COVER: NICK FORD PHOTOGRAPHY
Welcome to Issue 2 of Scene: Out & About, which is produced by the team at Scene magazine and is dedicated to What’s On in Brighton & Hove. Scene: Out & About is printed in a handy, portable A5 format and contains juicy info, promos and events from LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ -friendly businesses, charities and community groups! If you’d like to be included, email info@scenemag.co.uk.
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& Hove. The Pride Social Impact Fund benefits local good causes, giving grants to a range of local groups. Chris Gull, chair of the Brighton Rainbow Fund, said: “We were sorry to hear that Brighton & Hove Pride has had to make the difficult decision to cancel plans to deliver a full-on physical event again this year. We totally understand and support that decision. “For several years before the current organisers took over, Brighton & Hove Pride had failed to raise any funds for our local LGBTQ+ projects. Under the current organisers’ tenure almost £1 million has been raised for local good causes, the vast majority of which the Brighton Rainbow Fund has distributed as grants to those projects.
) The need for community has never been stronger and Brighton & Hove Pride is one of Europe’s biggest Pride Festivals attracting thousands of people from across the UK to attend multiple events across the city, including the LGBTQ+ Community Parade.
“I’d like to thank all of our contractors, suppliers and partner agencies who have tried their utmost to help us move forward with planning, and to everyone who has purchased a ticket for their understanding and support, we can’t wait to bring Pride back in 2022 better than ever.”
According to organisers, delivering Pride requires an all year-round planning cycle working closely with partner agencies and, while the vaccine rollout continues to be successful, the many uncertainties that need to be resolved to safely deliver mass gatherings and the complexities of organising multiple Pride events across the city are impossible to achieve in the time. In a statement, Pride said: “Based on the best information available to us at this time we are heartbroken to have to cancel for a second year. We cannot risk the health and safety of Pride visitors, residents and the hundreds of staff and volunteers that help deliver Pride.”
Nick Hibberd, Brighton & Hove City Council’s executive director for Economy, Environment & Culture, said: “We’re very sorry that the in-person Pride events need to be cancelled again this year. They are very important community events in our city’s cultural calendar promoting LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion and will be much missed.
Paul Kemp, director of Brighton & Hove Pride, said: “We are devastated at having to make this decision for a second year and recognise the huge impact on local businesses, charities and community groups who rely on the fundraising potential of the Pride weekend. “Pride attracts tens of thousands of people to our city for the LGBTQ+ community parade which is the heart of the Pride celebrations, where social distancing clearly can’t be facilitated safely. Our planning has also identified significant supply chain challenges including infrastructure, security and staffing making it impossible to deliver a safe event with any certainty. “Community fundraising has always been our main objective for Pride, but without the safety net of viable Covid cancellation insurance, we cannot jeopardise our ability to deliver a sustainable fundraising Pride in future years.
NICK HIBBERD
PAUL KEMP
Organisers of Brighton & Hove Pride 2021 have announced with regret the cancellation of Brighton & Hove Pride LGBTQ+ Community Parade, Pride Village Party and Pride Festival on Saturday, August 7 and Sunday, August 8.
“We’ve been in regular discussion with Pride through the city’s multi-agency safety advisory group and, even with restrictions starting to ease, it’s clear managing large events safely remains a huge challenge.
CHRIS GULL
Brighton & Hove Pride cancelled
“Without the security of a government-backed Covid insurance scheme (as offered in other countries), many festivals across the UK are reaching the same conclusions that Brighton & Hove Pride has, in short that there are still too many unknowns to be able to predict the situation in late summer. Decisions and spending commitments have to be made now. Nobody can be certain, for instance, that a variant that is resistant to the current vaccines won’t emerge and that a further lockdown won’t result. “The sensible and responsible decision has been made. The long-term fundraising for our local LGBTQ+ projects is best served by ensuring that the successful fundraising model that has been created is sustainable over many years to come. The risk of, to be blunt, the organisation collapsing due to Covid delivering another twist is not worth taking. “We look forward to hearing about what events Brighton & Hove Pride will be organising, and know that fundraising for our local LGBTQ+ communities, along with the safety of attendees remains the core aim.”
“Keeping everyone safe and Covid rates low remains our priority and, with that in mind, we fully support the decision. “We will continue working with Pride to support the smaller events arranged this year and help manage a safe city over the traditional Pride weekend at the beginning of August. “We look forward to working together next year to make sure our city’s full Pride celebrations can return better than ever.” In the last seven years, Brighton & Hove Pride has raised over £936,000 for the Brighton Rainbow Fund, Pride Cultural Development Fund and Pride Social Impact Fund. The Brighton Rainbow Fund has a remit to receive donations and to use them to distribute funds raised in the community as grants to local LGBTQ+ organisations and projects in Brighton
Brighton & Hove Pride is planning smaller in-person satellite community and pop-up cultural events throughout the summer and autumn as part of its cultural programme that can run within Covid-safe guidelines as well as an exciting programme of online events. D If you’re an existing ticket holder, visit: www.brighton-pride.org/2021-information-forticket-holders/ D For more info on the Brighton Rainbow Fund, visit: www.rainbow-fund.org
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Patient & Public Engagement at Surrey & Sussex Cancer Alliance
) Brighton & Hove’s LGBTQ+ communities came together last month to mark International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) with a Loud & Proud walk from Palace Pier to the The Level.
PIC CHRIS JEPSON
) Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance (SSCA), one of 21 such groups in England, is looking for people in the LGBTQ+ community to become Cancer Champions and help it to “create accessible and effective cancer services”.
PIC CHRIS JEPSON
BOBA RANGELOV
Everyone was welcome to the event, which was organised by the Brighton & Hove LGBTQ+ Workers’ Forum, to show presence and share a safe and welcoming LGBTQ+ peer space.
Photos courtesy of Chris Jepson - www.chrisjepson.com.
