Peter Ackroyd: A secret history – 2,000 years of gay life London | History books | The Guardian

Contents:

• \NQUEER-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS\NAS A METROPOLIS OF ART, BS, AND SIGN, LONDON IS A CY STEEPED QUEER HISTORY. FAMO PATRONS LIKE DAVID BOWIE PHED SEXUAL BOUNDARI, EMBRACG QUEER PEOPLE TO SOCIETY, MARCHG AND PROTTG FOR WHAT MAK LONDON ONE OF THE MOST EXCG AND CLIVE STATNS FOR LGBTQ+ PEOPLE THE WORLD.\NCENTRAL OR “WT END”- SOHO – OLD COMPTON STREET. \NNO TRIP TO LONDON WOULD EVER BE PLETE WHOUT VISG THE HUB OF LONDON’S QUEER LIFE THAT IS SOHO. SCE THE DAWN OF QUEER CULTURE,AS EARLY AS THE 17TH CENTURY—OM PUBS TO CLUBS, RTRANTS TO THEATRE PRODUCTNS—SOHO HAS BEEN FIRMLY THE BEATG HEART OF LONDON’S LGBTQ+ MUNY. EVERYDAY, OLD COMPTON STREET AND THE SURROUNDG AREA BUZZ WH TOURISTS AND QUEER FOLK ALIKE, WH NEON LIGHTS GLOWG MORNG TO NIGHT. HAPPY HOUR IS EVERY HOUR SOHO, SO YOU’LL NEVER MISS A BEAT!\NEAST LONDON \NEAST LONDON PLAYS HOST TO SOME OF LONDON’S MOST ECLECTIC LGBTQ+ VENU. WHERE GR AND GLAMOUR LLI TO CREATE LONDON’S ALTERNATIVE QUEER SCENE, THE EAST END STREETS BARE THE SOULS OF THE UNRGROUND CREATIVE FOLK, WHOSE BOUNDLS TALENT AND STYLE BRG TOGETHER A DIVERSE MIX OF MIC, FASHN, AND DIS DANCG BCHERY.\NSOUTH LONDON \NTHE AREA HAS A QUEER HISTORY AS FAR BACK AS SOHO, WH THE AREA FAMO FOR S BARET AND DRAG ACTS, DATG BACK BEFORE THE 1950S! SOUTH LONDON IS A VIBRANT SCENE OF OLD AND NEW, WHERE RELICS MEET REGENERATN, WH VXHALL, CLAPHAM, KENNGTON, AND PECKHAM AMONGST THE MOST POPULAR AREAS OF THIS GAYBOURHOOD. FROM WAREHOE CLUBS TO MALE AND FEMALE ONLY GYMS, THE SOUTH LONDON LIFTYLE BOASTS AN IRISCENT SPECTM OF PEOPLE AND PLAC TO DISVER.\N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":91312816},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":1600,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":288,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":928,"PTN":"EAST LONDON, A QUTSENTIAL QUEER NEIGHBORHOOD. 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WHETHER BE AN OVERNIGHT VIS OR A WEEKEND AWAY, THE ROOFTOP POOL AND RTRANT ARE FEATUR WORTH FEASTG OVER—THE BNCH IS PECIALLY FABULO. BELOW THE NCE OF THE CHICLY SIGNED ROOMS IS HOED A SLEEK SCREENG AND DIS ROOM, NOTABLY PREMIERG EXCLIVE QUEER IENDLY EVENTS AND FILMS, SUCH AS RU PL’S DRAG RACE VIEWG PARTI AND SECRET LIVE PERFORMANC OM QUEER ARTISTS. IT’S A VIQP (VERY IMPORTANT QUEER PERSON) VENUE WORTH VISG.\NACE HOTEL, SHOREDCH\NOF THE CREATIVE AND ECLECTIC, GLOBALLY-KNOWN CHA OF ACE HOTELS, THE SHOREDCH LOTN DO EVERYTHG TO ENPASS THE BRAND’S NOTABLE HIPNS WH A DASH OF EAST LONDON REALNS. DAY OR NIGHT THIS HOTEL LOBBY BUZZ WH CREATIVE ACTIVY. WH AN IMPRSIVE ROOFTOP AND EQUALLY FABULO RTRANT, ’S NO WONR THIS SOULFUL SE PLAYS HOMAGE TO S NEIGHBOURHOOD BY HOSTG AN ARRAY OF ENGAGG QUEER EVENTS. THE HOTEL PROUDLY ADVOT AS A TSTED LGBTQ+ STATN, WELG QUEERS AND ALLI ALIKE TO ENJOY LIVE PERFORMANC OM DRAG ARTISTS AND MICIANS, TO DANCG THE NIGHT AWAY AT ONE OF THEIR MANY QUEER NIGHTS HELD THEIR NIGHTCLUB, MIRANDA.\N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":2742322698},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":1600,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":266,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":856,"PTN":"GAY'S THE WORD BOOKSTORE. ","HEIGHT":1200,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1141,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":960,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20653,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":1600,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":280,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":900,"PTN":"GAY'S THE WORD BOOKSTORE. 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WHETHER ’S A CKTAIL AND CUT AT BLA’S, OR A TECHNILOUR TRANSFORMATN AT TUTTIIFTII’S, THE QUEER OWNED SALONS MAKE TREATG YOURSELF A BUZZ-WORTHY EXPERIENCE.