‘You Think the Dead We Loved Ever Truly Leave Us?’ Queer Footprints / Kings Cross route Tour in partnership with OUTbound - TfL's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT+) Staff Network Group.
In this tour, ‘Queer Footprints - A Guide to Uncovering London’s Fierce History' author, Dan Glass, and key chapter contributor, Mike Jackson from Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners whose activism is immortalised in the film ‘Pride', will be your mincing guides.
‘Everything in life only happens a short distance from King’s Cross' - Arthur Machen
About - in recent years, conversations about Harry Potter, and in particular of its creator, has certainly not sparked much queer joy. For all you folk who grew up loving the franchise, but feel weary of its weilding its magic today, Dan Glass is here to reignite your flame and help cast a queer spell over the city.
Have you ever wondered how powerful the magic of the queer community really is? Have you ever wanted to know how to learn from the dead to fight for the living? Keen to work out how bigotry, transphobia, homophobia and all evils can be banished forever more? Welcome to the story and history of sweaty all-night raves, pumping tunes and powerful queer activism that all tell a very different story to the shiny King’s Cross we know today.
Highlights - stops include celebrating the founders and the activists in ‘Lesbians an Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) immortalised in the film ‘Pride,’ join Harry Potter and the ‘Pink Express Train’ at Kings Cross Station, dance at the ‘Famous Five raves’ and with the leather-studded activists at ‘The Bell’, enjoy hanky-panky at the Scala and the ‘faerie-run’ to Trade nightclub. Learn with the pioneers from trailblazing Black and Queer healthcare movements, the Camden Lesbian Centre, London Friend and LGBT+ Switchboard, Housmans Bookshop and last but not least we end up at ‘Gay’s the Word’, London’s legendary LGBT+ bookshop - just some of the many treasures in the fiery queer hearth of our alchemically powerful community here in King’s Cross.
Meeting point - Housmans bookshop
Accessibility - Kings Cross Station is wheelchair accessible with Platform access.
Contact - @danglassmincer / alright@theglassishalffull.co.uk
PRAISE FOR QUEER FOOTPRINTS PUBLISHED BY PLUTO PRESS - Pre-order here
The strength and the beauty of this book is its resolute and joyful nod to queer history, the multiplicity of our stories and the ongoing, transformative process of our queer footprints which continue to add layers onto the city I was lucky enough to grow up in. London, through the eyes of Glass, is ever-changing but always radical' - Juno Roche.
This electrifying book is an adventure book through London’s untold queer past. Every page is packed with inspiring, moving and downright hilarious secrets just itching to be uncovered - and with the riotously entertaining Dan Glass as your mincing tour guide - you’ll have an absolute blast as you do. A word of warning: after reading this, London will never seem the same again' - Sam Arbor, Film Director
Queer Footprints is your back pocket guide to our queer/LGBTQIA+ histories, full of joy and ammunition to claim without any shame our beautiful queer futures - Tash Walker, host of The Log Books podcast and Co-Chair of Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline (2018 - 2022).
