Odl quarterly 5 (spring 2014) by Opening Doors London

A$magazine$by$and$for$the$older$LGBT+$community!

Spring!2014!

ODL$is$supported$by!

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What$happened$to$the$QDL$sex$survey?$ While!planning!this!issue!the!idea!of!devising!a! sex!questionnaire!came!up.!When!we!decided!to! run! with! the! idea! we! didn’t! imagine! it! being! a! ‘scientific’! piece! of! social! research! done! by! outsiders.! We! preferred! approaching! it! as! an! exploration! and! opening! up! of! questions! around! sexual! feelings! and! practices.! We! created!it!collectively!from!our!own!experience,! work! and! expertise! as! ODL! members! and! volunteers! on! the! Q! editorial! team.! It! was! always! meant! to! be! optional! and! anonymous.! We! hoped! the! results! would! help! kick! start! a! series! of! ODL! initiatives! around! the! subject! of! sex! whether! these! were! discussion! groups,! attempts! to! raise! the! profile! of! older! LGBT! interests! and! needs! more! completely,! or! a! deepening! of! our! own! confidence.! ! We! didn’t! want!just!‘the!facts’,!we!wanted!the!feelings!and! contexts.! ! It! was! as! much! an! exercise! in! consciousness! raising! as! anything! else.! The! results! were! to! go! no! further! than! the! ODL! office.! We! would! use! them! to! report! back! to! members! and! hope! to! generate! discussion.! Maybe!it!would!be!fun!too.! !

Despite! our! enthusiasm,! circumstances! and! time! constraints! meant! that! we! got! a! little! ahead! of! ourselves.! Paper! copies! of! the! survey! had!to!be!sent!out!with!the!usual!ODL!listings!to!

members! without! access! to! the! internet.! Deadlines!had!to!be!met!and!costs!kept!firmly!in! mind.! ! Concurrently! the! internet! copy! of! the! survey!waited!in!a!queue!because!other!firstLinL line! business! hadn’t! been! completed! –! for! instance!the!annual!survey.!! !

In! the! meantime,! and! regrettably,!two! or! three! members!got! in! touch! to! let! us! know! that!they! were!very! upset!by!the!paper!survey.! Although! we!had!warned!of!its!explicit!content!we!realise! now! that! in! our! hurry! to! meet! deadlines,! we! hadn’t! thought! deeply! enough! about! the! possibility!that!the!survey!could!cause!distress.! We! regret! that! any! single! person! should! have! experienced!this.! !We!have!therefore! agreed! to! put! the! survey! on! hold! for! revision! and! discussion!about!how!to!best!proceed.!!We!want! to!thank!all!the!members!who!took!the!time!and! thought! to! complete! and! return! the! paper! questionnaire.! The! high! response! rate! shows! that!we!are!not!alone!thinking!members!want!to! talk! about! sexual! experience! and! practice.! These! replies! will! be! held! safely! and! in! confidence!and!returned!to!when!we!reLactivate! the! survey.! We! apologise! to! those! who! did! not! receive! the! questionnaire! and! would! like! to! have!done!so.!!We’ll!keep!you!posted.!! ! SEX THOUGHTS… and religion

For!many!years!sex!was!pretty!much!a!compulsion;!my!relationships!were!always!open,!at!least! on!my!side.!But!though!I!had!an!inordinate!amount,!it!rarely!amounted!to!a!satisfactory! experience:!it!was!just!gratifying!an!appetite!rather!than!a!meaningful!encounter.!Such!advances! in!scientific!knowledge!as!the!Big!Bang,!the!unraveling!of!the!DNA!code,!and!the!extent!of!fineL tuning!in!the!Universe!had!made!it!clear!that!a!Creator!was!responsible,!but!I!couldn’t!reconcile! the!demands!of!religion!–!specifically,!Christianity!–!with!my!sexual!needs.!It!wasn’t!till!I!was! shown!(initially!via!The$Gay$Gospels!by!Keith!Sharpe)!that!the!Bible!is!actually!gayLfriendly!and! that!gay!sexuality!is!an!integral!part!of!God’s!creation!that!I!was!able!to!at!least!attempt!to! integrate!these!two!parts!of!my!life,!and!though!it!is!still!something!of!a!struggle,!I!feel!much! more!of!a!whole!man!now.!L!MH,!87!

Metro$Walnut$

A!new!group!on!prostate!cancer!for!gay!and!bisexual!men!meets!once!a!month!on!Saturday! afternoon!in!the!Greenwich!area.!More!information!from!Simon!on!07779!032!263!or! simon@metrocentreonline.org!

ODL!Quarterly!–!Spring!2014!

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Editorial:$The$Sex$Issue$ We!should!warn!readers!that!this!edition!of!Q!is! frank! and! contains! 'explicit! material'.! We! have! learnt! from! the! women's! movement! and! from! the! response! of! people! working! to! end! the! global! HIV! epidemic! the! importance! of! being! forthright! about! sex! and! sexual! practice.!! Nevertheless!we!realise!that!sex!can!be!a!tricky! ! subject! at! any! age! and! talking! about! sex! can! Here!are!some! of!the! reasons! why!we!chose!to! prompt! any! number! of! complicated! and! make!‘sex’!the!focus!of!this!issue.! sometimes!contradictory!reactions,!whether!we! ! ! Many! people! and! institutions! believe! are! lesbian,! gay,! bisexual,! trans,! queer! or! that! older! people! don’t! want! to! express! their! intersex,! celibate,! experimental,! living! with! an! HIV!positive!status,!STI,!or!chronic!illness.!! sexuality!and!are!‘past!it’!anyway.! Summer!is!almost!here!and!the!ODL!Q!editorial! team! has! been! thinking! about! sex.! Whether! sexually!active!at!present!or!breathing!a!sigh!of! relief! that! you’ve! left! it! all! behind,! many! of! us! have! feelings,! ‘points! of! view’! and! experiences! of!sex!–!positive!and!negative.!In!Q5!we!hope!to! explore!some!of!these.!

ODL! Q! honours! the! diversity! of! our! responses! including! the! possibility! that! some! members! may! find! the! sex! topic! too! painful! to! contemplate! or! too! boring! to! touch.! ! If! that! is! ! the!case!treat!this!issue!carefully!and!remember! ! As! older! LGBT! people! all! sorts! of!things! that! we’ll! be! back! next! time! with! something! make! our! sexuality! and! love! lives! unique;! we! different.! ! We! encourage! all! ODL! members! to! want!to!give!voice!and!value!to!them.! write! to! Q! and! tell! us! what! you! think.! We’d! ! ! Giving! ourselves! permission! to! talk! (as! really!like!to!know!! ! much! or! little! as! we! wish)! with! each! other! L!The!Editorial!Team! about!sex!challenges!some!of!the!stereotypes!of! ! older!people.!! ! !Sex!is!still!part!of!many!older!LGBT!lives! –!in!memory,!fantasy,!desire!and!often,!fact.!But! it! remains! an! invisible! or! ‘taboo’! subject! even! amongst!ourselves.!!