Lunch Positive reopens HIV lunch club ) HIV charity Lunch Positive has reopened its HIV lunch club at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church, Brighton, which provides a weekly safe and supportive community space for people with HIV. The lunch club is put together by a fantastic team of volunteers and is provided in a Covid-secure setting. The opening of the lunch club will be followed by the reopening of the monthly evening supper group in June, which will run regularly on the second Wednesday of every month.
GARY PARGETER
“The team is now really looking forward to being together with our members, chatting and supporting where needed. We know that many of our members are very much looking forward to being together again after what has been a challenging year, and that many new people would like to come along. “As always, our brilliant volunteers are on hand to help everyone, including making people feel welcome and included, and get to know each other. Please take a look at our website to find out more, or get in touch and we’ll be delighted to help.” For more info: D www.lunchpositive.org e info@lunchpositive.org w 07846 464384.
“We aim to engage people in our work in a meaningful way where everyone feels valued and appreciated. We strongly believe that only by working together with the patients and their carers we can achieve our ultimate goal, which is an excellent experience for all cancer patients in Surrey and Sussex. “We aim to engage people who live in Surrey and Sussex to help us to create
“We would like to invite our LGBTQ+ community to join us in our mission to design an excellent cancer service for people in Surrey and Sussex. Please get in touch and join our 20 Champions. Unfortunately, we don’t have any LGBTQ+ community champions, so we would love to hear from you! Join us!”
Rangelov added that the SSCA would also like to hear about the LGBTQ+ community’s personal experiences of being affected by cancer and their carer(s). “Only if we listen to the patients’ and carers’ stories can we find out about good practices, but also identify those practices that need to be improved. So, if you would like to share your story or if you know somebody who would like to talk about their personal experience using Surrey and Sussex cancer services, please get in touch.” If you are interested in becoming a PPCC or would like to share your patient or carer’s story, email rsch.sscappeteam@nhs.net or call 07790989985.
Study: LGBTQ+ youth in mental health crisis
basis, compared to 30% of non-LGBTQ+ people. An additional 12% of LGBTQ+ youth said they had felt useful on a daily basis, compared to 30% of non-LGBTQ+ respondents.
) New research by UK-based LGBTQ+ advocacy group, Just Like Us, found LGBTQ+ youth are twice as likely to harm themselves compared to their straight, cisgender peers. The report, found out of the 2,934 respondents (1,140 of whom identified as LGBTQ+), 68% of LGBTQ+ young people had experienced suicidal thoughts, compared to 29% of non-queer youth. Black LGBTQ+ youth were disproportionately affected by suicidal thoughts, with 89% reporting experiencing such ideations. Only 13% of LGBTQ+ respondents said they had felt good about themselves on a daily
Dominic Arnall, chief executive of Just Like Us, said: “Our independent research has devastatingly found that LGBTQ+ young people are three times more likely to self-harm and twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts and the reality is even tougher for black LGBTQ+ young people – without a doubt, they need a positive message of acceptance from their schools.” DOMINIC ARNALL
Gary Pargeter, service manager at Lunch Positive, said: “We’re so excited to be reopening the lunch club and supper group which have a massive impact on people’s health & wellbeing. Over the last year our volunteers have been amazing in their outreach roles, with much of this outreach work still continuing in new ways alongside the lunch club and our community gatherings.
Boba Rangelov, SSCA’s patient and public engagement manager, explained: “We work in partnership with healthcare organisations, charities, voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations and patient support groups across Surrey and Sussex.
accessible and effective cancer services. One of the ways to engage cancer patients, carers, previous patients, excarers, and members of the public who have an interest in improving cancer services in Surrey and Sussex, is to join SSCA Patients and Public Cancer Champions (PPCC).
pic cap
Brighton & Hove marks IDAHOBIT
D For more info: www.justlikeus.org/ single-post/lgbt-pupils-twice-aslikely-to-contemplate-suicide
ZONE BAR BRIGHTON
) The Zone Bar has had a recent facelift and now includes a professional karaoke system. At the weekends, pop over to the Zone for regular entertainment, drag acts, professional live music, quiz and games evening. Full details TBA on website/social media.
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) 33 St James’s Street, Brighton BN2 1RF, 01273 682249, www.zonebrighton.co.uk f @www.zonebrighton.co.uk Open: Sun - Thur, 10am - 12pm; Fri & Sat 10am 1am
A R ET B A
SALLY VATE SATURDAY, JUNE 26 @ 9PM
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Brighton Bear Weekend launches Mr Brighton Bear 2021
) The Brighton Bear Weekend (BBW) gang has announced that Mr Brighton Bear, one of the highlights of each year’s event, is now accepting entries for 2021.
GAVIN - MR BRIGHTON BEAR 2020 WINNER
Last year’s competition was enthusiastically rolled out online, to the great delight of many, but the guys are thrilled to tell us this year will be a LIVE event final, taking place on Friday, July 23 in Kemptown. There will be two ways to vote – online and then in person at the live event, meaning entrants’ chances of winning will be doubled! Mr Brighton Bear 2021 will win a £100 cash prize and a fabulous Mr Brighton Bear sash & crown, with the runner-up pocketing a handy £25. As with last year’s competition, entrants will be asked to provide photos of themselves relating to three fun categories – Beachwear, Night Out On The Town and Wear What You Dare. A short interview will also be filmed (the guys guarantee it’s all very painless!), which will be shared online to help their furry (and non-furry) fans and friends around the world decide who should snatch this year’s crown.
