29/07/2016 – Scene Magazine – From the heart of LGBTQ+ Life

Once upon a time in Manchester

Posted on 29/07/2016 by Graham Robson

Manchester Businesses to cast a spell across the City with Dress Down Day.

On Friday, August 12, workers in Manchester are set to swap suits for something special as they arrive for work at offices across the city dressed as Prince Charming, Elsa the Ice Queen, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan or maybe even Rumplestiltskin.

The Dress Down Day organised by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) charity Manchester Pride is inviting Mancunians to show their support and get behind its theme for 2016 – Once Upon a Time.

From large organisations to small businesses, chief executives to check out staff, anyone can get involved, all they have to do is donate a minimum of £1 towards The Manchester Pride Community Fund.

Mark Fletcher, Chief Executive for Manchester Pride, said: “Whether they come dressed to work as Elsa or another of their favourite fairytale characters, we’re asking businesses and employees to dress-up on their usual dress down day, and all for an important cause. People can dress-up as their favourite character, hold a Mad Hatter’s tea party over lunch, take part in a fairytale themed quiz or a sing-a-long karaoke session to Frozen – whatever their inspiration we just want people to get involved!”

To register to get involved, click here:

Manchester Pride will scream and shout about all supporters sharing their pictures and videos via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram plus they have free tickets to The Big Weekend to giveaway as prizes for businesses and employees who go all out with their fairytale fantasies.

Once Upon A Time will also be the theme for The Manchester Pride Parade as the charity this time hopes to turn the streets of Manchester into a fairytale.

The parade, which takes place over August bank holiday weekend as part of The Big Weekend celebration, sees over 3,000 people come together to march and is watched by tens of thousands of people as it snakes through the streets of Manchester city centre.

The Manchester Pride Parade starts on Liverpool Road, passing by the Gay Village before finishing on Whitworth Street. In recent years it has been led by prominent LGBT personalities including Orange Is The New Black actress Lea DeLaria and national treasure Sir Ian McKellen. Last year BBC Radio Manchester broadcast live from the parade with transgender radio presenter Stephanie Hirst.

Participants have ranged from charitable organisations such as The George House Trust and Barnardo’s to community sports groups, Manchester Village FC and The Spartans RFC; commercial organisations such as Nando’s, United Utilities and Tesco; local community groups including The Village Bakers, Manchester Frontrunners and businesses from Manchester’s Gay Village such as The New Union and Kiki.

A firm favourite, taking part for six years, is the cast and crew of Coronation Street who always play a huge part in the Manchester Pride The Big Weekend celebrations. 2014 saw new recruit Les Dennis take to the show’s float in a pink tabard, curly wig and pearls as legendary show character Mavis Wilton.

Mark Fletcher, Chief Executive for Manchester Pride, added: “As we reflect on years gone by in our wonderful City, we recognise many stories, moments, events and occasions that have occurred in order to allow us to reach the level of freedom that our LGBT communities enjoy today. Once upon a time allows us to look back, reflect and plan the next steps for the advancement of LGBT equality.”

Each year floats are entered into The Manchester Pride Parade Awards which are judged on Parade Day by representatives from The Manchester Pride Board of Trustees, The Lord Mayor and Sponsors.

Last year’s winners were:

♦ Best Overall Float – Unison

♦ Best Community/Charity Float – LGBT Youth North West

♦ Best Walking Entry – Littleborough Oakenhoof Folk Arts Group

♦ Best Public sector/Services Entry – Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue

♦ Best Individual Costume – The Albert Kennedy Trust

♦ Best Village Licensed Business – On Bar

To participate on the parade, click here:

BRIGHTON PRIDE is proud to help make Sussex #NoPlaceForHate

Posted on 29/07/2016 by Gary Hart

Organisers of this year’s Pride festival join forces with Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC), Katy Bourne, to help make Sussex #NoPlaceForHate.

In the run-up to this year’s event themed ‘Freedom to Live’, pubs and bars in St James’s Street, which are part of the Pride Village Party, will be using specially designed beermats to help publicise the Self Evident hate crime reporting app. The beermats all have a QR code on the back that, when scanned, quickly downloads the app onto the customers’ smartphones.

Commenting on Pride’s support for the campaign, Director Paul Kemp, said: “Pride is delighted to be involved in this important campaign which, given recent events like Orlando, could not have come at a better time.