\NDALSTON SUPERSTORE\NFOR A SUNDAY BNCH WH ALL THE BELLS AND BAR-DANCG DIVAS, QUEER GEM DALSTON SUPERSTORE OFFERS AN EXTRA SI OF SASS WH YOUR SUNDAY SERVICE. NOT ONLY KNOWN FOR THEIR INIC LGBTQ+ NIGHTLIFE (A FE ‘TO-DO’ TOO), THE FUN DON’T STOP WHEN THE MORNG RIS THE EAST. LOTED ALONG KGSLAND ROAD, ‘BASIC BNCH’, SERVED BY ONE OF MY DRAG FAVOUR A MAN TO PET, WILL HAVE YOUR EGGS POACHED PERFECTLY WH A DASH OF BCHERY, LEAVG YOU FULL OF LICLY PUT-TOGETHER FOOD AND FUN. CELEBRATG S 10TH BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR, ’S ONE OF FEW QUEER PLAC LEFT THAT GUID ME AND MANY OTHERS THROUGH QUEER ADOLCENCE, SUPPORTG THE WHOLE LGBTQ+ MUNY, PROVIDG A SAFE SPACE TO DANCE, FD LOVE, AND MEET LIKE-MD PEOPLE OVER A BEVVY.\N \N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":2412120235},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":557,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":376,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":557,"WIDTH":562,"PTN":"INSI SH! ","HEIGHT":557,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":562,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":562,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":557,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20659,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":562},{"RETAHEIGHT":369,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":369,"WIDTH":562,"PTN":"SH! 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SUATED THE CHARMG STREETS OF BLOOMSBURY, CROSSG THE DOORWAY YOU ARE STANTLY MET BY WONRFULLY ATTENTIVE GENERAL MANAGERS, ULILENART AND JIM. BEYOND THE BOOKSHELV, YOU’RE PTIVATED BY THE NVERSATNS PEOPLE ARE SHARG, ELEVATED BY THE -PTH PERSONAL REMENDATNS PENNED BY THE WONRFULLY ATTENTIVE STAFF. \NSH!\NI’D POPPED TO GRAB A FFEE AT PFIELD LONDON HOXTON WHEN I FIRST STUMBLED ACROSS SH! IT WAS LIKE DISVERG A NGHTY NARNIA, HIDN THROUGH A SECRET DOORWAY. NTLED WH A WHOLOME EAST LONDON Fé, SH! HAS PNEERED ONE OF THE ONLY FEMALE-FIRST EROTIC BOUTIQU THE UNTRY SCE 1992. THE SPIRG LADI WHO WORK HERE ARE AS WONRFULLY PASSNATE ABOUT THEIR WOMAN-POWERED ETHOS AS THE STIMULATG ARRAY OF PRODUCT ADORNG THE SHELV. SHARG THEIR SECRETS AT REFULLY CURATED (AND OFTEN SOLD OUT!) TALKS AND WORKSHOPS LEAVE YOU FEELG MORE EMPOWERED BY YOUR BODY AND SEXUALY THAN EVER BEFORE, CELEBRATG THAT SEXUALY AND GENR IS NOT ONE-SIZE-FS-ALL. \NBRILL CAFé \NA PROUDLY PENNT FE AND MIC STORE, LOTED EXMOUTH MARKET, BRILL OFFERS MORE THAN JT A GREAT CUP OF FFEE. THE WALLS AT THIS APTLY-NAMED FE DISPLAY A WELL-CURATED LLECTN OF VYL, ALONGSI A WELL STOCKED SHELF OF QUEER MAGAZ TO BROWSE. EACH MORNG, SOMEONE OM THE STAFF CYCL TO BRICK LANE TO LLECT A H BATCH OF FAMO BAGELS, AND IF THE VEGAN ROCKY ROADS AREN’T VG ENOUGH, BRILL PRIS SELF ON BEG A QUEER-IENDLY STATN, HOSTG EVENTS SUCH AS QUEER MIC AND POETRY NIGHTS, EVEN FIXG UP SOME AFTER-HOURS PRI PUNCH FOR THE OCSN. \N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":1126053082},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":1600,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":280,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":900,"PTN":"TATE BRA. 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• THE BT LGBTQ+ AND GAY CLUBS LONDON
• PETER ACKROYD: A SECRET HISTORY – 2,000 YEARS OF GAY LIFE LONDON
• GAY LONDON, LGBTQ+ CLUBS AND EVENTS
• MOVG TO LGBT LONDON? HOW TO FD YOUR PERFECT GAY NEIGHBORHOOD!
• GAY BARS AND CLUBS SOHO
• AUTHENTIC GAY LIFE
• DUMBLEDORE IS SO GAY!
• LOST GAY BARS OF EARL’S COURT, LONDON
• VLT 139 REVIEW | LONDON’S DENT GAY BAR
• NIGHTCLUBBG: GAY CLUBBG ’70S LONDON
• UNY COACHG | CONFINCE LIFE ACH MOTIVATNAL SPEAKER | LGBT LIFE ACH LONDON | GAY LIFE NFINCE ACH
• ‘WE WANTED TO HAVE SEX ALL THE TIME’: FIRST MAJOR SURVEY OF SUNIL GUPTA—PHOTOGRAPHER OF GAY INDIAN LIFE—OPENS LONDON