GRAHAM MUNDAY
Entry is free, so everyone interested should simply complete the short form by visiting: www.brightonbearweekend.com/mrbrightonbear/ Graham Munday, chair of BBW, said “This is the third year we have held Mr Brighton Bear and, without a doubt, it has become a real highlight of the weekend. It’s great fun and it attracts a real mix of guys, so I would encourage anyone thinking about entering to give it a go. There’s no need to be shy; you’ll be made to feel very welcome”. BBW 2021 will return this year from Thursday, July 22 – Sunday, July 25, kicking off with the fabulous and ever so slightly competitive BBW Quiz. Other activities will include the legendary Garden Party and of course the incredibly popular Mr Brighton Bear competition. Graham Munday added: “We’re thrilled to be back, staging another live BBW. This year the emphasis will be on getting people out, having some fun in the sun, supporting each other, our venues, and the talent. “Many people have lost friends, families and jobs, so whatever we do will be respectful of that. Likewise, some of our favourite bars have sadly disappeared during the pandemic, and those that have made it through need our support more than ever. We look forward to welcoming everyone to what we hope will be a wonderful, safe, celebratory BBW!” BBW is a proud supporter of the Brighton Rainbow Fund, which provides needs-led, grant-based funding to Brighton & Hove-based LGBTQ+ volunteerrun groups, providing frontline services in/for: community safety, HIV/AIDS and health & community development. ) For more info, visit www.brightonbearweekend.com or email graham@brightonbearweekend.com.
Vaccination champions needed
JO CHURCHILL
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Worthing Pride donates 200 tickets to NHS staff
July 10 with a day packed full of entertainment and fun for the whole community.
) Worthing Pride has recognised the hard work and dedication of local NHS staff by donating 200 free tickets to this year’s annual LGBTQ+ event, which is planned to take place at Beach House Grounds in Worthing on Saturday,
The event directors of Worthing Pride said: “We wanted to give something back to the hardworking team of people at the local NHS, and give them something to look forward to and enjoy. We all couldn’t have got through recent times without the love shown by those amazing people, so it’s just a small gesture from us, and a light at the end of the rainbow.” D For more info and tickets for this year’s Worthing Pride, visit: www.worthingpride.com
What’s YOUR Brighton story? To mark the anniversary, QueenSpark will be publishing a landmark book comprising 50 stories, and the publisher is looking for tales, anecdotes and reminiscences from Brighton residents, on the themes Work, Places or What Makes Brighton ‘Brighton?’. • Stories can be short and anecdotal, but should be no more than four sides of A4, or up to three minutes of speech. ) In 2022, QueenSpark Books will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Since forming in 1972 as a grassroots campaign against a planned casino, it has published over 110 books documenting the ‘People’s History’ of the city. From life in the World Wars, to clubbing and performance art; from working life to days on the beach; from memories of childhood poverty to accounts of newly-arrived migrants – the first-hand stories in the QueenSpark archives are a unique record of what makes Brighton what it is today.
• They do not have to be ‘well-written’ or perfectly told – if selected, they will be edited for publication. • By submitting your story, you give permission for QueenSpark to publish it in print and online. Send your text or audio to 50Stories@ queensparkbooks.org.uk by July 31, 2021. D For more info, visit: www. queensparkbooks.org.uk/what-isyour-brighton-story/
BARBER BLACKSHEEP Unisex Hairsalon 18 St Georges Road, Kemptown, Brighton BN2 1EB
01273 623 408
New visual arts exhibitions to reflect on the legacies of colonialism
) A new visual arts programme will present 10 diverse artists across two exhibitions and three venues as part of this year’s Brighton Fringe till July 25. Sussex-based socially engaged arts agency urbanflo Creative has launched the six-month OXYGEN series, which will continue until October and aims to open up a powerful new lens to explore the human condition and new narratives from the perspective of communities still impacted by the legacies of colonialism. The breathTAKING exhibition at Phoenix Main Gallery is curated by urbanflo founder/director Jenni Lewin-Turner and offers a rare mainstream platform for local artists to present bold new multi-disciplinary interpretations, through illustration, digital art, spoken word and video, plus leading edge works using virtual reality, augmented reality and facial detection. Guest creatives include Judith Ricketts, Josef Cabey, River Sweeney and AFLO. the Poet. The Covert exhibition at Jubilee Library and Plus X Innovation Hub takes its inspiration from the gypsy fortune-teller of Brighton Pier penny arcades’ yesteryears, featuring art work from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse artists sharing their vision of the future. The exhibition is curated by Amy Zamarripa Solis and will feature artists Kemi Oloyede, SD Chatterjee, Edi Mandala, Vincent Oyenga, Sonji Art and Martins Deep. These future-facing art works offer electric eye-popping renditions of Afro-futurist identities, dreamy galaxies, earthly utopias, and a youthful hope for the future, but also reminders of the continuing racial struggles and battles experienced in the UK and globally, both inwards and outwards, all manifestations of systemic racism. The art works were originally selected for Writing Our Legacy’s first edition of Covert literary magazine for black, Asian and ethnically diverse writers and artists of colour, published in December 2020 in association with New Writing South. The breathTAKING exhibition is funded in part by Phoenix Art Space and the Centre for Arts and Wellbeing at University of Brighton. The Covert exhibition is in partnership with This Too Is Real, Writing Our Legacy and Plus X Innovation Hub. ) OXYGEN series @ Brighton Fringe: breathTAKING exhibition at Phoenix Art Space, 10-14 Waterloo Pl, Brighton BN2 9NB from June 16 to July 25. Covert exhibition, at Jubilee Library, Jubilee St, Brighton BN1 1GE from May 21 to June 4 and Plus X Innovation Hub, Lewes Rd, Brighton BN2 4GL from May 28 to July 25. D For more info, visit: www.urbanflo.com/oxygen
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More LGBTQ+ people to be eligible to give blood from June 14
consider the new questions before their appointment and are able to re-schedule if they do not meet the changed criteria to give blood right now. We want donation to be a positive experience and we are looking forward to welcoming donors as we move forward with these changes.” The changes follow an evidence-based review by the FAIR (For the Assessment of Individualised Risk) steering group led by NHS Blood & Transplant, and including National AIDS Trust, Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and Stonewall, which concluded that switching to an individualised, gender neutral approach is fairer while maintaining the safety of the blood supply.
with multiple partners in the last three months will not be able to give blood right now but may be eligible in the future. Donors who have been recently treated for gonorrhoea will be deferred. Anyone who’s ever received treatment for syphilis will not be able to give blood.
