…kicked off on Friday night with a launch at the Counts Louse (Bristol’s City Hall, as it has been renamed by new Mayor George Ferguson). There was much speechifying, by both Bristol mayors (the chap in the big hat – Peter Main, Bristol’s first openly gay mayor – and the chap in the red trousers, George Ferguson), and by people from loads of Bristol LGBT organisations. And then Sing Out sang, to finish off the evening.
Sing Out
It didn’t make for the most lively of evenings, but then at least we felt we’d arrived, rather than being outside hammering on the door. And the biscuits were good. “Must get a job on the Council”, I remarked to House Teenager as I tucked into the butterscotch shortbread.
Saturday morning saw the launch of the Revealing Stories exhibition at M Shed:
A major first for Bristol! Find out about Bristol’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) past and the ways people have fought to shape and control their lives since the mid 20th century. The stories are told using specially recorded interviews with over 40 people young and old, loans from national collections, objects, memorabilia and works of art.
Cheryl Morgan, one of the organisers of the exhibition, gave something of the trans perspective during her speech.
…though it was far too crowded to get a look at the exhibition!
…had to sneak back later to do that. Look; Cheryl’s GRC, and a bunch of stuff from my seafaring days.
Loads more stuff as well. Get down there!
TransBristol 
Hi Dru, thank you for blogging about the LGBT History Month launch events. I am so sorry you didn’t feel the event at City Hall was very ‘lively’. I would really value input from yourself and from Trans Bristol to help to improve future events. Best wishes, Berkeley Wilde, Co Chair, LGBT Bristol
Hi Berkeley! It wasn’t intended as criticism; sometimes you just need to transfer information, and we can’t dance on the tables all the time even if we wanted to (I don’t). Perhaps I didn’t sufficiently emphasise that it was a good evening. Fair point though.
Thank you Dru, I kept thinking to myself “don’t take it personally, don’t take it personally” but I am sure you know what ‘gremlins’ are like!
It has made me reflect on LGBT Bristol and I really would like to see input from Trans Bristol and local *Trans communities into the work, ”together we are stronger”.
I don’t know if you are aware, I wear quite a few hats (!), including Co-Chair of LGBT Bristol, Director of the Diversity Trust, Co-Chair of the South West Regional LGB Network, member of the SW Trans Equality Network, Trustee of QwesT FtM UK and an Equality Associate with Equality South West.
At the core of my work is a strong belief in the potential (LGB and *Trans) communities have to work together and I hope we can begin that dialogue.
I hope so too. I also hate people who snipe from the sidelines without doing anything. I’ll try to conquer my own intense not-getting-involvedness. And of course if anyone else out there wants to get involved….
I would really welcome the input and involvement. If anyone would like more information about how to get involved in LGBT Bristol please send an email to admin@lgbtbristol.org.uk
Thank you Dru, I feel this is the start of a good conversation. Best wishes, Berkeley