! Talking! about! sex! also! opens! up! a! discussion! about! what! we! mean! by! sex! and! helps!to!challenge!the!assumption!that!‘real’!sex! is!heterosexual!intercourse.! !

! Finally! and! importantly! for! the! ODL! team,! if! older! LGBT! people! did! want! specific! information! on! sexual! health! and! pleasure! and! turned!to!the!Internet,!they!would!find!virtually! nothing.! When! we! searched! for! wellLwritten,! informative!sites! we!found!an!astonishing!lack.! There’s!a!gap!here,!which!needs!to!be!filled.! !

SEX THOUGHTS… I!always!use!a!condom!and!have!safe!sex.!!I! did!use!Viagra!once,!a!herbal!Viagra,!not! the!real!thing.!It!was!like!a!block!of!wood.! !

HOW OLD ARE YOU? A!question!for!ODL!Q!readers:!if!someone!asks!you!to!describe!yourself!in!relation!to!age,!what! do!you!say?!‘Older’?!‘Old’?!‘Pensioner’?!‘OAP’?!‘Senior’?!Or??!Write!in!to!Q!at! ODL.Quarterly@ageukcamden.org.uk!or!at!Tavis!House!and!let!us!know.! !

Opening!Doors!London!(ODL)!–!www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk!

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SEX$before$1967:$What$you’re$gonna$do…$IN$PRIVATE!$ SixtyLone! years! too! late,! in! December! 2013,! Alan! Turing,! computer! pioneer,! WW2! codebreaker! and!homosexual! man!was! given!a! royal! pardon! for! his!1952! conviction! for! gross! indecency.!! !

So! what! about! the! men! who! were! sexually! active!throughout!this!era?!ODL!volunteer!Pete! Dixon! spoke! to! older! Opening! Doors! members! about!what! they! recalled! of! the! passing!of! this! historic! bill! and! what! it! meant! for! them! as! practicing!gay!men!in!the!late!1960s.! !

In! 1967! all! male! homosexual! activity! was! still! illegal.! But! Roy! Jenkins,! Labour! Home! Secretary,!spearheaded!The$Sexual$Offences$Act,! which! was! finally! passed! through! Parliament! on!27th!July!1967,!decriminalising!homosexual! acts!in!private!between!two!men!both!over!21.! !

The! act! introduced! certain! exemptions! from! prosecution,! rather! than! full! decriminalisation,! but! homosexual! behaviour! could! still! in! many! circumstances!be!a!punishable!offence.!! ! Keith! “There! wasn’t! as! much! looking! over! your! shoulder!thinking!am!I!gonna!get!caught”! !

Keith! was! 27! in! 1967! and! living! in! Luton.! He! had! previously! served! in! the! Marines! and! the! Merchant! Navy,! which!weren’t! covered! by! The! Act.!! !

!“After! I! came! out! of! the! Merchant!Navy,! I!began!to!get!a! rhythm! going! with!being!gay.! I! didn’t! have! any! direct! trouble! with! the!law!but!on! occasion! was! taken! to! a! police! station! whilst! out! John!Gielgud! October!21st!1953!–!Arrested!for!cottaging! !

ODL!Quarterly!–!Spring!2014!

Alan!Turing! 31st!May!1952!–!Gross!indecency.!Pardoned!in!2013!

! cottaging,!though!luckily!never!charged.! !

After!the!Act!came!in,!it!felt!more!relaxed!to!go! cruising! as! there! wasn’t! as! much! looking! over! your! shoulder! thinking! am! I! gonna! get! caught.! Before!the!bill,!there!were!all!these!night!spots! that! were! closed! down! as! soon! as! they! were! opened,! but! after!’67!they! tended!to! stay! open! more.! It! wasn’t! a! sudden! change! –! just! more! gradual.! Gays! relaxed! and! started! to! push! the! boundaries.!They!became!more!easily!identified! for!meeting!and!picking!up.”! ! Alex! “We! could! walk! with! our! heads! that! little! bit! higher”! !

Alex! moved! from! Dundee! to! London! in! 1960! and!he!was!24!in!1967.!! !

“I! was! in! a! sexual! relationship! with! another! man! at!the! time! and! I!remember! when!the! bill! was! passed! it! was! both! marvellous! and! scandalous! –! at! long! last! the! darkness! was! beginning! to! lighten.! We! had! waited! 10! long! years! since! the! Wolfenden! report! was! published,! and! it! took! the! era! of! change! that! was! the! 1960s! to! make! a! government! secure! enough! to! take! the! decision.! It! made! no! immediate! difference! to! my! or! my! friend’s! There’s!a!timeline!of!historic!cottaging!cases!at:! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cottaging!!

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“When! the! law! was! passed! I! wasn’t! in! a! relationship! L! after! leaving! prison,! I! thought! I! might! as! well! fit! the!crime,!so! I!embarked! on! a! long! series! of! oneLnight! stands.! The! passing! of! the! bill! was! a! wonderful! thing.! It! gave! us! a! freedom! we! had! never!had! before! and! allowed! us! to!be!recognised! as!a!community!–!although! it! made! no! difference! to! my! own! personal! sexual!behaviour!! !

Oscar!Wilde! May!25th!1895!L!Sentenced!to!two!years!for!gross! indecency!

behaviour! except,! as! gay! men,! we! could! walk! with!our!heads!just!that!little!bit!higher.!! ! Prosecutions! did! increase! after! the! bill! was! passed,! though.! The! police! were! very! homophobic!at! the!time!and!arresting!gay! men! was!an!‘easy!nick.’!Also,!if!you!threw!a!party!for! your! gay! friends! and! your! neighbours! took! offence,! they! could! telephone! the! police! and! have!you!raided.!!

I! had! escaped! a! small! county! town! to! embrace! the!revolution!that!was!taking!place!in!London,! the! Act! was! part! of! this.! The! sudden! freedom! went! to! our! heads! a! bit:! we! celebrated! more! openly!and!became!that!little!bit!more!visible.”! ! Mike! Born! in! 1926,! well! before! I! was! 20! I! was! a! ‘hardened! criminal’.! ! The! law! seemed! so! preposterous! that! I! couldn’t! take! it! seriously:! some!lines!from!a!poem!about!the!1967!Act!well! express!how!I!felt:! !

It! was! still! not! acceptable! for! men! to! kiss! and! cuddle.! !

