News team: Graham Robson, Eric Page, Rachel Badham, Catherine Muxworthy, Alex Klineberg
E info@scenemag.co.uk
West Midlands News Editor: Catherine Muxworthy E midlandsnews@scenemag.co.uk
Cover:
Photographer: Nick Ford Photography i www.nickfordphotography.co.uk
Models: Zé and Davey
Contributors
Simon Adams, Rachel Badham, Laurie Lavender, Catherine Muxworthy, Nick Boston, Brian Butler, Craig HanlonSmith, Michael Hootman, Enzo Marra, Eric Page, Glenn Stevens, Roger Wheeler, Chris Gull, Jon Taylor, Alex Klineberg, Michael Steinhage, Jon Taylor, Jason Reid, Rory Finn, Nicholas Cousin, Alf Le Flohic, Josef Cabey, Dale Melita
Photographers
Jack Lynn, Chris Jepson, Simon Pepper, Nick Ford, Libertipix
All work appearing in Scene CIC is copyright. It is to be assumed that the copyright for material rests with the magazine unless otherwise stated on the page concerned.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in an electronic or other retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior knowledge and consent of the publishers.
The appearance of any person or any organisation in Scene is not to be construed as an implication of the sexual orientation or political persuasion of such persons or organisations.
Features
13 NOBODY GIVES A ****
Craig Hanlon-Smith on the perils of social media
14 LGBTQ+ EDUCATION
Jason Reid on why it’s key to unlocking the door
16 CAMP AS CHRISTMAS
Our community’s businesses have got Yuletide all wrapped up 18 COMFORT FOOD
Gary Pargeter from Lunch Positive on food projects this winter & Christmas 19 DING DONG DINNER
Andrew Kay probes the ups and downs of the ubiquitous Christmas dinner
20 FARESHARE SUSSEX
The charity tells us how it hopes to continue feeding 21,500 people a week
22 BRIGHTON GIN COCKTAILS
Shake up your Christmas drinks repertoire with these stunning libations
23 #BACKOFFBACKUP
The new campaign keeping Brighton & Hove safe
24 MORE TO ME THAN HIV
Glenn Stevens introduces a new photo exhibition at Jubilee Library
26 WE GOT THE POWER
Chris Morgan, World Champion powerlifter & co-president of the LGBT Powerlifting Union, shares the latest news on this strength sport
28 CHARITY SHOP SUE - A GUIDE TO XMAS
We speak to Sue to find out what she has planned for the festive season
29 LAYTON WILLIAMS
Brian Butler catches up with queer stage performer
30 QUEER PHOTOGRAPHY: A NON-DEFINITIVE SURVEY
Socially Engaged Art Salon launch exhibition at the Ledward Centre
32 SPEAKING WITH TORI
Legendary singer-songwriter Tori Amos talks to Alex Klineberg about her new album, Ocean to Ocean
34 PIECES OF A MODERN ICON
We talk to Jennifer Otter Bickerdike about all things Britney
36 HERE & QUEER
Brian Butler catches up with actor/writer/director & producer Alexis Gregory
37 DIAMANDA GALÁS
Alex Klineberg gets up, close and personal with the American musician who gives voice to the most marginalised people in society
40 LIVING LEGENDS
Drag Prince Alfie Ordinary has announced Living Legends, a series of interviews with pioneers of the British drag scene
42 ELSKA ATLANTA
Elska shines
Scene magazine receives Local LGBTQ+ Media Award
) Scene magazine received a Local LGBTQ+ Media Award at the Federation of Gay Games’ (FGG) Annual General Assembly at the Amsterdam Bar & Kitchen in Brighton last month.
Other award-winners on the night, included: Chris Jepson, local LGBTQ+ photographer and creator of the Identity Project; inclusive singing space, RC+; Vicky Carter, a chair of Out to Sport; Sussex FA; Dr Sam Hall; Resound choir; BLAGSS, Brighton’s LGBTQ+ sports society; Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus; and Romany Mark Bruce, sculptor who designed the Brighton AIDS Memorial
Jaq Bayles and Graham Robson, co-editors of Scene, said: “We’re so honoured to have received this award. The last 18 months have been hard for most and so it was wonderful to celebrate the work of our LGBTQ+ communities.”
Valencia confirmed as host city for 2026 Gay Games at glittering ceremony at Royal Pavilion
) After months of preparations and a final presentation before the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) in Brighton, the Valencian delegation convinced the judges that Valencia, Spain, is the perfect city to host the 2026 edition of the Gay Games
The capital of Túria competed in the final phase, alongside Munich, Germany, and Guadalajara, Mexico. Following the presentation, officials from Valencia Bid City, Visit València, the Municipal Sports Foundation (FDM), Lambda, ADI and the LGTBI + Samarucs & Dracs sports clubs, expressed their “joy and satisfaction” with the verdict of the FGG adding that Valencia “is a city that is at the height of an international event such as the Gay Games”.
The international federation also took into account the city’s capacity to host such a large-scale event considering existing sports facilities, infrastructures and sports equipment are of sufficient quality.
Other considerations included Valencia’s clement climate (with more than 300 days of sunshine a year), its gastronomy and cultural agenda. Accessibility and communications, commitment to sustainability, green spaces and personal development have also been assessed, ensuring that the city offers all locals and visitors, regardless of their sex, ethnic origin, disability or sexual orientation, a great range of diversity in attractions and experiences.
The event will be held between May and June 2026 and host competitions of more than 30 different types of sports. In addition to water sports such as sailing, rowing and kayak polo, and team sports such as basketball, beach volleyball, hockey, football, softball and rugby, the games will also see traditional Valencian sports such as pilota or colpbo, the name for a variety of court sports played with a ball using one’s hand, a racket, a wooden bat or a basket, against a wall. Individual sports, including martial arts, fencing, tennis, golf and cycling, will also take place alongside new novelty entries such as e-sports and Quidditch
The event, which will also include various cultural activities, is expected to attract approximately 15,000 athletes, 100,000 visitors and contribute to the city’s economy with more than 120 million euros
D For more info on FGG, visit: https://gaygames.org
Martlets’ charity Christmas cards... with a bit of Davina Sparkle!
) Each year Martlets hospice produces charity Christmas cards that include festive favourite illustrations and familiar Brighton scenes. This year Martlets wanted to find a picture that celebrated Brighton’s nightlife and reputation as the LGBTQ+ capital of the UK. The search began for a drag artist to be the face of its 2021 Christmas card... and local performer Davina Sparkle answered the call, with a little help from her special elf Tristan Mills!
Taking the photograph of Davina dressed as Mother Christmas, Martlets used an illustrator to transform the picture into a snow scene in Brighton’s North Laine. The Christmas card has already hit the shelves in Martlets’ charity shops – Davina herself even found her
face looking back at her on cards at the Blatchington Road shop while she was on the hunt for a glamorous new bag! Cards are also on sale at Martlets’ online shop: https://online.martlets.org.uk/ products/christmas-queen-and-littlehelper-christmas-cards
Davina said: “There’s nowhere quite like Brighton, I love this community and celebrate 25 years of being a drag act in this city this year. I’m honoured to be chosen to be Martlets’ first drag artist Christmas card with my best friend and special helper, Tristan Mills, who runs Adonis Cabaret
“If you know Brighton, you know Martlets. It is such a brilliant charity, we have all known people who have friends and relatives who have been cared for by Martlets and I am so happy in my own way to be supporting the care they give. Go and buy a card. Happy Christmas everyone!”
D For more info on Martlets, visit: www.martlets.org.uk
DAVINA SPARKLE
Urgent call for PrEP to be made more widely available
Joint statement from Terrence Higgins Trust, National AIDS Trust, Prepster and National Pharmacy Association calls for UK government to pilot PrEP in community pharmacies
) Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) has joined forces with leading HIV charities National AIDS Trust (NAT) and Prepster, along with community pharmacy body the National Pharmacy Association, to demand PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) be rolled out in new settings, including in pharmacies in England.
PrEP is a highly effective way to prevent HIV. However, currently it is only available via sexual health services and is largely used by gay and bisexual men only.
The independent HIV Commission, supported by THT, NAT and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, was clear that the potential of PrEP is not being fully utilised and communities that could benefit from PrEP are missing out. The Commission recommended that PrEP provision should be made available outside sexual health services.
A statement released last month by the consortium – some of which we have shared below – reinforces the role that community pharmacies could play in expanding access to PrEP. As the UK government finalises its National HIV Action Plan, the statement calls for the plan to include a commitment to pilot PrEP provision in primary care, including in community pharmacies.
Maximising the benefits of PrEP: The potential of community pharmacy
We believe that expansion of PrEP should be a key intervention included in the government’s upcoming National HIV Action Plan.
We would like to see the urgent initiation of a fully funded pilot that tests the ‘real life’ availability of PrEP via primary care including community pharmacies –ensuring a service that is joined up with other local HIV prevention efforts.
The end of new HIV transmissions is in sight
In 2019 the UK government committed to ending new cases of HIV by 2030 – an ambitious but achievable target. In December 2020, the HIV Commission published their final report which set out a blueprint for ending HIV transmission by 2030. The Commission highlighted that a key priority to ending new HIV transmission is to extend the provision of PrEP in settings beyond sexual health clinics.
The potential of PrEP
HIV PrEP is a proven highly effective method of preventing HIV transmission. After a large-scale trial in England, it is now available via level-3 sexual health services for anyone at risk of HIV. Public Health England (PHE) is clear that the availability of PrEP, alongside other HIV combination prevention tools, has been a factor in the incredible reductions in HIV cases seen in England – particularly in gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men.
PrEP has the potential to also be a valuable HIV prevention tool for other communities at risk of HIV –but this opportunity is not yet being realised. PrEP is still largely an HIV prevention intervention used by gay and bisexual men. Women and Black African communities are among those at risk of HIV but reportedly less likely to access sexual health services.
The potential of community pharmacy
Primary care, including community pharmacists, are well placed to support the expansion of PrEP to other communities who could benefit from it. Community pharmacists are at the frontline of healthcare, and are also taking on more clinical roles, such as the management and monitoring of long-term conditions. They already provide sexual health prevention and
treatment services and advice such as emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), chlamydia screening, signposting and referral.
The way ahead
These benefits and the prevention experience that already exists in pharmacies places them and their teams in a unique position for successful integration into PrEP care pathways to increase access to anyone that can benefit from PrEP.
As national community pharmacy and HIV organisations we want to further explore this potential. We believe that the expansion of PrEP access should be a key intervention in the upcoming National HIV Action Plan.
As a next step, we would like to see a timely, fully funded pilot that tests the ‘real life’ availability of PrEP via pharmacies (and other settings) and allows for lessons learnt and successful approaches to be quickly scaled up. This should see PrEP remain exempt from a prescription charge and ensure a service that is fully joined up with other local HIV prevention efforts.
The pilot should include a diversity of areas in England – both rural and urban – and covering different local demographic communities. The pilot should also incorporate a PrEP awareness campaign that is culturally appropriate and that challenges stigma around and misinformation about PrEP.
D To see the full statement, visit: www.tht.org. uk/sites/default/files/2021-11/PrEP%20in%20 Pharmacies%20joint%20statement_0.pdf
D For more info on THT, visit: www.tht.org.uk
D For more info on NAT, visit: www.nat.org.uk
D For more info on Prepster, visit: https://prepster. info
Brighton Box launch 2022 calendar for the Sussex Beacon
) The Brighton Box, the contemporary LGBTQ+ owned art gallery, has launched a 2022 calendar for the Sussex Beacon featuring work from local artists, including: Keren Bevis, Jack Lynn, Adam Makkai and Christopher Crawford
The artists, along with many others, showcase Brighton life in its many different forms through the calendar, which will retail for £14.99
Situated in Dukes Lane and now also with a gift shop at Brighton Station, the Brighton Box has become an active member of the community since opening
its doors at the end of 2020. Having raised more than £1,200 for the Sussex Beacon since April 2021, the Brighton Box will donate 50% of all calendar sales to the charity.
Sean Headley, managing director at the Brighton Box, said “We are absolutely delighted to be, once again, working alongside the Sussex Beacon to raise valuable funds for this wonderful charity.”
Bill Puddicombe, executive director of the Sussex Beacon, added “We are extremely grateful to the Brighton Box and its feature artists, for once again so generously supporting and raising funds for the Sussex Beacon, via the sale of their works. These funds continue to assist our essential work with people living with HIV.”
D For more info on the Brighton Box, visit: www.queerbritain.org.uk/ artaward2021
D For more info on the Sussex Beacon, visit: www.queerbritain.org.uk/ artaward2021
Lunch Positive taking part in crowdfunding scheme
) Lunch Positive, the HIV charity which runs a welcoming, friendly and informal lunch club every Friday afternoon, is taking part in new crowdfunding scheme which will see the National Emergencies Trust match your donation for every pound you give, up to £250. This means the charity
will receive twice what you give!
Gary Pargeter, service manager at Lunch Positive, said: “Our community fundraising since Covid-19 has been a real challenge, so every penny donated makes a massive difference. Thank you.”
D To donate: www.crowdfunder. co.uk/lunch-positive-community-hivsupport
Clare Project, Switchboard and Trans Pride Brighton host vigil for Trans Day of Remembrance
) Clare Project, Switchboard and Trans Pride Brighton hosted a vigil for Trans Day of Remembrance at Jubilee Square, Brighton last month on Sunday, November 21
The event saw the LGBTQ+ community come together to commemorate lives lost this year to transphobic violence. Attendees were encouraged to bring flowers, candles and signs. After listening to guest speakers, the vigil headed inside the Ledward Centre to watch a memorial video, take refreshments and reflect / socialise.
In addition, the trans flag was flown at Hove Town Hall to remember trans siblings who have been taken from us.
D For more info on the Clare Project, visit: www.clareproject.org.uk
D For more info on Switchboard, visit: www.switchboard.org.uk
D For more info on Trans Pride Brighton, visit: www.transpridebrighton.org
) Scene magazine partner PinkUK is a resource for LGBTQ+ people living in or visiting the UK who are interested in using gay/ LGBTQ+ friendly venues and services in the UK or who are visiting leading gay-friendly destinations and venues around the world. PinkUK also has a chat forum, a dating section, e-cards and a slang urban dictionary relevant for LGBTQ+ communities.
The team works with close media partners such as Scene magazine and advertisers to help ensure you are fully informed in a fast-moving world.
Venues: PinkUK lists any venue that is LGBTQ+ friendly. These can be venues you see on the scene like bars, clubs etc, but also LGBTQ+ or friendly businesses and services such as solicitors, holiday accommodations and resorts, cruising grounds to escort agencies and masseurs. PinkUK has 3,172 venues listed in 66 countries.
Events: PinkUK listed details of 542 Prides and other major LGBTQ+ events in the UK and the rest of the world in 2021. The website has 168 Prides and major LGBTQ+ events in 2022, and four Prides and major LGBTQ+ events in 2023.
Dave and the team at PinkUK said: “The last couple of years have been turbulent for everyone and for the LGBTQ+ scenes and businesses we support. We wish all our users and businesses, advertisers and friends our Pinkest love and support as the Covid-19 pandemic is brought under control.”
D For more info, visit: www.pinkuk.com
Rainbow Chorus to return to St George’s Church in style!
) Join LGBTQ+ mixed choir the Rainbow Chorus as it celebrates the Rainbows Return to St George’s Church on Saturday, December 11 from 6.30pm
Pop along for this fun evening of familiar, new and festive songs, hosted by musical director Aneesa Chaudhry with pianist Mojca Monte Amali, BSL interpreter Marco Nardi, mulled wine, mince pies and more! If that’s
not enough, there will, of course, be the famous Rainbow festive Hamper raffle
) The Rainbow Chorus presents Rainbows Return to St George’s Church, St George’s Road, Brighton, BN2 1ED on Saturday, December 11, doors 6.30pm
D For tickets, visit: https:// rainbowsreturn.bpt.me
Community raises funds for the Sussex Beacon
) Almost £280 was raised for the Sussex Beacon at a showing of MAISIE, the film on legendary drag performer Maisie Trollette aka David Raven, at Duke of York’s Picturehouse in Brighton last month.
The Sussex Beacon said: “Many thanks once again to Lee Cooper from Proper Charlie Productions, Duke of York’s Picturehouse and Brighton Cinecity for providing us with the opportunity to fundraise at the screening of MAISIE
“Of course, huge thanks to everyone who generously donated money on the night (totalling almost £280!) and to the one and only ... drum roll ... the legend himself, David Raven!”
D To read our review of MAISIE, visit: www.gscene.com/arts/reviews/ film-review-maisie-britains-oldestdrag-artiste/
Also raising vital funds for the Sussex Beacon was LGBTQ+ hotspot Nautilus Lounge, which raised almost £340 at its Halloween fundraisers in October.
Sussex Beacon said: “Many thanks to everyone involved. A fantastic sum of almost £340 was raised, which will assist our essential work with people living with HIV across Sussex.”
D For more info on the Sussex Beacon, visit: www.sussexbeacon.org.uk
) Surrey & Sussex Magistracy is currently looking to further diversify representation on its bench, and is particularly seeking candidates from underrepresented communities, including LGBTQ+, underrepresented minority groups and those with disabilities, to volunteer for criminal and family court magistrates.
No legal experience is needed, rather “strong listening skills, a sense of fairness, and the ability to consider different sides of an argument”, and the requirement is for a minimum commitment of only about 13 days a year.
To offer a better understanding of what being a magistrate involves, three gay men who currently offer their time give us an insight into the role and why it is important to them.
Robert
What was the big draw for you personally?
I was one of the first openly gay magistrates and I wanted to make sure our community’s perception of their treatment under the criminal justice system was not influenced negatively by their sexual orientation. Can you give some examples of outcomes that
have been particularly satisfying for you?
Helping victims of domestic violence get the justice they need. Helping people turn their lives around by means of community orders. Ensuring that homophobia in all forms will not be tolerated.
On what sort of criteria do you select people?
Open mindedness, the ability to lateral think and the exclusion of all forms of prejudice.
Andrew
Why is it important to have more diversity within Magistrates’ Courts?
The world is evolving fast and the Magistracy needs to reflect the diversity within the community on which it is making judgements. Technology, social changes, recognition of certain behaviours, politics and laws all affect crimes. It also affects how it is to be perceived and treated by the courts. This means it’s essential that the judiciary has an understanding of the community in which it operates and remains up to
date with developments. Having a diverse Magistracy is the most effective way to achieve this and brings a greater understanding and empathy towards everyone involved.
What can people gain from being involved?
A lot of satisfaction. As the Magistrates’ Courts cover approximately 90% of crimes committed in England, it’s an essential role to protect the public, uphold the law and contribute to society. There’s an overwhelming feeling of being a part of something vital. You meet extremely interesting people, you learn a lot about law and order. There can be shocking and distressing situations that you’re made aware of but you’re never alone. Your colleagues are always supportive and understanding; it’s extremely varied and unpredictable.
Who is it for?
It’s for people who want to understand, contribute and help their community. It opens your eyes to the world around you, sometimes negatively, but there are always new experiences and varying situations to keep you on your toes. There’s a lot of support and assistance and many opportunities for self development. There’s a significant amount of teamwork involved so it helps to be personable with people you may have just met.
Simon
What can people gain from being involved?
Principally a sense of giving back and making a contribution to society and your community as well as intellectual challenge and the comradery of working with people from all walks of life. For me it’s also wonderful perspective which puts my professional life into perspective and enables me to think about what is really important in life.
Can you give some examples of outcomes that have been particularly satisfying for you?
Making a difference to someone’s life by applying the letter of the law in an empathetic way. A fine choice between implementing a custodial sentence and a lesser sentence in the community can literally make or break a whole family’s life.
D For more info and to get involved, visit: https:// magistrates.judiciary.uk
ROBERT
ANDREW
SIMON
Same-sex foster carer couple win national fostering accolade
) Paul and Michael Atwal-Brice, who started opening their home to children in care over a decade ago and have since transformed numerous lives, were awarded the President’s Award at the Fostering Network’s annual Fostering Excellence Awards last month for their outstanding contribution to foster care.
Paul, who is care-experienced himself, and Michael are not only foster carers, they are also advocates for fostering and raise awareness of its transformational power at any given opportunity. The couple are particularly passionate to get more people from the LGBTQ+ community to come
forward to foster.
Kevin Williams, chief executive of fostering charity the Fostering Network, said: “I’d like to congratulate Paul and Michael on winning their award.
“It is truly inspiring to see so many exceptional people achieving so much. It is a privilege to be able to celebrate and raise awareness of those achievements with our annual awards. I hope the awards are able to give people outside of the fostering community an appreciation of the vital role fostering playing in our society.
“All our winners, and everyone else involved in fostering in the UK, should be incredibly proud of their contributions to foster care. Every single day they are striving to improve the lives of children and young people in foster care.”
D For more info, visit: www. thefosteringnetwork.org.uk
LGBTQ+ BBC staff told to accept hearing views they disagree with:
“That’s what the BBC is”
) During a meeting between LGBTQ+ staff and BBC director Tim Davie, head of outgoing news Fran Unsworth reportedly told staff to get used to hearing and seeing views that they do “not personally like”, as “that’s what the BBC is”. Following the news that many BBC staff are resigning due to anti-LGBTQ+ ‘hostility’ within the organisation, Unsworth – who is due to leave her position in January – told meeting
attendees that they should not “walk away from the conversation.”
Davie also addressed the BBC’s recent decision to withdraw from Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme, insisting that the broadcaster remains committed to making LGBTQ+ staff feel comfortable in the workplace. However, some meeting attendees argued that the BBC was “institutionally transphobic”, and that Davie “was not in a position to make decisions on this issue, because he’s not trans.”
The BBC has been accused of platforming transphobia on multiple occasions, including the recent publishing of an anti-trans article titled: ‘We’re being pressured into sex by some trans women’. The supposedly ‘investigative’ piece details the experience of some lesbians who say that they are “increasingly being pressured and coerced into accepting trans women as partners”, and was met with widespread backlash for spreading “myths” about the trans community. Despite the outrage caused by the article, the BBC has insisted that it was “carefully considered” and meets editorial standards.
KEVIN WILLIAMS
DAILY NEWS UPDATES:
TNBI inclusive vaccine sessions in Brighton & Hove
) With Covid-19 vaccines being rolled out across the UK, it’s thought that around 50 million have now had their first vaccination, with an estimated 30,000 second doses being given every day.