The changes will mean that eligibility to donate will be based on a more individualised assessment rather than on a risk assigned to a group or population, and deferrals will be based on behaviours evidenced to be at a higher risk of sexual infection.
Ella Poppitt, chief nurse for Blood Donation at NHS Blood & Transplant, said: “Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do. This change is about switching around how we assess the risk of exposure to a sexual infection, so it is more tailored to the individual.
The form that people complete before they donate will for the first time ask the same questions of all donors about sexual behaviours, focused mainly on the last three months. Donors will no longer be asked if they are a man who has had sex with another man. Instead, any individual who attends to give blood – regardless of gender – will be asked if they have had sex and, if so, about recent sexual behaviours. The process of giving blood will not change. Under the changes people can donate if they have had the same sexual partner for the last three months, or if they have a new sexual partner with whom they have not had anal sex, and there is no known recent exposure to an STI or recent use of PrEP or PEP. This will mean more men who have sex with men will be eligible to donate. Anyone who has had anal sex with a new partner or
ELLA POPPITT
) More people from LGBTQ+ communities will be eligible to donate blood from June 14 - World Blood Donor Day - after the launch of new donor safety assessment, meaning all donors, regardless of gender, will be asked the same sexual behaviour questions.
“We screen all donations for evidence of significant infections before they are sent to hospitals. Donation testing goes hand in hand with donor selection to maintain the safety of the blood supply. All donors will now be asked about recent sexual behaviours which might have increased their risk of acquiring an infection. This means some donors might not be eligible on the day but may be eligible to donate in the future. “Our priority is to make sure that donors are able to answer the pre-donation questions in a setting that makes them feel comfortable and safe. Staff are receiving training to make sure these more personal conversations are conducted with care and sensitivity and accurate information is captured. “We are notifying donors of the changes so they can
DR MICHAEL BRADY
FAIR concluded that the new donor selection system will maintain the UK’s status as one of the safest blood supplies in the world. The findings were accepted in full by the government last December. Dr Michael Brady, medical director at THT, said: “It’s great to see these changes to blood donation eligibility being brought in. We’ve always been clear that the safety of the blood supply is the priority here. This change to a more individualised risk assessment is in line with the latest scientific evidence while also allowing as many people as possible to safely donate blood.” Data around the impact of the donor selection changes will be kept under review and assessed 12 months after implementation to determine if changes are needed. Feedback from donors, LGBTQ+ individuals, patients and representatives will be a key consideration in this review.
To become a blood donor, call 0300 123 23 23, download the GiveBloodNHS app or visit: www.blood.co.uk
WHAT'S ON @ AFFINITY BAR JAMIE HEWARD
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) 129 St James’s Street, Brighton BN2 1TH f @AffinityGayBar ) Open: Monday - Sunday, 12noon - midnight. ) WHAT’S ON: Don’t miss a double helping of CABARET on Saturday (19) with vocalist Jamie Heward at 7pm; pitch up for Kara Van Park at 9.45pm. w Saturday is CABARET with Queens live on stage at 8pm: Stephanie Von Clitz (5), Dave Lynn (12) and Davina Sparkle (26). w Every Sunday is CABARET with the sensational Lovinia Belle taking to the Affinity Bar stage at 5pm. w Friday (11) is CABARET with Miss Jason bringing mischief and music at 8.30pm. w BOOKING RECOMMENDED FOR ALL EVENTS. To book, message on Facebook @AffinityGayBar
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MISS HOPE SPRINGS
“This show will include new and old songs. Some favourites will be in there. I’ve Been Around is the title song and it’s new. There’s also a song based on Shanghai Express called Shanghai Lily. That’s from her period when she was scrubbing the floor of a brothel in Shanghai.”
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL
Miss Hope Springs is a homage to the great ladies of American showbiz, especially those who emerged during Hollywood’s Golden Age. We caught up with her creator and custodian, Ty Jeffries, to discuss her latest comeback ) What distinguishes Miss Hope Springs
from Greta Garbo and Monroe is that she never quite made it. Showbiz is her life, even if it hasn’t always been kind to her. Ty Jeffries plays piano and writes the songs. It’s character-based comedy more than drag. Ty was mentored in his twenties by Vangelis. In the ’90s he was a keyboard player in Billy Mackenzie’s Associates, and in 2019, as
Hope, he was Marc Almond’s support artist at the Hammersmith Eventim Apollo. Ty’s accent has a distinctive transatlantic twang and this carries through to his alter ego: “I grew up for a number of years in the States from the age of six. I also lived in the US later in life for a few years, so I feel transatlantic. I love America – or the America of my youth anyway. “My inspiration for Miss Hope Springs is kinda obvious. It’s the showbiz lady of a certain era. The never made it as opposed to a hasbeen. Difficult for me to say this now she’s playing the Wigmore Hall. She has sort of made it now. She’s having overnight success after 45 years.” The transatlantic accent works especially well for Hope. Many of the American actors of her era affected a transatlantic accent.
TY JEFFRIES
“I did a tour in the States in 2016 and I played her more British. She’d come to America in the ’60s following Julie Andrews. Hope is interchangeable. In Rome she’d probably be Italian.” Julian Clary described her as “tragi-comic genius. “My upcoming show is inspired by her travels, including Berlin and Dungeness, where she lives with her husband Irving and his hairdresser pal Carlos in a camper van. She says in the show: ‘When my husband told me he was getting a little camper I thought – that isn’t possible.’ Irving and Carlos do her hair for her.