\NQUEER-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS\NAS A METROPOLIS OF ART, BS, AND SIGN, LONDON IS A CY STEEPED QUEER HISTORY. FAMO PATRONS LIKE DAVID BOWIE PHED SEXUAL BOUNDARI, EMBRACG QUEER PEOPLE TO SOCIETY, MARCHG AND PROTTG FOR WHAT MAK LONDON ONE OF THE MOST EXCG AND CLIVE STATNS FOR LGBTQ+ PEOPLE THE WORLD.\NCENTRAL OR “WT END”- SOHO – OLD COMPTON STREET. \NNO TRIP TO LONDON WOULD EVER BE PLETE WHOUT VISG THE HUB OF LONDON’S QUEER LIFE THAT IS SOHO. SCE THE DAWN OF QUEER CULTURE,AS EARLY AS THE 17TH CENTURY—OM PUBS TO CLUBS, RTRANTS TO THEATRE PRODUCTNS—SOHO HAS BEEN FIRMLY THE BEATG HEART OF LONDON’S LGBTQ+ MUNY. EVERYDAY, OLD COMPTON STREET AND THE SURROUNDG AREA BUZZ WH TOURISTS AND QUEER FOLK ALIKE, WH NEON LIGHTS GLOWG MORNG TO NIGHT. HAPPY HOUR IS EVERY HOUR SOHO, SO YOU’LL NEVER MISS A BEAT!\NEAST LONDON \NEAST LONDON PLAYS HOST TO SOME OF LONDON’S MOST ECLECTIC LGBTQ+ VENU. WHERE GR AND GLAMOUR LLI TO CREATE LONDON’S ALTERNATIVE QUEER SCENE, THE EAST END STREETS BARE THE SOULS OF THE UNRGROUND CREATIVE FOLK, WHOSE BOUNDLS TALENT AND STYLE BRG TOGETHER A DIVERSE MIX OF MIC, FASHN, AND DIS DANCG BCHERY.\NSOUTH LONDON \NTHE AREA HAS A QUEER HISTORY AS FAR BACK AS SOHO, WH THE AREA FAMO FOR S BARET AND DRAG ACTS, DATG BACK BEFORE THE 1950S! SOUTH LONDON IS A VIBRANT SCENE OF OLD AND NEW, WHERE RELICS MEET REGENERATN, WH VXHALL, CLAPHAM, KENNGTON, AND PECKHAM AMONGST THE MOST POPULAR AREAS OF THIS GAYBOURHOOD. FROM WAREHOE CLUBS TO MALE AND FEMALE ONLY GYMS, THE SOUTH LONDON LIFTYLE BOASTS AN IRISCENT SPECTM OF PEOPLE AND PLAC TO DISVER.\N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":91312816},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":1600,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":288,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":928,"PTN":"EAST LONDON, A QUTSENTIAL QUEER NEIGHBORHOOD. ","HEIGHT":1200,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1237,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":960,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20646,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960}],"ID":3748831517},{"TYPE":"PARAGRAPH","NTENT":"BT HOTELS\NW HOTEL \NLOTED AMONGST THE GLZ AND GLAMOUR OF LONDON’S WT END, AND ONLY A SASHAY AWAY OM SOHO, THE W HOTEL IS A SLEEK AND CHIC STATN. WH THE RECENT LNCH OF S FUNKY BAR AND LOUNGE, THE PERCEPTN, LIKE THE RT OF THE HOTEL, PTUR THE THE KSCHY/MPY SOUL OF LONDON WH EXPERIENC LIKE “WHAT’S THE TEA?” A LECTABLE DRAG AFTERNOON TEA, OR “QUEER ME OUT,” A GENR FLUID FASHN EXTRAVAGANZA. WHETHER YOU’RE CHECKED OR STOPPG BY, THE W LONDON IS FELY ONE TO CHECK OUT.