However, data from the Human Rights Campaign has suggested that, while LGBTQ+ people are generally more willing to get vaccinated, certain subsections of the community have shown reservation, with 40% of trans adults harbouring concerns about the testing and approval process of the vaccine. Further studies by Stonewall have found that when accessing general healthcare, two in five trans people (45%) said that staff lacked understanding of their specific needs, leading many to avoid seeking care.
To combat this issue and reduce Covid cases in our city, a handful of locations across Brighton & Hove are running LGBTQ+ and TNBI specific vaccination sessions, with the hope of providing a safe and inclusive space in which trans, non-binary, intersex and gender non-conforming people can receive the potentially life-saving vaccine without fear of discrimination.
Speaking to Scene, Brighton & Hove Council’s public health team project manager, Tina O’Donnell, said organisers “worked with the Clare Project, Rainbow Hub and Switchboard to ensure that the sessions were driven by the lived experiences of the LGBTQ+ community,” and offered a safe space to queer people who may not want to attend larger vaccination centres. To create a comfortable environment for LGBTQ+ people, all vaccination staff members were briefed before sessions on “commonly experienced issues, such as differences in names on medical records”, and pronoun badges were made available.
Carolyn Ansell, manager at the Rainbow Hub, has seen firsthand the positive impact of the LGBTQ+ inclusive vaccine sessions – that have been tailored to be inclusive of the TNBI community – held at the Hub. Carolyn said the Hub’s aim was to create “an environment where people felt comfortable and free of judgement”.
Gay Lib Get Together!
) • Were you involved in Brighton’s Gay Lib movement in the 1970s? • Did you get involved with the Sussex Gay Liberation Front? • Do you know people who did?
If so, then join the Sussex Gay Liberation Front for a get together from 2–5pm on Wednesday, December 15 for drinks and a chat at the Stanford Arms (now The Joker) in Preston Circus
It will be a small and informal gathering on the ground floor. There will be some photos to look through and chat about which may jog some memories, but feel
free to bring any of your own photos or badges etc you think people might enjoy seeing.
The event is being organised by local historian Alf Le Flohic, who said: “I’ve been researching the Sussex Gay Liberation Front for the last few years and have managed to contact a number of people who were involved, so I’m thrilled to be able to facilitate this get together.”
As well as encouraging the use of pronouns, medical staff were briefed “on inclusive language not making assumptions about people’s gender identity”. The sessions were also supported by LGBTQ+ security door staff, with Carolyn saying that “the staff have been so patient with those who have felt anxious and seeing people leave with smiles on their faces has been great”.
As the LGBTQ+ inclusive vaccination centres strive to provide an “alternative space” for queer and TNBI people in Brighton & Hove, Carolyn hopes that “everybody can feel like they can walk through that door”, as previous sessions have proved successful.
For any LGBTQ+ people looking to get vaccinated, Tina advises:
• Wear a mask if you are able to.
• Feel free to bring along a friend or carer if it makes you feel more comfortable.
• Wear something with loose sleeves or that’s sleeveless as the vaccinator will need to get to the top of your arm to give the vaccination.
• Expect to have your temperature checked on arrival. You will be directed to a desk and asked for your name, date of birth, ethnicity and whether you are allergic to any medication. You will also be asked some other questions, including if you are on medication that thins the blood and whether there is a possibility you are pregnant.
• Feel welcome to ask any questions you have – either at the sign-in desk or when you are being vaccinated.
) The next walk-in session at the Rainbow Hub, 93 St James’s St, Brighton BN2 1TP will be Saturday, December 11
BLAGSS’ Bowling Extravaganza
) In March 2020, Brighton LGBTQ+ Sports Society (BLAGSS) held its annual Bowling Extravaganza the week before the first lockdown. Now 20 months later the event has returned with 26 enthusiastic teams, many taking part for the first time, including My Genderation
Winners were Lunch Positive, second Brighton & Hove Sea Serpents RFC, third Outdoor Lads, fourth Front Runners, fifth BLAGSS Tennis and sixth BLAGSS Bowling
John Moore, chair of BLAGSS, said: “It was great to see many friends again at this very popular annual event, the competition was fierce and everyone enjoyed the evening. It was also good to see new winners Lunch Positive who won for the first time.”
) To register for next year - pencilled in for Oct 2022 - email: chair@blagss.org
D More info on BLAGSS, visit: www.blagss.org
Aneesa Chaudhry to
bring
Eastern vibe to the Brunswick
) Well-known for her work with local choirs, as a professional singer for LGBTQ weddings and funerals and her confidence-building workshops, Aneesa Chaudhry has bounced back with renewed vigour following lockdown and has a major gig coming up at the Brunswick Pub on December 5, featuring her Eastern Flavours Band
The line-up for her band involves jazz pianist John Crawford, percussionist Demi Garcia Sabat and sitar player Jonathan Mayer. The latter she hasn’t worked with before but heard while doing some voluntary work with the London Street Orchestra. She said: “There’s something about my Asian roots that when I hear sitar I feel like I
want to do something with that again.” The result is intended to be an “Easternflavoured vibe in Brighton with a diva people might know locally. But we haven’t had this mix of sound for a while.”
Aneesa continued: “On the gay scene, for example, I can’t think of anyone who’s done this. It’s really nice to remind people of what’s on offer.” And the gig is about more than the sound, she emphasises – it's also about bringing together “in a melting pot” a variety of elements, including her cultural and LGBTQ roots, to “give people the opportunity to hear quality music in one of our local venues that needs to be supported as much as any business that’s coming out of the pandemic”.
Aneesa Chaudhry’s Eastern Flavours Band is at the Brunswick Pub, 1 Holland Road, BN3 1JF on December 5 at 2pm. More info: www. subscribepage.com/easternflavours
DFor more info on Aneesa, visit: www.aneesachaudhry.com
Shop and support Brighton Rainbow Fund
) The Brighton Rainbow Fund (BRF) is asking you to donate while you shop without costing you an extra penny
With Christmas coming, and the boom in online shopping continuing unabated, BRF (Why choose one local LGBTQ+ or HIV charity when you can support them all?) is asking you to take two minutes to sign up to two schemes which will donate at least 0.5% of your spend to BRF without costing you a penny.
Give As You Live
Once you're signed up, have nominated BRF as your charity (remember that your donation goes into a central fund which all local LGBTQ+ and HIV groups and projects can apply to) and you're ready to shop. You simply go to your favourite
store via the website (there are over 5,000 to choose from including Sainsburys, Booking.com, Argos, M&S, Boots, eBay, Tesco, Boots), shop as normal, and the donations are made on your behalf. Sign up here: scene.pub/give
Amazon Smile
Similarly, sign up with Amazon Smile using your existing Amazon account, nominate BRF and start ordering as usual. Amazon will donate on your behalf. Sign up is here: smile.amazon.co.uk
D More info on BRF, visit: www.rainbow-fund.org
DAILY NEWS UPDATES:
Lunch Positive seeks trustees
) Community-based HIV charity Lunch Positive is looking for trustees from all sections of community, including though not exclusively people with HIV, to join its board.
The charity provides a range of unique and popular services that involve and support people in Brighton & Hove, and Sussex. During the first year of the Covid pandemic the charity provided a frontline outreach of food and support to people at home, preparing and delivering almost 35,000 meals with volunteers giving over 14,000 hours of their time.
Since then it has developed its community outreach and resumed its well-attended face-to-face services including the HIV lunch club, food bank, community meals, new befriending scheme, new peer support and mental health projects
The charity is highly successful in the support it provides within the community and has been recognised by Public Health England and health think-tank the Kings Fund for its locally unique and effective community based approaches.
With strong and active values of being community led, outward looking, collaborative, and putting beneficiaries at the centre of all work, the charity is now looking for more trustees to support the oversight and development of the charity.
Trustees are highly valued and play a key role in this, and this is an exciting time to join the board with many opportunities ahead for the charity. Previous experience of trusteeship is not necessary, and a well-resourced training programme is available to suit individual needs. For people new to trusteeship there is plenty of support from within the board.
The charity is planning a range of informal get-togethers, face-to face or by Zoom, for people who are interested and would like to find out more, or people can apply directly by looking at the governance page on the website.
) If you are interested and would like to know more, or would first like an informal chat, then you can get in touch in a variety of ways. Visit the charity website governance page at www.lunchpositive.org, email the service manager Gary Pargeter at trustees@lunchpositve.org, or call 07846 464384
MindOut to participate in Big Give Christmas Challenge 2021
) LGBTQ+ mental health charity MindOut has been selected to participate in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2021, which is the UK’s largest match funding campaign.
MindOut said: “We’ve set the target of raising £4,000 for our counselling service and all donations will be match funded for seven days from 12pm on November 30, #GivingTuesday. One donation, twice the impact!”
All donations will be doubled throughout so it’s recommended that you take advantage of your donation being doubled by donating to MindOut via the Big Give between November 30–December 7
MindOut added: “We’re calling on our supporters to save the date and set a calendar reminder for 12pm on November 30 including this link to our project page (https:// donate.thebiggive.org.uk/campaign/a056900001wWz4IAAS) and to have your card details ready to leave an early Christmas gift to support LGBTQ+ mental health.
“Finally, please share our the Big Give Christmas Challenge to anyone who might be interested in supporting us and having their donation doubled.”
If you have any questions, email malaika.fallah@mindout.org.uk
D More info on MindOut, visit: www.mindout.org.uk
1 in 5 teachers ‘uncomfortable’ discussing LGBTQ+ topics
) To mark 18 years since Section 28 was repealed, Just Like Us has released a report on teachers’ attitudes to LGBTQ+ inclusive education. A total of 17% of 6,179 primary and secondary school teachers said they feel uncomfortable discussing LGBTQ+ topics with students despite 2020 government guidance to include LGBTQ+ teaching in every school’s curriculum.
Primary school teachers were most likely (19%) to feel uncomfortable discussing LGBTQ+ topics, despite OFSTED requiring primary schools to teach children about LGBTQ+ families. On the other hand, 29% of all teachers said that they felt “completely comfortable” talking about LGBTQ+ topics in the classroom, with 25% of primary school teachers expressing this feeling.
Introduced under Thatcher’s
government, Section 28 prohibited local authorities, including schools, from discussing any topics that were considered to ‘promote homosexuality’. Although repealed in 2003, chief executive of Just Like Us, Dominic Arnall, said: “Clearly things have not changed as much as we like to think and, as a result, growing up LGBTQ+ is still unacceptably tough.
“Having silence around LGBTQ+ topics only results in shame, stigma and students feeling that they don’t belong in school. It's essential the government provides support and clear guidance for schools on supporting LGBTQ+ young people.”
D For more info on Just Like Us, visit: www.justlikeus.org
New picture book to support LGBTQ+ asylum seekers
Panto
G is bringing
the page in a unique picture book that will raise money for Rainbow Migration, a charity supporting LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum in the UK.
Mama G’s ethos of ‘being who you
want and loving who you are’ comes to life with comical writing, fab illustrations by top comedian Katie Pritchard and pictures modelled by a cast of real life actors (photographed by Sarah Knight). In the true tradition of panto, the characters include a pantomime dame and a principal boy - two great ways to introduce children to the joys of gender expression.
) The book, created to be enjoyed by children aged 4+, is being published in conjunction with Petite Pantos’ production of Dick Whittington at Stanley Arts, London which runs from December 15-28. Tickets: www.stanleyarts.org.uk
) The book will be available from www.petitepantos.com, various bookshops and Stanley Arts.
D For more info on Rainbow Migration, visit: www.rainbowmigration.org.uk
DOMINIC ARNALL
)
dame Mama
Dick Whittington to
NOBODY GIVES A ****
OR, IF THIS ARTICLE APPEARS ONLINE, IT WON’T BE BECAUSE I POSTED IT THERE
By Craig Hanlon-Smith
) It’s a dark day in Christendom chez Craig when we find ourselves agreeing with Culture Secretary Nadine Dories. And yet following her statements recently on social media, agree I certainly do with some of her assertions, if not all.
I have in the pages of this magazine extolled the virtues of social media and celebrated its positive aspects. Not least of all some of my human, real-time friends with whom I have been cavorting across the planet for some years, were initially met on various such platforms. There is good in it, it is just that as time passes that is buried deeper and deeper in the lost algorithms of positive communication.
First to state is an acknowledgement that social media is an embedded part of our collective cultures and for many an absolute necessity. Those running businesses, particularly SMEs or sole traders, would find it impossible to do so now without engaging. The professional relationship with my current personal trainer began through Instagram and that has been a fruitful experience and continues as such.
Furthermore, there are opportunities for sharing political or socially responsible campaigns and positive messaging, and in some instances it can be a necessary lifeline. I am not about to launch into a not untypical tirade about platforms of hate or projected messages of racism, misogyny or the multitude of LGBTQ+ related hate crimes so regularly expressed. With reference to these, as saddening and maddening as they are, social media is simply the new host for narratives that have always existed. Hate mail is now delivered through online trolling and we would expect the perpetrators to be more easily
screen grabbed and as a consequence, stopped in their digital tracks. A nice idea perhaps if the multi-nationals gave a damn. By not focusing on these, nor am I suggesting they are not important. They are, vitally so. That is just not the focus here.
I have all but ditched social media, some time ago now. My accounts exist and as I have removed them from my mobile devices they are only accessible through laptop log in, which I am as yet to bother with. There was no big departure moment, no tweet, no insta story post, no announcement with a flourish that I needed to take a break from all this and then dipping in to gratuitously feed off the expected comments that would follow. I just got bored. Bored with the hyper sexualisation of ‘here is my haircut, I am in my pants’ and the self-centred obsession of celebrity Z list-inspired behaviour. And what’s more, as a life-long ABBA fan I needed to be out of it all long before the release of their muchanticipated new music and the inevitable if varied bullshit that would follow it. Although I know now I have friends who screen grab and send it to me anyway so there is little escape from the monsters we have all become.
One of the shortcomings of these platforms is that they are not a place for sophisticated debate and this is where I agree with some of the statements made by Nadine Dories: “Sometimes I think we just need to tone down the condemnation and the judgement and evaluate and engage a little more than we do.” If we put to one side her condemnatory right-wing flavoured tweets for the sake of this evaluation, she’s right. There is little room for meaningful engagement on social media as so many posting are either shouting from a place of misguided left-wing self-righteousness (I blame the algorithm), or describing their accounts ‘official’ having amassed over 5,000 followers for flashing their underwear.
I have now for years in many professional roles sat in marketing and communication feedback
briefings where ‘likes’ are reported back as if successful and completed sales. What nonsense. Do you know how many Instagram posts I’ve liked for the sake of it, for the habit, or because a person I know has posted something that is total rubbish but I’ll ‘like’ it anyway so that at least we’ll have something to talk about should we ever meet again. And on that note, social media has allowed us to become lazy with our relationships. Don’t DM me or leave a comment under my photo you moron, pick up the phone and request to hear my voice if you actually know me, or even better let’s arrange to meet up – if you can put your iPhone in your bag for more than 12 minutes. And if you don’t want to stay in touch? Step up, say so. We have become a redundant brain dead typing pool of blocking ghosts and I refuse to post significant life changing events on social media so that you can keep up. Where’s the humanity in that? Life cannot be deleted, edited or precluded by a grammatically poor and hastily written I have thought long and hard about whether or not to post this... But here it comes mother f***er, you’re going to tell us anyway.
“Social media is simply the new host for narratives that have always existed. Hate mail is now delivered through online trolling and we would expect the perpetrators to be more easily screen grabbed and as a consequence, stopped in their digital tracks”
Well I for one do not want to hear it. Over and out. Try it, it’s an eye opener. And after months of silence online, I promise you it is exceptionally telling and of some quiet interest how many of those whose relationships with you had moved into the media space, get in touch to ask if you still exist. Go on. If you think you’re brave enough.
And to finish, I mentioned that I am a lifelong ABBA fan. And you know what kills me about the comeback? An email from abba.com that in the subject header reads: “ABBA, are now on TikTok”. That is the end of the world as we know it.
LGBTQ+ EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO UNLOCKING THE DOOR
By Jason Reid
) Seeing people protest against LGBTQ+ education in schools breaks my heart. There is no part of me that understands their logic. When I see these protesters what I see is people saying that I and millions of other LGBTQ+ people should not exist, or, at the very least, we can exist but in no way should we be acknowledged.
PinkNews reported on a recent protest that took place outside Manorfield Primary School in Tower Hamlets, London on Monday, October 19. Approximately 150 people gathered demanding that the head teacher, Paul Jackson, resign over the mandatory teaching of relationships and sex education (RSE) lessons. They held placards reading: “Don’t Confuse Children”, “We Do Not Consent”, “Too Much, Too Soon” and “Education, Not Sexualisation”.
A spokesperson for the primary school told MyLondon: “We are aware of this morning’s demonstration outside of our school and have worked closely with appropriate authorities to ensure the safety of all children, staff and parents. The health, safety and wellbeing of our pupils is our top priority, and we work hard as a school to ensure that our full curriculum supports this.
“Our school also values open and constructive dialogue between the school and the community it serves, especially parents, which is why we have offered a number of consultative activities and opportunities for parents to engage with the RSE policy.”
First things first, freedom to protest is something that is incredibly important in
any functioning democracy. And although ours is rife with corruption and sleaze, it’s still functioning… albeit with a severe limp. Conversely, a right to reply is equally as important and valuable. If parents are not comfortable with their children learning about LGBTQ+ relationships in schools, and are willing to jeopardise their mental health and future wellbeing in order to appease an invisible man in the sky, then they should move them to a school that offers regressive teaching. But remembering that we must all live with the consequences of our actions.
As a country, the UK has let down young LGBTQ+ people for long enough. It’s not just time, we are long overdue offering them the relationship education that will hopefully provide the understanding about their sexuality – in order to set them up for adult life. The education that was robbed from previous generations of LGBTQ+ people.
“Living their best and authentic life is the only way young LGBTQ+ people will find some semblance of happiness in this absolutely batshit world, and anything that aids that should be applauded”
No distractions. No noise. Get on with it. Listen to the voices of LGBTQ+ people on this. Simply, it’s about improving the lives of LGBTQ+ people – investing in their future. You wouldn’t buy something from IKEA and then throw away the instructions. You’d be left with a pile of wood that would have to be assembled poorly and without care. In the same way, why should we expect LGBTQ+ people to just ‘assemble’ themselves in a world that is fundamentally focused on heteronormativity as the ‘norm’. Which, of course, is utter shite – to say that something is normal only infers that the opposite is
abnormal, but we are where we are. I suspect it’s gonna take name more years to demolish that myth completely.
Personally, I also think we need to go further and introduce LGBTQ+ sex education across the board. Teach about safe sex. Teach about the AIDS crisis. Teach about PrEP. Teach about sexual desires, decision-making and consent. Perhaps only to those who are LGBTQ+ – and most become aware as soon as they hit puberty, or soon after. I remember being 13 and fancying the arse off fellas. I also remember constantly questioning those emotions because there was nothing out there that told me they were normal and healthy. See where I’m going with this?
I mean, I was forced to learn about abortion at my Catholic school – that really came in handy.
“As a country, the UK has let down young LGBTQ+ people for long enough. It’s not just time, we are long overdue offering them the relationship education that will hopefully provide the understanding about their sexuality – in order to set them up for adult life”
Look, I’m not dismissing the parents here. Of course parents worry about their children, that’s a natural state of affairs – my mum still frets about me constantly and I’m 40 years old – but sadly some parents are putting themselves and their own dogmatic views before their children and dressing it up as concern. Granted, this is a very small percentage of people who are protesting, but we’ve seen how the media in this country can take something small-scale and amplify its inflammatory rhetoric, only adding fuel to the fire. So it’s important to keep an eye on these things.
I know I bang on about this subject a lot, and I will continue to do so because it’s vitally important. LGBTQ+ education is the key to unlocking the door. Equality in education should be a given, not something that is seen as protest-worthy.
To those parents who object, I say please put your energy into something that is more constructive – like understanding young people and how best to support them as they find their place in the world. Living their best and authentic life is the only way young LGBTQ+ people will find some semblance of happiness in this absolutely batshit world, and anything that aids that should be applauded.
CAMP AS CHRISTMAS
With the countdown of sleeps till the big day in full flow, we seek out some of the festive frolics on offer across Brighton’s LGBTQ venues. From mouth-watering menus to delectable drinks, our community’s bars and clubs have got Yuletide all wrapped up, and of course, it wouldn’t be a celebration without some cabaret icing on the Christmas cake. So whether you’re planning on going out and looking for the hotspots, or staying in and seeking some culinary kudos or home bar inspiration, there’s something here for you to get your teeth into
Affinity Bar
129 St James’s St, BN2 1TH
) Drag’s the name of the game when it comes to Affinity Bar, and to accompany the entertainment on Fridays grab two selected, handcrafted cocktails for £13. The bar is promising an ‘amazing’ line-up of cocktails for Christmas, including the Christmas Mule, a Baileys and vodka-based cocktail, and the Gingerbread Espresso Martini.
Festive entertainment: Friday 17 with Wilma BallsDrop, 8.30pm; Saturday 18 with Ruffles, 5pm, then Topsie Redfern, 8pm; Sunday 19 with Lovinia Belle, 5pm; Friday 24 with Kara Van Park, 8.30pm; Saturday 25: Christmas Day Stuffed Party with Davina Sparkle, 8pm; Sunday 26 with Lovinia Belle, 5pm; Friday 31: New Year’s Eve Party with shows from Davina Sparkle & Lovinia Belle from 8pm
Brighton Hilton Metropole Kings Rd, BN1 2FU
) A Christmas Gala Ball with Jason Lee and Davina Sparkle on December 23. Evening includes four great performers, full live shows and dinner. More info: https://fb.me/ e/20C1dCNMm
Charles Street Tap 8 Marine Parade, BN2 1TA
) Charles Street Tap’s got a festive set menu and a bottomless brunch menu too.
Highlights from the former include: Starters: Buttermilk-Coated Pork Belly Bites with cranberry ketchup; BBQ Jackfruit Nachos with Violife grated mature ‘cheddar’, tomato salsa, vegan mayo, guacamole and jalapeños.
Mains: Hand-Carved Turkey with a pork, cranberry & fig stuffing, pigs-in- blankets, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, roasted parsnips and a red wine gravy; Fillet of Salmon with butter & chive, glazed roast baby potatoes, seasonal vegetables and a creamy white wine, prosecco & lobster-flavour sauce.
Puds: Pornstar Pavlova: a meringue nest, topped with a prosecco, vodka, mango & passion fruit compote, with Champagne sorbet. The Curzon 7 Rock Street, BN2 1NF
) The Curzon will be getting the salivary glands going both in terms of entertainment and food. Sally Vate will get your tonsils tingling on Christmas Day, while Dave Lynn and Liam Joseph will fill your entertainment stocking on Boxing Day, all accompanied by generous helpings of hearty fare.
