Onle event: A talk on the South London Gay Communy Centre 1970s Brixton, Weds 2nd June 2021

Contents:

• THE BRIXTON FAIRI AND THE SOUTH LONDON GAY COMMUNY CENTRE, BRIXTON 1974-6
• SOUTH LONDON GAY COMMUNY CENTRE
• THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH LONDON GAY COMMUNY CENTRE
• ONLE EVENT: A TALK ON THE SOUTH LONDON GAY COMMUNY CENTRE 1970S BRIXTON, WEDS 2ND JUNE 2021

THE BRIXTON FAIRI AND THE SOUTH LONDON GAY COMMUNY CENTRE, BRIXTON 1974-6

This fascatg story about Brixton’s legendary gay muny of the 1970s was posted up on the urban75 bullet boards, and thanks to the thor Ian Townson, I’m now able to repost an illtrated versn, givg a wonrful sight to a long lost part of Brixton life.

SOUTH LONDON GAY COMMUNY CENTRE

South London Gay Liberatn by Ian Townson. The South London Gay Communy Centre at 78 Railton Road, Brixton, was squatted by people who were termed to e out to the clear light of day wh a public statement of gay inty.

It was the first of s kd and for two hectic years of ‘fs and starts’ the Centre tablished an unniable and irreversible prence of gay people the area. Durg the short perd of s existence the Centre acted as a fol pot brgg together gay people om many different backgrounds through social activi and polil actn.

THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH LONDON GAY COMMUNY CENTRE

This beme the nucls for further polil activy after the closure of the Centre but equally grew, over time, as an experiment new munal livg arrangements for gay people wh varyg levels of succs. Gay people arrived at the squats for many different reasons.

Others were glad to fd the pany of unashamedly out gay people rather than rema nfed and isolated. The ‘cultural sert’ South London offered ltle social space which to gather strength as ‘out’ gay people. The ‘straight’ gay scene was hospable, exploative and a mercial rip off ( is now gay-owned, exploative and a mercial rip off).

There were two women’s centr on Railton Road, an Anarchist News Service, Squatters Groups, a Claimants’ Unn for those on welfare benefs, the Brixton Advice Centre, Icebreakers (a gay liberatn unsellg group), the Race Today Collective and a food operative nearby Shakpeare Road and Atlantic Road. Alastair Kerr takg a ll at the South London Gay Communy Centre, 78 Railton Road, Brixton (mid 1970s).

ONLE EVENT: A TALK ON THE SOUTH LONDON GAY COMMUNY CENTRE 1970S BRIXTON, WEDS 2ND JUNE 2021

The Gay Centre, as a self-termed group, also took s place among the other muny based groups to challenge prejudice, discrimatn, heterosexist attus and the placency of officialdom. The 1976 Gay Pri event was also anised by Brixton Gays.

It is possible to nvey some of the atmosphere of ‘munal’ livg photographs of the gay squats that sprang up around the Centre.

The gay squats eventually beme part of the the Brixton Hog Co-op the early 80s and were reveloped to sgle person uns.