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July-August 2
Reg. Charity No. 1070904
Editorial
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Happy reading
Keith n Team
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h & Writer rc a e s e R x le A edia Ben - Digital M ter Claudia - Wri h & Writer rc a e s e R s e Jam
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To contact any of us or to suggest content for the next edition of foundation, email foundation@lgf.org.uk and make your email for the attention of the relevant person!
Pride, History & Heroes It’s that time of year when we get a chance to think about what Pride means to us. Whether it’s an opportunity to challenge discrimination towards LGB&T people or to promote affirmation and equality, increase our visibility and celebrate sexual and gender diversity. Pride gives us an opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved so far. It’s also important to remember those who have gone before us. 7th October 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of the modern LGB&T movement in Manchester, with the first public meeting of a group of people who eventually organised themselves as The Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE). This first LGB&T organisation in the country played a key part in national campaigns leading up to the decriminalisation of male homosexual activities in 1967. As the situation for many LGB&T people in the UK improved over the years it has become important to recognise the achievements of these early pioneers. Our upcoming Homo Heroes Awards ceremony on Tuesday 7th October 2014 coincides with the exact 50th Anniversary of CHE and we will be paying a tribute. The awards, supported by Barclays, are in their fourth year, and provide an opportunity to celebrate those that challenge homophobia and biphobia, who are role models for the community and have helped make a difference to the lives of lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Find out more about the 2014 Homo Heroes Awards at: www.lgf.org.uk/hero To get involved in LGF’s Pride activities contact: bryna.subherwal@lgf.org.uk
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Volunteer Profile: James Hodgson • James joined The LGF in 2013. • He currently helps out with Th e LGF Volunteer Magazine (you know, the one you’re reading) and contributes art icles here and there on various LGF-rela ted things. • He puts together the Culture Corner, where he pushes his views on LG B&T fic tion throughout the last thirty years or so. He says: “The LGF is a place where I can help people by doing something I really enjoy; it’s a charity focused on suppor ting the wider community, and one that makes a real difference to people's lives. I’m really glad it’s here!” When not scribbling down stuff for The LGF, he is busy working in the HR departme nt of a UK substance misuse social care provider based in Manchester. And, when he gets the chance, he tries his hand at fiction writing. He worked as a researche r on queer Brazilian culture for a bit, and he also worke d in advertising as well (only for a few months!). When he's not doing that sor t of thin g, he likes to get to the gym and to eat pizza, finding both activities to per fec tly balance each other out.
Staff Profile: ather focuses on He le fi ro p ff a st s search This issue Policy and Re ’s F LG e h T arn s, William h Heather to le it w t a ch a d a F. Manager. I h here at The LG le ro r e h t u o more ab ou hat tasks do y w d n a F LG e at Th you perform What role do y making our Polic undertake? responsible for d
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Laura
Volunteer Awards 2014
As many of you know (because you were there!), The LGF’s annual Volunteer A and celebrated the achievements of all our fabulous volunteers. The awards a volunteers, every single day of the year. The sheer number of people involved be able to provide our much needed services. Every LGF volunteer has contrib makes an incredible difference to how many people we can reach with our se The LGF Volunteer Awards winners:
Volunteer of the Year
Volunteer Team of the Year
Winner: Lee Mackintosh
Winner: The Village Angels (for the second year running)
Runner-up: Toby Christopher
Newcomer of the Year Winner: Alexa Santos
Runner-up: Andy Doe Runner-up: Christopher Barton
Village Angels Volunteers include: Andy Doe, Christopher Barton, Chris Steenson, Gwyneth Fitzgerald, Gemma Broadbent, Ian Hodge, Brian Maher, Jakeb Braden, Toby Christopher, Elle Wiggins, Pollyanna Steiner, Bernadette Tyldesley, Amy Marshall, Carly Lyes, Joseph Andrea, Paul Robinson and all the shifts leads and staff who support the team. Runner-up: Sexual Health Volunteers Sexual Health volunteers include: Jakeb, Toby, Lee, Nigel, Alex, Sean and Pete.
