Queer August – remarkable stories that made Manchester and Global Pride possible
Queer August – remarkable stories that made Manchester and G Pride possible
The huge, inclusive success of the global Gay Pride was made possible by extra-ordinary people standing-up and being counted in the ongoing struggle for fairness and truth that is the human rights movement. Those extra-ordinary people are rarely acknowledged then and especially now that the political, legislative and cultural momentum has picked-up. Those inspirational queer pioneers now marginalised by professional politicians seeking popularity, powerful commercial interests carving-up their shares of the ‘pink pound’, all falling over each other to jump on the ‘respectable’ parts of the queer bandwagon. A deliberate silence has fallen on the courageous journey and stories of those extra-ordinary people and their/our supporters.
Queer August on the eve of Manchester Pride is an attempt to shine light and provide insights into the remarkable history that got us here: a celebration of our still hidden queer past. Paul Fairweather a pioneer of Gay Politics in the city from the 1970s will give a short introduction to the hard-fought campaigns to get the first local government funded Gay Centre built in All Saints, Manchester.
The second speaker will chart the journey within her workplace and trade union to get employers and her union (UNITE the Union) to recognising and now increasingly embracing the Trans agenda.
After a short break Inkbrew Productions, will present a read-through of “The Lesbian Liberator” a dramatisation of when in 1978 the Burnley bus driver Mary Winter was sacked for wearing a Lesbian Liberator badge at work. The play looks at the reactions to the sacking and the role of the emerging women’s movement in supporting the reinstatement campaign.
By showcasing this brief insight into the extra-ordinariness of the remarkable stories that made Manchester and Global Pride possible the hope is that more people will better understand the wonderful, remarkable and sheer hard work over decades that made it all possible.
Manchester Central Library, St Peters Square, City Centre, M2 5PD
Friday 23rd August 2019
Doors Open and light refreshments served 6pm
Start 6:15 pm
Finished time to 7:45pm
Ticketed seats can only be held until 10 minutes before the commencement of the event. Any unclaimed ticketed places will be offered to the last minutes unticketed.
