LSE Hall-Carpenter Archives and the Gay Liberation Front (GLF)- Pride month special ‘Overcoming self-oppression’ - Celebrating 50 Years of Icebreakers, the gay help service with revolutionary aims and the LSE book launch of 'Queer Footprints - A guide to Uncovering London's Fierce History.’
Details - 09.06.23 6.30-9pm Weston Studio space - London School of Economics and Political Sciences Students' Union, Saw Swee Hock Student Centre, 1 Sheffield Street, London WC2A 2AP
“I am one of the 1972 GLF veterans. While at GLF, I became an Icebreaker. You could say that Icebreakers 1971/2 led the way to Gay Switchboard (1974) and Gays the Word (1979) . The need for gay liberation, and the Icebreakers way of achieving it, remain as fundamental and valid today as they did 50 years ago.” Michael Parkes
The evening will include sharings from
Andrew Lumsden, GLF activist and original Gay News editor, sharing in tribute to Eric Thompson (1934-2022), LSE alumni and a distinguished figure in the modern LGBT movement including contributions to the creation of the Sexual Offences Act (1967), instigator for the first-ever LGBT+ protest in England: the torchlit vigil on 27 November 1970 against police harassment of gay men in London’s Highbury Fields and organiser as a professional statistician of the 1991 UK National Census.
A screening of Naoise Murphy’s film on the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and Icebreakers film.
A reading from Dan Glass, author of ‘Queer Footprints’.
Panel including (1) original Icebreaker and GLF activists Michael Parkes and Nettie Pollard (2) Ludwig Campbell is a member of Spectrum, LSE's LGBTQ+ staff network and (3) Tash Walker - ‘The Log Books’ host and former co-chair of Switchboard. A founding director of Aunt Nell production company where she recently co-produced the critically acclaimed Black and Gay, Back in the Day. Tash has a special interest in using audio to bring to life many of the hidden and untold stories found in archives, and her poem ‘Dear Section 28’ was recently broadcast on Radio 4’s Short Cuts. She is also the Co-Founder and presenter of Get In Her Ears, a community organisation and monthly Soho Radio show that promotes women, non-binary and LGBTQ+ people in music. Further panellists to be announced.
PRAISE FOR QUEER FOOTPRINTS - 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).