Awards ceremony was held during National Volunteers' Week in early June, are an opportunity to celebrate the amazing contributions made by our d in supporting our communities demonstrates that without you, we wouldn’t buted towards an overall total of 8,000 volunteering hours this year! This ervices and campaigns. For those of you who weren’t able to attend, here are
Volunteer Supervisor of the Year
Extra Mile Award
Winner: Shaun Lloyd, Community Engagement Officer
Winner: Ruby Lily Winner: Rosie Adamson-Clark
LUNT
R EE
Winner: Sean Gordon
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Runner-up: Kate Hardy, Wellbeing Officer Runner-up: Stefanie Hartley, Community Safety Coordinator
Winner: Jakeb Braden
AWARDS Reg. Charity No. 1070904
2014
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The . 1070904 Reg. Charity No
The following groups meet regularly at The LGF, Number 5, Richmond Street, Manchester, M1 3HF. • ART CLASS meets on the 2nd & 4th Monday of the month 7-9pm. • BIPHORIA meets 1st Tuesday of the month 7.30-9pm. • BLOOMERS meets 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month 1-3pm. • CAROUSEL meets on the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month 7:30-9pm. • ICEBREAKERS meets every Wednesday from 8pm. • IMAAN (LGB&T Muslim Group) meets 1st Thursday of the month 7:30-9:30pm. • OLDER & BOLDER meets 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month 7:30-9pm. • OUT WITH PROSTATE CANCER meets 1st Saturday of the month 2-4pm. • STEPPING STONES meets 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month 7:30-9pm. • TREC (Trans Resource and Empowerment Centre ) meets 3rd Friday of the month 7-9pm. • YOUNG MEN'S GROUP for 18-25 year olds, meets 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month 7-9pm
The following services are available at The LGF, Number 5, Richmond Street, Manchester, M1 3HF. • LEGAL ADVICE SURGERY every 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month 6-8pm. • OUTREACH CLINIC most Tuesdays for more details visit www.lgf.org.uk/testing or call 0845 3 30 30 30. • POLICE SURGERY every Thursday 6-8pm. • RAPID HIV TESTING every Wednesday 12-2pm. ALBERT KENNEDY TRUST 0161 228 3308 GEORGE HOUSE TRUST 0161 274 4499 SURVIVORS MANCHESTER 07919 246 2671 For more listings please see www.lgf.org.uk/directory
Di Stepping Stones Carousel
Art Class
Older & Bolder
E N U J & Y MA 2014
The following volunteering opportunities take place regularly at The LGF. If you’re interested in any of the below, just ask Bryna for more information! • BEFRIENDING various flexible opportunities available (training required). • CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPPORT flexible opportunities (training required). • GROUPWORK PROGRAMME dependent on group times (training required). • HPE (HIV PREVENTION ENGLAND) various shifts available (training required).
iary Dates
• LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE group meets every Wednesday 5 – 8pm. • OFFICE SUPPORT flexible opportunities that can be arranged with the Volunteer Manager. • RAMPTON GROUP FACILITATOR every month, application and relevant skills and experience required. • VILLAGE ANGELS various shifts available (training required).
3rd July: First meeting of new Younger Men’s Group, The LGF (7:30pm) 19th July: Snap Happy women’s photography workshop, The LGF (2pm5pm) 27th July: Peel Park Pink Picnic, at Peel Park, Salford (12pm-7pm) see www.peelparkpinkpicnic.org.uk 31st July: BiReCon research & academics conference (Leeds) see bisexualresearch.wordpress.com/birecon/birecon-2014 1st-3rd August: BiCon (Leeds) see www.bicon2014.org.uk 4th August: Rochdale Advice Surgery, at Number One Riverside, Smith Street, OL16 1XU (5pm) 12th August: Middleton Advice Surgery, at Middleton Library, Long Street, M24 6DU (3:30 pm) 15th August: Gay/Bi men’s introduction to Male Cancers, The LGF (10am-2pm). Free event, lunch included. Email: men@lgf.org.uk 22nd–25th August: Manchester Pride Weekend 23rd August: Pride Parade – walk with The LGF (11am-2pm) Contact kathy.mcguirk@lgf.co.uk
ster e h c n a M t a g Volunteerin Pride 2014
August om Friday 22nd for fr n ru ill w d n king weeke s, The LGF is loo anchester Pride This year the M ugust and as in previous year ester Pride period. A ch to Monday 25th n up to and during the Man ru e th lk in the your help in ir friends to wa August, e th d n a rs e te rd n oking for volu on Saturday 23 Firstly we are lo e parade, which takes place at the end of Deansgate, d ld Manchester Pri starts at 11am in Castlefie g to get a t-shirt to n ally (the event usu attending a pre-amble meeti e Manchester Museum th r rs a e e n te , n with volu s around 1pm , going along Deansgate rt a st lf se it lk a ool Road village. wear). The w ustry on Liverp g up at the start of the Gay go d In d n a ce n e of Sci nt to endin ut if you do wa n's Square and through St An required for the walk itself, b ristband. It's a fantastic is ed a w No wristband age you will ne clapping and waving you ill v e th in r e ft king ectators for a drink a ke part, with sp phoria, fun and laughter in ta ible, ta to y it n u rt o opp are vis of eu nsure that we definite sense on - there is a hly recommend it. It helps e raise funds to help out ig to part, I would h d accepted: it also allows us n a d r. g the yea remembere projects durin y it n u m m co g teams, with r the welcomin site, fo d e d e e n is g to the Other help al goers arrivin y Train Station. iv st fe e m o lc e to w cadill the ints such as Pic typically at po portunities to volunteer at rs op re ticket holde e h There are also w re a se e es - th ticket exchang cket for a wristband, which ti ir e rist. exchange th the persons w to ch ta at rs e te volun icate ed to commun d e e n is lp e h Outreach work ival goers, usually relating to ye st ne messages to fe the Village area, keeping a s, in u h at it st w r being safe cks, know you ople a p x se fe sa t, e osting p on your walle ions and signp Sometimes ct e ir d h it w g helpin elp is needed; y help for h r e h rt fu if F to The LG a and data entr quires a at d y e rv su ct usually re you'll colle F system. This LG as. e h T g in at d up Gay Village are e th to in y tr n e wristband for
