennedy and Dr Herbert Bower.

1979: the Victorian Transsexual Coalition and the Victorian Transsexual Association is formed, Australia’s first transgender rights and advocacy organisations were established.

1979: A Change of Sex, the BBC documentary about male to female transgender person Julia Grant.

1986: Lou Sullivan founds FTM International – the first advocacy group for transgender men; the purpose was to challenge the popular idea that all trans men were lesbians before they transitioned into male.

1998: Rita Hester‘s murder – murdered on 28 November because of gender identity, a candlelight vigil was held on 4 December to honour Hester’s life; death lead to inspiration for the idea of the first International Transgender Day of Remembrance started by trans woman Gwendolyn Ann Smith.

1999: The murder of Private Barry Winchell for dating a trans-woman Calpernia Addams.

1999: The first observance of International Transgender Day of Remembrance to commemorate victims of anti-transgender hate crimes, observed on 20 November.

2002: Transgender Law Center founded – aimed to alter laws and opinions regarding transgender people so they could live a life without discrimination based on gender identity.

2002: Sylvia Rivera Law Project founded – provides legal and educational services and works towards altering policies.

2003: National Center for Transgender Equality founded – founded to progress the equality of transgender people through advocacy, collaboration, and empowerment.

2009: The first observance of International Transgender Day of Visibility – this day was created by Michigan transgender activist Rachel Crandall to serve as a positive counterpart to Transgender Day of Remembrance,

2010: the Australian Defence Force policy was amended to allow transgender Australians to openly serve.

2010: Gender Health Center, Sacramento, California, United States of America opened its doors.

2012: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission declares transgender people protected against employment discrimination because of violations to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

These are just a few of the many important moments that have led to increased transgender advocacy and awareness.

Central Library Backstage Tour

Last week we visited Manchester Central Library where we met our guide, Siobhan from Archives+. She showed us around the interactive items on the ground floor before visiting the lower ground floor strong rooms – an area not normally accessible to the general public.

The archives include documents, books, maps, photographs, plans, newspapers and magazines. Siobhan explained to us how to access the archives and collections free of charge.

A section of the archives is dedicated to the history of the LGBT+ community as it is an important part of the social and cultural history of Manchester and the North West.

Manchester has the United Kingdom’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community outside London and is renowned for its Gay Village centred around Canal Street. It has been the home of festivals such as Pride, It’s Queer Up North and Get Bent as well as celebrations around LGBT History Month.

The LGBT Foundation is the UK’s biggest LGBT charity while The Proud Trust has supported young people for more than 30 years. Manchester was the birthplace of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality in 1964 and we were hugely influential in the campaign against Clause 28 in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The LGBT Foundation’s archive is now held at Central Library. It includes the LGBT Foundation’s own project and event files on HIV, sexuality, LGBT culture and sexual health as well as press cuttings, photographs and lots more.

There is also a wide range of published sources including Attitude magazine (1994 to present), the Pink Paper (1991 to present) and many other lesbian and gay publications such as Gay Times, Gay News, Diva, Boyz and Outnorthwest. The LGBT Foundation published Outnorthwest, the North West’s only free LGBT bi-monthly lifestyle, health and listings magazine, from 2000 to 2014.

The library archives even includes a copy of Tales from Out in the City: an Anthology of Memories (2009) – a volume of memories and reminiscences from older members of the gay community in Manchester, published by Out In The City / Age Concern.

It’s Queer Up North archives

Dance and debate, clubs and comedy, literature and live art, films and fairies, plays and puppetry, thespians and theory – these were just some of the experiences on offer from our city’s very own international LGBT arts festival, It’s Queer Up North.

Thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, the archives have been catalogued, repackaged and made available at Central Library. The collection as a whole includes promotional materials, artists’ files, photographs, and film from 1992-2006. In addition, an oral history project has recorded the memories and experiences of those involved with the festival.

Lots of great photos can be seen here.

Community Group of the Year Award

Out In The City has been shortlisted for an award at Forever Manchester’s annual Birthday Party on Friday 10 February 2023 at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Oxford Street, Manchester.

The Forever Manchester Birthday Party brings together over 400 passionate and dedicated Forever Manchester supporters to celebrate another great year of helping local people to do extraordinary things together.

This award is in the “Community Group of the Year” category and given in recognition of a community group or project that has made a meaningful and significant impact, strengthening communities, making a difference, and putting smiles on peoples faces.

The shortlist of Community Groups is:

Ashton Community Chess Club, Buile Hill Mansion Association, Community Buds, On Top of the World, Out In The City and Trafford Handball.