How has Ty coped with lockdown? “For me there was a weird synchronicity. At the end of 2019 I realised I’d been working solidly for nearly 10 years. My mother passed away after a long illness that year. I just didn’t have the energy or enthusiasm to perform. It just didn’t feel like the right time to be on stage. I took on a few shows. By some extraordinary fluke, with all the lockdowns, I managed to do two shows just before we locked down. And three shows at Christmas – that tiny window when things opened in December; I did my three shows and then everything shut down again.
“My inspiration for Miss Hope Springs is kinda obvious. It’s the showbiz lady of a certain era. The never made it as opposed to a hasbeen” “I was very fortunate. As I’m self-employed I book myself. I’m not part of a big production that had to shut down. They need months to prepare. I’m a one-man band so I was able to go back on stage and do shows at short notice. Luckily they sell out, which is a lovely affirmation of my work. I’m going back to Crazy Coqs in Piccadilly Circus with three sold-out shows in early June.” Crazy Coqs is part of Brasserie Zédel. It’s a fabulous Belle Epoch-style cabaret room and an ideal setting for an artist like Hope. When did he invent the character? “I think I started creating her when I was about seven. I was obsessed with old Hollywood growing up. I fell in love with Garbo, Dietrich and Crawford. Even at that age I used my sister’s Mary Quant make-up crayons. I’d paint my face on and get in touch with the more female aspect of my personality. Talking about gender and sexuality has become a lot easier in the last five years or so. When I grew up you had to squeeze yourself into one box or another. There weren’t many options. I came out at 16 – just ten years after homosexuality was legalised in this country. “Miss Hope Springs is autobiographical as well. I’ve been writing songs since I was a child. I had my first publishing deal with Elton John’s Rocket Music in the mid-80s. I am a serious songwriter. The big chart hits never seemed to come along. I don’t think that’s because of the quality of the songs, at least I hope not! People seem to assume if you do drag you do it because you can’t do anything else.”
Even after Drag Race? “I think Drag Race is a different kettle of fish – if I can use that expression! I came to drag as a writer and musician. I don’t aspire to be on RuPaul. I think it’s hysterical now that everyone looks like a drag queen. I saw the casting for a West End show – all female cast. They looked like dolls! They make me think of cosplay. It’s all part of this wonderful drag soup... I’m a crouton.” Is Miss Hope Springs here to stay? “I think she’s going to be around till I drop. I’ll probably be buried in full regalia.”
“I started creating her when I was about seven. I was obsessed with old Hollywood growing up. I fell in love with Garbo, Dietrich and Crawford. Even at that age I used my sister’s Mary Quant makeup crayons. I’d paint my face on and get in touch with the more female aspect of my personality” The character emerged 10 years ago at Brighton Fringe and won Best Cabaret for that show. She also won Broadway World Award – Best Cabaret at Edinburgh Fringe in 2019. “So this is a homecoming gig. I’ve been on my travels quite literally and come back to roost in East Sussex. Close to my beloved Brighton.” Can Ty explain Brighton’s strange appeal? “I lived in San Francisco for a while in the ’90s. I’ve always felt like Brighton is San Fran’s more petite cousin. It’s the spirit here. It’s wonderful. If drag is soup, Brighton is a melting pot and all the better for it. I love it here.” Miss Hope Springs has recorded an hour-long solo show for Pride in June at the worldfamous Wigmore Hall. For more info, visit www.misshopesprings.com.
Tickets ) Latest Music Bar, Brighton on May 28 and
June 14 & 27 (two shows per night). To book: www.brightonfringe.org/ whats-on/miss-hope-springs-ive-beenaround-136644/
) Brighton Spiegeltent on July 3 at 9pm.
To book: www.brightonfringe.org/ whats-on/miss-hope-springs-ive-beenaround-136644/
) Wigmore Hall: streaming free on Wigmore
Hall website throughout June. For more info: www.wigmore-hall.org.uk
BRIGHTON BEAR WEEKEND www.brightonbearweekend.com f @BrightonBearWeekend
) Brighton Bear Weekend is to bring furry fun and fundraising for the Brighton Rainbow Fund back to the city for four days from Thur, July 22 – Sun, July 25. Having virtually celebrated their 10th anniversary last summer, including some fantastic tea dances and the Mr Brighton Bear 2020 competition, the Brighton Bear Weekend team has announced that this year’s four day event will return… for real! Running from Thursday, July 22 – Sunday, July 25, BBW 2021 will kick off with the fabulous and ever so slightly competitive BBW Quiz. Other activities will include the legendary Garden Party and of course the incredibly popular Mr Brighton Bear competition. If you’ve attended BBW before, you’ll know it’s always great fun. Most of those partaking in the frivolities tend to be bears, cubs and even the stray otter or two, but everyone who is a friend of the community is welcome. The event always attracts furry (and not so furry) men and their friends from around the world.
GRAHAN MUNDAY
Proceeds raised from the entire weekend (including profits from the sale of exclusive merchandise) go to the Brighton Rainbow Fund, a charity which in turn channels funds to a range of local charities benefiting the LGBTQ+ community. For more info, visit: www.rainbow-fund.org. Graham Munday, chair of BBW organising committee, said: “We’re thrilled to be back, staging another live BBW. This year the emphasis will be on getting people out, having some fun in the sun, supporting each other, our venues, and the talent.” As you can imagine, staging big events like this takes some doing. Everyone involved is a volunteer and the guys are keen to hear from anyone keen to donate some of their time to help make the weekend a huge success. You’ll be working with a crowd of people who are fun, sociable, hard-working and committed. Find out more by visiting www.brightonbearweekend.com/volunteer/ or email graham@brightonbearweekend.com
PEACE STATUE. PIC BY NICK FORD
BOOGALOO STU - JUKEBOX PROMO POSTER, 2003
BOOGALOO STU
Alex Klineberg stumbles into the lurid world of the bequiffed performer whose distinctive style balances geniality and end-of-the-pier bawdiness with a sprinkle of offbeat charm ) How did you cope with lockdown?