d for the Life Help is require n Saturday and ao Exposition are as in previous h Sunday, which orlton Street Ch years been at r park. Generally ca n io coach stat ract with the te in volunteers information public offering he LGF services, tT booklets abou g, cervical stin such as HIV te ore general m d n screening a nd ain this ch as groups a information su and around Manchester - ag village area. e in organisations a wristband for entry into th s e ir u q usually re e Monday le Lit Vigil on th cting, d n a C e th r fo d fund colle also needed Volunteers are lves distributing candles an ning ear to those te vo evening, this in , providing a sympathetic lis ere for support – no g th in direction help their stories and just being ll who want to te ired for this activity. qu he wristband is re ee to contact T fr l e fe se a le p rtunities r. nteering oppo For other volu r the volunteer e-newslette fo r te d LGF, or regis ng activities an g ri e te n lu vo e nteerin me of th take part in so ank everyone for their volu ill w u yo e p o h th lly ge We like to persona ere makes a hu The LGF would oing just an hour here or th e help. Thanks again. ,d m time and effort lives of others in need of so e th to difference e of of August. Som anchester th e n g o n m ri e F e th d t u ri o P M h nts run throug ie exhibition at ction The fringe eve ighlights have been the Kyl le se a r there are 'h previous years e Pink Dog Show. Each yea d exhibitions in and th an e Art Gallery and pics of sexuality plus plays rmation can b fo in e at to -d d o n u -t p ro urce of u of films a ster. A good so e.com e ch n a M d n u aro rid .manchesterp found at www required. rd , no is wristband d n 3 e 2 k e e ay W rd . u Pride at 1pm on Sat 5th, no wristband is required s rt ta S e d ra a Pride P onday 2 - Evening of M Candlelit Vigil
Alex
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BOOK REVIEW: The Darker Proof: Stories from a Crisis, by Adam Mars-Jones and Edmund White These days, there’s an unspoken assumption that the so-called ‘younger’ generation of gay men don’t know the truth about HIV and AIDS - safe sex starts to look optional and infection rates rise without a corresponding rise in deaths. Different perspectives on the crisis can always help us. Not only do they inform us about the experience of others, they can point out what we’re missing. Adam Mars Jones and Edmund White’s collection The Darker Proof : Stories from a Crisis is one such perspective. This book isn’t for the faint hearted - it was released at the height of the AIDS crisis (1987), and spares no punches in relaying to us the period’s pure relentless horror. This is not literature for the easily distressed. Take Adam Mars-Jones’ story ‘A Small Spade’. It’s easily my favourite piece, perhaps because it disturbed me the most. It concerns a serodiscordant couple living in the late 1980s (an HIV+ bohemian chap and the narrator, his HIV- lover). Simple plotting sets up the couple’s life in terms of an attempted normalcy: they live together, shop together, work and get on with life together, uneasily at points, but well enough for an average lower-middle class gay couple. On holiday, the lad with HIV discovers a nasty splinter in his finger. As various people attempt to remove it, including a nurse wearing multiple pairs of rubber gloves, medical terror drops into the picture and all sense of normality is shattered. It induces panic in the reader. Doesn’t sound like poolside reading? Perhaps not, but I want to urge people to explore this collection nonetheless. Each story contains a truth we need to hear: how normality wasn’t a right (or even a privilege of rich heterosexist gays) but a fragile thing, a treasure, barely ever felt or experienced. How, in the face of death, people remained brave, human, flawed, selfish, slutty, majestic, boring, and all the rest. How a whole culture of people were shaken with fear but still ate fish and chips, bought cars, did "human stuff". As PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) gains international coverage and same-sex marriage rights seem equally omnipresent, the world painted by Mars-Jones and White can feel alien, backward, even redundant. I’d argue the opposite. As much as we’d like to, we can’t forget ourselves in the narcotic wash of feel-good contemporary storytelling – and we certainly can’t take anything for granted. There’s still a fight to be won: no amount of money or normality will change that. LGBT life remains precarious across the globe; HIV is still a global problem; we’re catching it more often, not less; scores of people can’t get the drugs they need to treat it. Mars-Jones and White have written an elegant book that makes us think again about what we do, why we do it, what its worth and what we might lose. It’s a tough read. But it did me the world of good.
