The story of Guildford Area Gay Society, Surrey's early LGBT group - Surrey Live

Contents:

• GAGS: GUILDFORD AREA GAY SOCIETY
• TOM HOLLAND’S GAY SEX SCENE 'THE CROWD ROOM' DEFEND BY FANS
• THE STORY OF GUILDFORD AREA GAY SOCIETY, SURREY'S EARLY LGBT GROUPGUILDFORD WAS HOME TO ONE OF THE UNTRY'S FIRST LGBT GROUPSGETSURREYBOOKMARKSHARECOMMENTSNEWSBYALEC EVANSCOMMUNY REPORTER06:30, 27 JUN 2020BOOKMARKA GAGS BANNER AT PRI, LONDON ON JUNE 29, 1985 (IMAGE: SURREY HISTORY CENTRE (SHC REF 9745/4/5))SIGN UP TO OUR EE EMAIL ALERTS FOR THE TOP GUILDFORD STORI SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR E-MAILMORE NEWSLETTERS SUBSCRIBEINVALID EMAILSOMETHG WENT WRONG, PLEASE TRY AGA LATER.MORE NEWSLETTERSWE E YOUR SIGN-UP TO PROVI NTENT WAYS YOU’VE NSENTED TO AND IMPROVE OUR UNRSTANDG OF YOU. THIS MAY CLU ADVERTS OM AND THIRD PARTI BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOU. MORE THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBG!WE HAVE MORE NEWSLETTERSSHOW ME SEE OURPRIVACY NOTICE SEE OURPRIVACY NOTICE&TIM;GROUP 28 SIGN UP TO OUR EE EMAIL ALERTS FOR THE TOP GUILDFORD STORI SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR E-MAILINVALID EMAILSOMETHG WENT WRONG, PLEASE TRY AGA LATER.SIGN UPNO THANKS, CLOSEWE E YOUR SIGN-UP TO PROVI NTENT WAYS YOU’VE NSENTED TO AND IMPROVE OUR UNRSTANDG OF YOU. THIS MAY CLU ADVERTS OM AND THIRD PARTI BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOU. MORE &TIM;GROUP 28THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBG!
• GUILDFORD VOTED MOST GAY IENDLY UNIVERSY TOWN
• THE FIRST GAY PUB I DARED SET FOOT NOW HAS A RABOW PLAQUE. HERE’S WHY THAT MATTERS
• EXPLORE GAY ROOMS & RENTALS GUILDFORD

GAGS: GUILDFORD AREA GAY SOCIETY

Upon first reflectn, the Surrey town of Guildford may not seem an obv lotn for one of the untry’s earlit gay groups but 1977, Guildford Area Gay Society (GAGS) was found there. Inially, an official branch group of the Campaign for Homosexual Equaly (CHE) was formed Guildford April 1976, wh meetgs held at members’ hom, centred around chat and ffee. Key members felt the need for somewhere lol for gay people to meet socially, pecially for those who didn’t want to always meet a pub or travel to clubs London or Brighton.

At the group’s AGM Febary 1977, was cid to reform as Guildford Area Gay Society and to operate penntly om CHE. GAGS was val to those who uld not ‘e out’ and provid a relaxed fom which gay people uld socialise rmally. Fil of rrponnce provi an sight to the ntemporary lol gay scene, featurg exchang wh CHE and the short-lived Surrey Gay Lkle and Surrey Gay Swchboard.

Other regnal gay groups are prent the llectn, such as Kgston and Richmond and Wimbledon area gay societi.

TOM HOLLAND’S GAY SEX SCENE 'THE CROWD ROOM' DEFEND BY FANS

Subjects vered clu HIV and AIDS awarens, and the tablishment of other gay anisatns, notably Surrey and South Wt London Area Gay Organisatns (SAGO), Surrey and London Area Gay Organisatns (SLAGO), South London Gays, and the Pimpernel Group, Croydon.

THE STORY OF GUILDFORD AREA GAY SOCIETY, SURREY'S EARLY LGBT GROUPGUILDFORD WAS HOME TO ONE OF THE UNTRY'S FIRST LGBT GROUPSGETSURREYBOOKMARKSHARECOMMENTSNEWSBYALEC EVANSCOMMUNY REPORTER06:30, 27 JUN 2020BOOKMARKA GAGS BANNER AT PRI, LONDON ON JUNE 29, 1985 (IMAGE: SURREY HISTORY CENTRE (SHC REF 9745/4/5))SIGN UP TO OUR EE EMAIL ALERTS FOR THE TOP GUILDFORD STORI SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR E-MAILMORE NEWSLETTERS SUBSCRIBEINVALID EMAILSOMETHG WENT WRONG, PLEASE TRY AGA LATER.MORE NEWSLETTERSWE E YOUR SIGN-UP TO PROVI NTENT WAYS YOU’VE NSENTED TO AND IMPROVE OUR UNRSTANDG OF YOU. THIS MAY CLU ADVERTS OM AND THIRD PARTI BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOU. MORE THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBG!WE HAVE MORE NEWSLETTERSSHOW ME SEE OURPRIVACY NOTICE SEE OURPRIVACY NOTICE&TIM;GROUP 28 SIGN UP TO OUR EE EMAIL ALERTS FOR THE TOP GUILDFORD STORI SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR E-MAILINVALID EMAILSOMETHG WENT WRONG, PLEASE TRY AGA LATER.SIGN UPNO THANKS, CLOSEWE E YOUR SIGN-UP TO PROVI NTENT WAYS YOU’VE NSENTED TO AND IMPROVE OUR UNRSTANDG OF YOU. THIS MAY CLU ADVERTS OM AND THIRD PARTI BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOU. MORE &TIM;GROUP 28THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBG!

Perhaps one of the more unexpected but key ems the llectn is the home-ma GAGS banner, which was prent at every meetg and rried by members at the Gay Pri March London, 29 June 1985. Surrey History Centre has participated LGBT History Month sce 2010, workg wh Gay Surrey, GAGS, Outle and other muny anisatns to raise awarens of queer herage the unty. Tom HollandFans of Brish actor Tom Holland have e to his fense after some social media ers were seemgly upset that the latt episo of his Apple TV+ seri The Crowd Room featured gay the scene, Holland’s character go to a club wh heavy black eyeler and all black.

GUILDFORD VOTED MOST GAY IENDLY UNIVERSY TOWN

”A lot of other ers, however, seemed very nfed over the backlash, pecially sce Spir-Man actors Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield have also played gay person wrote, “Watchg agile cishet men have breakdowns over the reason Tom Holland is trendg is sweet we to me.

THE FIRST GAY PUB I DARED SET FOOT NOW HAS A RABOW PLAQUE. HERE’S WHY THAT MATTERS

”“The fact that a sgle scene on an Apple Pl show featurg Tom Holland has brought out so much homophobia om the stupist people is... Until s 2016 closure, Guildford Area Gay Society (GAGS) was the longt-tablished LGBT group Surrey - primarily focg on gay and lbian people.

EXPLORE GAY ROOMS & RENTALS GUILDFORD

In 1967, homosexualy was crimalised, and 1969 the Campaign for Homosexual Equaly (CHE) was found, one of the earlit gay rights anisatns the UK. In 1972, the first Brish gay newspaper, The Gay Tim, began, and the same year saw the untry's first Gay Pri march, attend by around 1, 000 people. Over 21s were allowed to jo, le wh the age of homosexual nsent at the time.

She says: "GAGS liaised and supported other regnal gay groups as they beme tablished, and they raised money for lol .

"The group also supported gay rights and issu, for example attendg London Pri march wh their banner.