Highlights from the starters: Chestnut Soup with thyme crouton & basil oil; Chicken Liver & Port Parfait with garlic crispbread & onion chutney.
Highlights from the mains: Turkey, Topside of Beef or Broccoli, Chestnut & Vegan Cheese Tartlet – with all the trimmings.
From the puds: Black Forest Eaton Mess.
Kemptown Trading Post
28 St George’s Rd, BN2 1EE
) Late night Xmas shopping on Dec 2 till 8pm. Legends 31-34 Marine Parade, BN2 1TR
) Davina Sparkle kicks off the Christmas cabaret on Sunday, December 13 at 3.30pm, while on the big day itself Dave Lynn presides over the entertainment from 7pm, following a festive feast featuring six courses.
Of course there’s turkey, but among other menu highlights are:
Starters: Pressed Duck Rillettes with kumquat & redcurrent salsa & crispy duck crackling; Heritage Tomato Tarte Tartin with fresh chive beignets & cream cheese mousse.
Mains: Roast Garlic Crusted Beef Fillet with
fondant pots, confit onion, bacon lardons and red wine jus; Slow Roast Pheasant Roulade with pistachio & golden sultana stuffing, Boulangere pots and Madeira jus.
Puds: Brandy & Winter Berry Compote.
Nautilus Lounge
129-130 St James’s St, BN2 1TH
) For all those on the Nauti list… it’s time to warm your cockles with a selection of creative cocktails from the specialists.
How about a Chilli Margarita with chilli-infused tequila, fresh lime, Cointreau & agave, and “the essential salty rim”. Cheeky!
Or a Christmas Alexander – a big and bawdy Christmas pud in a glass, with brandy, Baileys, amaretto, Cointreau, spices and cream. We feel tipsy just looking at the ingredients.
Recreational Club
4 Belmont, Dyke Road, BN1 3TF
) Northern soul fans will be chuffed by the Across the Tracks night on Friday, December 17, with DJs Colin Slater and Tony Cassini playing only vinyl, and featuring guest DJ Alex ‘Daddio’ D’Arby.
The club is also introducing six new cocktails at just £4.50 each – mojito, espresso martini, pornstar martini, strawberry daquiri, cosmopolitan and amaretto sour.
Revenge 5-7 Marine Parade, BN2 1TA
) Friday, December 10, 11-4 DILF Brighton: Festive Fling with DJs Eddy Murf & Toby Blake playing four hours of festive floor fillers, club classics, dirty beats, vocal house & tech house. They say: “You’re all on the naughty list and we love it!. Grab your mistletoe and pucker up for our sexy crowd of dads, lads, bears, cubs, leathermen, rubbermen and more! Dress up in your best XXXMas clobber. Think ‘kink but make it festive!’”
DILF’s events are aimed at men (proudly trans friendly) and are fetish forward.
The Zone
33 St James’s St, BN2 1RF
) A fun-packed line-up of weekend entertainment is promised at The Zone in the run-up to Christmas and beyond.
Festive entertainment: Stone & Street on Fri 3, 9pm; Lazy Susan on Sat 4, 9pm; Stephanie Von Clitz on Fri 10, 9pm; Gabriella Parrish on Sat 11, 9pm; ABBA Tribute Xmas Party on Sun 12, 6pm; DJ Micklos’ Reggae Night & Karaoke on Fri 17, 9pm; Chris Hide on Sat 18, 9pm; Sally Vate’s NYE Party on Fri 31, 9pm; JP Christian on Sun, Jan 2, 6pm.
CHRIS HIDE NAUTILUS
COMFORT FOOD
Gary Pargeter from Lunch Positive on food projects this winter and Christmas
) Winter and Christmas are approaching. For many this will be a time of comfort and security, and for many a time of greater financial worry and disadvantage. As celebrated as our city is for its diversity, entertainment and social life, for many this is a time of loneliness and isolation.
Added to this is the enduring impact of Covid-19 for many people, some not yet able or ready to re-engage in community or activities. Christmas, traditionally a time of gathering of people we are close to, can exacerbate the sense of loneliness and disadvantage that many people who do not have these connections will feel.
Poverty and food insecurity are on the rise as communities face the double impact of reduced incomes and rising food, fuel and housing costs; and we know that LGBTQ+ people are disproportionately affected by poverty. This spans our whole community, including in-work poverty. Low incomes, unemployment, and health conditions are the main reasons people access emergency food support. Additionally, the Department for Work & Pensions estimates
that 33,000 people in Brighton & Hove have been affected by the £20 a week reduction to Universal Credit, pushing people to choose between heating and eating.
The widespread expectations of how we should be thriving, prospering, enjoying ourselves and celebrating can be unhappy and marginalising burdens for those whose circumstances don’t reflect this. Very importantly, and sometimes overlooked - food projects and initiatives are major contributors to tackling loneliness, every day of the year. The winter and Christmas period is always a key focus, and especially through initiatives such as lunch clubs and dining groups, neighbourhood shared meals and food schemes, outreach of food and social support to people in their own homes and communities, street outreach to people without homes, food banks, and homeless food projects.
The city is widely renowned for its voluntary sector community food provision, the effectiveness and success of which is based on its grassroots approach – people and communities reaching out to engage and support, actively and consistently with genuine values of kindness, generosity and hospitality. The community food sector is outward looking, responsive and creative in everything it does, with the community it serves always at the heart of its thinking and work.
With hundreds of providers of all structures and sizes it works collaboratively and with cohesion, fostering meaningful and healthy relationships, a real testament to the personal qualities of all the people involved – involving vast numbers of amazing volunteers.
People often ask where the food actually comes from. The food items used to keep this tremendous community effort running come from a wide variety of sources. Surplus stocks
are donated by commercial food producers and suppliers, and redistributed to charities and community groups, some is gleamed from allotments, growers and individual donors, small businesses and caterers often donate stocks they have no use for, and of course the public often give items directly and through collection bins in supermarkets.
Despite this tremendous generosity, it’s also important to know that food projects frequently need to purchase food to produce their meals and provide support. Rarely are donations of food alone sufficient to make up the required type and number of meals required. Our own experience is that the rising cost of food is both increasing demand for services, as well as increasing our own food bill to provide these. Alongside this, recent months have seen a consistent shortage of certain food items that would usually be donated to us and are essential to making up community food, and this has become a very worrying trend.
This winter and Christmas, community food providers will again ramp up our community response, lunch clubs, food and friendship groups providing shared meals that bring people together to meet and talk, and provide a social lifeline for people who are lonely, and often without friends, family or support. Community groups will prepare and deliver cooked food and essentials to people at home who are unwell, often frail and isolated; again providing a smiling face and outreached hand, friendship and vital social connection. Others will reach out to those in crisis through street-outreach, sharing conversation and empathy to people who do not encounter it easily elsewhere.
Wherever there is loneliness and disadvantage we can be confident that kind, caring and community-minded volunteers from food projects are wanting to help.
Food projects are a very special thing to be part of. They draw on strong values, giving, creativity, resourcefulness, and teamwork. Across the city, tens of thousands of hours are given by volunteers every year. Community food is just that, and all about involving community where help reaches those that need it the most. Food is more than just fuel, it brings people together and changes lives.
D www.lunchpositive.org
DING DONG DINNER
Andrew Kay probes the ups and downs of the ubiquitous Christmas dinner
) If like me your heart sinks at the thought of a turkey dinner, especially one served up by a restaurant, then take note… There are plenty of better options with which to celebrate, let’s be frank, this is Yule, not just fuel so choose well.
But let’s start with some basic rules. Do your research, make sure that the place you choose caters for all your needs, not just in menu choices and dietary requirements but also in price. That choice should satisfy everyone’s dietary choices but also everyone’s pocket, we all have a pretty good idea what our friends can afford so don’t exclude anyone because they simply cannot afford to join in. And if you have expensive tastes then be prepared to pick up the tab for your indulgences.
Large parties can be riddled with dangers, especially when it comes to the bill. You can avoid this by finding somewhere offering a set price menu and all agreeing to it. No one wants to be saddled with working out who had what, and especially after a few drinks.
Brighton & Hove is blessed with a host of independent restaurants but for large parties, working to a budget, then maybe a chain business with a special seasonal menu will be the right choice.
new cocktail bar it remains a very hot ticket so early booking is absolutely essential.
D www.etchfood.co.uk
) Probably with the best views in town is Murmur, the second home of Great British Menu winner Michael Bremner. With a more traditional format than his small plate offering at 64 Degrees, Murmur is not only delicious but also sensibly priced for food of this quality.
D www.murmur-restaurant.co.uk
) Burnt Orange is a new kid on the block serving stylish, modern food and great cocktails. It’s already proving to be popular enough to necessitate early booking. Try the octopus, I dare you not to love it...
D www.burnt-orange.co.uk
My dislike of turkey is not the norm; for many a Christmas meal has to include the feathered beast. I would always ask in advance if it is carved from a whole bird or slices of the dismal turkey roll, so beloved of less skilled kitchens. Pubs these days tend to flaunt their ‘gastro’ credentials and this can make them an excellent choice. And if you have a regular local, one where you are known, then support it, especially all our favourite LGBTQ+ businesses!
And on that note, I have been writing about restaurants for over 30 years now and one question crops up all the time – “Can you recommend a gay restaurant?” Well, I would like to think in Brighton & Hove that’s irrelevant as we love to claim ownership of being a queer capital, so most places are LGBTQ+ friendly, and if they are not then give them a wide berth.
Alternatively, you could dine at home, share the chores, and save yourselves a lot of money... Not for you?
Fair enough, so here are some ideas.
) Let’s start with a splash of luxury. Steven Edwards at Etch is a gastronome’s delight, precise and adventurous cooking, set seasonal menus and although recently expanded with a
) If local and seasonal is your thing, then you cannot fault Isaac @, a small but perfectly formed restaurant serving a fixed seasonal menu at a fixed price that never fails to delight. Strictly sourcing both local produce and drinks, this is a local treasure.
D www.isaac-at.com
) Moving on I have a few favourites. Gars not only serves delicious Chinese fare but also has one of the best private dining rooms in town, properly party friendly with karaoke facilities in the private room and in the main room. It also has great set menus for large parties and those menus are always generous. D www.gars.co.uk
) If spice is your thing, then head to Easy Tiger where chef Kanthi Thamma specialises in authentic regional Indian dishes in a pub that focuses on craft ales. Sensibly priced and with a great atmosphere, this is a hot, forgive the pun, ticket! D www.easytigerbrighton.com
There we have it, my choices are not turkey-led but quality focused. Plenty of places will be doing the prawn cocktail, turkey and trimmings and Christmas pudding, but you all know about those. My real advice would be: head to your favourites and have fun, ‘tis the season to be jolly (and gay)!
FARESHARE SUSSEX ON THE FRONTLINE
Jaq Bayles hears how the food charity has been impacted by the HGV crisis and food shortages and how it hopes to continue feeding 21,500 people each week
) News coverage of the HGV crisis has been as plentiful as the drivers are scarce, dominating the headlines and accompanied by stories of resulting food shortages, with the blame for both being laid at the door of the Brexit/ pandemic double whammy.
While the tabloids have homed in on the fear that there may not be enough turkeys to go round at Christmas, there’s more at stake than gaps on supermarket shelves for those who rely on food charities for their daily sustenance.
Over the past few months, FareShare Sussex has seen the volume of food it would expect to distribute to 160 charities and community groups dip by 10-15% on its target, and because of the length of time it is taking food to reach the charity, it is also seeing more go to waste.
But the downturn is worse in real terms, as the organisation would ideally like to see 30-40% more food than it is currently receiving and delivering around Sussex and up into Surrey.
Among those that rely on weekly deliveries is a changing roster of food banks, homeless hostels, groups that bring elderly people together through food, faith groups and BAME groups, which then distribute to their various client and service groups, including LGBTQ+ communities.
But the HGV and driver shortages have impacted on the work of the Brighton-based section of the UK charity “quite significantly”, according to chief executive Rob Orme.
“Our suppliers are large supermarkets, wholesalers to retail trade, restaurants, growers
and food manufacturers, such as bakeries and so on,” says Rob. “Clearly they’ve struggled to get the drivers they need and that’s impacted us of course because we are dependent on HGV drivers to get the food to us, so we have missed out.”
The other major impact is the delay in getting food, so it’s coming to FareShare with shorter dates for use, meaning the army of volunteers working in the warehouse and across the fleet of four diesel vans, one electric van and an Ecargo bike have to turn it around very quickly.
“We only supply good-to-eat food – legally and ethically that’s all we can do,” explains Rob. “With surplus food there could be damaged packaging, it could be a glut of fruit, a
cancelled supermarket order from a grower, damaged stock or mislabelling which can’t go on the shelves, but also it’s got a short date on it anyway, so we are good at moving shortdated stock.
“When we go into the new year I’m really concerned about food supply and increasingly I think we will face shortages as the economy tightens up and our current source of food dries up, so we are very keen to get donations, but really it ought to come from the food industry and the government making it easy for the food industry”
“It comes to us and often the use-by date is a couple of days later, so we’ve got to get it out quickly to make sure it’s used and able to be eaten. But with the HGV crisis more food is coming in with a very short date on it because the logistics supplier can’t get a driver or can’t get a lorry, so instead of four days we’re left with two.
“Also, some of it is past its sell-by date, so that goes to waste. If it comes in too late we will turn it away at the door. But sometimes stuff comes in, it might be a pallet of certain fruit and at first it looks OK, but then when we analyse it we find it’s not actually any good and that goes to anaerobic digestion in Newhaven.
“The overall impact is we are getting less food. Over the last three to four months we have seen a reduction in the level of the food we would anticipate.”
And the government is lacking when it comes to tackling food poverty and food waste, says Rob.
“The government definitely isn’t doing enough. FareShare UK has been campaigning to make
it more efficient and economically viable for growers to divert surplus food to charities in general rather than send it off to anaerobic digestion or other waste. Food is primarily grown for human consumption, and there’s masses of fit-for-human-consumption food that is going to waste.”
In an effort to help counter the government’s lack of input, FareShare UK nationally is attempting to create an internal supply network so it is not so dependent on external logistics companies and can improve its resilience.
But with Christmas looming, FareShare Sussex is asking people to donate directly through baskets in supermarkets, and has already taken part in the Tesco Food Drive in November. It is also participating in the Big Give’s Christmas Challenge, which runs until 12pm on December 7. Every donation received by the Christmas Challenge campaign page will be doubled until FareShare Sussex reaches its target of £10,000 thanks to match-funding promised by pledgers (look right).
“Inevitably [the current situation] will impact the number of donations,” says Rob. “We are all facing and hearing about the prospect of rising inflation, the energy supply crisis, rising bills, people coming off furlough and so on, so I’m sure there will be an impact from that. But likewise, people are perhaps more sensitive to it, so those who are able to give I think will do more to give and we are grateful for anything anyone can donate.”
At Christmas some of the organisations that FareShare provides food to shut down or take a holiday, so demand flattens out a little, and Rob is hopeful that the recent Tesco drive and one that happened in the summer will help ensure there is enough food to cover the festive season.
“It will be better I hope than the last few months have been, but I’m more concerned about February onwards when those campaigns will have finished. In the very short term we should be OK – I’ll describe us as bumping along the bottom of food supply and just about managing. But certainly when we go into the new year I’m really concerned about food supply and increasingly I think we will face shortages as the economy tightens up and our current source of food dries up, so we are very keen to get donations, but really it ought to come from the food industry and the government making it easy for the food industry.”
He also highlights that, despite lobbying, there was no sign in the Autumn Budget that the government was going to again provide funding towards that.
D For more info visit: www.faresharesussex.org.uk
Big Give Christmas Challenge 2021
) FareShare Sussex is taking part in Christmas Challenge 2021 to raise £10,000 in one week. These funds will be used to provide 40,000 meals for people in need.
The organisation says: “It will make a real difference at this time of year when so many people can’t afford to eat. It will also prevent 12 tonnes of food from going to waste, saving the environment from carbon emissions.”
Donations to FareShare Sussex will be matched by their pledgers and Big Give champion, the Lake House Charitable Foundation, during the campaign.
said: “This year we’re looking to raise a total of £10,000. In order to access the £10,000 we have in the matching pot, we need to raise £5,000 in online donations.
“We hope everyone will give generously this Christmas to help us reach our target and enable us to fight food poverty and tackle food waste.“
To get involved:
) Visit www.theBigGive.org.uk and make a donation. The campaign will close at 12pm on Tuesday, December 7.
Anna Montanari, fundraising & communications manager at FareShare Sussex,
ANNA MONTANARI
CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL CRACKERS
If you were one of the many people who discovered home mixology during the interminable pandemic-induced lockdowns, Christmas is going to be the time to really show off your new skills with the shaker. No excuse is needed to camp up the festive cheer and our lovely friends at LGBTQ-run Brighton Gin have whipped up three Christmas crackers of cocktails to elevate you from bartender to startender.
The French 75 is a true classic in the catalogue of cocktails, famously ordered in the movie Casablanca by Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rick. Brighton Gin’s Charly Thieme puts a wintery local twist on the recipe with Sussex sparkling wine and the addition of rosemary garnish.
When the office parties have taken their toll, it’s time to reach for the lauded hangover cure, a Bloody Mary – or, in this case, a Brighton Snapper, which replaces sugar syrup with fresh orange juice to create a zesty booster that’ll blow away the cobwebs quicker than a blast of icy Downland wind. And for when the chocolate oranges just won’t cut it, reach for a liquid alcoholic version that’s the ultimate indulgence for the big day after-turkey dinner treat.
So break out the Lalique crystal glassware and cocktail umbrellas and shake up your Christmas drinks repertoire with these three stunning libations
Shake first four ingredients over ice in a Boston shaker (or former jam/honey jar), strain into a flute, carefully top up with sparkling wine and garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig.
For an even more festive version, use sparkling rosé, which will create a beautiful peachy hue. Homemade sugar syrup: simply dissolve 300g caster sugar in 150ml water over a low heat. Store in the fridge for future use.
The Brighton Snapper
• 50ml Brighton Gin Seaside Strength
• 50ml Manzanilla (or another very dry) sherry
• 25ml fresh lemon juice
• 25ml fresh orange juice
• 200ml top quality tomato juice
• ½ teaspoon of celery salt
• Worcestershire Sauce and Tabasco to taste
Shake over ice in a Boston shaker, strain and serve in a tall glass with a sprig of parsley and stick of celery.
Brighton Gin Vegan Chocolate Orange Liqueur
• 100ml Brighton Gin Pavilion Strength
• 1 bar vegan m*lk chocolate
• 70ml triple sec
• 4 dashes orange bitters
• Sterilised bottle
• Optional: vegan whipped cream or candied orange peel
Melt the chocolate in a bain marie/water bath/ the microwave and let it cool down for about 15 minutes. Add the gin, triple sec and orange bitters (they make all the difference!) and pour the mix into a sterilised bottle. Shake vigorously! Cool in the fridge for about an hour, after which you can serve the liqueur in a nice small-ish glass (such as a Nick & Nora), top with vegan whipped cream (yum!) and some cinnamon powder or a bit of candied orange –enjoy!
D For more info on Brighton Gin, visit: www.brightongin.com
#BACKOFFBACKUP THE NEW CAMPAIGN KEEPING BRIGHTON & HOVE SAFE
Rachel Badham talks to campaign founder Luciana Cousin about a new initiative
) Launched in October by LGBTQ+ community organisation Across Rainbows, the new #BackOffBackUp campaign is an initiative to make Brighton & Hove safer for everybody. By working with local businesses, the campaign strives to make more Brighton venues a safe space for LGBTQ+ people, so anybody who feels threatened in some way can seek help from any of the #BackOffBackUp partners, identifiable by a sticker in the window. So far, more than 30 local businesses have signed up, ranging from shops and cafes to clubs and pubs.
The initiative was created in response to rising levels of hate crime across the UK, with Office for National Statistics figures finding that hate-related incidents have doubled in the past five years. Harassment and violence linked to sexual orientation have increased by 25%, while anti-trans hate crimes have risen by over a third. Furthermore, as many as 97% of women say they have been harassed in public at some point in their lives, while racism remains the most frequently reported hate crime.
On a mission to stamp out hate crime in Brighton & Hove, Across Rainbows is working to build a community where hate is never tolerated, and anyone who feels unsafe knows that they can receive support at a participating #BackOffBackUp venue. Speaking to Scene, Across Rainbows co-founder Luciana Cousin explained that she created the organisation in 2019 with her son, Nick, with the aim to
champion LGBTQ+ people and redefine queer identity as something to be celebrated.
The group then began holding workshops to help LGBTQ+ people discover what Luciana refers to as the “Queerability Blueprint: a unique framework based on the principles of courage, kindness and resilience, to help you get what you want in love, sex and life.” It was during these discussion groups that three attendees shared their recent experiences of anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime, including street harassment and physical violence. After hearing their stories, Across Rainbows decided to launch the #BackOffBackUp campaign.
As reports of hate crimes rise, many begin “taking extra precautions”, to the point where some decide not to go out anymore. #BackOffBackUp aims to combat this issue so that all LGBTQ+ people can continue enjoying life as normal. Luciana said: “As Across Rainbows is about both the emotional and physical wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community, we wanted to do something that would help make Brighton & Hove a safer city,” and decided that creating physical safe spaces would help locals to “escape a scary or unwanted situation at any time”.
The Lion & Lobster pub is one of the many
local businesses that have signed up to the scheme, with assistant manager Lucy Morris saying: “I think this campaign is amazing – it’s exactly what I was looking for when I wanted to ‘do’ something to signify that our venue would be a safe and welcoming place for all.” The newly-opened Ledward Centre is also a #BackOffBackUp venue, with director Duncan Lustig-Prean describing the initiative as a “much-needed” step towards making Brighton safer.
Any businesses looking to get involved can sign up at www.acrossrainbows.com/ backoffbackup, and will be provided with a window sticker to flag their premises as a #BackOffBackUp safe spot, flyers, digital information and a staff training pack. Luciana added that, as part of the campaign, Across Rainbows is “raising funds to provide street support around Brighton & Hove on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights” via www.justgiving. com/crowdfunding/backoffbackupbrighton.
For anyone in need, the “friendly Rainbow Back Up team will be on-hand with radios to call for assistance if it’s needed” as organisers “want everyone to feel free to let their hair down on nights out, knowing that help is always there if they need it.”