Cottaging! was! a! way! of! life! before! ‘67! and! continued! so! afterwards! but! with! increasing! arrests.! So! the! bill! was! far! from! perfect,! but! it! was! the! first! step.! In! retrospect,! even! though! there! was! no! immediate! change,! it! started! people! talking! about! attitudes! and! paved! the! way!for!the!sexual!politics!of!the!1970s.”! !

Ron! “It!gave!us!a!freedom!we!had!never!had!before”! !

Ron!was!39!in!1967.!Seven!years!previously!he! had! spent! 12! months! in! prison! for! gross! indecency.!!

The$law$did$not$affect$one$jot$ what$we$were$doing.$ But$since$repeal$how$good$to$feel$ it's$legal$screwing.$

When!I!lived!in!Camden!Town!I!regularly!visited! Hampstead! Heath,! but! once! in! East! London! I! preferred! cottaging! to! picking! up! in! pubs! or! clubs.! Other! popular! venues! were! Turkish! Baths,!firstly!in!Bermondsey,!where!the!level!of! activity! could! be! relied! on.! This! was! local! councilLrun,! and! others! similar,! though! with! less! going! on,! were! in! Poplar! and! West! Ham.! I! knew!about!the!Jermyn!St!Baths,!of!course,!but!I! preferred! a! more! downLtoLearth! ambience.! Though! I! welcomed! it,! the! passing! of! the! Bill! didn’t!really!alter!my!lifeLstyle.!

BLOG INTEREST For!those!of!you!who!blog!and!for!anyone!interested!in!ideas!on!the!history!of!!sexuality,!the! Raphael!Samuel!History!Centre!are!hosting!a!new!blog!NOTCHES!http://www.notchesblog.com! If!you!would!like!to!contribute!get!in!touch!with!jbengry@gmail.com! !

Opening!Doors!London!(ODL)!–!www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk!

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AgeDesire$

Coming! home! from! work! recently! I! met! a! woman! I! badly! wanted! to! flirt! with.! We! have! met! before! but! this! time! I! want! to! connect:! make! her! laugh! –! on! the! bus,! later! in! the! bar! (perhaps! much! later! in! my! bed).! I! lower! my! eyes,! turn! the! conversation! to! neutral! and! try! hard!not!to!betray!myself.!!

At!50!(on!a!good!day)!I!could!still!recognise!in!a! mirror! my! younger! selves! alive! in! my! face:! 30! and! 40!like!further! rooms! reflected.! Almost! 60! now,! those! further! rooms! are! gone! and! I! struggle!to!own!a!face!less!and!less!like!the!one! I! knew.! Perhaps! this! is! why! I! need! you! to! recognise!me.!

She! is! much! (much)! younger! than! me,! yet! knowing! this! doesn’t! stop!me! wanting!her;!our! gulf! of! age! does! not! swallow! desire.! And! censoring! myself! this! way! recalls! my! earliest! attempts!to!hide!what!women!meant!to!me.!! !

L!Anonymous!lesbian!

SEX THOUGHTS… Sometimes!I’ll!just!stay!home! and!have!a!wank!and!that’s!fine.! DL,!52!

‘Look! at! me’,! I! want! to! say,! as! the! bus! grinds! through! Oxford! Street.! Our! eyes! meet! for! a! moment! and! then! yours! slide! away! and! in! the! mirror! that!evening!I!see!what! you!saw.!A! face! flayed!by!age!and!illness!and!(yes)!desire!too.!

SEX THOUGHTS… $ Did!you!ever!go!out!with!women?! Once,!when!I!was!seventeen.!She!was!called!Angie! and!we!were!both!in!to!David!Bowie,!whose!wife! of!course!was!Angie.!But!then!I!fell!in!love!with! her!brother…! !

What$sex$means$to$me$ Sex!has!been!a!deep!joy!to!me,!and!one!I!hope!I! will! never! completely! lose.! I’ve! enjoyed! casual! sex! with! friends! as! well! as!deeply! intimate!sex! with! beloved! partners.! Not! to! mention! flying! solo.!!!

On! the! few! occasions! that! I! tried! to! become! intimate! with! other! women! when! I! was! younger,!they!were!shocked!and!rejecting.! I!was!brought!up!to!think!of!sex!as!something!a! woman! (reluctantly)! gave! a! man! L! a! gift! of! ! I! didn’t! understand! sex! much! as! a! young! surrender.! ! Many! years! later! I! was! to! discover! woman! growing! up! in! the! late! 1960s.! ! No! the!joys!of!bdsm!L!domination!and!submission!in! internet! then.! What! a! difference! it! would! have! particular!! ! made!if!there!had!been!an!LGBT!student!group! Strangely! enough,! it! turns! out! that! for! me,! the! at!my!university!! act! of! submission! is! the! most! powerful! ! If!such!things!had!even!been!spoken!about!L!but! expression! of! sexual! joy! and! bonding,! and! it! they! weren’t.! I! experienced! attractions! to! matters!not!a!jot!the!gender!of!the!dominant!!!I! women! as! well! as! men,! but! had! no! context! in! am!fortunate!to!have!had!some!loving!dominant! which! to! put! the! feelings! I! had!for! the!women.!! partners!whom!I!have!trusted!with!my!life.!!! !

No! smiling! community! of! lesbians! ever! What! does! sex! mean! to! me?! ! Joy,! love,! ecstasy,! welcomed!me!or!initiated!me!into!their!secrets.! bonding,!dissolution,!laundry!! !

L!Anonymous!bisexual!woman,!61!

BI-CURIOUS? Interesting!article!on!bisexuality,!doesn’t!raise!issues!of!age!but!worth!a!read:! http://www.afropunk.com/profiles/blogs/featureLbiLmattersLfemaleLbisexualityL misconceptionsLinLtheLqueer!

ODL!Quarterly!–!Spring!2014!

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What$is$this$thing$called$Sex?$ Sue$ O’Sullivan$ explores$ some$ of$ the$ ways$ in$ which$we$think$about$sexual$feelings$and$acts$as$ we$age.$ !

In!the!1970s!and!80s!when!I!taught!in!Holloway! Prison! some! of! the! women! called! me! the! ‘sex! lady’.!! I! didn’t! exactly! set! out! to! talk! about! sex! but!I!was!teaching!a!class!on!women!and!health! and!often!our!discussions!would!segue!into!sex! talk.!! The! range! of! women! in! my! classes! was! significant;! we! were! different! in! age,! sexuality,! class,!race,!education!and!culture.!But!somehow! we! always! managed! to! find! something! surprising,! new,! or! discomforting! in! our! discussions! about! sex,! partly! because! the! level! of! understandings! and! knowledge! around! the! subjects! threw! up! so! many! questions,! and! partly!because!we!always!had!a!good!laugh.! !