James
The BIG LGF Fe ast: Sunday 11th M ay
On Sunday 11th May we held the BIG LGF Feast here at Richmond Street. This is our second time around for the feast, having held it last January with great success just after the staff conference days in December. This year we chose to tie the event in with the planning for our new 5-year strategic plan which is currently in development.
The idea of the feast is for volunteers, staff and trustees to come together for a lovely lunch, and to undertake one or two activities which are designed to get your feedback, ideas and opinions. As volunteers, you are so well placed to comment on the perception of the organisation, and help us shape what we should be doing over the coming few years. The day itself saw 25 volunteers engage with us and we spent the time asking the ‘BIG’ questions…the ‘Whys’ of The LGF. Volunteers and staff were welcomed by our Chair David McGovern and our Director of Organisational Development Sian Payne, with the key activities being led by Paul Martin. As well as the main activities we got involved with decorating gingerbread figures, which brought out the creative streak in us all! The activities brought out some really useful feedback, not least of which were some great ideas for definitions of why The LGF exists, and we would like to thank all of the volunteers who came along for their contributions!
ay D r e t s e h c n a M Manchester Day takes place every year in June (this year's was 22nd June), now in its 5th year. It celebrates creativity, diversity and everything great about the North West. It is for, and associated with, people in and around the local Manchester area. Every year the event grows in size and popularity, attracting an increasing number of local groups to take part – there is a sort of snowballing affect in motion amassing fun, chaos, music and lots of laughter as it rolls along. The main part of the day is an afternoon procession, which generally starts around 1pm and has a parade route that travels around the city centre, finishing about 2.30pm. The parade itself is made up of a sequence of community groups, some walking entries and some on floats. Past examples have been Manchester Police and Fire Brigade, local dancers from Manchester's Dance Academy, circus acts with juggling and flame throwing, running and athletic groups, lots of different local youth groups dressed in costumes - some celebrated Divali throwing paint powders to the crowd. The Manchester Prarie Dogs also entertained the crowds with their line dance steps. Last year The LGF had the 'Kiss Hate Goodbye' campaign where we were
all dressed up in giant lips offering kisses to the crowds. There were also local primary schools, the NHS and Manchester foster and carers groups. Lots of preparation goes into the parade weeks beforehand, where local volunteers, including The LGF's, and artists, collaborate together to create artwork for use on the floats and costumes for walkers within the parade. The theme for 2014 was 'Going Global', a concept that celebrates on a world level everything great about Manchester. There are over 36 places called Manchester around the world. With advances each year the world feels as though everything is becoming closer and smaller. Link-ups via tele-communications, the internet and social media all contribute to this shrinking stage. So as we have the limelight it makes sense to celebrate Manchester's fashion, music, football, computer and industrial revolution exports which are known the world over. For pictures from the day visit: www.flickr.com/lgf
Alex
s ie il m a f Q T B LG e t a r b le e c s ’ t Le With Mother’s and Father’s day being traditional national holidays, the space in between these established parenting identities is often forgotten. This is the space for LGBTQ families, that whilst they now have the same legal rights as heterosexual parents, are still largely underrepresented and underappreciated. In the USA, The Family Equality Council run events such as ‘Family Week’ to combat this problem, taking place this year from July 26th-August 2nd. Raising awareness and publicising support for LGBTQ parents, events such as these are the way forward until alternative family arrangements are no longer "alternative". In the UK we have ‘LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week’ (3rd - 9th March) which promotes these methods of building a family, with events running all over the country to provide help and information for LGB&T couples or individuals hoping to Foster or Adopt, (although according to the official website, none took place in the North West). However what we do have are the ‘Proud 2 b Parents Group’ that hold monthly events in Manchester