Luciana’s advice for anyone supporting someone who feels unsafe is:
1. Call a trusted friend or family member to pick them up
2. Call a taxi to get home safely
3. Charge their phone so that they can contact help if needed
4. Call the emergency services
By creating greater awareness around the importance of safety and visible safe spaces, the #BackOffBackUp campaign is taking a muchneeded step towards making our city a more inclusive place for all people.
Luciana added: “For too long, many in the LGBTQ+ community have been subtly coerced into adopting and expressing an identity they’ve been told is socially acceptable. This forced identity has led to a crisis of collective and individual low sense of self. Across Rainbows is here to change that.”
D For more info: www.acrossrainbows.com
MORE TO ME THAN HIV
By Glenn Stevens. Photography by Angus Stewart
From a simple idea to tackle HIV stigma through a photo exhibition, two years of planning and hard work, The More to Me Than HIV project is now on display at Jubilee Library and will be on show until Sunday, December 12.
Once again, I would like to say a big thank you to the team who have helped shape this project and a huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the online part of the project and to those who had their photos taken for the exhibition at Jubilee Library.
As I have said before, I was inspired to create this project when I heard Sue Hunter speak about the groundbreaking work she does with Positive Voices, by engaging with the public who do not have the topic of HIV on their own radar. From that point, I knew I wanted to create a project that would tackle HIV+ stigma.
“To use a phrase used throughout the promotion of this project, we are no longer patients, we are people living with HIV and those on effective antiretroviral treatment can live happy, fulfilling lives”
The main hurdle we have all had to tackle is the tired views regarding what it means to be a person living with HIV and to replace the images of the tombstones and icebergs from the Conservative government’s terrifying campaigns in the ’80s with something much more positive.
TV programmes like It’s A Sin and Pose put the topic of HIV/AIDS firmly back on the on the map, which helped remind people of what it was like to be a person living with HIV in the 1980s/90s, and it would be brilliant if both shows brought everything up to date and show what it means to be a person living with HIV in 2021.
And this is what the More to Me Than HIV project hopes to do with the photo exhibition, by showing the wide variety of interests people have, beyond the fact they are living with an HIV+ diagnosis.
To use a phrase used throughout the promotion of this project, we are no longer patients, we are people living with HIV and those on effective antiretroviral treatment can live happy, fulfilling lives.
By changing the narrative this way through a public photo exhibition we can start a conversation, correct misinformation and help break down HIV+ stigma. And by breaking down HIV+ stigma, we can encourage others to take control of their sexual health by regularly taking an HIV test and seeking treatment should the test come back positive. Thanks to the Martin Fisher Foundation, you can now pick up a free STI/HIV test kit from Jubilee Library.
If you haven’t been to see the exhibition yet, then please visit Jubilee Library, Jubilee St, Brighton BN1 1GE.
On World AIDS Day, December 1, members from the project will be on hand throughout the day at the library to talk about the project between 10am-4pm. The portraits will also be on show throughout the city libraries via each branch’s digital screens. Additionally, promoted by the fact that one of our participants is blind, we have QR codes for the visually impaired; describing each portrait and giving further information by the individual.
D For more info, visit: www.moretomethanhiv.life
WE GOT THE POWER
Chris Morgan, World Champion powerlifter & co-president of the LGBT Powerlifting Union, gets us up to date with the latest news on this strength sport
) Describe powerlifting in a few words.
There are three strength disciplines in the sport – squat, bench press and deadlift – and various sub-disciplines such as full powerlifting, which is the total of all three lifts combined. There are also single lifts, which is where the competition is for the separate disciplines.
Powerlifting is a strength sport, with a strong sense of community, where lifters and officials support each other and their efforts. It is truly a sport for people of all shapes, sizes and ages as there are weight classes and age groups for all lifters.
When did you set up LGBT Powerlifting and what inspired it?
LGBT IPC was set up in 2017 and was a direct response to powerlifting being omitted from the list of sports for Gay Games in 2018. I just wanted to give something back to the LGBTQ+ sports community and provide the very best sports event I could for people to look forward to each year.
What is the LGBT IPC weekend?
LGBT IPC is a weekend where strength athletes from all over the world come together to compete and socialise. We deliver an event that is the equivalent of any world championships as a production, but the key difference is that anyone can compete – there are no qualifying standards. We welcome everyone, regardless of their sexuality, gender, age, ability, health status or religious beliefs.
What are your main aims for LGBT IPC? Our aim is to encourage participation in the sport and provide an inclusive safe space for LGBTQ+ athletes to develop. We have a large intake of novice and first-time lifters each year,
which means we have grown significantly since we started. We also welcome straight athletes –all are welcome at LGBT IPC.
How many competitors are you expecting for the 2022 Championships?
We are expecting a full roster of 80 athletes in Manchester 2022, as we have a roll-over registration from the previous year due to Covid and we are also adding new capacity. Registration is now open for this next edition of LGBT IPC.
How is LGBT IPC different from other powerlifting competitions?
We are a non-sanctioned competitive event
and have made some minor adaptations to the mainstream rules so people with health conditions are able to compete with us without worries or issues around their medications or hormone treatments. We also have genderneutral weight classes that apply to everyone.
Why did you introduce the optional MX category within LGBT IPC?
MX category was introduced as a way of reaching out to trans, non-binary and intersex athletes, welcoming them to compete at LGBT IPC in their chosen gender. They are able to choose whether they compete as male, female or MX from the day they make their decision.
Why did you feel it so important to introduce the category?
We were the first sports event in the world to introduce the optional MX category in 2017. At the time this was controversial, but members of our group asked us for this because they wanted to lift in a category that aligned with their
CHRIS
MORGAN
gender identities. It was important to listen to our lifters and we wanted them to feel as welcome as possible.
What has the uptake on the MX category been like?
At the time we introduced it we commented that maybe in four years we could have a third male, female and MX lifters. As we approach Manchester 2022, and what will be our fourth edition, we are going to achieve 25% participation from trans and MX powerlifters, which is incredible – we are very proud of our trans and MX powerlifters.
How will you attract more people to the sport?
We attract a significant number of new lifters each year, as we offer a separate novice category where people can start their careers. We support them through our workshops and offer the best possible coaching and facilities. Our novice category is one of the biggest successes of LGBT IPC.
What are the various routes to platform?
We offer a ‘route to platform’ that is ‘all equal’. When athletes walk into our workshops they have the same opportunity as anyone else to make the LGBT IPC platform, then go on to national qualifiers, national championships and right through to competing at the World Championships. In 2019, an LGBT IPC athlete took a gold medal at the World Championships for the first time.
When can we expect to see powerlifting return to the Gay Games?
Powerlifting is due to return to the Gay Games in Hong Kong 2023 for the first time since
2014. We are very grateful to the Federation of Gay Games and Hong Kong 2023 for their support of the sport of powerlifting and I look forward to working with them to deliver this event as their technical director.
Any future events for LGBTQ+ powerlifters?
We have a taster event in Manchester on Saturday, December 11 called Pride Powerlifting. That is an LGBTQ+ bench press seminar and LGBT Bench Press Championships We then have workshops for the new intake Class of 2022 in March 2022
The dates for the next edition of LGBT IPC 2022 are July 29-31 and it will be taking place at Trinity Sports Centre, which is only five minutes from the Gay Village in Manchester.
And finally, do you have any personal goals and ambitions left in the sport?
Absolutely. There are a few British and world records that are on my mind at the moment and I plan to return to the platform in early 2022 and once again compete for Great Britain at the European and World Championships.
Useful links
D For more info about LGBT Powerlifting, visit www.lgbtpowerlifting.org
D For more info about Chris’s career, visit: www.chunkymuscle.com
D For more about the Gay Games, visit: www.gaygames.org or for Hong King 2023: www.gaygameshk2022.com
f The LGBT IPC Facebook Group can be found by visiting: www.facebook.com/ groups/203653086703441
About Chris Morgan
Chris Morgan started his powerlifting career at the Gay Games 1998 in Amsterdam and he has won a total of six Gay Games gold medals. He’s one of the global ambassadors for the Federation of Gay Games and the Gay Games happening in Hong Kong in 2023.
His career so far has spanned a total of 23 years and there has been a natural progression from qualifying for his first British Championships in 2004, right through to winning a total of 10 World Championship titles to the present day.
Chris’s career record on the platform totals 10 World Championship gold medals, five European Championships gold medals and 18 British Championships titles. He has won six British Championships Best Lifter titles and in 2013 he won the overall Best Lifer title at the European Championships.
He’s also an active referee in the sport and qualified as an international referee in 2009. He is part of the officials team that helps to deliver the World Championships each year. In his latest role, he is the Meet Director of the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships (LGBT IPC).
CHARITY SHOP
SUE –A GUIDE TO XMAS
Charity Shop Sue is a legend, she’s an icon and she has mixed feelings about Christmas. We spoke to Sue to find out what she has planned for the festive season. While we spill some tea, you better get back on that till, laydeh
) Hi Sue. Will you be getting into the festive spirit at Sec*hand Chances?
I always like the volunteers to dress the shop up, it keeps them motivated when they help curate their own space. I doubt I’ll get to enjoy it like most people cos I’ll be making sure the takings are going up to help those that need it. Charity is a selfless act.
Can Christmas get a bit tense with the family? We all saw the arguments you had
I doubt I’ll get to enjoy [Christmas] like most people ’cause I’ll be making sure the takings are going up to help those that need it. Charity is a selfless act” SUE AND DEAD SWEET TV
who’s dreading Christmas?
It depends what they’re dreading about it. In general I’d say find your happiness and safe space. Don’t go spending the time with people who don’t appreciate you. Belinda is a b***h to me sometimes, but I know she appreciates me. And I first realised this when she came to my fashion show in the shop, she appreciated my vision and showed up to support it.
Do you enjoy being a gay icon?
It’s like receiving an MBE that actually means something. Biggest honour ever and I take it very seriously.
Who would you say does the best impression of you?
There are a fair few drag queens that I’ve seen that have really got my essence. Of course Krystal Versace did a great me on Snatch Game, the attention to detail was magic, very underrated actually. Also a lovely Irish queen called Liam X Bee has tuned into my frequency and embodied me. So many others too, I’ll compile a list next time.
You should have your own Netflix series. Just saying.
Well I agree with you darlin, I’d even title it ‘Sue’s Game’ cos it’d be their most watched thing of all times. I have so much more to show about myself and the shop.
Were you happy with the way you came across on the TV documentary?
No, not really. For a long time I felt stitched up and belittled. A lot of the best bits were left out. I put trust in the three @ DeadSweetTV boys who filmed it and they edited the reality they wanted to see. Now I have come around to it after a lot of thinking. It seems my no-nonsense managing style has impressed a lot of people and the public seem to mostly love it. So maybe them boys knew what they were doing all along.
i Follow Charity Shop Sue on Instagram: www.instagram.com/charityshopsue
with your sister.
Not gonna lie, I’d prefer to be in my own space and just pop to Belinda’s to see her for half an hour. However, circumstances have dictated that I live with her for the foreseeable future so that means fireworks most days. But I’ll say this, it’s nice to have company to have tea and watch TV at night with. I got so used to being alone I forgot I was lonely.
What advice would you give to someone
SPOTLIGHT...
Brian Butler catches up with queer stage performer Layton Williams, star of Billy Elliot and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
) West End star Layton Williams started young, with the encouragement of his parents, taking dance and singing lessons. ”I really enjoyed being the centre of attention and being fabulous – I always went the extra mile at Halloween“.
His first stage role came at primary school playing Capt Hook in Peter Pan, but in our conversation we leap forward to his big break. “My mum saw an advert – a call-out for auditions for the musical Billy Elliot. So we had the day out in Manchester for it. I can’t quite believe it. I had no CV, but went through round after round and I was still there. I improvised and fluked my way through it. No one looked like me but then I saw an Asian boy who has become one of my closest friends.”
That boy was Matthew Koon, who became the first non-white Billy. But Layton was also singled out and spent a year learning the part. I asked if he was conscious he was breaking new ground as the first mixed-race actor to play the part. “Not really, I was just getting on with it, in a Billy bubble. I had a quiet confidence – I knew I deserved it.”
So aged 12, he played Billy in the West End, and later starred as the young Michael Jackson in Thriller – Live, on TV in Beautiful People and Bad Education, and on stage in Rent, Hairspray, Kiss Me Kate and Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man. He began playing Jamie in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in the West End in 2019 when the pandemic struck, but has now resumed the role in its UK tour.
Asked if he was worried about being typecast in gender fluid or gay roles, he said: “I’m having the best time. I’ve done male romantic leads but I love being queer and telling queer stories, so why the fuck would I care? It’s an honour. I want to do credible work across all genres, as
long as I’m pushing myself “.
Asked the vexed question of whether queer characters should be played by queer actors, he’s clear: “Queer people will be better at queer parts. There are less opportunities for queer actors – it’s closer to my personal experiences of being queer. You can’t fake it”.
The current UK tour of Jamie brings him to Brighton this month. “I was a bit worried about
doing it again after so long – I asked if I could enjoy it? I’m having the best time. We’re playing to 1,800 people a night who are out of their seats. Every time I step on stage it’s a new show. It’s hard to get bored.” And he’s now the longest running Jamie; “I’m way less frantic this time. I believe in myself and enjoy the show.
”I love, love, love Brighton. I only go in the summer but I’ll embrace the weather with my mittens and hat. I have many memories – I took my boyfriend there for his birthday this year.”
Asked how lockdown had been for him, Layton said: ”For me, not as bad as it could’ve been. I worked online and we lived in a countryside cottage. I just relaxed and watched crap TV. It was difficult to go back to eight shows a week: the stamina you need for that and touring is gruelling, but I’ve found my groove.”
And when the UK tour ends, Layton will be going with the show to Los Angeles. “I feel great about that – if I hadn’t come back to Jamie I wouldn’t be going. I went to LA for a month on vacation, but I can’t believe Jamie is going there. As the song says: I see my future standing tall. It’s going to be LA LA Layton!”
Asked to give advice to that 12-year-old Layton, he tells me: ”Relax a little bit. You don’t always have to be on 100. Just be a kid a little bit more – I missed a lot by performing early. The sooner you can be happy and who you are, the better. Use your life, live the truth”.
) Layton stars in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, alongside Bianca Del Rio at Brighton’s Theatre Royal from December 7 to January 2
D For tickets, visit: www.atgtickets.com
QUEER PHOTOGRAPHY:
A NON-DEFINITIVE SURVEY
To celebrate the opening of the Ledward Centre, Brighton’s LGBTQ+ new safe space, the Socially Engaged Art Salon (SEAS) is staging a large group exhibition of lens-based artists and photographers with works centred on social and political themes and photography projects created through participatory and collaborative practices
) The works include an examination of queer identities, documentation of pride and other LGBTQ+ events, exploration of “queer spaces”, participatory work with marginalised communities, narrative-based projects and works that defy definitions.
Supported by Art Council England and Sussex Communities Trust, and curated by Gil Mualem-Doron, the exhibition will include works submitted in open calls and a selection of some of the works exhibited in SEAS’s online exhibitions in the past two years. The exhibition will include established and early-career photographers as well as historical work from archives in the US and Europe. All the works will be shown on digital screens and at night will be projected onto the Ledward Centre’s window.
Contributing artists: Rubin Hammond, Anthony Luvera, Reme Campos, Constanza Miranda, Aubane Berthommé Martinez, Jon Eland, Eva Marschan-Hayes, Gil Mualem-Doron, Chris Jepson, Deshe M Gully, Stiofan O’Ceallaigh, Sharon Kilgannon, Arit Emmanuela Etukudo, Tee Chandler, Noor de Noir, Nelson Morales, Ben Sharp, Carl Collison, Fantod, KV Duong, Francesca Alaimo, Keith Race, Sarah Connell, Jenny Nash, Josh Breach, Silvia Marcantoni Taddei, Daniel Gentelev, Simon Olmetti, Simon Pepper, Ophelia Alldaye, JC
Candanedo, Fern Cooke, Hussina Raja, Felicity Blades, Emilie Christine P Newman, Charlie Wood and Cay (K.)
Archive projects: Leonard Fink, The Piers; Cathy Cade; Berg & Hoeg
The exhibition was launched as part of the Brighton Digital Festival and will continue until January 15, 2022.
) QUEER PHOTOGRAPHY: A NON-DEFINITIVE SURVEY at the Ledward Centre, Jubilee Street, Brighton, BN1 1GE.
D More info: www.seasbrighton.org/queerphotography
SPEAKING WITH TORI
Legendary singer-songwriter Tori Amos talks to Alex Klineberg about her new album, Ocean to Ocean, written in lockdown, life in Cornwall and her LGBTQ+ fans
) Ocean to Ocean is Tori Amos’ 16th album and it’s one of her best. Written during lockdown in Cornwall, Amos reflects on isolation, chaos in America, the death of her mother and lost loves. The subject matter may be heavy but the album sounds life affirming. Amos is not wallowing in negativity: she’s fighting her way out of it.
Needless to say, she’s one of the most talented singer-songwriters to emerge in the last three decades.
This album seems very personal, even by your standards. “We might scare people away by saying that! A lot of the time I travel when I write. Usually there are a lot of influences to draw from, but I was in exile as an American in Cornwall. It’s a wonderful place to be. Still, I couldn’t travel. I had to work with what I had. Lockdown has made us all take stock and think about where we are in our lives, and
find out how we put ourselves into a good frequency.”
Swim to New York State is one of the standout tracks on the album. Is it about escaping lockdown? “It can be about whatever you want it to be. I wrote it as a love story. It’s about a guy who left Cornwall and went to New York because his heart was broken. The female character I’m singing was busy with her life, having success, working on her career. Finally, she was able to value what he gave her when they were together. But then she faces the question: is it too late?”
You have a particularly strong connection with your LGBTQ+ fans. You once said your music is too raw for straight men. “Of course. It’s another kind of subtext that’s going on all the time. I think talking about emotions is welcomed in the LGBTQ+ community. People don’t start looking the other way and trying
to turn the sports channel on. Usually, deep discussions don’t happen at the pub while the footy is on. All kinds of chat is happening but it’s not like ‘let’s really talk about the dark night of the soul.’ Whereas I find people in the LGBTQ+ community are happy to share their experiences; what they’ve learnt, and what’s shaped them.”
You play a new cover version every night on some of your tours. How long does it take you to pick and rehearse those songs? “Sometimes I’ve worked them up on the side and already spent some time with them. But sometimes someone gives me an idea and I work it up at soundcheck – we then do it live that night for the first time. We do it every day – no one can miss a soundcheck. I think it’s so important. A lot of stuff gets worked in soundcheck.”
You’ve released deluxe versions of your early
albums. Will there be a deluxe version of From The Choir Girl Hotel? “Complex answer – it’s more a technical conundrum. It might happen but it won’t happen in the next year.”
Is there a central message on the album you’d like people to pick up on? “I believe the songs are going to take you where you need to go. I don’t want to tell you how to interpret them. I gave you the backstory on Swim to New York State but it might take you to a different place.
“These songs operate as a sonic potion – I got my cauldron out, you see. I’ve got to get out all of the negative energy about the madness in America – from Trump to the storming of The Capitol. The muck is not where I want to be: I had to write myself out of it. I put the most amazing elixir in the cauldron – you can stand in the songs yourself and go wherever you need to go.”
Which new song are you most excited to play live? “I want to play them all!”
You recorded a Christmas album called Midwinter Graces, not to mention seasonal songs like Winter. Do you enjoy Christmas? “I
love Christmas. I like the spirit of it. I like walking around and seeing people smile. It’s heartwarming seeing people smile. I think we could all use a bit of that right now. It’s been intense. There’s been a heaviness. So that’s what I’m looking forward to – seeing the sparkle in people’s eyes.”
You’ve been very prolific since Little Earthquakes came out in 1992. “It comes in cycles, sort of like the seasons do. There are times when I’m researching and taking in –output is low but the input is high.
I’m observing and making notes. That’s how you learn about things. Reading a lot and travelling are very important too. Those experiences become part of your ingredients.” They all find their way into Tori’s cauldron.
Your writing is confessional but there’s also a very strong poetic, even mythic quality. “I guess I grew into that. I realised that mythology was so important as a source. Hugely important; and it’s archetypal. You’re tapping into something that can resonate with people. We all have archetypes –someone might be more of an Athena person than an Aphrodite person. You see that in the
choices they make. Sometimes you see a mix of archetypes in a person – you see a splash of Athena and Aphrodite; or different mythic archetypes. I worked with the Greek pantheon on American Doll Posse.”
“These songs operate as a sonic potion – I got my cauldron out, you see. I’ve got to get out all of the negative energy about the madness in America – from Trump to the storming of The Capitol. The muck is not where I want to be: I had to write myself out of it.”
Do you need a central theme or concept to make an album? “I don’t need a concept but sometimes I need a frame. That way you understand what stories you are telling. What drives these stories, what underscores it? Each album usually has a different goal.”
) Ocean to Ocean is out now. Tori will be touring the UK in March 2022
D www.toriamos.com
“These songs operate as a sonic potion – I got my cauldron out, you see. I’ve got to get out all of the negative energy about the madness in America – from Trump to the storming of The Capitol. The muck is not where I want to be: I had to write myself out of it.”
PIECES OF A MODERN ICON
We talk to Jennifer Otter Bickerdike about all things Britney, from Blackout to Work Bitch, to her ongoing battle for freedom
) Britney Spears was placed under an involuntary conservatorship in 2008 after a public breakdown. She lost control over her finances and even her own body. She was unable to drive, seek legal counsel or tend to her own medical needs. After 13 years, she gave explosive testimony in court, declaring “I want my life back”. She accused her father of conservatorship abuse, and claimed anyone involved in the conservatorship should be in jail. Spears had continued to perform and make millions every year while under the conservatorship.
Meanwhile, the Free Britney movement took fandom to another level, creating a global campaign to secure Britney her freedom.
Jennifer Otter Bickerdike is a rock & roll historian and author. Her latest book takes a serious and sympathetic look at Britney’s life and career. Jennifer argues that it’s time to give Britney the credit she deserves for her triumphs as an artist and an entrepreneur.
“Britney cannot be defined by her conservatorship and mental health issues. Those are small parts of the larger story of Britney, and those are the things the media tends to focus on. They don’t focus on her music or her as a businesswoman. They don’t focus on her as a survivor and a bad ass. That’s why it was important for me to write this book.”