It’s actually been totally fine for me. It’s been awful for so many people; but I’ve actually found it to be quite therapeutic; it forced me to slow down and reassess what I’m doing with my life. I’m normally the kind of person who can’t say no to things, and in terms of career risks, l would never jump until I’m pushed. So my lockdown experience actually felt like a giant reset button had been pressed, and it gave me the opportunity to diversify. While I’ve continued to perform and host regular events online over the past year, I’ve also had time to make artworks – which was always something I was planning to do but never quite got round to. And now that particular creative endeavour has taken over as my new obsession. How did you become involved with Queer Heritage South? I was asked to contribute to the Queer Heritage South archive by David Sheppeard and Roni Guetta, who created the project. I’ve known them both for many years; David was one of the directors of the Marlborough Theatre (where I hosted my weekly quiz for a long time) and alongside that, I’ve also worked with him on quite a few other theatre projects. I gave them a couple of dusty folders of press cuttings from the nineties and noughties, so they were able to have a nose through the various incarnations of my career, from my beginnings as a knitwear designer and aspiring show-off, through my various career strands as a DJ, cabaret performer, radio presenter, pop star and theatre-maker. I’ve had a finger in many pies. What can we expect from your new podcast? David and Roni interviewed me for an upcoming
podcast episode of My Queer Museum. The idea is that guests nominate three things they would like to put in a virtual queer museum. I chose three wildly different things. Firstly, Marilyn on Top of the Pops in 1983 singing Calling Your Name in a blue sequinned drape jacket. I couldn’t believe my young gay eyes! Secondly, my quiff. It’s a defining feature of Boogaloo Stu’s fashion look, and without it I’m really quite shy and reserved. It has often been described as the Wig of Confidence (yes, hello, it’s a wig). For my third and final museum item, I discuss Gigantic Spunking Cocks at great length, and how and why they often featured in many of my performances. Where can we tune in? I started releasing music in the early noughties; between 2001 and 2013 I collaborated with visual artist ladypat to create animated pop videos for quite a few of my singles.
Pride or the Fringe. But yes, in years gone by I would be out until the small hours almost every night of the week. There are plenty of stories. Too numerous to mention. There are a few good stories covered on the My Queer Museum podcast. But one of the photographs in the archive recently reminded me that there was a long period of time when I barely wore any clothes onstage. I was always practically naked; but I did always try to keep my crown jewels covered. I had an assortment of sequinned knickers, thongs, codpieces, clip-on man-merkins. One night, I was performing with Miss High Leg Kick and The Incredible Tall Lady at Duckie at the Vauxhall Tavern. I was singing an alternative version of J-Lo’s Jenny from the Block reworked as Jenny’s in a Sock, and all I wore was a sports sock over my genitals. Quiff, platforms and sports sock – that was the look. However, as I lunged and thrusted enthusiastically during opening bars of the song, the sock flew off and I was fully exposed. Serves me right. What a fucking show-off!
“There was a long period of time when I barely wore any clothes onstage. I was always practically Can you explain Brighton’s strange appeal? naked; but I did always try to keep Queer people are drawn to Brighton. To me, it my crown jewels covered” oozes a sense of queer history, you can just feel His visuals and my music seemed to have an ongoing synergy – lo-fi and low budget, but very high camp. All the vids are on YouTube and will also now feature in the archive. You’re quite a fixture on Brighton’s nightlife scene. Can you share a favourite – probably hazy – nightclub memory? I’m not sure that I’m a current fixture, I’ve rarely seen the inside of a nightclub in the past decade! I do dip my toe into that world occasionally, reviving Dynamite Boogaloo for
it. It’s all around you. And I think Brighton is a unique microcosm where you can find tons of thriving micro-scenes. Music, theatre, drag, tech, fashion, film, art and much more besides can all intermingle. As a place, it’s small enough for everyone to find their tribe, but it’s also big enough to cater to them all. D To see the Boogaloo Stu Collection, visit: www.queerheritagesouth.co.uk/s/queerheritage-south/item-set/163 D www.boogaloostu.co.uk
BOOGALOO STU - TITWANK, 1999
“Queer people are drawn to Brighton. To me, it oozes a sense of queer history, you can just feel it. It’s all around you”
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THE AXING OF THE ANTIBULLYING LGBTQ+ FUND By Jack Groves
) The Government
Equalities Office had funded programmes to prevent and tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools. This essential fund has been axed and quietly removed. To simply cut the programme will allow reservation for bullying. School can be challenging for any student. However, many young LGBTQ+ students suffer a distressing amount of bullying during their education. I think discontinuing this fund will encourage the perception that LGBTQ+ bullying has either stopped or is not worth funding. It sets the precedent of reclassifying the severity of LGBTQ+ bullying and relaxation of demand for equality. This issue means a lot to me. During my education, there seemed to be a complete lack of understanding. Conversations were not happening and anyone seen as different was not celebrated. The impact I noticed during my final years of education was immense. Self-expression was being celebrated. Conversations around gender identity and androgyny were massive trends in the corridors. I watched younger years having ownership of their identity without backlash. I remember feeling jealous of their freedom, but that wasn’t fair. My journey was different and I held my empowerment through rebellion. So, I stopped being blind-sighted and appreciated the positive changes within those smaller spheres. I transferred from an all-boys school to a mixedgendered school in my intermediate years.