We! often! ended! up! puzzling! over! what! ‘sex’! meant?! At! first! most! of! the! women! said! sex! meant!heterosexual!‘sexual!intercourse’.!!Then!I! would! ask! 'what! about! other! things! people! do?’!! What! about! oral! sex! with! a! man! or! a! woman?!! What! about! tongues! and! mouths?!!!What!about!hands!and!fingers?!!What! about! masturbation,! alone! or! with! another?!! What! about! anal! penetration! with! a! penis,!a!sex!toy!or!fingers?!!What!about!nipples!

SEX THOUGHTS… Quite!often,!on!a!fling,!someone!will!say! do!you!do!chemicals?!No!I!don’t,!don’t! want!to!and!don’t!really!understand!why! people!do.! ! and!bums!and!breasts!and!prostates!and!lips! and! ears! and! thighs! and! breath! and! on! and! on.!!Not!to!forget!the!warmth!of!cuddling!and! caressing.! Were! these! not! sex! acts! with! as! much!possibility!of!deep!pleasure!as!assumed! heterosexual!‘intercourse’?!! !

Today! these! questions! may! still! be! relevant! to!our!lives,!longings!and!memories!as!ageing! LGBTI!people.! !

Of! course! sexuality! and! its! expression! differ! between!individuals!greatly.!!For!instance,!do! some!gay!and!bisexual!men!feel!the!lessening! or! loss! of! easy! erections! more! than! lesbians! and!bisexual!women!feel!a!possible!lessening! of! libido! or! lubrication?!! What! about! trans! people?! ! If! there! were! a! popular! female! Viagra! would! women! be! using! it! in! the! way! many!older!gay!men!do?! !

Sexual!Feelings! Beyond! discussions! about! sex! acts! are! questions! of! sexual!feelings!and! of! the! contexts! in! which! we! all! live! and! experience! the!pushes!and!pulls!of!attraction,!constraints! or! taboos.!! What! role! does! ‘love’! play! in! our! lives! in! general! today?! Or! lust! for! that! matter?!! What! about! intimacy?!And! friendship?!! Does! desire! shrink! as! we! age?! What! about! orgasms?!! Do! we! care! about! !

SEX THOUGHTS… On!a!fling!I!don’t!always!tell!people!I’m!HIV+,! but!practice!safe!sex.!But!with!someone!who!I! think!there!may!be!a!longer!relationship!I!will! always!tell!them!before!we!have!sex!and!yes,! sometimes!men!will!back!off!and!disappear:! there!is!still!a!stigma!to!being!HIV+.! ! ©!Jolet!Leenhouts!from!For$Ourselves$

Opening!Doors!London!(ODL)!–!www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk!

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I!am!a!57!year!old!transgender!male!to!female.!I!have!been! SEX THOUGHTS… Change with!my!partner!for!30!years!now,!and!we!have!comfortably! converted!to!having!a!lesbian!relationship.!Sex!is!not!the!be!all!and!end!all,!although!we!have!a! better!sexual!relationship!than!ever!!I!guess!it’s!all!about!love!really!and!nothing!more.!! Barbara!Aster!!!!! them?!!How!much!does!confidence!(or!lack!of!it)! affect! our! ability! to! experience! sexual! pleasure! through!giving!or!receiving?!!How!do!feelings!of! powerlessness,! fear,! disgust,! regret! or! loss! influence! the! meaning! of! sex! for! us?!! What! about! our! childhoods?!! What! messages! (and! sadly!sometimes!abuse)!did!our!parents!impart! or! perhaps! inflict?!!As! we! age! we! carry! at! least! the!remnants!of!our!pasts!with!us!and!discover! new! realities! and! needs.! Our! present! realities! may!mean!we’re!relieved!to!leave!the!turmoil!of! sexual!engagements!behind!!

relationship.!!Solitude!and!the!selfish!enjoyment! of! doing! what! I! want! when! I! want! and! how! I! want! seemingly! override! fantasies! of! having! another!lover!–!if!I!could!find!someone!I!wanted! or!who!wanted!me!anyway!!!!! !

So!far!I!am!lucky!in!my!circumstances.!!I!live!in!a! ground! floor! flat.! I! have! close! enduring! friendships.!!So!far!I’m!able!to!get!around!easily! and! have! plenty! of! things! to! be! active! in! –! the! political! activism! I! was! part! of! continues! in! a! slightly! muted! fashion.!! So! far! I! don’t! feel! isolated! or! lonely.!! Nor! do! I! feel! frightened! of! ! The!contexts!of!our!lives!change!whether!we!are! ending!up!alone.!This!may!all!change!–!or!not.! living! alone,! with! friends! or! partners,! needing! ! Today! at! 73! I! think! and! read! about! care,! coping! with! sudden! or! chronic! illness,! sex.!! However,! between! friends! sex! talk! has! frailty!or!memory!loss.!!The!continued!stigma!of! dwindled.! Does! this! reflect! our! everyday! living! with! HIV! may! have! particularly! complex! realities?!!It!doesn’t! completely!reflect!mine.! So! repercussions!for!ageing!HIV!positive!men.!!Our! I!also!want!to!confess!in!a!sort!of!‘let!it!all!hang! sexuality!is!never!apart!from!the!circumstances! out’! way! that!I! find! wanking! leaves! me! quickly! we! find! ourselves! in! both! personally! and! breathless! and! laughing! after! an! almost! socially.!! Particularly! in! these! hard! times! it! guaranteed! orgasm! –! or! two.! My! ‘magic! wand’! sometimes!feels!as!if!regret!and!loss!are!hard!to! vibrator!and! generous! amounts!of! lube! are! the! escape!even!if!we!do!have!fond!memories!of!our! heroines! who! rescue! my! increasingly! arthritic! past!as!youthful!lovers.! hands!and!deliver!delight.!!I!would!(maybe!will)! !! be!sad!if!that!pleasure!were!to!go.!!!! Personal!Circumstances! ! I’ve!been!contentedly!single!for!years!with!only! Ultimately! I! hope! all! of! us,! in! our! similarities! one! exciting! (and! ultimately! disastrous)! and!differences,!experience!moments!of!sensual! relationship!in!that! time.!Yet! I! can!still!imagine! delight!whether!these!have!anything!at!all!to!do! sex! of! some! kind! with! another! woman.!! I! love! with! sex.! ! Sexual! pleasure,!after! all,!is!only! one! the! intimacy! of! bodies! together.! But!–!frankly!I! among!many.!!So!next! time! can! I!tell!you! about! also! can’t! imagine! living! with! someone! else! or,! the!onLgoing!joys!of!close!friendships?! ! hard! to! admit,! even! entering! into! a! partner! !