\NTHE CURTA\NCURTA ROAD, EAST LONDON IS A MERA-READY HOTEL AND MEMBERS CLUB LOTED A SHORT WALK OM OLD STREET STATN. WHETHER BE AN OVERNIGHT VIS OR A WEEKEND AWAY, THE ROOFTOP POOL AND RTRANT ARE FEATUR WORTH FEASTG OVER—THE BNCH IS PECIALLY FABULO. BELOW THE NCE OF THE CHICLY SIGNED ROOMS IS HOED A SLEEK SCREENG AND DIS ROOM, NOTABLY PREMIERG EXCLIVE QUEER IENDLY EVENTS AND FILMS, SUCH AS RU PL’S DRAG RACE VIEWG PARTI AND SECRET LIVE PERFORMANC OM QUEER ARTISTS. IT’S A VIQP (VERY IMPORTANT QUEER PERSON) VENUE WORTH VISG.\NACE HOTEL, SHOREDCH\NOF THE CREATIVE AND ECLECTIC, GLOBALLY-KNOWN CHA OF ACE HOTELS, THE SHOREDCH LOTN DO EVERYTHG TO ENPASS THE BRAND’S NOTABLE HIPNS WH A DASH OF EAST LONDON REALNS. DAY OR NIGHT THIS HOTEL LOBBY BUZZ WH CREATIVE ACTIVY. WH AN IMPRSIVE ROOFTOP AND EQUALLY FABULO RTRANT, ’S NO WONR THIS SOULFUL SE PLAYS HOMAGE TO S NEIGHBOURHOOD BY HOSTG AN ARRAY OF ENGAGG QUEER EVENTS. THE HOTEL PROUDLY ADVOT AS A TSTED LGBTQ+ STATN, WELG QUEERS AND ALLI ALIKE TO ENJOY LIVE PERFORMANC OM DRAG ARTISTS AND MICIANS, TO DANCG THE NIGHT AWAY AT ONE OF THEIR MANY QUEER NIGHTS HELD THEIR NIGHTCLUB, MIRANDA.\N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":2742322698},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":1600,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":266,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":856,"PTN":"GAY'S THE WORD BOOKSTORE. ","HEIGHT":1200,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1141,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":960,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20653,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":1600,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":280,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":900,"PTN":"GAY'S THE WORD BOOKSTORE. 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WHETHER ’S A CKTAIL AND CUT AT BLA’S, OR A TECHNILOUR TRANSFORMATN AT TUTTIIFTII’S, THE QUEER OWNED SALONS MAKE TREATG YOURSELF A BUZZ-WORTHY EXPERIENCE.\NDALSTON SUPERSTORE\NFOR A SUNDAY BNCH WH ALL THE BELLS AND BAR-DANCG DIVAS, QUEER GEM DALSTON SUPERSTORE OFFERS AN EXTRA SI OF SASS WH YOUR SUNDAY SERVICE. NOT ONLY KNOWN FOR THEIR INIC LGBTQ+ NIGHTLIFE (A FE ‘TO-DO’ TOO), THE FUN DON’T STOP WHEN THE MORNG RIS THE EAST. LOTED ALONG KGSLAND ROAD, ‘BASIC BNCH’, SERVED BY ONE OF MY DRAG FAVOUR A MAN TO PET, WILL HAVE YOUR EGGS POACHED PERFECTLY WH A DASH OF BCHERY, LEAVG YOU FULL OF LICLY PUT-TOGETHER FOOD AND FUN. CELEBRATG S 10TH BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR, ’S ONE OF FEW QUEER PLAC LEFT THAT GUID ME AND MANY OTHERS THROUGH QUEER ADOLCENCE, SUPPORTG THE WHOLE LGBTQ+ MUNY, PROVIDG A SAFE SPACE TO DANCE, FD LOVE, AND MEET LIKE-MD PEOPLE OVER A BEVVY.