I was astounded to observe the contrast in cultures, especially the freedom of expression in this school. Initially, I thought it must be the flexibility of non-uniform, being a mixedgendered school, but liberation seemed to be progressing year by year. I can now discern it was the efforts of various campaigns, funds, communities and society that was slowly shifting this contemporary acceptance. Friends had told me that they didn’t want to be categorised anymore, or if they had to... correctly at least. The influx in conversation regarding inclusivity, diversity, gender identity etc over the past five-plus years has been incredible. Everyone was learning to delegate all cultural/identity niches with conscious respect. Terms and phrases have become outdated and offensive, so conversations began to be specific with its agenda; being appropriate concerning topics and representation. Reinforcing this, having these programmes and familiarising this to students is enough to spark change. There is a reasonable basis that the reluctance to continue this fund will have a detrimental effect on LGBTQ+ youth. Neglecting this fundamental support means neglecting vulnerable children who need our support. And thus, abandoning this in general inquiry into how vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth are means abandoning our LGBTQ+ youth. I do not recall any discussion in school or support regarding LGBTQ+ identity and history. So creating a safe space for conversation, familiarising identity as something you shouldn’t be ashamed of, will help students to not suffer in silence – as I did. Progression has been made and it warmed me to see this, so it shouldn’t be suspended.
I remember a teacher saying, “how would I know? You seem like a happy young boy”, but that was far from the truth. How could I blame them? Let us not forget that some teachers would have completed their training during Section 28. Unequipped and unbothered. Schools must have access to the correct support to focus on their duty to keep students safe – free from unwarranted resistance toward these programmes from parents, student bodies and governors. I did not get to see the full extent of this programme, but my school experience would have been a different story. Ultimately, without programmes and anti-bullying funding, I risked my education due to my absence. This alone should serve as a case to extend the fund. Without it, during my years of schooling, it felt like my right to education had been dismissed. Action is needed to stop LGBTQ+ bullying. LGBTQ+ students have disproportionately bad mental health; personally, primarily due to my school experience. Let’s not disregard anyone’s mental health and let’s call this out. Why was this fund seen as so adversarial? There is an apologetic uselessness in not mandating legislation which some have said to be culturally influential. What message does this send to our youth? The government is propelling backwards on its primary promise of LGBTQ+ support. Although the government hasn’t directly slapped on any sanctions, it does feel like a slap in the face. I would have thought that the government would have wanted to take all necessary measures to protect its youth – especially after returning to school following the pandemic.
“Neglecting this fundamental support means neglecting vulnerable children who need our support” People have been speaking out, but they are not being heard. These initiatives are not constituting any escalation or change. It is unacceptable to not consider this to be of major concern. LGBTQ+ youth are experiencing bullying everyday. There have been considerable efforts to change this in the past five years. These efforts have come from the LGBTQ+ community and no doubt these programmes have made a positive change. But equality and eradication of discrimination have not been delivered. This is why we cannot liquidate programmes like this. I want LGBTQ+ youth to have a safer education than I did. The cumulative change to the safety of children and adolescents should not be trivialised (as you take away a safety net, the risk reignites). If the government lived up to the statute of what was initially presented when inducing these programmes, then it would be a force for good. However, simply revoking these programmes and tiptoeing out suggests that, financially, LGBTQ+ youth are just not substantial enough. Essentially, Tories are delegating young people to bullying.
DAVE LYNN. PIC BY TOM SELMON
RAILWAY CLUB
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JOHN THOMAS
representations of sensuality, sex and sexuality are more heavily policed and considered less appropriate than representations of violence. Like films, TV and novels, Porn is an art form, that sets out to entertain and titillate, not to educate. It is an indictment of the inadequacy of sex education that people turn to porn for an education. I think porn makers need to be aware of this, but ultimately it isn’t our responsibility to teach, but we can use our platforms to do that also alongside the porn that we make. “I think you could argue that fiction gives us unrealistic expectations about life: but we are (hopefully) taught to be critical viewers and readers of films and books – although how many of your friends dream of a fairytale romance like in the movies, and are disappointed when the reality isn’t the same? “So yes, I think people can get desensitised and have unrealistic expectations, but the issue is with the lack of education, not with the art (however good or bad you consider that art to be).”
“Like films, TV and novels, Porn is an art form, that sets out to entertain and titillate, not to educate. It is an indictment of the inadequacy of sex education that people turn to porn for an education”
LONG LIVE PORN! By Jason Reid
) Many years ago
when I was young, dumb and full of cum, a friend of a friend who was a porn director of the time asked me to be in a movie. I didn’t take up the offer because I was far too scared of family and friends ever catching sight of it – but I do sometimes think back to that and regret not taking it, so to speak. The movie could have been an interesting memento for my later years, like that episode of Schitts Creek when Moira frantically searches the internet for nude pictures of herself taken in her youth only to discover they are lost, and she’s completely devastated: “I regret that they’re lost. They were the one perfect memorial to who I once was. And I should’ve appreciated those firm round mammae and callipygian ass while I had them.” Without a doubt what has changed most about porn in the years following my offer is how freely available it’s become; back then you’d have to leave the house to buy a DVD from a shop in a dark alley, or wait a week or so for it to be delivered by mail order; now all you
have to do is click on a website on a phone/ computer from the comfort of your home without budging an inch, and within seconds a whole spectrum of hardcore porn is right there in front of you. Everything from amateur to gangbangs, and facials to fisting. But apart from the accessibility point, I don’t think porn has changed that much. The template is still the same. Obviously modern porn is now presented in crystal clear high definition, and there’s much more of it. I remember the Cadinot films of the ‘90s; pure filth, as filthy as any of today’s offerings – even if they did look they’d been filmed on a potato. Because porn is now at our fingertips 24/7, it has led many to muse that this must be affecting our personal relationships by creating unrealistic expectations, desensitising sex, and putting pressure on sexual partners to raise the bar in the bedroom. Personally I think this is exaggerated nonsense. Sex between lovers is an intensely personal and in-the-moment experience. Porn is entertainment, fantasy – and work for some. I spoke to acclaimed porn actor John Thomas to get his take. “It’s very observable that across media
John beautifully articulates a point that I’ve raised previously with respect to sex education in this country. Millions of young people have been failed by the system over several decades, and that needs to change ASAP. We owe it to future generations. It’s time for the British to unclench their arse cheeks, remove the rod, and instead provide young people with positive sex education in order for them to be fully prepared for their first sexual encounters. Because the first time is certainly not going to be as seamless as that Andy Starr clip on YouPorn. Porn is art and, ultimately, work. I have a great deal of respect for sex workers. And so should you. We have to stop talking to them like their jobs are the butt of a joke. Change that snarky “oH iT mUst bE sO EaSY” attitude. Because it’s not. And those throwaway comments are naff, rude and come from a place of deep ignorance and lurking misogyny that resides in so many men (god that’s a whole article in itself). If I knew I’d turn out like John Thomas, I’d have snapped that director’s arm off back in 1999 because he’s a positive porn role-model who entertains and educates, so important in any public role, and having people like him in the industry gives me hope for the future. There is definitely an argument to be had that porn desensitises sex in the same way that violent media desensitises violence, but once the regulators have given the green light the onus ought to lie squarely with the consumer. So, in conclusion, long live porn!