At!school!I!played!around!with!other!boys,!ignorant! SEX THOUGHTS… Contradictions of!homosexuality!or!its!significance.!As!a!young! man,!knowing!it!was!criminal!and!pretending!to!scoff!at!queers,!I!continued!to!enjoy!same!sex! encounters.!Later,!life!with!a!sex!partner!became!conflicted!because!I!still!sought!casual!sex! elsewhere.!With!old!age!and!impotence!I!still!seek!sex,!as!much!for!intimacy!as!erotic! satisfaction.!At!every!stage!gay!sex!has!been!problematic.!I!believe!that!humanity!would!be! better!off!if!compulsive!homosexuality!–!presumably!neurologically!programmed!–!did!not! exist.!!L!Anonymous!,!89! ! !

ODL!Quarterly!–!Spring!2014!

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We$Still$Live$Through$Difficult$Times:$$ Older$HIV$Positive$Gay$Men$and$Mental$Health$

Roy$ Trevelion$ is$ currently$ a$ member$ of$ the$ UK$ Community$Advisory$Board.$He$continues$to$work$ around$ the$ health$ and$ wellbeing$ of$ older! HIV$ positive$men.$ !

What!are!the!mental!health!issues!for!longLterm! HIV+!gay!men?!And!how!do!we!call!attention!to! them?! Let! me! briefly! explain.! A! man! who!is! 65! this! year! would! have! been! born! into! an! era! when! his! homosexuality! was! criminalised.! In! the! 1960s! he! would! have! spent! his! teenage! years! L! which! are! of! course! the! years! of! the! onset! of! puberty! L! knowing! that! if! he! were! found! to! be! 'guilty'! of! homosexuality! he! could! be!one!of!many!sent!to!prison.!! !

Homosexual! behaviour! was! decriminalised! in! England! and! Wales! in! 1967! when! this! man! was! 18! years! old! L! at! which! point! he! was! told! that! he! would! have! to! wait! until! he!was!21!before!he!could! have! legal! homosexual! sex.! And! if,! at! 21,! his! chosen!partner!turned!out! Sunday!Mirror,!! to!be!only!20,!then!both!of! 28!April!1963! them! could! be!prosecuted.!! The!law!was!not!changed!in!Scotland!until!1980,! and!in!Northern!Ireland!in!1982.!! !

In! the! years! that! followed! decriminalisation! homophobia! was! still! rampant.! Gay! men! were! still! exploited! by! police! 'agents! provocateurs',! often,!we!suspect,!to!increase!police!numbers!of! arrests.!!!

Then! in! the! 1980s! we! lived! through! the! AIDS! epidemic! when! we! had! to! become! experts,!for! ourselves! and!for! those! we! loved,! in! palliative! care.! ! We! experienced! multiple!bereavements!L! all! of! this! against! a! backdrop! of! continuing! prejudice! and! stigma,! often! coming! from! within!our!own!families.! !

Today! caring! for! the! Southend!Evening!Standard,!! poor! mental!health!of! 21!January!1971! some! longLterm! HIV+! gay! men! is! ignored! and!replaced!by!an!attitude!that! suggests!the!past! was! all! ! 'a! long! time! ago'.! Yes,! it! was,! but! in! other! population! groups! psychologists! might! ask! whether! we! were! suffering! from! Post! Traumatic! Stress! Disorder! because! we! had! experienced!and!suffered!these!events.!! !

Clearly! there! is! still! much! needed! work! to! be! done!to!fully!address!the!mental!health!needs!of! some! HIV+! gay! men! who! lived! through! those! years! and! understandably! are! still! affected! by! them!today.! ! !

! ! !

Daily!Star!18!December!1986!

SUPPORT SERVICES Living!Well!offers!a!wide!range!of!high!quality!services,!including!one!to!one!sessions!and!group! work,!to!support!people!living!with!or!affected!by!HIV.!!!! Tel:!020!3137!3373!!MondayLFriday!9.30amL5.30pm! Email:!info@livingwellcic.com! www.livingwellcic.com!!!

Opening!Doors!London!(ODL)!â&#x20AC;&#x201C;!www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk!

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The$Joys$of$the$BVword$ The$B–word$in$this$case$is$BEFRIENDING!$ !

Everyone! enjoys! having! someone! to! talk! to,! but!as! people’s! lives! change! and! they! start! to! spend! more! time! on! their! own! for! one! reason! or! another,! feelings! of! loneliness! and! isolation! can!creep!in.!! !

Why!get!a!befriender?! Opening! Doors! London! want! you! to! know!that! you’re! not! on! your! own,! so! as! well! as! all! the! exciting! monthly! opportunities! to! socialise! we! also! offer! a! free! Befriending! Scheme.!! Many! ODL! members! report! being! frustrated! by! not! being!able!to!attend!events!simply!because!they! can’t! get! there,! but!the! Befriending! Service! could!be!just!the!thing!to!keep!you!connected!to! the! outside!world! and!the! LGBT! community! at! large.!! !

Feedback! Recently! a! Befriender! told! me! how! grateful! he! was!for!the!opportunity!to!become!a!Befriender! !

and!the!joy!it!has!brought!him.!I!explained!that! the! experience! is! what! you! make! of! it,! and! it! really!is!a!twoLway!experience.!!!! !

All!the!things!you!can!do! It’s! not! just! about! having! home! visits:! Befrienders! can! accompany! you! to! Group! Meetings,! go! out! for! a! coffee,! a! cinema! or! theatre!trip:!it!really!is!up!to!you.! So!if! you! find! yourself!spending!too!much!time! on! your! own,! get! in! touch! with! the! Opening! Doors!Team!and!we’ll!see!what!we!can!do.! !

New!Women’s!Befriending!CoFordinator! Catherine! Bewley! has! taken! over! from! our! muchLloved! Kate! Hancock! as! Women’s! Befriending! Coordinator.!! Don’t! panic,! though:! Kate! is! just! focusing! on! her! other! role! as! Women’s! Coordinator.!! So! a! huge! thank! you! to! her!for!all!her!hard!work!and!dedication! to!the! Befriending!Scheme!over!the!last!18!months.! !

L!Paul!Webley! !!

ODL$Women’s$Sunday$Socials$ Once! famous! as! part! of! London’s! bohemian! quarter,! ODL! could! think! of! no! better! place! to! hold! the! monthly! WomenLonly! Socials! than! the! Old! Chelsea! Theatre.!! They’re! truly! welcoming,! with! members! from! all! backgrounds,! and! a! variety! of! activities! from! film! sessions,! yoga! tasters,! and!discussion! groups! to! simple! chats! over! a! cuppa.! Meetings! are! held! on! the! last! Sunday! of! the! month,! start! at! 1! pm,! are! free! to! attend,! and! last! a! few! hours,! depending! on! what's! taking! place! on! the! day.! Free! tea! and! coffee! (and! the! odd! packet! of! biscuits)! are! provided.!

If! you! have! any! questions,! or! would! like! to! suggest!a!topic!or!activity!for!the!group,!contact! Fiona!Addison!on!07435!356!951.! L!Fiona!McGibbon! !