\N \N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":2412120235},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":557,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":376,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":557,"WIDTH":562,"PTN":"INSI SH! ","HEIGHT":557,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":562,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":562,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":557,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20659,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":562},{"RETAHEIGHT":369,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":369,"WIDTH":562,"PTN":"SH! 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SUATED THE CHARMG STREETS OF BLOOMSBURY, CROSSG THE DOORWAY YOU ARE STANTLY MET BY WONRFULLY ATTENTIVE GENERAL MANAGERS, ULILENART AND JIM. BEYOND THE BOOKSHELV, YOU’RE PTIVATED BY THE NVERSATNS PEOPLE ARE SHARG, ELEVATED BY THE -PTH PERSONAL REMENDATNS PENNED BY THE WONRFULLY ATTENTIVE STAFF. \NSH!\NI’D POPPED TO GRAB A FFEE AT PFIELD LONDON HOXTON WHEN I FIRST STUMBLED ACROSS SH! IT WAS LIKE DISVERG A NGHTY NARNIA, HIDN THROUGH A SECRET DOORWAY. NTLED WH A WHOLOME EAST LONDON Fé, SH! HAS PNEERED ONE OF THE ONLY FEMALE-FIRST EROTIC BOUTIQU THE UNTRY SCE 1992. THE SPIRG LADI WHO WORK HERE ARE AS WONRFULLY PASSNATE ABOUT THEIR WOMAN-POWERED ETHOS AS THE STIMULATG ARRAY OF PRODUCT ADORNG THE SHELV. SHARG THEIR SECRETS AT REFULLY CURATED (AND OFTEN SOLD OUT!) TALKS AND WORKSHOPS LEAVE YOU FEELG MORE EMPOWERED BY YOUR BODY AND SEXUALY THAN EVER BEFORE, CELEBRATG THAT SEXUALY AND GENR IS NOT ONE-SIZE-FS-ALL. \NBRILL CAFé \NA PROUDLY PENNT FE AND MIC STORE, LOTED EXMOUTH MARKET, BRILL OFFERS MORE THAN JT A GREAT CUP OF FFEE. THE WALLS AT THIS APTLY-NAMED FE DISPLAY A WELL-CURATED LLECTN OF VYL, ALONGSI A WELL STOCKED SHELF OF QUEER MAGAZ TO BROWSE. EACH MORNG, SOMEONE OM THE STAFF CYCL TO BRICK LANE TO LLECT A H BATCH OF FAMO BAGELS, AND IF THE VEGAN ROCKY ROADS AREN’T VG ENOUGH, BRILL PRIS SELF ON BEG A QUEER-IENDLY STATN, HOSTG EVENTS SUCH AS QUEER MIC AND POETRY NIGHTS, EVEN FIXG UP SOME AFTER-HOURS PRI PUNCH FOR THE OCSN. \N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":1126053082},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":1600,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":280,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":900,"PTN":"TATE BRA. ","HEIGHT":1200,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":960,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20664,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960}],"ID":1271427547},{"TYPE":"PARAGRAPH","NTENT":"ARTS & CULTURE