Your last book was a biography of Nico. Some would see her as the counter opposite of Britney, but are there similarities? “They’re so similar it’s frightening. The way that the media have tried to tell their stories, pigeonhole
them and rip them down. Even though one is a cult icon and the other is one of the biggest pop stars ever.”
She was simultaneously attacked for being too sexual, and also for being too prim. “Why is it that it’s Britney that people take it out on? She’s a pop star, not a religious figure or a mentor. It’s important to contextualise the time Britney was brought into the music industry. It was the era of Bill Clinton and the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
“Sex eduction in schools taught that heterosexuality was the normative way, and best practice in heterosexual relationships was abstinence before marriage. The AIDS crisis reached its crescendo in 1998. Here comes Britney with her Southern Baptist background,
seemingly safe and clean. She’s not going to tempt your kids to the dark side like Madonna She’s not cooing about being ‘like a virgin’, she’s proudly saying she is a virgin. You get this whole sexual panic.
“As a teenager you want to push your boundaries by being sexy and cute. So Britney brought that rebellion for girls watching, but also a degree of safety for parents.”
Did Britney have much control over her music when she started? A lot of people accused her of being a pop puppet. “She was a minor when she started. How much control does any minor have over what they’re doing? Besides, how much does any pop star? I don’t think any of us can know how much control she had. One thing Britney infuses into everything she does
is Britney. You never hear about her being a diva. She’s very congenial, always very polite. That’s authentically who she is.”
She also became notorious for miming. Some have argued she was encouraged to sing in an unnatural style. Can she sing? “One of the most important videos I watched doing this research is Britney doing a cover of You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette.” It’s a rare video of her singing fully live on the Circus Tour. “I still get goosebumps talking about it. Alanis is all about girl power. Britney gets up there and her hair isn’t perfect, you can see the extensions. It’s just her singing, there are no dancers for the opening part. She just belts it out and it’s one of the most moving performances I’ve ever seen. The anger, the vitriol, the hurt - you’re watching it and you’re like ‘Yes, girl!’ This is happening at the beginning of the conservatorship fiasco. It’s a breathtaking performance. That’s her singing voice right there.”
“They threatened her by denying her access to her kids. I think that’s the only reason she stayed in the conservatorship for so long. She put her children above herself for 13 years. It’s like a real life Handmaid’s Tale...”
Do you think Blackout is her best album? “Absolutely. There is no other Britney, she’s an amazing creator. I can talk about Blackout until the cows come home. Here’s a woman at her lowest mental point. She pulls together this pastiche of crazy producers and writers. She makes this alien, crazy sounding album. It’s a punk rock record to the fullest extent. It’s two fingers up. And Piece Of Me - it’s like she’s saying Piece Of Meat. For her to sing those words at that time is incredible. It’s genius.
“One thing I talk about in the book is Britney’s perfume empire. A bottle of Britney’s perfume is sold every 15 seconds. Even Trump, Madonna
and Lady Gaga have sold cologne. Britney reigns supreme over them all though. We should all aspire to be as strong, as successful and as smart as Britney. That’s my take away from writing the book.”
She was placed under conservatorship in 2008 as a 26-year-old multi-millionaire performer. Conservatorships are designed for people with degenerative illnesses like dementia. How irregular was that legal process? “Completely irregular. Britney had two kids back to back, she’s going through a divorce and this insane media scrutiny. She’s experiencing horrendous postpartum depression.
“People immediately think she must be crazy and unable to deal with anything. She’s put into a 51/50 (involuntary hold) not once but twice. It’s absolutely disgusting. They threatened her by denying her access to her kids. I think that’s the only reason she stayed in the conservatorship for so long. She put her children above herself for 13 years. It’s like a real life Handmaid’s Tale but it’s Britney Spears, one of the most famous people in the world. She’s being treated like a slave.”
Curious to think about Motley Crue and Ozzy Osbourne being applauded for acting crazy: biting heads of bats, snorting ants and trashing hotel rooms. And yet Britney has a mental breakdown and loses her freedom.
She continued to perform. References to her bizarre legal arrangement were few and far between. And then came Britney’s Gram, a podcast dedicated to analysing her Instagram. “They receive an anonymous call on their voicemail. They were tipped off that things were not as they should be.” The caller said Britney was being held against her will in a mental health facility. “That was the beginning of the Free Britney movement, although Jordan Miller had coined the phrase in I think 2009.”
“Fandom can really influence people’s lives.
Britney had been silenced, one of the most famous people in the world. Totally neutered; her voice taken away from her. And yet she’s performing on stage as if she has power and putting out more perfume. She isn’t living freely though. I think that struck a nerve with a lot of people, and it’s why the Free Britney thing got so much traction.
“I like to take icons like Nico or Britney and put them in their rightful place. I realised there wasn’t a thoughtful, scholarly book on Britney. I wanted to do it for her and Britney fans. I wanted her to be taken seriously. It was a feminist protest writing the book in many ways.”
) Being Britney: Pieces of a Modern Icon is out now.
HERE & QUEER
Brian Butler catches up with actor/writer/director and producer Alexis Gregory, whose work is challenging, often dark, comic and relevant
) The immediate feeling you get when you meet Alexis Gregory is how driven he is. He’s 100% passionate about the work he is doing. He’s lively, quick-witted, and totally committed to his vision of theatre, which is a full-on, challenging, often dark, comic, relevant world of storytelling.
At 11 Alexis was taking acting classes, and by 15 he had found an agent, while appearing with the Children’s Film Unit, and doing TV commercials.
One of his first great influences was allround theatre guy Rikki Beadle-Blair, whose company, Team Angelica, Alexis joined. This crossed over with his “coming out“. He tells me: “Coming out wasn’t one dramatic thing that happened. It was a slow, ongoing process.”
On the vexed question of whether all queer characters should be played by queer actors, Alexis says: “It’s not a black and white issue. Certain things I watch I wish a gay guy was playing the role rather than a straight actor.” But his acting CV is an outstanding list of queer characters, and he’s of the generation of Denholm Spurr, Kane Surry, Taofique Folarin and Matthew Hodgson, who have all been clear about their desire to depict queer characters and be active in promoting quality.
Rikki also encouraged the young Alexis to write. In 2012, his first play, Slap, was performed. It was staged at Stratford East and for Channel 4. He has a very clear idea that any plot should challenge, have a strong story and have a big humorous element.
”I produce my work and it’s very timeconsuming, which gives me less time for writing.” However, he told me he’s working on four new plays at the moment, and he finds rehearsed readings help him to rewrite and develop his work. He also uses a dramaturg to go through his plays, suggesting things that don’t work or are missing. His play Sex/ Crime he admits to writing quickly: “I hardly remember writing it,” he says. But he’s also clear that it’s vital not to absorb too much opinion from elsewhere.
Going back to Sex/Crime - it’s the story of a fractured city where two men, A and B, meet to recreate the killings of a gay serial killer for their own pleasure and the right price. “I never intended to be in it, I hadn’t written it for myself, but Riot Act was written very much for myself,” he tells me.
Riot Act is a verbatim play, and Alexis spoke to one of the few survivors of the Stonewall Riots, actor Michael-Anthony Nozzi, who features in the first of the show’s three monologues. The other two are queer activist Paul Burston and radical drag queen Lavinia Co-op.
”The stories are connected and we follow the characters to the present day. I have re-cut their words – as long as they said it, I can use it, and I created a dramatic arc. Riot Act is a living thing – I could go back and revisit it. Each time I perform it I find new things.”
Alexis says he doesn’t usually direct himself: “I like a separate viewpoint.”
In the streaming phenomenon that is The
Grass Is Always Grindr, he plays a villain: “I loved being the baddie – the character brought out so many different attitudes – he was a queen with such a dark side. It was an amalgamation of several people I know. I was not surprised at its success. It’s got educational messages that are dropped in subtly so you don’t feel preached at.”
“It’s hard to get funding for creative work, getting an audience and getting it on stage – it’s all hard – a major journey of a couple of years, and meanwhile it’s important not to burn out.”
I should explain The Grass Is Always Grindr to the uninitiated: it’s a hugely successful online series about the life and times of two gay men, and the chemsex underbelly of London.
Alexis was lucky to work steadily in lockdown including being the producer AND director of his own online piece, Safe – a show based on interviews with homeless, at-risk, queer young people.
On being a creator, he says: “It’s hard to get funding for creative work, getting an audience and getting it on stage – it’s all hard – a major journey of a couple of years, and meanwhile it’s important not to burn out. I’m very driven. I just want everything to be fantastic. I don’t compromise on subject matter or the truth of the information. Everything I’ve done has been risky in some way.”
His advice if confronted by his 15-year-old self? “Don’t worry so much; it’ll work out. That thing you thought was so massive is so small. You’re not fighting the world or yourself.”
DIAMANDA GALÁS
Alex Klineberg gets up, close and personal with the American musician, singer-songwriter, visual artist and soprano, who confronts the most difficult topics, from extreme isolation to the AIDS epidemic, and gives voice to the most marginalised people in society
"I have only thought of the music at all times, and of myself."
PHOTO BY F STOP FITZGERALD
) Most singers would consider early retirement after seeing Diamanda Galás perform live. She has an operatic vocal range no combination of adjectives can describe. Her music is extreme.
That being said, she’s one of the funniest and most charming interviewees I’ve had the privilege to encounter. Just don’t mention Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift in her presence.
Diamanda has reissued her self-titled second album. The A-side features Panoptikon, inspired by Jack Henry Abbott’s book In the Belly of the Beast. The second half is dedicated to
(Song from the Blood of Those Murdered), inspired by the victims of the 1967-74 Greek military junta.
Do you see the two sides of your second album as companion pieces? “No but they were composed within the same few years. I was asked to record them by Metalanguage Records in Berkeley.
“That company took many risks on music very few would at the time, or today for that matter. Abbott’s piece was meant to show how a lifetime of institutionalisation only makes the heart harder and the kill instinct quicker.”
Abbott was a career criminal. Novelist Norman Mailer campaigned for Abbott’s release from prison. Abbott’s book came out not long after his release. He followed his brief literary career by killing a waiter in New York. He was duly sent back to prison.
As an expert in isolation, how was your experience of lockdown? “The theme of isolation is first-hand to me. It seems like a normative way of living; I cannot see why many artists felt so deprived being alone. Lockdown is one of the only times I felt my way of life was normal. Human to human interface isn’t easy for all.”
You regained control of your catalogue in 2019. Was that a difficult process? “It took many years and I worked with several people to get it back. A lot of my work has been lost.
“My recordings did freak out the distributors. I would show up in a country, perform, and ask how the record sales are going. I would hear things like ‘Oh, we haven’t ordered them.’ The guy would offer his hand to escort me out of the car and I’d tell him to get the fuck away from me. Record distributors that came to my concerts were not given gift tickets. They had to pay full price and sit at the back!
“For so many businessmen, they assume that the limitations of their taste are mirrored in the audience. This is not true. When you consider these pedestrian persons being the filter of audience taste, it’s quite incredible. These people in general are below average thinkers.”
“In the least sense of the word, catharsis is just doing your laundry in public, and the public couldn’t give a fuck because each of us has to wash our own god damn underwear at the end of the day”
Your music is very extreme. Do you ever feel that you have to justify how extreme it is?
“Never. Period. I cannot do anything that bores me, I am too spoiled! I have only thought of the music at all times and of myself. That’s why I followed The Sporting Life with Shrei 27; or The Plague Mass I followed with The Singer, and immediately afterwards Vena Cava
“I have to do what I hear, the chord changes take me there. I was composing Free Among The Dead from The Divine Punishment at Hunter’s Point, San Francisco, otherwise known as Decapitation Central. I kept hearing My World Is Empty Without You so I ended up working
on both of them. I don’t see any musical contradictions.”
You dedicated much of your energy in the ’80s and ’90s to AIDS activism. This gave you a powerful connection with the LGBTQ+ community. “I have trouble with the idea of communities. The idea of ‘the gay community’ is a fiction. I think everyone knows that we’re all individuals. And all Greeks know this. You put three Greeks in one room and you have another world war. We don’t agree with each other. Given the opportunity to disagree we will elaborate and digress, endlessly, and after 25 Greek coffees we’ll sleep.
“However, when my brother told me he was homosexual, I was so relieved we had a great party that night, just the two of us.
“There are human affinities. I rejoice a great deal with my gay friends. We’ve a filial reverence that is a mandate for any socialisation.
“I cannot be around people with no humour. That’s why I only have two or three straight male friends. They don’t get it, they’re humourless. I’m not saying all, but most. Thinking about this question, I realised that my friends from Mexico, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Greece, all of them are gay. The women as well – although there are more straight women in that population.
“The theme of isolation is firsthand to me. It seems like a normative way of living; I cannot see why many artists felt so deprived being alone”
Will you be heading on the road in 2022? “I’m working on two albums and two installation pieces. It’s also very important for me to re-release the five albums that deal with the epidemic, and release them properly. In terms of live performance, yes, I think it’s time to get back to doing shows.”
Do you think America can recover from the Trump presidency? “I don’t think America will recover from Obama, Trump or Biden Biden (as I call him). The magic show continues, however, unlike the serpents among us, I will not cheaply denigrate America while in England, Germany or France. I learnt that from the great Harald Bullerjahn, tour manager for Depeche Mode. He said: ‘Do not be like those other rock people who go denigrating one country in another. That’s cheap.’ And he was so right. This gentleman gave me a hand when I needed it. He’s one of the great men that I adore.”
Is your vocal training as intense as the research process? “I can work on my research for eight hours straight. Singing for eight hours straight is not a good idea. I’ve been recording vocals in the studio every week for a while. I go in and I’ll say ‘Ok, I’m going to take lots of breaks, I’m going to be good to myself,’ and then I sing for five hours straight.
“I’m paying for the studio; I don’t want to waste time. If I’m on a train of thought, I don’t want to stop because if I do I might lose
PIC BY PAULA COURT
it. I go into the studio with a smile on my face. I get ready in the morning, go across the street, get the cappuccino. The engineer is as determined (a polite way of putting it!) as I am. I just start working – he doesn’t like taking breaks. At some point he might see me in the corner with my head in my hands and say ‘Maybe she could have some tea now.’ It took him five sessions to realise I was actually torturing myself. I plan to be very well grounded and stop singing every hour, but somehow I just can’t do it. I wouldn’t recommend it. Then I might pass out for a day.
“I cannot be around people with no humour. That’s why I only have two or three straight male friends. They don’t get it, they’re humourless”
“One must continue to study voice until the end. Throughout the years I have discovered different uses I can make of a voice, and I expand it with them. But this would not be possible if I didn’t continue to study. The noble savage shrieking idea might be useful for a few years at the beginning of one’s career, but four decades requires more than the wildness of beasts. I see some singers now and I burst out laughing. It takes work to be a singer. It’s not about having a catharsis in front of your best friends. In the least sense of the word, catharsis is just doing your laundry in public, and the public couldn’t give a fuck because each of us has to wash our own god damn underwear at the end of the day.
Do you have any plans to compose for orchestra? “It is vitally important to have more than two rehearsals if I’m performing within the orchestral context. If I’m conducting the orchestra myself I’d still need more than two rehearsals. As a performer it’s my role to incarnate the paradigm I’m presenting. This is rigorous. Doing a part with an orchestra when
the proceedings have not been sufficiently rehearsed does not allow me to achieve that.
“In other words you’re standing on stage like a puppet, which is absurd. Or you have to make a point of ignoring the conductor. Conductors, in many cases, have not looked at the music for more than three hours so they’ll never be able to cue you.
“In my new work I’m incorporating different instruments played by TG Troy, who’s a master drummer and percussionist. There’s also trombone, violin, church organ and other instruments; so this will be a grid, of sorts, for the way I’ll work.
“I’ve had a few invitations to work with an orchestra. I worked with Lukas Foss many years ago. I also worked with Ensemble intercontemporain in the ‘90s.”
Tell us about some of the vocalists you really admire. “Individuated voices are very rare. Sainkho Namtchylak from Tibet and Tamia Valmont from Paris. Both combine endless melody with sharp-edged multi-timbered
vocalisations. Two great improvisational singers of the avant garde.
“Klaus Nomi. As a performer he was in every sense a star vocally and musically, and theatrically. His last performance devastated me. And I just discovered him a few months ago! The tragic voice of the AIDS epidemic. An enormous figure, who performed while dying.
“Pete Steele, porno star vocally, the thickest, deepest, and most resonant male voice I have ever heard in rock music. His physical attributes may also be described in a similar way. Nightly do I call upon his corpse!
“Shirley Bassey, who straight men liked to satirise because she makes their dicks soft. A luscious, nuanced instrument, a phenomenal sense of time and turn of phrase. The queens snap!”
“Klaus Kinski’s Brecht sprechgesang performances. The Succubus in Art and Life Immortalized. A huge vocabulary of vocal delivery which was a result of a mania for studying every form of acting and vocal technique. As a performer, the great later practitioner of the Schrei Theatre of Germany.
“Manuel Agujetas from Spain. The most radical icon of cante jondo, whose voice is equal to the subjects of his songs-honour killings and the horrific loss of the parents, which invites suicide.”
What can we expect from your latest project?
“I’m doing a new piece called Broken Gargoyles It’s composed of two sections. One I’ve already presented as a sound installation in Hannover in a leper sanctuary. I’m working on the second part now. It may be called Garden of the Beast in reference to the homeless soldiers of WW1 with mutilated faces. The more I read about it the more untenable it is to me.
“For some reason, my work always concerns itself with that kind of thing. With people forced into isolation. I don’t understand if there’s a correspondence between my preference for solitude and these works. I can’t quite explain it, except that I’ve always been like this. Just don’t say I was Born This Way!”
) Diamanda’s self-titled second album is available once again: www.diamandagalas.com
LIVING LEGENDS
Brighton-based Drag Prince Alfie Ordinary has announced Living Legends, a series of interviews with pioneers of the British drag scene. D To subscribe: www.alfieordinary.com/subscribe
“I'm so excited for this show! The guests I’m interviewing have all achieved a great level of success in their drag careers, and an incredible longevity. Some of the artists I’m talking to have been doing drag longer than I have been alive.”
D
Adam All has over a decade of experience on the drag scene, hosting a residency at SHE in Soho. Adam is a singer and leading voice on the drag king scene. D www.adamall.co.uk
Dave Lynn has four decades of drag and stage experience. They are well known for their appearance in ’00s series Faking It, in which he mentored an ex-Naval officer in their transformation to a drag queen. t @davelynnbrighton
HOLE STAR
DAVID HOYLE
Cabaret doyenne Holestar is an award-winning artist, belting vocalist, DJ and more who uses music and performance to blur the boundaries between gender, the avant-garde and mass entertainment, and pop culture and the underground. D www.holestar.com
LOLA LASAGNE
David Hoyle, born and based in Blackpool, is an avant-garde performancer, film-maker, drag artist, comedian and singer who has repeatedly spoken out about ‘mainstream’ gay culture. i www.instagram.com/davidhoyleuniversal
Lola Lasagne
ELSKA – ATLANTA
Elska shines its queer light on Atlanta, the Gay Black Capital of America
) Elska magazine, the publication dedicated to sharing the bodies and voices of gay communities around the world, has put the spotlight on Atlanta for its latest issue. Readers are invited to travel virtually to the city and get to know a cross section of local guys through intimate photography and personal storytelling.
Atlanta has been dominating the news over the past couple of years. From the political invigoration of people of colour across America as led by Stacey Abrams, to the surprise victory of Joe Biden and two senators from the Democratic Party in the most recent elections, to the backlash from conservative Georgian forces to squash the power of non-white voices in future elections, Georgia has been on people’s minds more than ever. Elska has taken advantage of Atlanta’s raised profile to shine its own queer light on the Gay Black Capital of America.
Liam Campbell, Elska editor and chief photographer, said: “I always had a feeling that we might one day come to Atlanta to make an issue. And although it was the political ‘blue-ification’ of Georgia that was the spark for coming now, our original inspiration had more to do with Black Lives Matter. I recognise that many people see Elska as a project about promoting diversity and I wanted to find a place where black gay bodies and voices could be a majority, not a minority. That was Atlanta.”
) Elska Atlanta is 196 pages and is available from a select group of shops around the world as well as for order online from the Elska website. Also available is a companion zine called Elska Ekstra Atlanta, containing four more Atlanta men and their stories for whom there weren’t enough pages in the main mag, plus behind the scenes tales and bonus outtakes. The list of stockists and details of the subscription service can also be found on the Elska website: www.elskamagazine.com
) Music has been embedded in my life ever since I was in the womb, my mum and dad basically raised me on music, especially POP music! I grew up listening to Madonna, Mariah, Kylie, Spice Girls, Britney Spears (she’s free now YAY)... even AQUA! I feel so lucky to get to share my current favourite songs from my Spotify every month and my favourite album of the month with you all from Scene HQ! Follow me: iitsdalemelitabitch tDaleMelita
) Kelis Midnight Snacks. When I played this track to my partner he genuinely thought Kelis was singing midnight sex ha – but no, it’s definitely midnight snacks and now I need a new Kelis album in my life. This is her first track since she released her 2014 LP Food and it’s a snack and very... tasty. Kelis said:
“I heard the beat, thought it was dope, and the first thing that came to mind was ‘Midnight Snacks.’ The FaNaTix (producers of the track) were like, what are you talking about? And I was like, it makes you feel like a midnight snack! And that was it. It’s funny to me, but I like the fact that you can take sex and food, and you can put these two things together, and they’re totally interchangeable. I love that.” Ohhh, so midnight snacks is meant to sound like midnight sex, my partner wasn’t hearing things, well he was but he wasn’t! ) INNA Up. Omg remember Hot by INNA? I reckon you should look it up right now... you’ll probably recognise it straight away. I’ve been a fan of Romania’s finest export, aka INNA, ever since 2009 when Hot was released and they’ve since released bop after bop. Up is super uplifting, relatable, and... magical. ) Kylie Minogue & Jessie Ware Kiss of
Life. Collaboration dream come true! I love Kylie and Jessie so both of them together is every gay boy’s
fantasy. Kiss of Life is the second... shimmering single to be released from Kylie’s DISCO: Guest List Edition, following the Years and Years duet Second to Midnight and, to be honest, it’s a grower... On my first listen I didn’t love it, but after my second and third listen I was hooked and then when I watched the music video I became OBSESSED. ) Years and Years Crave. Crave is Olly Alexander’s first new release since Starstruck, and the video stars fellow It’s A Sin cast members Omari Douglas, Nathaniel Hall and David Carlisle. Olly said the new single is “a playful way of inhabiting the deranged sexual energy I’ve always wanted. In the past I felt like I’ve been dominated by toxic relationships, and I felt like it would be fun to turn it on its head.” Sounds delicious... the track I mean, and Olly’s description. ) Little Mix No. I can’t get over that I’ve been sleeping on Little Mix for basically 10 years (don’t come @ me Mixers!), but I promise I’m more than making up for it now by listening to their new greatest hits album Between Us, which features five new tracks. No was
apparently the first song they wrote together as a trio after Jesy left the band. “It was very fun to write and do, because it was our first writing session back as a three,” Jade said. “It was really good energy, we had a good old catch up and then got to writing some bops!” Fun fact: this year Little Mix became the first girl group in official charts history to claim 100 weeks in the top 10 of the official singles chart, surpassing the totals of the likes of Girls Aloud, The Supremes and Sugababes... OMG. ) Christina Aguilera, Becky G, Nicki Nicole feat Nathy Peluso Pa Mis Muchachas. YAY Xtina is back and finally readying her new Spanish-language album, her first since Mi Reflejo in 2000 after promising for so long. Pa Mis Muchachas (For My Girls) is about female empowerment. ”I am proud to reveal mi primera canción (my first song) from a body of work that lives so closely to my heart,” Christina said. “And these beautiful, strong, and talented women are joining forces with me for this first Guaracha.” Christina looks FIERCE in
the music video, Becky G and Peluso sound and look fab too and Nicole is on fire with with her rap verse. The collaborativeness of it all reminds me of Lady Marmalade, which Becky G has said she’s always wanted to recreate, so whoop! ) Mariah Carey, Khalid, Kirk Franklin Fall In Love At Christmas. The QUEEN OF CHRISTMAS has blessed us with a brand new R&B and gospel fusion Christmassy single which makes for the perfect romant anthem to blast from right now until NYE! It was written and produced by Carey, Franklin and Daniel Moore II and it
is very different from Mimi’s other festive tracks but heavily influenced by her R&B roots and... it’s fabulous, dahling. ) Troye Sivan Angel Baby. Troye is very slept on in the UK IMPO... He consistently releases power bottom ballads and listening to Troye’s music makes me remember how proud I am to be gay and that I love loving who I love and I love myself (not in a conceited way). Troye said “Angel Baby is my crack at an adoring, doting, love struck, mega pop, gay, power ballad.” TICK!