The! next! dates! are! 27! April!and! 25! May,! and! new! members! are! sure! of! a! warm! welcome,! so! get!the!dates!in!your!diary!and!come!to!the!Old! Chelsea! Theatre,! 7! World’s! End! Place,! King’s! Road,!London!SW10!0DR! !

10$ ODL!Quarterly!–!Spring!2014!

Women's!Social!Group!just!before!the!African!Dance!session.! L!to!R:!Jenny!Shaw,!Katy!Baird!(volunteer),!!Vito!Ward!and! Stella!Suarez.!©!Fiona!Addison!

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RAISE A GLASS TO SUPPORT ODL! A$ sexy$ new$ look$ for$ Opening$ Doors$ London$ and$ Other!fundraising!events! fundraising$events$to$sink$your$teeth$into!$ Match! of! the! day:! those! brilliant! women! from! ! Opening! Doors! London! launched! its! new! logo! the!Hackney!Women's!Football!Club!are!playing! and! website! along! with! our! Raise! a! Glass! their! 2nd! Annual! Charity! Shield! Match! on! Fundraising! Campaign! at! the! New! Bloomsbury! Saturday,! 24! May! and,! once! again,! they're! very! Set! on! Sunday! 9! March.! ! The! event,! hosted! by! kindly!supporting!Opening!Doors!London!! ! Camden’s! first! openly! gay! Mayor,! Jonathan! Two! wonderful! new! Charity! of! the! Year! Simpson,!was!attended!by!over!150!people!and! partnerships! have! been! recently! established! was!an!incredible!success,!increasing!awareness! with! the! Financial! Conduct! Authority’s! of! ODL! and! raising! crucial! funds.! There! was! a! InsideOut! LGBT! staff! group! and! the! UCL! LGBT! great! atmosphere! and! a! commitment! to! Student! and! Staff! network.! ! We’re! looking! promoting! this! new! fundraising! campaign! L! in! forward!to!this!work!which!will!raise!awareness! support! of! older! LGBT! people! who! fought! for! and!resources!for!ODL.! the! rights! and! freedoms! enjoyed! by! the! wider! ! Finally,!one!of!our!fantastic!members,!Garry,!has! community!today.! ! embarked! upon! a! tough! fundraising! challenge.! Why$you$should$raise$a$glass$ He's! half! way! through! walking! the! equivalent! ODL! Manager! Stacey! Halls! described! the! idea! distance! from! London! to! Brighton! on! a! behind!the!campaign!–!“it!is!an!opportunity!for! treadmill! to! raise! funds! for! ODL.! He's! set! all!of!us!to!celebrate!the!generations!of!lesbian,! himself!a!target!of!£1,000!!! ! gay,!bisexual!and!trans!people!who!campaigned! ! tirelessly! for! all! of! the! rights! and! protections! L!Tom!Blackie! that! we! now! enjoy,! and! raise! a! glass! to! them! each!month!by!donating!the!price!of!a!drink.!!As! a! gay! woman! who! has! had! the! freedom! to! be! out!and!honest!about!exactly!who!I!am!since!the! age!of!19,!I!recognise!just!how!much!I!owe!and! will!gladly! raise! a! glass! to! them! each! month.! !I! hope!you!will!feel!this!too!and!will!help!ODL!to! promote! the! campaign! by! encouraging! your! friends!to!do!the!same”.!More!details!on!the!new! website:!www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk.! !

Raise! a! Glass:! there! will! be! a! yearLlong! programme! of! Raise! a! Glass! events! to! encourage! younger! LGBT! people! from! across! London!to!sign! up!to!a!monthly! £5!donation!to! support!ODL.!!

ODL’s!very!own!Stacey!Halls!with!the!Mayor!of! Camden,!Jonathan!Simpson,!at!the!New!Bloomsbury! Set's!Raise$A$Glass!launch!party!on!9!March!2014!

SUPPORT ODL Visit!the!website!and!Facebook!pages!or!call!ODL!for!details!of!how!to!support!Gary,!get!tickets! for!the!football!and!find!out!more!about!Raise!a!Glass!events.! ! www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk!

Opening!Doors!London!(ODL)!–!www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk! 11$ !!

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The$Admiral$Duncan$Bombing$ A$Day$to$Remember$ I!will!remember!the!30th!April!1999!as!a!day!of! ‘what! ifs’.! On! that! day,! a! man! walked! into! the! Admiral!Duncan!pub!in!Old!Compton!Street,!left! a!sports!bag!containing!a!nail!bomb,!and!walked! out.!!At!6.37pm,!it!exploded,!its!aftermath!being! the! death! of! 3! people! and! a! number! injured,! some!seriously.!!!! ! That!day!I!had!arranged!to!meet!friends!in!Soho! but!got!caught!up!at!home!and!decided!to!meet! them!later.!However,!several!of!my!friends!were! there! when! the! bomb! exploded.! ! One,! Nick! Moore,! died! in! the! blast,! with! others! seriously! injured.! ! Everyone! was! changed! by! that! day:! these! were! our! friends,! our! own! community! attacked!in!this!horrific!way.!!! ! One! friend! was! in! the! loo! when! the! bomb! exploded,!saving! him! from! injury,!but!not! from! the! scene! of! sheer! devastation! when! he!

emerged.! ! Another,! his! face! badly! burnt,! recalled! struggling! from! the! wreckage! of! the! front! of! the! pub,! seeing! people! with! cameras,! and!thinking,!“Why!are!they!taking!photos,!why! aren’t!they!helping?”!! We! know! the! later! story,! the! conviction! of! David! Copeland,! the! Admiral! Duncan! bomb! being! his! third,! the! others! aimed! at! the! black! and! Asian! communities.! ! I! remember! the! marches! and! vigils! of! remembrance.! ! People! from!all!walks!of!life!stood!shoulder!to!shoulder! saying! “No! to! hate”.! ! The! incredible! “17L24L30! no! to! hate! campaign,”! http://www.17L24L 30.com! led! by! Mark! Healey! started.! ! But! now! we! move! on.! ! In! a! country! that! leads! on! LGBT! rights,! it’s! still! an! everyday! struggle! to! change! attitudes,! to! tear! down! prejudice.! ! And! on! the! 30th!April,!you’ll!find!me!having!a!quiet!pint!in! the!Admiral!Duncan,!remembering.! ! L!Nick!Maxwell! !

SUPPORT SERVICES Galop:!It’s!very!hard!to!speak!about!sexual!abuse!and!assault!but!we!know!that!some!older!LGBT! people!have!experienced!this!in!their!lifetimes.!But!there!is!an!organisation!in!London!that!works! confidentially!with!any!LGBT!person!who!has!experienced!sexual!abuse!or!assault,!however$or$ whenever!it!happened.!The!Sexual!Abuse!Casework!service!at!Galop!offers!individual!support!to! any!LGBT!person!who!needs!to!talk!about!it.!The!service!is!independent,!free!and!very!discreet.!You! can!contact!Galop!in!confidence!on!020!7704!2040!(helpline!open!10amL4pm!every!weekday! except!Thursday)!or!look!online!at!www.galop.org.uk.!It’s!never!too!late!to!get!support!about! experiences!that!have!hurt!you,!however!long!ago.!!

12$ ODL!Quarterly!–!Spring!2014!

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Sexual$Feelings$ I! think! gay! men! have! a! history! of! separating! love! from! lust.! I! remember! L! before! the! epidemic!L! that! gay! partners! would! often! have! sex!outside!their!relationship.!The!comment!by! the! partner! keenest! on! this! was! always:! If! you're!jealous,!that's!your!problem.! ! I! think!that! jealousy! is! part! of! love.! Do! we! not! all! think! that! we! are! special! (in! an! exclusive! way)! to! our! chosen! partner(s)?! Getting! older! for!me!has!meant!that!I!no!longer!have!to!deal! with! this! awkward! aspect! of! give! and! take! in! loving! partnerships.! I'm! happy! that! a! reduced! libido!has!taught!me!that!the!urgency!of!having! sex!is!really!hormonal.!Love,!on!the!other!hand,! takes!into!account!a!much!wider!and!vast!range! of! loving! relationships,! even! when! based! in! sexual!attraction.! ! I!don't!have!any!research!about!sex!drives!and! erections.! My! own! personal! experience! of! erections!is!that!if!you!don't!have!one,!then!you! don't!want!to!have!sex.!I'm!still!able!to!have!sex! when! I! want! it! L! either! alone! or! with! my! partner.! There's! no! problem!with! the!erection,! it's!just!not!so!often!now.!When!we!had!to!start! wearing!condoms!I!had!great!difficulty!maintaining!

erections.! I! found! that! putting! one! on! was! a! terrible!distraction,!and!they!smell!of!chemicals.! (I! know! that! you! can! get! flavoured! ones,! but! condoms! that! smell! of! sexual! pheromones! would!help!me!much!more).!! ! I!don't!feel!the!need!to!have!as!much!sex!as!I!did! when!I!was!young.!Viagra!doesn't!appeal!to!me! because!it!feels!false.!It!seems!like!Botox!for!the! penis!!Why!take!it?!We!disapprove!of!the!combL over!so! why! not! disapprove! of! needing! help! to! maintain! an! erection! that! doesn’t! want! to! be! there?!But!it!is!wanted;!otherwise!men!wouldn’t! take!it,!perhaps.!But!do!we!really!ask!ourselves! why?!And!are!we! being!honest!with! ourselves?! Some! say! loss! of! tumescence! is! a! physical! and! ageing!thing,!but!there!may!be!other!important! aspects!of!life!working!on!our!ability!to!get!it!up.! Erections!are! much! more! likely! to! be! elusive! if! you! are! anxious,! tired! or! generally! feeling! low.! In!a!society!of!rising!(excuse!the!pun)!inequality! we!are! all! very!worried.!Erectile! dysfunction!is! the! result! of! major! problems! in! society! L! the! Tory! led! Government! is! probably! responsible! for!it!! !

L!Anonymous!Gay!Man,!65! !

Opening$Doors$London$contact$details$ Opening!Doors!London!(ODL),!Age!UK!Camden! Tavis!House,!1!–!6!Tavistock!Square,!London,!WC1H!9NA! Stacey!Halls!X!Project!Manager!/!LGBT!Campaigns!&!Policy!Officer! E:!stacey.halls@ageukcamden.org.uk!

! Kate!Hancock! Development!Coordinator!for!Women! T:!020!7239!0447! E:!odl.women@ageukcamden.org.uk!

Nick!Maxwell! Development!Coordinator!for!Men! T:!020!7239!0446! E:!odl.men@ageukcamden.org.uk!

Paul!Webley!&!Catherine!Bewley! Befriending!Coordinators! T:!020!7239!0400! E:!odl.befriending@ageukcamden.org.uk!

ODL!Quarterly! E:!odl.quarterly@ageukcamden.org.uk!

Opening!Doors!London!(ODL)!–!www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk! 13$ !

Pets’$Corner$ Here! are! Lola! (on! the! right)! who! is! three! and! Scout!who!is!two!(named!after!Scout!in!To$Kill$a$ Mockingbird).!! !

Both!are!miniature!long!haired!daschunds!of!no! particular! pedigree.! Dogs! with! attitude! and! a! penchant! for! chasing! labradors! and! squirrels,! labradors!because!they!know!they!are!too!good! humoured!to!have!a!go!back.! !

They! are! to! be! seen! sitting! on! the! back! of! the! chair! in! the! living! room! taking! note! of! anyone! that!goes!past!and!reporting!back!on!local!drug! dealing! and! burglary…! well! they! see! it! all! but! actually!keep!it!to!themselves!! !

They! come! onto! our! bed! when! we! go! up,! and! then!when!it's!lights!out!go!into!their!cage.!And! it's!back!on!the!bed!first!thing!for!tea!and!toast!! Walked! twice!a!day!in! Clissold! Park!and! Abney! Cemetery,!cuddled!and!loved!to!pieces.! L!Annie!and!Belinda! SEX THOUGHTS… I!hate!it!when!men!come!up!to!me!and!say! ‘you’re!a!nice!Daddy.’!I!am!not!their!Daddy.!

Horse$Play$

14$ ODL!Quarterly!–!Spring!2014!

Annie!with!Lola!and!Scout!

Lament$

! Empty!spaces!in!my!bed:! no!embraces!lie!ahead.! Only!need!to!lay!one!plate!−! my!guy's!gone!straight.! ! No!one!now!to!plan!and!care!for:! don't!know!how!not!to!despair,!for! everything!seems!secondLrate!−! my!guy's!gone!straight.! ! I'm!sure!I!hope!he'll!be!happy! with!a!wife!and!brood.! He'll!get!expert!at!washing!a!nappy! and!serving!up!baby!food.! ! He!has!changed,!he!couldn't!say!why:! Durex!now!instead!of!KY! Have!to!find!another!mate!−! my!guy's!gone!straight.! ! Mike!Harth! !