Highlights clu the John Waters-spired lbian theme night Female Trouble; the d-visual queer spectacular Outré Voyage, the male-centric mic nights Homodrop and Dissodoma, the by-femm/for-femm monthly Femmi-Errect, and the hedonistic Happy Endgs, which turns Superstore’s unisex loos to a pop-up rave. In Hackney Wick, near the Olympic Park, the monthly gay rave Chapter 10 is at Bloc and Pxssy Palace tak place at Mick’s you need fuel on your night out, Dalston is packed wh late-night eateri. They clu Admiral Dunn, a historic pub wh drag shows most nights of the week; Ku Bar, a cktail lounge and club popular wh gay men; the lbian bar She Soho and the big urtyard bar The Yard.

Although there have been high-profile closur recent years, remas a clubbg hotspot – particularly popular wh gay the banks of the Tham the south-wt of the cy, Vxhall has a history of entertament.

Perhaps is new book, a history of gay London entled Queer Cy, returns to faiar terrory, so much so that ’s surprisg Ackroyd hasn’t already wrten : fact, turns out that, after a manner of speakg, he has. More famoly, a 1983 novel is wrten as a fictnal diary by Osr Wil, a photograph of whom rat his study, sandwiched between Thomas More and the Elizabethan mag John the new work go far eper, travellg om the barely visible remas of Celtic London and the arrival of Christiany the AD300s to the great sex sndals of the 19th century – Wil clud – and on to recent fights for gay rights.

THE BT LGBTQ+ AND GAY CLUBS LONDON

If the Celts strike as somewhat mp – Ackroyd suggts the word has s origs the mid-1800s and the gay slang Polari – then so might Chcer’s Pardoner The Canterbury Tal (the prototype of “a London queer”, Ackroyd suggts).

PETER ACKROYD: A SECRET HISTORY – 2,000 YEARS OF GAY LIFE LONDON

The same go for the nizens of the “molly ho” of 18th-century London – clubs-cum-brothels where gay men uld mgle, drs up and have many chroniclers of gay culture, Ackroyd don’t neglect lbianism: we are gleefully taken on a tour of the dildo shops of the Geian cy – ’s said that one tablishment  Leicter Fields sold nothg else – and behd the closed doors of cigarillo smoke-filled Edwardian clubs such as the Cave of Harmony and the Orange 2017, 50 years after some forms of homosexualy were tentatively legalised, ’s hard to thk of anythg that has unrgone greater upheavals than gay culture. Like Wnipeg, Victoria, Halifax, and other medium-sized Canadian ci, there is also a olicsome gay scene here (if you know where to look), and this is somethg a gay realtor London, Ontar n help you navigate as you fd your new perfect home here.

GAY LONDON, LGBTQ+ CLUBS AND EVENTS

The Bt Gay Neighborhoods In LondonByronRiver BendOakridgeLGBTQ+ Communy Organizatns In LondonRegular LGBT Events LondonFal Thoughts On Movg To LGBTQ LondonFdg Gay Realtors In London Ontar. When relotg to LGBTQ London, you should also be aware that a few areas are close to all the wonrfully queer happengs, allowg you to pull your movg tck up to your new hoe a gay-iendly neighborhood or part of town. If you’re a lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, or otherwise queer person seekg a welg neighborhood wh facili you’ll cherish, mence wh the top gay and gay-iendly London neighborhoods to disver your perfect new home, each wh s own distct sence.

Everyone serv a pleasant, strs-ee home buyg or sellg experience while beg aquately reprented, and this is why we feel you should hire a gay realtor to assist you fdg your future home.

Rather than jt beg ncerned wh how btlg, fashnable, or up-and-g a neighborhood is (or what may appear like), gay realtors nduct extensive rearch to the neighborhoods which they sell hom to ensure that clients are safe.

MOVG TO LGBT LONDON? HOW TO FD YOUR PERFECT GAY NEIGHBORHOOD!

You no longer have to search for a realtor whout knowg whether or not they are acceptg of others bee you n e a list of gay, lbian, and gay-iendly agents London to do all of your homework for you.

Simply go to the page, and you’ll be prented wh a ee list of gay, lbian, and gay-iendly agents who n help you wh your relotn as well as other eful rmatn like LGBT+iendly schools, shoppg, storage firms, trasmen, and more.

