LGBT History Month - February 2010
- LGBT History Month in Norfolk - read the report on the I&DeA website.
- For further information about LGBT History Month, visit the national website at www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk
- Click here to read Hilary Koe's LGBT Historic Facts, originally posted during February 2010 on Facebook as part of LGBT History Month.
February 2010 saw a packed calendar of events at a diverse range of venues - from pubs, clubs and university lecture halls to a church, library and courtroom.
It began with the rainbow flag being raised at civic buildings across Norfolk, starting with a reception at the County Council. Later that day, over 100 people attended a Launch Party at City Hall and were entertained by local LGBT performers.
The LGBT History Month Steering Group consisted of individuals and representatives from community groups, councils and unions and was chaired by Norwich Pride. They started meeting in December 09 and by pooling their resources managed to arrange at least one event for every day in February.
The Catherine Wheel Pub put on special events every week and the newly-formed UEA LGBT Staff Group had a series of lectures at the university. There were also workshops across the city including Manga Cartoons, the history of Gay Representation in the local Press and how to be a stand-up comic. Hilary Koe did a sterling job publishing LGBT Historic Facts every day on the Norwich Pride Facebook Page, website and Twitter account and we had a very informative and well-attended LGBT Pub Quiz. Did you know that sodomy was illegal in Japan for just 7 years?
The Miller Dance School arranged a popular same-sex dancing social that included tuition, demonstrations and a multimedia presentation of the history of same-sex ballroom and Latin dancing. Voluntary Norfolk and the Forum for Lesbian and Gay Groups (FFLAGG) held a great event called The Only Gay in the Village that addressed the issues facing LGBT people living in rural Norfolk.
The Virginia Court Hotel in Cromer hosted a wonderful Poetry Supper with Vince Laws and Tilly The Tale Spinner and there's now talk of a North Norfolk Pride later in the year. The people who attended the Gay and Disabled workshop with Richard Blake also want to form a regular group, as do the LGBT families who came to the Pride Penguin Party.
LGBT History Month provided a perfect platform for new and emerging talent and the Barrel of Laughs Comedy Night, where our comedy students performed for the first time, was a hoot. Aviva Pride and the Norfolk Constabulary organized a Talent Show and the Final, hosted by the Killer Queens, was a fantastic evening.
On a quieter note, the Unitarian Church dedicated a service to LGBT History Month and the Catherine Wheel Pub organized romantic meals on Valentines Night. The Tea Lounge was the setting for a very sweet Tea Party for the much-loved Barbara Ross who has worked with people with gender dysphoria for many years. The writer Richard Beard and his friend Drusilla attended the Tea Party, before moving onto UEA to do a reading of their book Becoming Drusilla.
We had three different sporting events - Table Tennis, Volleyball and the international launch of the Justin Campaign's Football v Homophobia on 19th February. The local TV, radio and press were full of articles about Justin Fashanu - our local hero - and we were so pleased that Amal Fashanu, Justin's niece, came to Norwich on what would have been her uncle's birthday. Our knitting campaign to create pink and black scarves for the Justin Allstars in their match against Norwich City Supporters apparently made us loads of fans in Canada. Both local MPs and Norwich City Chief Executive David McNally wore the scarves to show their support. The day's events included:
The Justin exhibition at the Millennium Library,
The Catherine Wheel table football tournament,
The "Art v Homophobia" exhibition at the Catherine Wheel,
7-a-side football at Carrow Park and a
Party at the Castle Pub.
A screening of the 1961 film VICTIM at Cinema City and a tour of the old cells and courtroom at the Guildhall led to an inspired suggestion for next year's LGBT History Month: we could organise a reenactment of a pre-1967 Sexual Offences Act trial. The Guildhall Staff have all the old trial transcripts and are excited about working with us on this.
The LGBT History Month Steering Group will start meeting again in September but the foundations are already laid for another fab February in 2011. On 31st July 2010 we celebrate our second Norwich Pride - the city has got a lot to be proud of.
For further information about LGBT History Month, visit the national website at www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk