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The$Aphrodisiac$Garden$ Luxuriant! foliage,! beautiful! flowers,! seductive! scents! and! hidden! spaces!all! combine! to!create! the! Sapphic! environment.! Sappho,! however,! lived! in! a! Mediterranean! climate,! but! here! we! Echinacea! must! use! early! spring! as! a! time! of! preparation! flowers! and! anthers! as! well! as! a! delicate! for!the!lushness!and!heady!perfumes!to!come.!! ! perfume.!! As! the! winter! flowering! Daphne,! Sarcococca,! ! and!Viburnum$X$Bodnantense!transition!into!the! Echinacea! is! a! daisyLlike! flower! that! comes! in! hellebores,! primulas! and! spring! bulbs,!Clematis$ several!colours.!The!Plain!Nations!considered!it! Armandii$ makes! a! lush! cover! for! walls! and! to! be! one! of! their! most! sacred! healing! plants.! arches.! Most! medically! aphrodisiac! plants! Echinacea! has! a! tonifying! influence! over! the! flower!later,!so!now!is!the!time!to!get!planting.! adrenal! cortex,! which! helps! produce! sex! ! hormones.! Thus! it! has! been! used! against! Rambling!and!climbing! impotence! and! as! an! aphrodisiac.! Yarrow! Red! roses! are! the! traditional! plant! of! love,! but! (Achillea)! grows! well! in! dry! soil,! has! umbelL there! are! others! that! are!equally! passionate,! in! shaped! flowers! in! reds! and! yellows.! It’s! particular! a! lax! and! recumbent! climber! that! associated!with!Aphrodite!and!Achilles!and!said! grows!easily!over!a!lovers’!bower,!R.$High$Hopes! to! be! ruled! by! Venus.! It! has! been! used! in! love! (aka!Harryup)!is!a!vigorous,!urnLshaped!apricot! magic;! it! is! supposed! to! help! connect! your! yellow!rose! with! a! strong! scent,! and!flowers! in! hearts,! and! help! you! or! your! partner! see! from! late! spring! through! summer.! Perfect! as! a! each!other’s!perspective.! background! to! an! intimate! seating! area,! as! are! ! the! following! climbers.! In! late! summer! and! Food! early! autumn,! enjoy! Passiflora$ caerula! Basil! was! one! of! the! most! sacred! Hindu! herbs,! (Passionflower)! with! its! seductive! purple! and! and! has! links! with! the! voodoo! love! goddess! white! flowers! and! suggestive! fruits.! It’s! fast! Erzuli.! They! say! that! eating! one! leaf! a! day! will! growing,! perfect! for! covering! a! wall! or! arch,! pep! up! a! boring! sex! life,! and! that! the! essential! though! not! much! scent.! And! of! course,! oils!of!this!herb!are!a!powerful!aphrodisiac.!! Jasminium$ polyanthum! is! very! fragrant! and! ! vigorous,!with!white!flowers!that!last!from!mid! And! for! the! English! allotment,! the! following! herbs,! fruits! and! vegetables! are! renowned! for! summer!through!autumn.! ! their! aphrodisiac! qualities:! lavender,! parsley,! Beds! coriander,! garlic,! asparagus,! carrots,! celery,! For! the! herbaceous! bed,! why! not! try! Clematis$ squash,!sweet!potato!and!apples.! L Joy!Chamberlain! Aphrodite$ Elegafumina! with! bluishLpurple! !

Your$ODL$Quarterly$

We!hope!you’ve!enjoyed!ODL!Q5,!let!us!know!what!you!think.!!! The!next!issue,!Q6,!will!be!published!in!time!for!Pride!at!the!end!of!June!and!will!be!linked!to!the! theme!for!this!year,!“Freedom!to…”!which!gives!you!the!freedom!to!write!on!what!you!wish!!! Deadline!for!letters!and!articles!Monday!12!May.!We!welcome!contributions!from!all!ODL! members.!Please!write!to:!ODL.Quarterly@ageukcamden.org.uk!or!ODL!Quarterly,!Opening!Doors! London,!Age!UK!Camden,!Tavis!House!,!1!L!6!Tavistock!Square,!London!WC1H!9NA! This!issue!of!Q!was!put!together!by:!Adrian!Johnson,!Alison!Read,!Fiona!McGibbon,!Jamie!Reece,! Michael!Harth,!Pete!Dixon,!Sue!O’Sullivan!and!Taylor!LoveLTaylor,!with!help!from!the!ODL!staff!and!others.! All!articles,!illustrations!and!photographs!©!the!author,!artist,!photographer.! The$views$and$opinions$expressed$in$Q$are$those$of$the$individual$contributors$and$are$not$those$of$the$ editorial$group,$Opening$Doors$London$or$AgeUK$Camden.$ !

Opening!Doors!London!(ODL)!–!www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk! 15$

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London$haunts$of$the$1980s$ ODL$ Member$ Les$ read$ the$ article$ in$ Q3$ on$ gay$ Sunday! afternoons! preLlicensing! laws! being! venues$from$the$past$and$it$jogged$his$memory…$ changed! are! worth! a! mention.! Adrella! ! at! the! ! Royal$ Vauxhall$ Tavern,! followed! by! a! ‘food! When! I! moved! to! London! in! 1983,! places! that! ticket’! to! enable! boozing! at! the! long! gone! the!bohemian/arty! set! used!to!grace!with!their! Market$ Tavern! or! La$ Cage$ Aux$ Folles! at! Chalk! presence! included! The$ Bell! in! Kings! Cross,! The$ Farm!–!vaguely!clandestine.! Scala$ Cinema! next! door! and! Heaven.! The! first! ! was! a! large,! swirly! carpet! (used! to! get! sticky)! There!were!strippers!at! various! pubs!including! pub! with! a! dance! floor! and! an! eclectic! music! Regents! (Liverpool! Road),! Putney! Bridge! and! policy;!a!night!might!start!with!Marilyn!Monroe! The$Ship!and!Blue$Balls!Norton!Folgate.!Plus!free! ‘I$want$to$be$loved$by$you’!moving!on!through!to! roast!tats!at!the!bar…!who!could!ask!for!more!! ! XLray! Spex! via! the! Smiths,! the! Supremes,! The! L!Les!S,!54! The!etc.! ! !

The!Scala’s!programme!(remember!the!monthly! calendar?)! included! films! perhaps! aimed! at! a! nonLheteronormative! audience! such! as! opuses! by! Warhol,! Kenneth! Anger,! John! Waters! plus! Querelle,!Pink!Narcissus,!Taxi!Kum!Klo!and!the! notorious! Thundercrack.! I! remember! the! caretaker’s! house! tabby,! the! rumble! of! the! Victoria! line! underneath! and! shuffling! in! the! seats…moving!on!!

The!Scala!

Heaven! could! be! a! bit! hit! and! miss! but! I! did! meet! my! significant! other! there! at! a! solo! Pete! Shelley!(Buzzcocks)!gig.! !

! Royal!Vauxhall!Tavern!

Entrance!to!The!Gateways! The!Astoria!

The!Coleherne!

Heaven! !

The!Fallen!Angel!–!now!flats!