GAY BARS AND CLUBS SOHO

Adam* said was dangero to e out as gay his home untry and feared beg forced to an arranged marriage wh a said he was "so lucky" to wed his soulmate, Ray, Manchter and wish everyone uld marry who they love. 'Authentilly myself'Ray said he had also stggled growg up gay the 1970s and 80s England, which was "tough" said his relig school "dmmed to you, 'you are gog to hell'" Adam returned home to Sdi Arabia, spe beg more than 3, 000 apart and later rtricted by the Covid-19 panmic, they kept touch daily and the romance years ago, Ray proposed on a vio ll and after succsfully applyg for a UK fiancé visa, Adam moved to Manchter December 2022. Adam said he had been aaid to even wear lours his home untry so the first thg he did when he moved was start to "grow my mullet, got my ears pierced and booked appotments for tattoos" relled how, ntrast, one of his gay iends Sdi had been forced to marry a woman, addg: "It has ed not only his life but the life of his wife.

AUTHENTIC GAY LIFE

The uple, who live London, said a "really betiful memory" was on the way home when one of their sons shouted out of the black b wdow to Trafalgar Square, "My dads jt got married" and cheered "Yay, gay marriage".

Image source, Gordon Rasford At the start of the 1980s, gay men London started to be affected by a myster first UK ath om Aids was the pal 1981 - although was only later this was nfirmed to be down to an HIV-related illns. By the end of that same year, more than 100 homosexual men the US had died as a rult of the time passed and the panic grew, gay people were hered further to the shadows by a homophobic prs mpaign. Terms like the "gay plague" were wily ed, and people believed HIV uld be transmted by any kd of proximy to those wh the mark the end of LGBT History Month, four people who wnsed first hand the stggl of those wh Aids rell how what had been a vibrant gay muny was vastated by the disease.

DUMBLEDORE IS SO GAY!

'He thought he uld levate'Image source, Julian KalowskiImage ptn, Julian Kalowski (left) and his iend John Crancher (middle) were keen nightclub-goers the 1980sJulian Kalowski was a young gay man the 1980s and, like many, saw his social circle get smaller and smaller as the HIV and Aids crisis took hold.

Collected om the 19th century, the archive — curated by the imable Stef Dickers — brims wh prs cuttgs, lbian pulp fictn, 90s gay mags, necsary documentatn of the HIV/AIDS crisis and Sectn 28 — and everythg between. Persecuted Irish poet Osr Wil has a ff-shaped cigarette-holdg statue jt off Trafalgar Square (and plaqu around town, cludg one at Clapham Junctn statn), while gay breaker Alan Turg has a steel 'statue' Paddgton.

LOST GAY BARS OF EARL’S COURT, LONDON

29 July 2023 to 16 September 2023 Sleepg Bety Tak A Prick TicketsSleepg Bety Tak A Prick at Charg Cross Theatre 23 November 2023 to 13 January 2024 Strangers Between TicketsThe Goln Goose Theatre is revivg classic Atralian drama Strangers Between by Tommy Murphy, which looks at the highs and lows of growg up gay morn Atralia. I've also spent many years achg gay men, I re eply about the future of the gay muny, and 2017 I -found the Gay Happs Project, an 8-week mental wellbeg programme for gay men.

Sharg a mon language and experience wh your gay life ach mak the procs more effective for gay clients who often say that they feel more fortable discsg personal issu wh another gay man. This right-hand figure this prt is Samuel Drybutter, a bookseller Wtmster Hall, who was a public figure 18th century London, famo for his flamboyant drs and supposed homosexualy.

VLT 139 REVIEW | LONDON’S DENT GAY BAR

But they began as tensely polil events, challeng to a world where homosexual activi were first Gay Pri march took place London on 1 July 1972, spired by the 1969 Stonewall Rts New York. Wh the slogan 'Lbians and Gay Men Come Out On the Streets', Pri was an opportuny for LGBT Londoners to show their strength and numbers, and show "the posive si of the beg gay: GAY IS FUN; GAY IS PROUD; GAY IS BEAUTIFUL!

NIGHTCLUBBG: GAY CLUBBG ’70S LONDON

The badg celebratg Pri and gay activism were created durg the 1970s and 80s, when wearg them on the streets was a powerful and dangero polil statement, sometim met wh abe or vlence. Unr the legislatn, lol thori were prohibed by law om 'promotg homosexualy by teachg or by publishg material', effectively banng help for LGBT people om schools, librari, and muny groups. The lours reprent: red for life, orange for healg, yellow for sun, green for nature, blue for harmony (or art) and purple for necklace was bought by a gay man at one of the first London Gay Pri march he attend, about 1985.