Album of the Month
) Tori Amos Ocean to Ocean. Tori Amos is like a fine wine, her albums get better and better and on her 16th studio album Ocean to Ocean she’s reflecting on isolation, the
mess in America and grieving. Tori has always been real and honest with her music and lyrics, it feels like we’re kind of like listening to her diary and following chapters in her life with her – hopefully that makes sense, if not then... soz. Written during lockdown in lovely Cornwall, the opening verse in the first single from the album, Speaking With Trees, sums up the theme of the album straight away. “Speaking with trees, speaking of my grief, I’m almost sure that they are grieving with me.” She’s singing of her own personal loss, but it feels like she’s also empathising with her listeners too, naww. Swim to New York State is a big standout track on the album. Tori said: “It’s about a guy who left Cornwall and went to New York because his heart was broken. The female character I’m singing was busy with her life, having success, working on her career. Finally, she was able to value what he gave her when they were together. But then she faces the question: is it too late?” Other standout tracks: Spies, Metal Water Wood, 29 Years and... Ocean to Ocean. BTW: check out Alex Klineberg’s interview with Tori in this issue or here: www.gscene. com/arts/tori-amos-on-ocean-toocean/
KYLIE & JESSIE
CHRISTINA AGUILERA
AT HOME WITH MICHAEL
HOOTMAN
) SUCCESSION (Sky). Jesse Armstrong, cowriter of Peep Show, has created one of the most entertaining of the current crop of must-see TV shows. The series looks at a media megacorporation presided over by the fearsome Logan Roy (Brian Cox) as he tries to retain control over the company he created. It’s true that there’s a lot of business skulduggery but it takes such a jaundiced view of its perfectly drawn characters there’s not a dull moment to be had. Everyone in the programme is, to varying degrees, corrupt, greedy and narcissistic: there is literally no one who the audience can actively like. Though it’s hard not to have bit of a soft spot for Roman (Kieran Culkin) who occasionally is given the role of court jester pointing out the monstrous nature of everyone else and the company he works for; and at least he seems to recognise he’s as bad as, perhaps even worse than, anyone else. Matthew MacFadyen is the executive who married into the dynasty and it’s always a pleasure watching him trying to manoeuvre into the best position but somehow always fractionally miscalculating. Season 3 ups the stakes with almost the entire cast running the risk of ending up in prison. It’s also very funny – Roman tends to get the best lines, usually involving sexually inappropriate outrages –and, if you squint, Succession could be taken as a critique of capitalism itself. But mostly it’s a delightfully poisonous soap opera about a group of incredibly rich yet deeply unhappy Americans. ) OUT OF THE BLUE (BFI Blu-ray). Dennis Hopper was making a family film about a girl with some emotional problems when the director was fired. Hopper wrote a rough script in a couple of days, basing the new film on the
talents of its teenage star Linda Manz. The result is certainly brilliant, complex and deeply troubling. Cebe (Manz) is a young girl with a criminal and abusive father (Hopper) and a heroin-addicted mother. In the first scene,
a flashback, Hopper asks his daughter if she thinks he’s sexy before kissing her on the lips. One of the many strange aspects of the movie is the way the father’s incestuous desires seem to be both out in the open and yet somehow invisible. Even a scene where Hopper and his wife plan the rape of their daughter to cure her of perhaps being a ‘dyke’ is filmed in such a way you’re not quite sure that is what is actually happening. At the centre of the film is Manz, who gives a powerhouse performance as the girl obsessed by Elvis and punk rock. She’s often
compared to James Dean though for my money she’s like a young Matt Dillon – either way she’s so effortlessly charismatic it remains one of those mysteries of cinema that she didn’t go on to have a successful acting career (though she was similarly transfixing in Harmony Korine’s Gummo). The ending is melodramatic and perhaps credible from a storytelling perspective rather than a character-based one, but Out of the Blue is a rough-and-ready masterpiece. Extras include director’s commentary, a Jane Campion short, three hours of interviews with cast and crew plus... a Morecambe and Wise short about drink driving. )
MIDNIGHT MASS (Netflix). One of the many pleasures of Mike Flanagan’s seven-part series is that for the first two episodes it’s impossible to know where it’s going. The first episode starts with drunk driver Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford) accidentally killing a young girl. After a spell in prison he returns to his hometown of Crockett Island - a small fishing community off the mainland. The church plays a central role is the life of the island and Flynn’s father is sternly disapproving on finding out that his son has lost his faith. The local priest Monsignor Pruitt has been replaced by the dynamic Paul Hill, aided and abetted by the fearsomely zealous Bev Keane (Samantha Sloyan). The small church seems to be the focus of a number of miraculous events: a girl disabled by a bullet in her spine begins to walk, the local doctor’s mother has her dementia begin to reverse and the whole congregation seem to be subtly being rejuvenated. True, a
couple of people have gone missing though on the other hand the communion wine seems to have an extra kick to it... Although it doesn’t stint on the gore, Midnight Mass is not your typical horror as it isn’t afraid of fairly long theatrical dialogues. It’s also strangely moving – I have to admit to shedding a few tears at a character’s death in the final episode. Death, religion, guilt, the actual meaning of life: there’s literally no subject Midnight Mass isn’t too brave, or perhaps foolhardy, to tackle. Is it a bit pretentious? Perhaps. But the sheer scope of its ambition and its many successes –notably Sloyan’s performance, which is simply magnificent: in comparison to her the witch finders of The Crucible seem like rank amateurs – makes Midnight Mass a superior drama.
CLASSICAL NOTES
BY NICK BOSTON
REVIEWS
) Ferio Saxophone Quartet with pianist Timothy End Evoke (Chandos CHAN20140). The wonderful Ferio Saxophone Quartet are joined by pianist Timothy End, with a new album, Evoke. They present three premiere arrangements by Iain Farrington, as well as a quintet by Spanish composer Pedro Iturralde Ochoa (1929-2020). They begin with Shostakovich’s (1906-1975) Jazz Suite, with movements from
two Suites, including the most well-known, the Waltz No. 2. With its relentless waltzing bassline beneath a captivating melody, it is wonderfully captivating, and here it is given a subtly understated rendition with beautifully blended textures from the combined saxes. Other movements include a Foxtrot, beginning with a rising stomp building up the tension before the sultry, bluesy melody takes over, and the Dance No. 1 (from The Gadfly), a virtuosic gallop evoking a busy Italian country market. Farrington scores well for the four saxes and piano, bringing out the humour as well as the restraint of Shostakovich’s take on cabaret sultriness. In Farrington’s own Animal Parade, we have waddling Penguins, taking advantage of the humorous side of the sax, with slightly ungainly wiggles and slides as they slip in and out of the water. Then comes a Barrel Organ Monkey in a circusstyle romp, followed by the Alley Cats, with a bluesy, mysteriously sexy solo line for the alto sax. This is in stark contrast to the darkly lumbering Blue Whale, with
the piano and lower instruments gliding ominously below. In his arrangement of Bizet’s Carmen Suite, Farrington makes great use of the saxophone’s lyrical qualities to evoke the operatic characters, with the alto sax taking the lead in the Habanera over pulsing chords from the other instruments, and the baritone sax perfect for the Toreador’s Song. The Habanera could take more play in the rhythms from the Ferios, but their gently swaying Seguidilla exudes Carmen’s joy in life’s pleasures. The final Gypsy Song is full of energy, and while the swirling build to its conclusion could take yet more abandon, the overall effect of this set is highly enjoyable. They finish with Iturralde’s Memorias, which is a real gem, from the late 1940s. The piano gets things going, evoking a train speeding up and taking us on to the first destination, Lisboa, with a rising and falling melody full of nostalgia. In Casablanca, it is again the piano that leads off, and the players let rip here in this movement full of jazz, swing, boogie-woogie and ragtime. Alger restores to a slow nostalgic atmosphere, before the Retour to Spain at the end, with rich, full textures created by all five instruments, and a flourish to finish. Once again, the Ferios have excelled in this imaginative and spirited programme, and Timothy End’s deft contribution, as well as Iain Farrington’s expertly idiomatic arrangements deserve equal praise here.
) Johannes Pramsohler, Gulrim Choï, Philippe Grisvard Hellendaal: Cambridge Sonatas (Audax ADX13720). Once again,
violinist Johannes Pramsohler has managed to present us with forgotten repertoire that is informative at the same time as being full of interest and enjoyment. Of course, his expertly virtuosic performance, along with equally impressive support from Gulrim Choï (cello) and Philippe Grisvard (harpsichord), is key to this ability to lift what could be a dry, academic exploration, into one of delight and enjoyment. And here, in the six Sonatas by Pieter Hellendaal (1721-1799), from a manuscript preserved in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and therefore known as the Cambridge Sonatas, we learn of a lesser-known violinist composer who arrived in England from Holland in the late Baroque period, settling in Cambridge in 1762. He had studied in Italy under the great Tartini, and his works contain considerable invention, with significant detail of ornamentation and writtenout cadenza passages that indicate his virtuosic technique and compositional abilities. Pramsohler has used some of this as a launching point for his own embellishments and ornamentation, particularly in the slow introductory movements that begin some of the Sonatas. There are numerous challenging fugues, with the violin taking on two voices, requiring some complex double-stopping. Occasionally these lengthy fugal movements lose a little direction, as Hellendaal gets a little lost in sequential harmonic patterns, but they nevertheless demonstrate Hellendaal’s considerable skills both as a composer and violinist. There are some delightfully expressive movements too, such as the affettuoso third movement of No. 2, with its falling line and echo effects, expressive ornamentation and delicate underpinning from the cello and harpsichord. On the quicker side, the sprightly middle movement of No. 3 is a good example of Hellendaal’s ability to make use of the cello to exchange interest with the violin, with some wonderful rapid duetting from Pramsohler and Choï here. Another fugue is the highlight in the middle of No. 4, and the cadenza here is full of delicate virtuosity, with Pramsohler taking the rising bird-like figure right to
the limit of the fingerboard. No. 6, which concludes the disc, has a mournful Andante affettuoso at its heart, and Pramsohler makes the arioso line sing. A most enjoyable collection, and as ever, performed with winning energy by Pramsohler and friends.
CONCERTS
) Ben Goldscheider (horn), Huw Watkins (piano) and
Benjamin Baker (violin) perform Brahms’ Horn Trio, together with Goldscheider’s arrangement of Mozart’s Horn Quintet, and two works by Watkins (11am, Sunday 5, Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts).
) Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Joanna MacGregor, are joined by Kathryn Tickell (Northumbrian pipes/ violin), and Amy Thatcher (accordion) for A Celtic Christmas, with new and traditional music,
as well as folk-inspired orchestral works by James MacMillan and Vaughan Williams (2.45pm, Sunday 5, Brighton Dome). The orchestra return for a New Year’s Eve Viennese Gala, conducted by Stephen Bell, with soprano Rebecca Bottone (2.45pm, Friday 31, Brighton Dome). Tickets: 01273 709709, www.brightondome.org
More info
Reviews, comment and events, visit:
D www.nicks-classical-notes. blogspot.co.uk
T @nickb86uk
E nbclassical@hotmail.co.uk
ART MATTERS
BY ENZO MARRA
) This month I’m going to be introducing you to Brighton-based artist Annabel Wyatt (www.annabelwyattart.com). Annabel is a painter who works between the realms of figuration and abstraction. The mix of techniques used in the execution of each image, offering them a depth that their separate elements would not initially seem to offer. She studied Fine Art at Birmingham City University before moving to East London to pursue a career in the arts where she then interned at White Cube Gallery and A-Side B-Side Gallery, assisted classes at Core Arts, before moving to live and work in Brighton.
Using past memories and negative experiences as a platform to create figurative inspired works and portraits, created using sludgy neutrals, ocean colours, and the occasional pop of something brighter and more vivid like a pink or an orange within her very select preferred palette. Having rejected the more obvious approach to complimentary colouration so that the works come together in the right type of visually demanding ugly way, to make something empowering out of the ugliness that can be modern society and what we all have to and will experience within it. The use of white paint is also relevant in her works, watching the nuances of colour it catches through blending, and the way it creates a blank but intriguing environment to populate.
Working from her front room studio as I also have to do, but with the added luxury of being able to look out on to a very tiny little bit of sea and the park in front of her, Annabel’s time in East London has taught her to use small spaces to the best of her ability, utilising every inch of floor, walls and table available to her to bring more imagery to life.
The immediacy of her visual methods gives her artworks an energy and willed lack of precision that allows them to sidestep any potential stylistic laziness that could be fallen into. The minimal means utilised, ensuring that everything that then remains is relevant and necessary in the final seen form. The joyfully imperfect linearity, perfectly balanced textural passages, brighter coloured applied contrasts, all coming together into balanced and knowing compositions. The use of geometric elements allowing the section of pigment to be related to what is applied over it, while also being very much apart in origin and purpose.
She has so far been included in group exhibitions in Brighton Artists’ Open Houses Festival, at Jubilee Library, at Coachwerks Gallery, and she has her artworks displayed on loan at the Tilt Coffee Shop. I am sure that with more time and more exhibitions her work will grow stronger and even more confident in future years. The potential that you can be lucky enough to see at times, allowing you passage on the journey through their later developments and transformations after fortuitous first initial discovery.
ALL THAT JAZZ
BY SIMON ADAMS
REVIEWS
) BARNEY WILEN La Note Bleue (Elemental Music). There is an odd history to this album, which was first released in 1987. French saxophonist Barney Wilen is best known for his 1957 collaboration with Miles Davis on the soundtrack to Louis Malle’s film Lift to the Scaffold. After that his career went downhill, but was rescued by the publication of a comic book roughly based on his life that told the usual jazz story of love and hardship, drugs and redemption. In response, Wilen fashioned a new song around each of its 13 chapters. In this sumptuous box set, you get not only that original album on high-quality vinyl but also a new edition of the comic book, pages of sleeve notes and photos, and a bonus live CD recorded in 1989 in a club in Paris. God alone know what this lot retails at – actually I do know, and it is a lot – but is it any good?
The answer is comprehensively yes. Whether leading from the front or democratically sitting out some of the shorter pieces to showcase his band, Wilen dominates, his distinct smoky saxophone always committed, always thoughtful. Not a cliché is played, not a simple path taken. Each song is a delight, the concluding Gordon Jenkins classic, Goodbye, quietly magisterial. The live CD set doesn’t quite match it, but doesn’t disappoint. Can you afford it? Well, it is Christmas.
) MARC JOHNSON Overpass (ECM). I hesitate to suggest this album, as it only features a double bass. Not everyone’s choice of a good listen, I admit, but American Marc Johnson is a bass maestro, and had the good sense to include three well-known songs, notably the love theme from Spartacus, among his five originals, to induct the listener. His playing is both contemplative and expansive, filling each song with movement and effect. In places he plucks his bass as if it is
a guitar, elsewhere taps it like a tuned drum. Some subtle overdubbing setting his emotionally charged arco playing against nimble finger work adds variety. It is all very austere, but also rather remarkable.
RECORD OF THE YEAR
) FRED HERSCH Songs From Home (Palmetto). I have reviewed some wonderful music this year, but in truth every new record has been welcome as the pandemic has curtailed most live gigs. So, it is fitting that my record of the year is a lockdown special from pianist Fred Hersch, which I reviewed in April. He called Songs From Home a “kind of comfort food album with a little badass stuff in there... I did want to play some music that would make people happy”. Which is what he did, and why I so recommend this set.
Book Reviews by Eric Page
) Jay Taverner Liberty (£10.99, Tollington Press). This is the fourth book from local author/s Jay Taverner’s Brynsquilver series, the stories range across time and setting but are all connected to Brynsquilver, an old cottage in the Shropshire countryside. Liberty is a standalone novel but is also part of this series. Taverner takes us on a whirl of hot lesbian romance as we follow the journey of our protagonist Rebecca ‘Jude’ Wiston as she leaves her puritanical roots in 18th century Salem, Massachusetts. Unaware of the ways of the world she sets out to claim her inheritance. She ends up transformed from quaker girl to disguised as a sailor boy swept across oceans, from shipwreck to salvation on the other side of the Atlantic, in France, just as the Revolution is about to kick off. Interesting times indeed. Now calling herself ‘Jude’, she meets a beautiful aristocrat, Annette. They have a powerful attraction to each other, but with social forces about to explode how will this love ever find a way to survive? Taverner’s eye for historical detail is an absolute joy in these books, teasing out mighty themes with small flourishes of history to share the wider complex context but it’s their jubilant treatment of women finding the freedom to love who they choose which makes this book such a page turner. From exploring her own authentic desires to discovering them reciprocated, Liberty’s narrative of Jude & Annette is a compelling, spellbinding, historical romance and a powerful, passionate exploration of the ways women lived and loved during this chaotic time of society transforming itself. A thrilling, engaging and ultimately happy addition to the tales which swirl around Brynsquilver.
) Kodo Nishimura This Monk Wears Heels (£14.99, Watkins Publishing). Celebrity make-up artist and ordained Buddhist monk Nishimura shares his unique and practical guide to positivity and self-acceptance. Aimed at anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t fit in and for all those who dare to be different. The book asks if you show who you truly are? Do you say what you really think? Or do you hide your heart’s desire and camouflage yourself to look like others? Exploring different ways of ‘being’ and offering new ways of being kind to yourself and choosing positive self-regard, to be the best you, totally unapologetically and with full conviction. It’s not preachy but shared from a personal experience and this makes it
(£20, Watkins Publishing).
Each page gives an overview of some wonderful stories, sharing enough detail to encourage further investigation, the illustrations adding rich detail to the story featured. This hardback edition is a perfect gift for someone with an interest in tales of wonder or history but also an excellent introduction to the rich tapestry of legends which our ancestors wrapped around themselves to give their world meaning.
a delight to read. This memoir explores Nishimura’s own coming to terms with themselves as an outsider in conservative Japanese society, but also embracing the difference and learning from Buddhist teachings which offer a “gentle, loving, and encouraging voice for all those who dare to be different”. Writing from a place of passion, and acknowledging that the world can be a harsh place for many LGBTQ+ people, lots of the book is taken up with finding a strong foundation of self-love and acceptance. It is too easy to limit ourselves for fear of what other people will think. The message of this book is that we can choose to love our uniqueness - and that our diversity offers hope for the world.
) Tony Allan Myths of the World
This book, filled with wonderfully evocative illustrations, highlights more than 240 myths from around the world, with the usual line up of gods, heroes, princesses, villains, magicians and monsters, and plenty of magical animals with extraordinary powers. Allan is a gifted historian, understanding how the narrative can explore the history and here, allowing these evocative tales from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome through the Vikings to the Slavic East, Japan, China and the Americas, highlight the rich culture’s folklore and magical tales. Opened at random the book instantly engages but read thematically, it’s a perfect introduction to interwoven, intersecting mythologies from around our diverse planet. Allan gives us thrilling tales of creation of the first humans to apocalyptic battles at the end of time, exploring the most thrilling tales in all mythology, with a rollcall of our well-known heroines, gods and mischievous beings all teaching us strong ethical lessons and sometimes just plain oddness.
) Jamal Jordan Queer Love in Color (£28, Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed). A photographic celebration of the love and relationships of American queer people of colour. Jordan has written and captured the essence of affection, adoration, devotion, and love in this book. It’s an utterly beguiling collection of people who have found each other in a world which often conspires against queer love. Here LGBTQ+ partners represent unconditional honest love in ways which are not fetishised or objectified. This book pulls the focus sharply onto
often marginalised communities to portray these relationships with a tenderness and openness which invites us to celebrate with joy. Our media is often saturated in stereotypical ways of representing LGBTQ+ and queer relationships. Jorden reminds us that we define love, by the way we choose to love, the people we share that love with and the all-embracing passion of empowerment that accepting love into our queer lives gives us. This moving collection offers an intimate look at over 40 couples from across the United States who show what it means to live at the intersections of queer and PoC identities today. The tender domestic images respect an inclusive vision of love, affection, and family across the spectrum of gender, race, and age.
ARTS CORNER
WITH ALEX KLINEBERG
Prick your ears
) Brighton alt-pop artist Nick Hudson is back with a new solo album dedicated to the iconic filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini, who was murdered in Italy in 1975. The case remains unsolved to this day.
