Taking pride in our history

Next week, as part of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month, I will be hosting a fabulous free event at Congress House as my alter-ego.

Pride in Our Legacy is an event celebrating LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) and definitely queer histories, organised by Anton Johnson and Matt Dykes at SERTUC, with a free buffet and bar.

That's right, it's a queer cultural event celebrating some of the most haunting and brilliant gay artists around today. "But what is the fuss about?" I hear you cry. "You've got your Prides, you've got your 'village' and your 'history month,' why do you have to continue to make such a song and dance about it?"

Well, for starters, LGBTQ history is a lifelong learning process and not just relevant for a month in February. Second, we queers have had a shady past and, what is more, we have long dealt with the accompanying reputation - sometimes as powerful usurpers, frequently nonconformists and libertarian artisans and entertainers, but mostly as cultural outsiders, social outcasts and deviants.

More recently though, in Britain at least, you will have heard that all is well in the gay community and that recent legislation has brought equality for all. The fight is won, all is done and we can all quietly assimilate, as long as we don't make too much of a fuss.

Well, unfortunately, that's not entirely the case.

Incidences of homophobia persist at a worrying level, resources for LGBTQ people beyond larger urban centres verge on non-existent and, once you do get to the cities, it's predominantly fantasist, narcissistic bars full of drug-fuelled body fascists.

Even in the working environment, it's unfortunately wishful thinking that internalised homophobia will suddenly stop because of a change in the law - a change which is unknown to most anyway.

Granted, there are one or two exceptions of positive cultural intervention, which is great. My concern is how easily forgotten our recent history is and, more specifically, the accompanying apathy suggesting that history has no relevance.

More disturbingly, we are informed from within the community not to be too camp. Ask a young gay what the pink triangle means, you'll be surprised if they have a cultural reference.

Would they even know who Peter Tatchell is, let alone know what safer sex is? Where are the positive role models who demonstrate difference and defy the norm? What are the norms anyway?

And what is it with this "them and us" attitude? Shouldn't we be sharing the adventures of our artistic endeavours and entertainments with everybody and celebrating who we are as individuals?

Next Tuesday, while some people in Soho will be swilling alco-pops and dancing to overbearing dance music that negates conversation, round the corner on Great Russell Street will be a living and breathing evening of queer talk, art, performance, music and history - a veritable cultural soiree.

For starters, Pam Isherwood has a photographic exhibition to greet us, documenting London Pride marches over the past few decades.

Pioneering DJ Qurra will be bringing a soundscape of RnB, hip hop, bhangra, Arabic and Desi beats from her LGBT Asian clubs Kahli and Dum Dum as we slide into the evening. Accompanying this will be a colourful and deftly hard-charged visual art display by VJ Boxikus and Oskur.

Live musical entertainments come from Othon Mataragas and Ernesto Tomasini. Between them, they have produced a moving exhibition that looks at the European history of music beyond the straight and narrow, particularly by way of the pianoforte and castrati - the pop idols of the 18th century.
Similarly, radical queer performers Stav B and Pietro LaHara transcend the boundaries of where outsider art meets queer activism.

As if it couldn't be more exciting, the event will be hosted by the very glamorous hostess with the mostest and bearded woman about town, Timberlina. She is also very excited to be providing a talk on behalf of Pride Legacy Project, an organisation which supports LGBTQ representation in the creative and heritage arts.

Find more at www.pridelegacyproject.com.

In many ways, the gay movement has moved on, but, in terms of equal rights, we are still limited. One doesn't have to go far out of town to witness gay people being beaten up, or abroad to see our brothers and sisters hanged just for hinting a lifestyle that's "different."

Equally, if we're not prepared to acknowledge, celebrate and demonstrate our history and culture to mainstream culture, mainstream culture can just as easily marginalise us once again.

This event, supported by the TUC, is as bold as it is vital to serve the broader communities where we come from. In our society of social apathy, it's almost disturbing to look at the lifestyle and culture of Weimar Germany.

Living in the now is OK, but you have to be aware of the past, its repercussions and, more importantly, a future or place where the rights and civility don't exist.

It's not fine to be queer in London right now, it's fantastic and long may it be so for all those who want to enjoy it. Just remember, LGBTQ history is for life, not just for February.

Pride in Our Legacy is on Tuesday February 26 from 7-10pm at Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1. Places are limited. Please email mdykes@tuc.org.uk