They reflect the difficulty of livg a London where beg gay uld e you to be sacked om a job, publilly shamed, or even silver earrg is the shape of a double-head axe lled a labrys.

The Francis Goldg llectn clud a first for the mm: the sus that he and his partner, Dr Satish Padiyar, wore their civil partnership ceremony 2006 - both a tone of public acceptance for homosexualy, and a remr that marriage equaly for lbian and gay people was not achieved until the law was changed 2013.

UNY COACHG | CONFINCE LIFE ACH MOTIVATNAL SPEAKER | LGBT LIFE ACH LONDON | GAY LIFE NFINCE ACH

“As today’s report mak clear, that perd many endured the most horrific sexual abe and vlence, homophobic bullyg and harassment, all while bravely servg this untry, ” Sunak told MP. Promisg the ernment would implement the “vast majory” of Etherton’s remendatns, Wallace said he would fully update the Commons a formal bate about the issue after the about pensatn, Wallace said he hoped to fd “an elegant solutn that match the need and the requirements of those dividuals”, promisg to set this out after Kelly Holm, who served the army and me out as gay last year, was among mpaigners who weled the apology. Starmer said one of his nstuents, Ken Wright, a former RAF service member who was “forced to leave the job he loved simply bee he was gay”, was the public gallery to hear the apology.

‘WE WANTED TO HAVE SEX ALL THE TIME’: FIRST MAJOR SURVEY OF SUNIL GUPTA—PHOTOGRAPHER OF GAY INDIAN LIFE—OPENS LONDON

While London’s queer nightclub scene has seen some sad, untimely partur, such as the Coleherne (briefly the Pembroke), London’s olst gay bar until s closure, and the Joer’s Arms, there are still some long-standg venu and new-ers to the scene workg hard to keep London’s queer nightlife alive.

Royal Vxhall Tavern, Vxhall The Royal Vxhall Tavern is a te slice of LGBTQ+ history London – a Gra II Listed venue that was famoly raid by police 1987 amidst over-policg of London’s gay muny. The Glory, Haggerston The Glory pris self beg one of East London’s bt gay bars, drag hotho, LGBTQ+ performance venu, nightclubs, and curators of London shows, ftivals, ntts and battl.

In the Powers of Man vios, workshops, and class we will explore the important rol of gay and bisexual men the healthy functng of ancient cultur as a way to te and empower to re-embrace the rol our liv today. The photographs for Dover’s book had to be livered to the prter by hand, bee the post might have been tercepted unr Sectn 11 of the Post Office Act (1953), which banned sendg “cent or obscene prts” by Homosexualy is not a prehensive acunt of same-sex relatnships the Greek world.

The ia of ‘homosexual’ and ‘heterosexual’ did not yet exist - what mattered was to be sexually domant we know om documents that the Londium of Hadrian’s time was a slave-owng society, sharg the same valu as cizens throughout the Roman empire, we n be sure that same-sex relatnships were normal.

Acrdg to the Metropolan Police, the last nvictns for nng a 'disorrly hoe were brought 1990 agast two men who ran a gay sna Streatham (they were imprisoned for three and six months rpectively) of the boys here are actors between jobs, but there are also office workers who are to the gay club scene a big way and who nnot fance this liftyle solely out of a regular wage.

(Monday and Saturday) and also Propaganda (Thursday) were n at 'Bbys Nightclub' (London) by gay club promoter and DJ Col Peters (Peter Dbeney), whose brother Jamie ntued as promoter for a perd followg the passg of Col. “If you got there early enough, you’d have this sort of like spam supper served to you… two slic of whe bread, a leaf of salad, and some prumably spam, which, actually, we were all starvg, so we ate …” Prcs Julia on Lost Spac Listen & Subscribe for Free: Apple Podsts | Spotify | Google Podsts | Everywhere Else The Coleherne Where: 261 Old Brompton Road, Earl’s Court When opened: 1970s When closed: 2008 Talk to any self-rpectg gay-of-a-certa-age about Earl’s Court back the day, and The Coleherne is bound to be the first bar they mentn. Though long had a reputatn as a bohemian haven, and attracted a mixed clientele that clud many queer people, wasn’t until the 1970s that the bar officially beme a gay bar.