to provide information and support to LGBTQ parents. And even crossing the boundaries between the USA and the UK, there is the annual ‘Blogging for LGBT Families Day’, which took place this year on the 2nd June. This event, originally created by Dana Rudolph on her website www.mombian.com, globally celebrates LGB&T families by encouraging all bloggers, LGB&T and allies, to write blog posts related to and in support of LGB&T families. To get involved this time next year, you can write on your blog if you have one and then submit a link to your post on the ‘mombian’ website to be featured on their master list, upload a video to youtube with the tag “lgbtfamilies”, or write a tweet with the hashtag ‘#lgbtfamilies’. You can also download a banner from ‘mombian’ to post on your chosen social media site. If you don’t want to write yourself, you can just enjoy reading other peoples stories from the master list. Additionally, The LGF will be showing their appreciation by holding a ‘Family Day’ this year over Pride weekend. Whilst all these events are a leap in the right direction, on average, the heterosexual family is still prioritised. The USA’s ‘National Parent’s Day’, which appears to be an alternative to the gender specific Mother’s and Father’s day, is in fact ‘designed to celebrate and strengthen the traditional, two-parent family’, with all the website’s images depicting heterosexual parents. Advertising generally follows the same pattern, often dismissing same-sex, transsexual, genderqueer and single parent families. Hopefully, as events and their coverage become more widespread, supportive recognition will be given to LGBTQ families and the heteronormative tradition disempowered.
Claudia
Charlotte’s Corner
lunteers! Hello lovely vo s last ‘Charlotte’ This will be my time e hile, and by th Corner’ for a w e will already hav you read this I ity rn start my mate to F LG e h T ft le en an absolute leave. It has be u all, g alongside yo in t rk o w re su a ple out more abou d n fi to ce n a e ch LGF and having th u all do for The yo g n ri e te n lu the fantastic vo users. al, and its service ryna Subherw B is r e g a n a M teer take The new Volun June. It might th 2 1 n o st o p d The LGF, who started in her way aroun rn a le to ile h t is her a little w day and her firs st la y m n e e tw ring but the gap be your voluntee to n o ti p ru is d do feel a short one, so minimal. Please e b ld u o sh e e programm na and she’ll b ry B h it w ch u u need free to get in to any support yo h it w u yo lp e happy to h . r volunteering related to you ,I you all so much s is m to g in o g after my Although I am to come back y it n u rt o p p o I may do have the is wonderful, so h ic h w e av le y maternit u all come next yo h it w g in rk o well be back w year! to ying thank you sa y b ff o n g si st 9 I wanted to r making the la fo u yo f o e n o e, and each and every xperience for m e ic st ta n fa a our months such ay to support d ry ve e o d ntastic u yo st. You are a fa o for everything m s u d e e n y hen the ts, your service users w skills and talen y n a m so ho h it le w d keep being w n a s group of peop u io ct fe in absolutely enthusiasm is you are!! Lots of love,
x e t t o l r Cha
Congratulations Dave Allinson! Huge congratulations to our very own David Allinson, who was shortlisted for the Learndirect Inspiration Awards, specifically the Inspiring Learner Award. David received a place as a finalist and also a certificate of achievement from Learndirect. Dave attended the Regional Learndirect Inspiration Awards with his Learndirect Tutor on the 13th May at the Palace Hotel in Manchester. Dave says: “It was a fantastic day, and I am so proud and honoured to have been shortlisted for this award - it says a lot about my tutor and his staff at the Morecambe Learndirect centre. It also shows me how far I have come on my journey, as well as how much I have achieved to gain my Maths and English GCSE level 2 qualifications by overcoming so many of my personal problems to be the person I am today. Gaining my Maths and English qualifications gave me a boost to then apply to The LGF to become a volunteer in the Archive & Heritage Project. I wanted to give something back to the charity that supported me while I was at my lowest and help other LGB people. I am so grateful to you and everyone working at The LGF for giving me the chance to become a volunteer and be involved in so many brilliant events and activities. It has changed my life profoundly!�
For a large print version of this magazine, please contact us on 0845 3 30 30 30 or email: info@lgf.org.uk
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Very well done Dave from all of us here at The LGF!