As well as making movies, Pasolini was a Marxist, a poet and he was also openly gay. He was, to put it mildly, a controversial figure. His films have never gone out of fashion – he was one of cinema’s greatest auteurs. Naturally, the mystery surrounding his death has invited many theories, some more conspiratorial than others. It’s an irresistible story.
Nick Hudson has long been drawn to Pasolini’s work. He explores his life and sudden demise in extensive detail on his new album K69996ROMA:EP (no, that’s not Elon Musk’s new baby). The lead single, The Ballad Of K69996 Roma, is a very dramatic song with impeccable orchestration.
The songs celebrate European arthouse cinema. Song titles like If I Get Killed It’s 100% The Fault Of Alain Delon And His Godfather Francois Marcantoni will give you a sense of the drama that awaits.
This is experimental music fans of Björk and Coil will appreciate. The sonic landscapes range from electronic beats that call to mind Aphex Twin to stunning orchestration.
All of the songs on this album command your attention. The highlights for me are the title track and the hypnotic Asymmetric: A Forgery.
“Channeling Pasolini’s communism, and the contradictions within his own ‘brand’ of it – alongside my own contemporarily-heightened anxieties and allegiances – the political angles are sharper on this release than on others. As such it felt right to include my interpretation of Robert Wyatt’s beautiful Amber And The Ambergrines in the set,” says Nick.
) K69996ROMA:EP is available digitally and as a hyper-limited edition four-panel CD digipak of 50 copies, 25 of which will be presented in an ACAB-silkscreened metallic gold envelope, with a bonus track in the form of a score booklet, printed on Nepalese floral paper and featuring an original miniature artwork by Nick.
D For more info, visit: https://nickhudsonindustries.bandcamp. com
HYDES’ HOPES
BY MICHAEL HYDES
No strings
) When I left school I had some vague idea of becoming a chef. I started out in a Wimpy bar flipping burgers; then went on to be a commis chef in a restaurant. Next I went to work for a working men’s caff - good cheap food piled high; and then on to Miltons Restaurant in London’s New Bond Street, which at the time was the Sharaton’s flagship business. My mum was right, at every social level “people have always got to eat”.
Food plays an important role in our lives. From a dinner party with friends, to a night out at a fine restaurant. From the binge food we eat sat in front of the TV, to the traditional Christmas dinner. Every religion has feast days and times to get together and eat. Food is important, and invariably linked to our cultural heritage.
Christians remember the last meal that Jesus had with his friends. He broke bread and shared it, blessed a cup of wine and shared that too, instituting one of the most important rites of the Christian church; Holy Communion.
“At The Village MCC we always offer an ‘open’ communion. Anyone can participate if they want. No caveat. No strings. Ever. Jesus offers us himself, completely, with no strings, and we serve one another. After the service we also offer a cup of tea or coffee, and a biscuit. Sometimes we might even have a piece of cake...”
Most of the religions of the day, even Judaism, were founded on a system of ‘quid pro quo’. You did something for a deity, and hopefully the deity was good to you. You kept the law, and hopefully God blessed you. You offered sacrifices of produce and livestock at the temple, and in return God looked favourably on you. The Roman temples worked on the similar basis, as did the Greek ones. If you wanted something from a god you went to the temple to ask for it, offering something as an incentive.
At the last supper, God says “come and join me - what I have is yours”. No caveat. No quid pro quo. It’d be nice if we took the hint and treated each other in the same way, but it’s not a pre-requisite. God’s not asking for anything from us. It’s a free gift – no strings attached.’
Our human mind balks at this. There has to be a cost. We must have to do something, or behave in a certain way. What if our identity lies outside the mainstream; if we identify as other than cis-gendered, other than heterosexual, as other than a binary gender? Or what if we’ve made mistakes in life and feel guilty, or unworthy? What if we’re afraid of rejection? Over the centuries the Church has placed lots of caveats on God’s gifts, but in truth Jesus never did.
At The Village MCC we always offer an ‘open’ communion. Anyone can participate if they want. No caveat. No strings. Ever. Jesus offers us himself, completely, with no strings, and we serve one another. After the service we also offer a cup of tea or coffee, and a biscuit. Sometimes we might even have a piece of cake. It’s all an act of sharing, an act of love, a communion. Because, as my mother very wisely used to say, regardless of who they are “people have always got to eat”.
RAE’S REFLECTIONS
My soundtrack of 2021. By Rachel Badham
) 2021 feels as if it's been considerably less eventful than 2020 –perhaps because Carly Rae Jepsen didn’t release a new album. This time last year, my column detailed my most-loved and most-listened-to songs from 2020 that helped to carry me through what was a fairly difficult year. Overall, 2021 has been much more peaceful and enjoyable, while still being filled with a helping of new music from my favourite artists, as well as some new discoveries. So, in keeping with tradition, this is the soundtrack to my 2021, with plenty of queer bops that I’m sure I’ll be listening to for years to come...
) Another year has brought another blessing from Marina: her fifth studio album, otherwise known as Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land Having followed Marina – who has a large LGBTQ+ following – from the start of her career, I would actually argue that this is her strongest album so far in terms of vocals, and it’s truly a delight to listen to for long-time fans as it compromises a seamless blend of styles from her discography. Although there isn’t a single track from this album that I would skip when listening, Goodbye is definitely my mostlistened-to song.
In terms of Marina’s ballads, there hasn’t been a song that’s topped Numb from her first album until Goodbye, and it’s incredibly moving to see her transformation from the angstiness and insecurity of The Family Jewels to the assertiveness of her latest album. This album also features a rallying cry against misogyny and oppression, Man’s World, which was enough to turn my mum into a Marina fan, so it’s definitely worth a listen whether you’re familiar with her earlier work or not.
) After over a year of being stuck inside, I finally got to experience live music again in August, seeing singer-songwriter Dodie perform in Chalk. The bisexual musician is an absolute
delight to see perform live as her personality shines through every song, and she’s definitely been an inspiration to me as a member of the bi+ community. Watching Dodie perform Hate Myself was such a special experience for me as it's my favourite song from her debut LP, Build a Problem, which was released earlier this year. Most can relate to the feeling of constantly seeking approval from others and struggling with rejection, and it always surprises me how Dodie manages to communicate these difficult and often devastating parts of the human condition in such a beautiful way, all while wearing a postman’s hat. It goes without saying that when Dodie returns to Brighton, I’ll be front row.
) I’m not entirely sure how it happened, but I went from knowing Grimes as the person who only ate spaghetti for two years, to becoming a full-blown fan who owns all her albums in about a month. Although her fifth album, Miss Anthropocene, was released last year, I only discovered it recently and have been listening to it on repeat. From the industrial rage of We Appreciate Power to the solemn heartache of You'll Miss Me When I'm Not Around, every track on this album is stunningly unique and stylistically transgressive compared to her previous albums.
Violence is a stand-out song to me, personifying the exploitative relationship between humans and the earth through her dreamy synthlike vocals and heavy house beats. Although her music may be an acquired taste, the artistry and conceptual thinking makes for an incredibly emotive and stimulating listening experience. I believe that she’s planning on releasing new music soon, so I’m excited to see what this once-in-a-generation artist creates next as her cult following continues to grow.
) This year I was lucky enough to interview queer feminist collective Dream Nails, whose riotous pop-punk has consolidated their status as LGBTQ+ icons. These self-proclaimed punk witches offer more than just music (or hexes, as they prefer to call their work) – from their DIY series on YouTube where followers can learn how to make their own peanut butter, to their all-inclusive concerts that are designed to be a safe space for people of all backgrounds and identities, it is evident that Dream Nails truly live by every message that is encapsulated in their art.
Their 2021 track, Take Up Space, particularly resonated with me as I’ve been experiencing increasing frustration at the constraints placed upon people of marginalised genders. Like the majority of women, trans, and non-binary people, I’ve often been made to feel small by cis men, as I discussed in my column last month, so listening to Take Up Space came at a critical time when I most definitely needed reminding that we all deserve to feel confident and free from objectification. No matter how you identify, Dream Nails are definitely worth a listen due to the sheer energy that their music exudes; when I’m feeling drained or uninspired, their hexes provide an instant and empowering injection of motivation, making them no.1 on my playlist.
) Honourable mentions go to Allie X, whose 2020 album Cape God has been a Spotify favourite for me, and Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, which inspired me to indulging the negative influences in my life, leaving me much more content than I was this time last year. So as we look forward to 2022, I only have one musical hope: Carly Rae Jepsen, please give us another album.
STUFF & THINGS
BY JON TAYLOR
Yum Scrum In My Tum
) Had a massive Chinese take away the other night. Not had one in ages but it was Saturday night, I wasn’t going out, Strictly was on and I thought ‘Sod it, I’m having a Chinese’. Three dishes plus prawn crackers. And spring rolls. Ruddy marvellous it was. Couldn’t quite manage it all so had the left over chow mein for lunch the next day. Some food rocks either hot or cold. Noodles for one. Pizza too. Cold meats. Less so the cold curry. Cold spag bol? I don’t think so.
“I guess there’ll be the temptation to pull out all the stops this year. Last Christmas was a bit pants for most of us so some will want to push the boat out. But us Taylors rarely push the boat out, much less get in it”
Anyway, food and drink... I enjoy both. End of column. But no, there’s certain foods that do it for me. A really good roast. Pies, both sweet and savoury. A good take away of most kinds. A big vat of chilli con carne. All of these foods conjure up visions of autumnal and winter nights. A chill in the air, a roaring fire on the hearth and steak and kidney pie baking away. They all very much fall into the comfort food area. Food for nesting. I have a strong visceral response to these... harder to have the same response to a salad. Nothing wrong with a salad, all very tasty but it’s not a sausage casserole is it? Although, as I live alone, it’s tricky, and rather pointless to do a whole roast for one. This is possibly why I enjoy the Christmas roast so much. Roasts are rare occasions in my life.
As a family, we don’t go nuts for Christmas. Don’t buy any either. We also don’t buy out a small branch of a Sainsbury’s Local. We simply don’t need that much. There’s only four of us. It’s mainly just a roast after all. We pick a meat, I think this year it’s beef, then it’s potatoes, parsnips, carrots, sprouts and a bit of stuffing. And gravy. Might do a Yorkshire. Might not. But no pigs in blankets. No fancy ‘parsnips with rosemary and a honey glaze’ nonsense. No ‘tender sprouts in a bacon and cranberry crumb’. Veggies with gravy is all you need. So much easier to do too.
“As a family, we don’t go nuts for Christmas. Don’t buy any either. We also don’t buy out a small branch of a Sainsbury’s Local. We simply don’t need that much. There’s only four of us. It’s mainly just a roast after all”
I guess there’ll be the temptation to pull out all the stops this year. Last Christmas was a bit pants for most of us so some will want to push the boat out. But us Taylors rarely push the boat out, much less get in it. We’ll buy a few extra things, a few more nibbles, some fancier wine, some After Eights... That’s all I can think of really! It’s a familiar, calm, relaxing kinda thing. There’s no point spending oodles of cash on things that won’t get eaten or even cooked. I may treat myself to some fancy chocolates though, ‘cause those will definitely get eaten. Probably before Christmas Day come to think of it. Oh, and a bottle of Baileys... and a sherry trifle... and lots of cheese... Actually, forget the not buying things idea, buy it all! Go mad! Embrace the food! Quaff the drink!
THE LITTLE BIG LIFE
BY MICHAEL STEINHAGE
Kids and cooking
) Food! Could I write you stories about food! You see, I teach the young and it happens the thing I teach them is cooking food! (Also how enzymes makes apples go brown, or why flour can thicken a sauce, or why local eggs cost the wallet more but the environment less, but no one cares about that. No one. Well, apart from me and L. Who wants to be a food hygiene inspector when they grow up? It takes all sorts.)
I digress. Kids and cooking. So for example, there was once the student who ruined his scones when the baking tray started melting. It wasn’t a baking tray… Or the one desperately searching for a large bowl and upon my (good sarcasm utterly wasted) “Well have you even looked in the cupboards!” a surprised face looked back and replied “Oh! There’s cupboards?” (She was standing next to one). It was that sort of day. Or the one who set the oven on fire because greaseproof paper must be the size of Alaska, no matter the size of your tray. Or the one who couldn’t weigh out his flour because he hadn’t opened the bloody packet but was shaking and shaking the poor thing to oblivion! I kid you not. Seen it.
Ah but then comes the kid from Hanover who brings edible garlic flowers (organic) to garnish their pasta salad because, well, Hanover! Or the one whose entire world was turned upside down when I introduced them to halloumi. You mean we’re making cheeseburger? No, halloumi burgers. But halloumi is cheese? Yes. So cheese burger init! It was another one of those days, but halloumi has been a hit ever since.
"There was once the student who ruined his scones when the baking tray started melting. It wasn’t a baking tray… Or the one who couldn’t weigh out his flour because he hadn’t opened the bloody packet but was shaking and shaking the poor thing to oblivion!"
There is nothing more adorable than watching 20 ten-year-olds make fajitas, and I imagine nothing funnier than watching their adults having to eat them, even though I don’t get to see that bit. Mind you, I did see one of them get stuck in his apron after that lesson. It’s the small things. And the small people in this instance. Then they turn into monsters and we shall say little more about the early teenage years.
Sometimes I have to bring out the laminated cleaning up checklist, and yes, I’m not beyond cancelling the cupcakes because rules are rules. But everyone survives being 13 and they either drop the subject (still I like to think they’ve at least learned how to make a decent hot sandwich, or have learnt they better find someone who can) or they come back one day, a foot taller than I am and all Year 11, and whip up a millionaire shortbread (yes, caramel from scratch, not a can) or clementine-stuffed poussin.
And that makes me happy, because a love of food, good food, is a love for life. I like to believe that someone out there is serving mini quiches tonight because I’ve helped them imagine a life beyond the pot noodle.
CRAIG’S THOUGHTS
And Did Those Feet In Ancient Times. Or... So Here It Is.
By Craig Hanlon-Smith @craigscontinuum
) And lo it came to pass that the festive season would be upon Joseph and his Mary once more. The angel Gabriel had long since been abandoned as a dead loss, as what was the point in appearing to our Mary in a dream to foretell of the Christ child, if they’d not even seen Covid coming?
However, by now Joseph and his Mary had endured more than 2,000 years of this s*** and so trotted off on their trusted eye rolling mule anyhoo. They had rested upon their weary journey aplenty, as Christmas yesteryear had been all but cancelled and reduced to a one-day event upon the decree of King Herod who had himself spent much of 2020 sneezing somewhat indecisively. While the upside meant that neither they nor them/ their donkey was in the least bit knackered, it did mean the pair had no hope of reaching Bethlehem in a single day and so baby Jesus had been born just outside Patcham in a car-wash. Christmas past sans stable, just didn’t have the same ring to it despite being surrounded by strangely handsome Romanians with an enthusiastic disposition and a sponge/shammy.
And so in a bid to cheer up the populace and drag some life into the economy, Christmas 2021 had begun in June. With such advance
preparation, Joseph and his Mary had no trouble finding a room as no bugger had been allowed to travel. Fortunately for the sake of the story, luck however was not on the side of our protagonists. Joseph, known for being tight, no jokes please, refused to part with £165 for a PCR test and our Mary was a pregnant anti-vaxer. As a result of which neither the Radisson nor the Travelodge was having any of it. And so they wound up in the stable anyway, only this time for seven months. What to do? #Jesus21 is a lockdown baby.
They found the stable to be extraordinarily full, predominantly of pigs, as there were no Europeans allowed in to kill them for tuppence. Nor did there appear to be a shortage of turkeys, however as luck would have it, these were not in the stable itself but the government was full of them. Shepherds once again year in and year out, good God aren’t they boring?, tended to their sheep in the fields. Yet despite being as acute of hearing as a sheep dog, they remained oblivious to the chorus of angels in full song above their heads. A good 70% of the heavenly host were still furloughed and those that were not could-not be heard above their muted muffles as they were all
wearing face masks. Which was in itself a surprise as no bugger else is. Not one of the shepherds had the foggiest idea, good God aren’t they stupid?, that Jesus had been born at all. Joseph and his Mary sat in the stable without anyone to visit them, welcome to our world, and without much to do as they had recently lost their 20-pound uplift. How times change. In 1992 a 20-pound uplift was called a wonder bra.
“Joseph, known for being tight, no jokes please, refused to part with £165 for a PCR test and our Mary was a pregnant anti-vaxer. As a result of which neither the Radisson nor the Travelodge was having any of it”
All was not lost. Far far away in a land of Middle Eastern intrigue, three men on camels who self-identified as wise were smarter than most. They could smell something afoot on a warm winter wind, and although they had not spotted a bright eastern star in person, they had received notification of the arrival of a Christ child, on Zoom. Fortunately for the development of the narrative, Jesus had switched his camera off, and so the three wise men trotted off in search of the saviour of mankind. They arrived with a camp flourish to Herod’s palace, the natural place surely to welcome the birth of a new king.
They were disappointed to find that not only was Herod out, he was resting and recuperating in a far off part of the continent he had fought so valiantly to leave behind. Herod was sunning himself in a friend’s villa which turned out to be a tax-haven, alongside his affectionately misogynistic father himself taking time out from his usual pastime of bottom smacking. They were quite the pair. When not languishing on La Isla Gratisos, Herod was earning a cool £200k from his other job as a comedy journalist which is a crime in itself. His articles aren’t nearly as funny as mine.
The wise men had to make do with Herod’s wife, who was mid-way through ripping down curtains, insisting that the likes of Joseph and his Mary pay for new ones with their recently lost uplift. On the upside, it was decided that in this incantation of the Christmas story no children would die in the search for Jesus. King Herod and his government were already responsible for the deaths of thousands upon thousands upon thousands upon thousands.
Let us take a moment to count them.
At the time of typing, one hundred and sixty-six thousand seven hundred and thirty. One hundred and sixty-six thousand seven hundred and thirty. One hundred and sixty-six thousand seven hundred and thirty. All souls who, just like baby Jesus, began with such promise, expectation and intimate human love.
Jesus Christ. What a time to be alive.
TWISTED GILDED GHETTO
BY ERIC PAGE
Where it all began
) A single snowflake wafted down, prancing through the air, an icy strut of crystalline diversity tumbling slowly to land with effortless grace on the tip of my Grandmother Ivy’s nose. A glug of ginger wine had warmed Ivy’s blood, but years of smoking had left her capillary system a little constricted, giving her nose, toes, lips and nipples a crackled glaze of cold blue threaded veins growing across them like the remnants of tiny lightning strikes.
The snowflake stayed put, Ivy froze, literally, never being one for a metaphor so early in a story and then gently lifted it to look at it. Using her reading glasses, she saw etched into the snowflake’s structure what looked like words, knowing that even in the cold Welsh morning air snow would slowly start to melt she snapped her glasses in half, putting one lens on the other, tripling the magnifying quality of the already considerably thick lenses she wore on a knotted golden chain around her neck.
Peering closely into the perfection of the crystalline structure and reflecting on the wonders of physics, she made out the message, fine lines of white ice intersected to form perfect letters, clearly spelling out words, the snowflake held a message. Was it for her? Who had written it? How had they arranged for it to arrive just when it did, or knew she’s be there? As these thoughts were parsed by Ivy’s forensic mind, she rummaged in her cardigan pocket for her black silk hankie. Gently laying the mysterious snowflake down the frigid message hidden in the heart of the structure was clear, ‘ohhhhh’ she said as she read it, the surprised exhalation of her warm breath flowing across the snowflake and melting it in an instant. The magical memorandum vanishing away.
Ivy laughed, her strong rasping mirth echoing off the quarry walls in the crisp morning air as the sun broke over the rim of the mountains and bathed her in bright golden rays. She scrambled down the quarry, took out her chisel, and slowly, methodically started to hammer out the message, carving it into the permeance of the smooth polished granite. Silent for decades the quarry became a staccato typewriter of steel against stone, earth hard as iron beneath her feet, her soft hands flew across the surface, gouging the message deep into the rock face.
Ivy’s determination made the Welsh granite do her bidding, word after word stood clear, in letters a foot high, and when she’d finished she added a little Celtic knot border around the outside, as Ivy believed in rococo embellishment. She stood back admiring her work and smiled.
Many years later, when I was five, the snow had fallen snow on snow and was as deep as I was high. Ivy & I, wrapped up in layers of wool like knitted pass-the-parcels strode out to the deserted quarry. Telling me of the message in the snowflake, of the wonder of that morning, of her meeting Danky, our grandfather, the next day, of her joy at having her first child - our mother. She was taking us to where it had all begun for her – and us - the day she thought it would end (although she didn’t tell me that part of the story till many years later and I was old enough to understand grief and the way it could take you) and we stood there, our mittens grasping each other in wonder as we gazed up at the rock face.
The hacked hieroglyphics had become a local attraction. It was the first time I’d seen it and Ivy held me up so I could run my sodden mitten around the lettering.
Taking a deep breath, I read it. Dear Reader, each time I go there and read Ivy’s carved slogan it reminds me of the wonder in all our lives, you should go, it’s easy to find, go see it, it reads ‘be exquisite and never explain’.
TRAVELLERS’ TALES
BY ROGER WHEELER
And we’re free
) In its infinite wisdom, the government has abolished the red list of countries so we can now technically go anywhere in the world whenever we like. Most of the same hoops that you need to jump through are still there, but cheaper and easier to deal with. Now the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is no longer recommending only essential travel to some countries. This means that you will be able to get insurance and no package tours and flights will be cancelled.
You will still need to complete a passenger locator form, which can be quite challenging, and have a lateral flow test on your return, but these should only cost about £25.
Of course, not every country wants us, that’s another story altogether. But let’s get with the message, go green and listen to what the Chancellor said to the climate conference in Edinburgh and underlined in Parliament...
Rishi Sunak is a highly intelligent man. So, it is fair to presume that when he told Parliament that the government was “making changes to reduce carbon emissions from aviation,” he knew that he was talking rubbish.
His budget actually made changes to increase carbon emissions from aviation, by cutting the cost of flying within the UK. From April 2023, Air Passenger Duty (APD) on domestic flights will halve from the present £13. The message to travellers within and between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: “Forget the train, forsake the ferry – take the plane.”
“Rishi Sunak is a highly intelligent man. So, it is fair to presume that when he told Parliament that the government was “making changes to reduce carbon emissions from aviation,” he knew that he was talking rubbish”
Gatwick is getting very excited about their ‘new’ runway which is in fact the existing taxiway just upgraded, but good news nonetheless. And now the British Airline Pilots’ Association is allowing BA to start their new short haul line from Gatwick.