56 Gscene
CRAIG’S THOUGHTS Part Two. Recovery.
By Craig Hanlon-Smith @craigscontinuum ) Recovery from an extended period of challenging mental health can at first feel insurmountable. It is not dissimilar to being overwhelmed with the volume of tasks that have been mounting up in the background, one doesn’t know where to start. Start you must. One task at a time and the swell abates. I was fortunate enough to have access to talking therapies and many months later the therapy continues, although we are trying to space these out now, three weeks apart. Recovery takes time. A lot of it. It is not as though I broke my wrist and six weeks in a cast, we’re good to go. The talking also raises areas of discussion long since buried and some of those conversations are difficult to navigate at first. Months down the line I can start to see, once everything is out in the open, where the connecting factors are. People rarely have breakdowns or a spell of mental unwellness out of the blue. It has been helpful for me to recognise what my own warning signs were and what might have triggered them. In times of stress or mounting workload, challenges in our personal relationships or whatever may cross our many paths, my northern stoicism tends to kick in. Put your shoes on, get out there and get on with it. During the Second World War air raids in Manchester, as everyone headed into their cellars for shelter, my 18-year-old grandmother worked with the auxiliary fire service. Her role was to stand on the roof of the tallest building in the neighbourhood and spot the fires caused by the falling bombs, and instruct the fire team below which direction to head in. Fifty years later on the day of my grandfather’s funeral I remember my grandmother’s friend Jean arriving at the flat. Jean, like my grandmother, had also recently lost her husband of some 50 years. Jean looked at my grandmother and with gentle steel said, “God bless you, Miriam”, to which my grandmother replied, “God bless you, Jean”. There was an acknowledgement of the events unfolding, but no public tears. As I write this I am thinking – a little like the Queen. Whatever the world is throwing at you, you just have to get on with it.
But the world has changed. Although my grandmother passed on some 12 years ago, I am not sure she would recognise the world we inhabit today, even though 12 years is, in the history of time, a mere moment. Our experiences are different, not less than or more than, those who have gone before, different. There is a strength in ‘getting on with it’ but our strengths can also be our Achilles heel. Having conversations with yourself and asking questions can be an important part of understanding why we feel a particular way. Perhaps a question as simple as, why? Why has not getting this particular job affected me so much? What are the pieces in the puzzle that link to this feeling of instability? Ignoring it and pressing on merely adds to the growing and soon to be insurmountable pile. I used to feel guilty indulging surges in emotion, it’s not as if I am putting out fires in the Blitz. Such comparisons are unhelpful and only serve the ground swell that you are a failure or generally not good enough. The reflections may be uneasy and raise forgotten discomforts, but ultimately a broader understanding of yourself is really helpful. Comparing yourself to the Queen? Not so much.
“Recovery takes time. A lot of it. It is not as though I broke my wrist and six weeks in a cast, we’re good to go” Recovery, like life, is a journey and possibly one without destination. Play the long game. No quick fixes. Wine and gin are lovely, but they are never the answer and consumed in quantity during a depressed phase really quite dangerous. There are other drugs endemic in LGBTQ+ circles which also mask pain, they do not resolve it. If chems are where you turn to in times of emotional distress, please talk to someone and ask for help.
New to me is the consumption of prescribed medication. I have resisted such interventions for more than 20 years, but I have a great relationship with a fabulous GP and we discussed the possibility of anti-depressants on several occasions. Keep your eye out for signs of instability, and don’t wait for a crash,
call me. Medication is not for everyone and I did LOADS of research. Read a lot, spoke to a number of people who take them, some had life-long experiences of a range of options. There are side-effects and you should get to grips with what they might be and what that means. All medication has side effects – if you actually read the leaflet in your paracetamol packet you would never take them again. It has just given me some space to think laterally and with a calm quality that was lacking before.
It’s not a magic bullet. There are days when my first thought is that I don’t want to get up, but I now have a rehearsed message that I refer to. I’m also a great believer in physical activity that in turn tones the body and helps mend the mind. My online PT (who’s a real person, he sends me check-in videos) also messages me motivating butt kicks and having a responsibility with someone, having to report into someone else about your progress, is extremely helpful to me. Get a dog. Other animals are available. Like the prescribed medication know what you are doing, but I have been fortunate enough to spend some time with a pup these past few months and who knew you could fall in love with a beagle. You have to show up for them. Feed them, wash them and walk walk walk them. Walking and talking out in the fresh air with an equally mental four-legged friend is a beautiful thing.
“Asking questions can be an important part of understanding why we feel a particular way. Perhaps a question as simple as, why? Recovery is yours. There is help for the taking but those initial steps are yours. Recovery from an extended period of challenging mental health can at first feel insurmountable. Not dissimilar to being overwhelmed with the volume of tasks that have been mounting up in the background, one doesn’t know where to start. Start you must.
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