The ‘new’ Norwegian airline is restarting regular flights from Gatwick and has announced 61 destinations including Aalborg, the Canaries, Warsaw and Vienna. Fares also seem quite reasonable.
The new transatlantic carrier from Gatwick is jetBlue with regular flights to JFK and Boston from January with fares at around £300.
Mykonos: A friend recently went to Mykonos and said that arriving in this lovely island is very easy. Not much attention was paid to the test forms but coming back you do need to take a PCR test, but take your own test kits with you from home.
Sussex: Our own home county is having a makeover thanks to Alex Polizzi’s purchase of The Star at Alfriston. Along with Charleston Farmhouse, Eastbourne Towner Art Gallery and now we have Le Relais - Cooden Beach, which is due to open in March.
Our coast is now called the ‘Sussex Riviera’; we didn’t know that we’re living on a riviera. This part of the world is also now called England’s Creative Coast, we learn something new every day.
Happy Christmas, Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad, Buon Natale wherever you might be.
LAURIE'S ALLOTMENT
BY LAURIE LAVENDER
Bonny Scotland
) There is not a lot happening at the allotment at the moment other than a bit of green autumn planting compost to be dug in, preparing beds and planning for next year. We have onions in, leeks coming on, as well as other winter crops like parsnips and turnips All good for putting in winter warming stews and soups. We are still getting some chard and kale and have had a good crop of carrots We are keeping our potatoes under sacking to stop them going green.
So rather than give you pictures of soil and more soil, I thought I would share some pictures we took on our trip to Scotland back in July, it seems like ages ago! We took Freda, our sturdy and reliable camper van, and went ‘roughing it’ up the west coast. Our first stop was at Strontian on Loch Sunart which was beautiful, very quiet and with lots of walking to be done. You can go up and down if you have the stamina but we tend to stay on the level.
From there we went up through the Great Glen along the banks of Loch Lochy, Lochness and up to Inverness. From there we had a great day out at Cawdor Castle (The Bard refers to the title character in Macbeth as the Thane of Cawdor, but the castle wasn’t built until after his death in 1057).
The current owners of the estate have made a wonderful job of the gardens with formal sections, a maze, woodland walks and some beautiful sculptures. It really is worth a visit. But a word of warning: Don’t say anything about the The Scottish Play while you are there! Tina Thyme made a remark about ‘Out damn spot!’ and was suddenly afflicted by a rather rancid sebaceous cyst that has taken two operations to sort out! You have been warned!
LGBTQ CHURCH/ PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES DIRECTORY
LGBTQ+ Services
l Allsorts Youth Project
Youth Groups and One-to-One Support for LGBTQ+ young people under 26 (in-person & online). Weekly sessions 01273 721211 or email info@ allsortsyouth.org.uk allsortsyouth.org.ukk
l Brighton & Hove Police
Report all homophobic, biphobic or transphobic incidents to: 24/7 assistance call police on 101 (emergencies 999) Report online at: www.sussex. police.uk
LGBT team (not 24/7) email: LGBT@sussex.pnn. police.uk
l Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard
• LGBT Older People’s Project
• LGBT Health and Inclusion Project
• LGBTQ Disability & Neurodiversity Project
• Rainbow Café Project: support for LGBT+ people with dementia
l Brighton Women’s Centre Info, counselling, drop-in space, support groups admin@Womenscentre.org.uk or visit www. womenscentre.org.uk
l Lesbian & Gay AA
12-step self-help programme for alcohol addictions: Sun, 7.30pm, Chapel Royal, North St, Btn (side entrance). 01273 203 343 (general AA line). www. alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
l LGBTQ+ Cocaine Anonymous
Meeting every Tues 6.30-8pm, 6 Tilbury Pl, Brighton, BN2 0GY, CA isn’t allied with any outside organisation, and neither endorses or opposes any causes. Helpline 0800 6120225, www.cocaineanonymous.org.uk www.sussexcocaineanonymous.co.uk
l LGBTQ+ NA Group
Brighton-based LGBTQ+ (welcomes others) Narcotics Anonymous group every Tue 6.30–8pm, Millwood Centre, Nelson Row, Kingswood St. 0300 999 1212
l LGBT+ Meditation Group
Meditation & discussion, every 2nd & 4th Thur, 5.30–7pm, Anahata Clinic, 119 Edward St, Brighton. 07789 861 367 or www.bodhitreebrighton.org.uk
l Lunch Positive
Lunch club for people with HIV. Meet/make friends, find peer support in safe space. Every Fri, noon–2.30pm, Community Room, Dorset Gdns Methodist Church, Dorset Gdns, Brighton. Lunch £1.50. 07846 464 384 or www.lunchpositive.org
l MCC Brighton
Inclusive, affirming space where all are invited to come
as they are to explore their spirituality without judgement. 01273 515572 or info@mccbrighton.org.uk www.mccbrighton.org.uk
l MindOut
Independent, impartial services run by and for LGBTQ people with experience of mental health issues. 24 hr confidential answerphone: 01273 234839 or email info@mindout.org.uk and out of hours online chat www.mindout.org.uk
l Navigate
Social/peer support group for trans, non-binary & intersex, AFAB, FTM, transmasculine & gender queer people. Every 2nd Friday of the month from 6-8pm (currently on Zoom) at Possability Place, Windlesham Venue, BN1 3AH (formerly Space for Change). navigatebrighton.co.uk
l Peer Action
Regular low cost yoga, therapies, swimming, meditation & social groups for people with HIV. contact@ peeraction.net or www.peeraction.net
l Rainbow Families
Support group for lesbian and/or gay parents. 07951 082013 or info@rainbowfamilies.org.uk. www.rainbowfamilies.org.uk
l Rainbow Hub
Information, contact, help and guidance to services for LGBT+ communities in Brighton, Hove and Sussex at Rainbow Hub drop in LGBT+ one-stop shop: 93 St James Street, BN2 1TP, 01273 675445 or visit www.therainbowhubbrighton.com
l Some People
Social/support group for LGB or questioning aged 14-19, Tue 5.30-7.30pm, Hastings. Call/text Kerrie Tolley-Cloke 07874 637593 or email somepeople@ eastsussex.gov.uk
l TAGS – The Arun Gay Society
Social Group welcome all in East & West Sussex Areas. Call/Text 07539 513171. More info: www.tagsonline. org.uk
l Victim Support
Anyone seeking help can contact our free 24/7
Supportline number on 0808 16 89 111 or get in touch via the website www.victimsupport.org.uk. A range of tools to help people cope and move forwards after crime can be found at www.mysupportspace.org.uk/moj
l The Village MCC
LGBTQ+ affirming community church in Brighton, open to all. Sundays 6pm, Somerset Day Centre, Kemptown More info: 07476 667353, www.thevillagemcc.org
HIV Prevention, Care & Treatment Services
l AVERT
Sussex HIV & AIDS info service 01403 210202 or confidential@avert.org
l Brighton & Hove CAB HIV Project Money, benefits, employment, housing, info, advocacy. Appointments: Tue-Thur 9am-4pm, Wed 9am-12.30pm Brighton & Hove Citizens Advice Bureau, Brighton Town Hall. 01273 733390 ext 520 or www. brightonhovecab.org.uk
l Clinic M
Free confidential testing & treatment for STIs including HIV, plus Hep A & B vaccinations. Claude Nicol Centre, Sussex County Hospital, on Weds from 5-8pm. 01273 523388 or www.brightonsexualhealth.com
l Community HIV Specialist Service
NHS nursing team supporting patients with HIV in the community and offering free HIV training for groups across Brighton & Hove and West Sussex. www.
sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/hiv
l Lawson Unit
Medical advice, treatment for HIV+, specialist clinics, diet & welfare advice, drug trials. 01273 664 722
l The Martin Fisher Foundation
STI HIV self-testing kits via digital vending machines available from: Jubilee Library, Wellsbourne Centre, Portland Road (between Wish Park Surgery and Kamson’s Pharmacy), BMEC Partnership Centre, Prowler and Brighton Sauna. www. themartinfisherfoundation.org
l Substance Misuse Service
Pavilions Partnership. Info, advice, appointments & referrals 01273 731 900. Drop-in: Richmond House, Richmond Rd, Brighton, Mon-Wed & Fri 10am-4pm, Thur 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-1pm; 9 The Drive, Hove 01273 680714 Mon & Wed 10am-12pm & 1pm3pm, Tue & Thu 10am-4pm, info & advice only (no assessments), Fri 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm.
• Gary Smith (LGBT* Support) 07884 476634 or email gsmith@pavilions.org.uk. More info: https:// changegrowlive.org/brighton-hove
l Sussex Beacon
24-hour nursing & medical care, day care 01273 694222 or www.sussexbeacon.org.uk
l Terrence Higgins Trust Brighton & Hove
For more info about these free services go to the THT office, 61 Ship St, Brighton, Mon–Fri, 10am–5pm 01273 764200 or info.brighton@tht.org.uk, facebook.com/THTBrighton
For people living with HIV:
• HIV support services: Info, support and practical advice
• Welfare rights advice: find out about benefits
• Counselling from qualified counsellors for up to 12 sessions
Health Promotion in Brighton & Hove:
We provide services for men who have sex with men, anyone from African communities, sex workers of any gender, and trans or non-binary people.
• Visit clinic for free fast HIV & STI testing with results in <10 mins
• Free condoms and lube
• Confidential info and advice on sexual health & HIV
• Face2Face for gay/bi men; negotiating sex, chemsex, newly diagnosed
• Tailored support for sex workers, trans people and African communities
• Outreach - say hello online and in person for info, condoms & lube, and HIV/STI testing at Brighton Sauna, Boiler Room Sauna, Amsterdam, Charles Street Tap, and Legends bar. For details please check facebook.com/THTBrighton
l Sexual Health Worthing Free confidential tests & treatment for STIs inc HIVA; Hep vaccinations. Worthing-based 0845 111345645 National Helplines
l National LGBT Domestic Abuse Helpline at www.galop.org.uk and 0800 999 5428
l Switchboard 0300 330 0630
l Positiveline (Eddie Surman Trust) Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat & Sun 4-10pm 0800 1696806
l Mainliners 02075 825226
l National AIDS Helpline 08005 67123
l National Drugs Helpline 08007 76600
l THT AIDS Treatment 08459 470047
l THT direct 0845 1221200
1 Affinity Bar m
129 St James’s St, BN2 1TH www.facebook.com/AffinityGayBar/
Wolverhampton Café offers LGBTQ+ community an oasis
) Wolverhampton LGBT+ was set up in 2017 as a network of professional organisations working together to improve services to the LGBT+ community in Wolverhampton and the Black Country. In March, they gained charitable status for their group that connects roughly 35 local and national organisations.
To mark this achievement, Wolverhampton LGBT+ launched its bi-weekly Rainbow Oasis Café which
aims to provide a space where the community can come to meet, socialise and access support without fear of intolerance or hate.
The café is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and is located at the Compton Care Retail Plus Store on George Parade in Wolverhampton. They’re open every Monday and every Saturday from 11am–2pm. People visiting will be able to chat, purchase a hot drink, a slice of cake, and access dedicated LGBTQ+ counselling and inclusive yoga sessions.
Marianne Grant, a trustee of Wolverhampton LGBT+, told the Express and Star: “Wolverhampton has been lacking in support for the LGBTQ+ community for too long. We aim to work with partners to provide leading services our city can be proud of.”
D More info on Wolverhampton LGBT: www.wolverhamptonlgbt.org/
Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ nightlife offers drink spiking test kits
) After reports of increases in spiking incidents, including some that involved needles, Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ venues have issued info highlighting their concern regarding this issue, outlining a zero-tolerance spiking policy. The statements on social media include info on what to do if you think you’ve been spiked, or witnessed suspicious behaviour, as well as detailing preventative precautions such as searches of bags (and in some cases pockets). The post also reminds customers that security staff are fully SIA trained ensuring high standards of safety.
Nightingale Club, Loft Bar and Village Inn will also offer free testing kits to revellers, and bar staff can direct you to them if you think you need one. The tests, which are for GBH and
Joe Lycett queer party to be broadcast live from Birmingham
ketamine spiking, are a small strip onto which liquid can be dripped on either end. If the strip changes colour and a red or blue spot appears, patrons are advised not to drink. The venues’ owner Lawrence Barton said that Nightingale Club would also make anti-spiking drink covers available to customers.
Lawrence explained that he and his staff wanted to do everything they could to reassure people: "Our customers are very pleased that we are taking these measures to ensure we are trying to mitigate against this issue.”
West Midlands Police has received a small number of reports of spiking in Birmingham city centre in the last few months. The Force said it's taking all reports seriously and it encourages anyone who thinks they've been a victim to report the incident.
They also added: “We’ll have lots of officers on patrol looking for suspicious behaviour and we’re working with bars to create safer spaces for fun nights out.”
) Comedian and consumer warrior, Joe Lycett is hosting a big, queer Christmas house party live from his Birmingham hometown for Channel 4. The 90-minute festive special, Mummy’s Big Christmas Do!, will be a sparkling affair with special guests, music, stand-up comedy, drag performers, and LGBTQ+ icons celebrating all things queer.
Phil Harris, head of entertainment and events at Channel 4, said, “Joe Lycett is undoubtedly one of the UK’s best comedic talents and a key Channel 4 face. We’re very proud to be the home for his live Christmas extravaganza and look forward to working with him in 2022 and beyond.”
On Twitter, Joe explained that as part of the event, they also want the audience to “be populated with amazing talents, astonishing outfits and brilliant stories from the queer community in Birmingham and beyond.” People were invited to email in with their stories, details, and photos if they were interested in being involved.
“The specially invited audience will be the real stars of the show – made up of LGBTQ+ icons, allies of the LGBTQ+ community, and local heroes in addition to some people who may well be in for some devilish surprises from Joe,” a press release from Channel 4 explained.
In true Joe Lycett style (for anyone who has watched his consumer rights show Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back), the action won’t just stay indoors, there is also the promise of fun games, twists and turns, and a showcase of Birmingham as you’ve never seen it before.
“Expect presents, snow, a veritable feast of shimmering seasonal goodies and lots of laughs as Joe becomes the angel atop Channel 4’s Christmas tree,” stated the Channel 4 press release.
Joe stated: “This show combines three of my favourite things - LGBTQ+ culture, Birmingham and chaotic live television. Queer creativity outside of London is the most exciting it has been in years and I can’t wait to introduce Channel 4 viewers to our colourful and anarchic world, with some silliness and a few laughs thrown in.
“We’ve already booked a ton of amazing guests – expect drag queens, beloved TV huns, queer icons and allies,” he added in a Twitter post.
Steven Handley, commissioning editor for entertainment at Channel 4 said, “After last year’s dreadful Christmas, I’m thrilled that Joe will be bringing back the yuletide lolz with a big queer party full of Ho, Ho, Huns LIVE from his hometown of Birmingham. With a smorgasbord of campery and Joe’s trademark mischief, it’s going to be the anarchic festive treat we all need!”
Alan Thorpe, series producer for Rumpus Media, added, “It’s all kicking off in Birmingham this Christmas thanks to the brilliantly funny Joe Lycett and I’m thrilled to be working with Mummy herself. Joe’s unadulterated festive mayhem will redefine the silly season. Happy Queer Christmas one and all!”
LAWRENCE BARTON
MARIANNE GRANT
Queer activist & performer granted right to remain in Birmingham
) Eric Scutaro, a queer hip-hop activist, performer, and choreographer, who has been living in Birmingham, has been granted the right to remain in the UK. Eric was a leading performer of voguing and waacking in Venezuela where they were born, and created Caracas is Burning, an artistic project which aims to expand Ballroom culture and voguing in Venezuela, create safe spaces, and defend LGBTQ+ rights in the country. This project has now been expanded to the UK as Eric continues their activism in a new home.
Eric learned that they had been granted asylum in the UK on the same weekend as Birmingham Pride. In social media posts, Eric explained that it had been two difficult years of struggle, stress, anxiety and depression but that it has also been two years of him giving a voice to the Venezuelan LGBTQ+ community during communications with the Home Office
Eric highlighted the inhumane treatment and injustice that they (and others in the LGBTQ+ community) lived with in Venezuela. Those living with HIV in Venezuela often have to wait months ,even years, to obtain just a month’s worth of antiretrovirals, without knowing if more will be supplied soon.
Eric wrote of the uncertainty and the loss of two friends who sadly died from HIV/AIDS complications because they did not have access to the right medication. Eric knew that if they returned to Venezuela it would be a death sentence for them after they tested positive for HIV+ while in the UK for a festival.
“I fought for almost two years, with the fear that if I would return to my country I would not live long, and already my body was so thin that I could see my bones. There was so much evidence, so many interviews, and so much emotional, mental and physical exhaustion.”
Eric’s case is the first of its kind in the UK and while the process for seeking asylum is not an easy one, Eric hopes that giving visibility to the problem will make it easier for other queer and HIV+ people from Venezuela who will now have the opportunity to seek asylum here.
“Thanks to all my family and friends for the amazing support and love in all of this time,” Eric wrote upon learning that their right to remain had been granted, “Without each one of you I would not be here, because many times I wanted to give up, in every way. But you reminded me many times of my activism, my struggle, my art, and my history... And here I am. Time to WORK, BUILD, CREATE and [sic] so much ART!”
Eden Bar wins a Gaydio ‘Where Pride Lives’ award
) Gaydio’s Where Pride Lives award-winners were announced live on air last month with five possible categories to be won by Pride events across the country; Pride DJ Set of the Year, Pride Queen of the Year, Pride After Party of the Year, Digital Pride Activity of the Year, and Pride Volunteer of the Year
Eden Bar, which made a return to Birmingham Pride in 2021 as part of the new street party, was announced as winner of the Pride After Party of the Year. The bar was nominated alongside Bude Pride After Party and Aruba Bar, Chesterfield.
“Congratulations to the team at Eden Bar for their pop-up work at Birmingham Pride this year,” tweeted Gaydio..
Eden Bar, which was previously located at 116 Sherlock Street in Birmingham’s gay village, had been a much-loved venue for 13 years before it had to close. This closure was partly due to the lease not being renewed and partly due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The bar was the first in the gay village to re-open when restrictions lifted but this wasn’t even to save the business, and the bar called ‘last orders’ in October.
As part of 2021’s Birmingham Pride, it temporarily returned with a pop-up marquee version of Eden Bar which featured a line-up of artists and DJs; an event that won them the award from Gaydio.
“We’re over the moon,” Cal Eden and Garry Prentice, the former owners of Eden told us, upon hearing the news of their award, “with all that’s happened with Covid and us having to close Eden, being asked to come back for Pride was a big gamble for us.”
“We chatted for about two minutes then jumped at the chance of coming back and our loyal customers did not disappoint us. We had a great time.”
In an article with Birmingham Live, Cal and Garry also hinted that Eden might make a return to the city in the future.
“It has always been our long-term plan to find alternative premises, therefore, once the pandemic calms, we will be taking active measures, looking for other premises in Birmingham, which we feel would be suitable for a ‘New Eden’.
“It is not the bricks and mortar which makes Eden so special. It’s a collection of people including our customers, fantastic staff, DJs, entertainment and those who work behind the scenes which share our vision. It is this vision which we believe can be transferred to another venue, once the pandemic calms.”
Sol Café’s safe, sober LGBTQ+ space hits its fundraising goal
) Sol Café is a grassroots organisation in Birmingham that provides a pay-as-you-feel, sober safe space for LGBTQ+ people. The project was created due to a need in the community to benefit, in particular, the most marginalised among us.
“We opened the cafe to provide such a space for the most marginalised members of our community (QTIPoC, disabled, homeless, asylum seekers, refugees, neurodiverse people), who do not feel they always have a space or feel reflected in the gay village itself which is more nightlife-orientated. Whilst steps can and are being made there we feel we can add to Birmingham’s scene by providing a space outside of nightlife, that is sober, tailored and open during the day and occasional evenings.”
The café also hosted Birmingham Pride’s first sober LGBTQ+ event, which was met with overwhelmingly positive feedback.
One wrote: “Birmingham Pride was more than a party weekend, Pride was and is family. A
community for comfort and confidence. This was my first Pride at Birmingham and probably the best (or the second best) I’ve ever been to. I really believed Pride was just some pinkwashing festival to benefit big corporations. And somehow it is, but at some point you find queers who shout for #PrideIsAProtest and who create new spaces to tackle discrimination. I really appreciate the work of @unmutedbrum and it was a pleasure being with you and Sol Café on the Parade to remind people we’re not a product and that we stand together against LGBTphobia, racism, pinkwashing and capitalism. We stand for our rights. And I want to give a big thank you to Sol Café for a fantastic and inclusive evening at #SoberPride, such a lovely and exciting party. We didn’t need alcohol to have big fun. We just needed ourselves.”
Another added: “Today was probably the most myself I felt in about eight weeks! I had so much fun and forgot how chill and safe it feels to be around awesome queer people! Today was just so nice and I
loved almost every second of it!”
To help pay rent and bills, and to be able to continue running this project, Sol Café launched a crowdfunding campaign which raised £5,000. The money raised will allow them to stay open as a safe space, continue supporting groups – such as 61 Sober, UNMUTED, Birmingham Non-Binary Group – run workshops and focus groups such as Queer Book Club and Trans Check-In, keep building its LGBTQ+ library, and keep creating a sensory area for the neurodiverse members of our community.
What’s more: “The funding will help us get all the equipment we need to keep on providing yummy pay-as-you-feel vegan food. We do get most of our food from the Incredible Surplus, an amazing organisation that also helps fight food poverty and food waste. It will also help us pay for rent and bills, and possibly facilitators if we have any money left! We also will offer the opportunity for those interested to access training and certifications, like food hygiene certificate Level 2.”
Their biggest goal as an organisation is “to keep on running a sustainable safe community space, where people feel at home, and comfortable enough to open up, take part in and run their own activities, and feel supported.”
The café, currently located in the Warehouse, 54 – 57 Allison Road, Birmingham, is soon to move to 38-40 Holloway Circus, in the café space next to the LGBT Centre. This space is currently being prepared, and Birmingham’s LGBT Centre has launched its own fundraiser for new windows which will allow the space to be more covid-safe. To donate: www.gofundme.com/f/ wg3trg-testt?utm_source=customer&utm_ medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_ cf+share-flow-1
“We’re now setting up the new space so we can have queer artists’ art displayed on the new walls, it will work as a queer gallery where the art can also be purchased to support the artists,” Cecile from Sol Café revealed.
) You can find out more about Sol Café and upcoming events online, www.solcafebrum.org/, or follow on Instagram @solcafebrum