“As with the theme of this year’s festival, everyone has the right to enjoy the same freedoms irrespective of their race, faith, sexuality, gender or disability. However, many of those from marginalised communities do not have the same confidence in the police and this is why we support the self evident app which allows victims of hate crime in Sussex to access help and support without involving the authorities. “

Mrs Bourne said: “I am delighted to have the support of the Pride organisers as well as the pubs and bars in St James’s Street in order to help make Sussex #NoPlaceForHate.

“We are launching the campaign on Wednesday (27 July) which is ten days before Pride. Over the course of the ten days we will be uploading a series of short videos and images featuring our hate crime mascot, Missy The Dog, to Facebook and Twitter. These fun videos and images will also be used to launch my PCC Instagram page @sussexpcc.

“Like many, I have no time for bigotry and believe that no one should be singled out and victimised because of their race, faith, sexuality, gender or disability. Although there are some light-hearted elements to the campaign with the use of images and videos of Missy to encourage the download of the app it does however send out a very serious message: that hate crime will not be tolerated in Sussex.

“I am looking forward to this year’s Pride event and hope that lots of people visit our stall in Preston Park where we will be promoting the Self Evident app with a variety of fun merchandise, including a selfie frame, temporary tattoos and flags. You’ll find us next to Sussex Police so please come and say hello.”

The Self Evident crime reporting app is a piece of smart technology developed by the social enterprise, Just Evidence. With financial backing from the PCC, the app now offers enhanced functions for tackling hate and enables victims to seek help directly from specialist support services as well as the police. The app’s ability to record, store and validate video, audio and photo evidence makes it particularly useful for anyone who witnesses or experiences hate and other crimes.

Guy Dehn, Director of Just Evidence, said: “We are committed to giving people practical tools to turn the tables on crime and injustice. With Katy Bourne giving a lead nationally and support from local events like Pride, we are confident the app can help make Sussex #NoPlaceForHate.”

Ten-foot tall puppet to lead Totnes Pride Parade

Posted on 29/07/2016 by Gary Hart

The procession at Totnes Pride on Saturday, September 3, will be lead by a ten-foot tall puppet.

Social enterprise Proud2Be teamed up with ROC Creative to create the Puppet.

ROC Creative is a dedicated Art project which supports adults with learning disabilities express themselves through a variety of media . They have specialist practitioners running groups in art and design, drama, dance, photography and film, music and samba.

ROC Creative Learning Guide Support Worker, Debbie Perry, said: “We see Proud2Be as having a similar ethos to ours – to celebrate diversity, promote equality and be proud of all our contributions to the wider community.

“Samba ROC have had the opportunity to lead the Proud2Be procession in Totnes for the last two years and have been overwhelmed by the warmth of feeling and enthusiasm of everyone who took part. We wanted to be part of the event again but were keen to add something new. The idea to create a giant puppet came about after Mat and local puppet maker Paul came to look at our project and make plans for the next procession.

“We are very excited to be adding a new dynamic to our samba performance and for our art group members to be able to collaborate with Paul and his team of artists.”

Proud2Be co-founder Mat, said: “We are very proud to be working alongside ROC Creative. Debbie and the whole team at ROC Creative have been extremely supportive of Proud2Be and generous with their time and expertise. We very much look forward to marching alongside them (and our new puppet friend) during this year’s procession.”

Proud2Be will be laying on a whole host of events in Totnes, which will bring the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex &/or asexual+ (LGBTQIA+) community together with their friends, families and supporters, to celebrate diversity in the town.

Activist Jacq Applebee will be returning as one of this year’s special guests alongside activists Helen Belcher, Holly Greenberry and Dawn Vago.

The day kicks off at 11am outside The Dartmouth Inn, where there will be opening speeches from Jacq, Helen and Totnes Mayor Eleanor Cohen, who together with award-winning Samba ROC Band and the puppet, will then lead a procession up Fore Street and High Street to Totnes Civic Hall at 11.30am.

Community bus service Bob the Bus, will be running a park and ride service from 10am at KEVICC and will also be transporting those with mobility issues up the procession at 11.15am.

From midday at the Civic Hall, visitors can enjoy, workshops and talks, a variety of community stands, Dot’s Cafe, a craft area, a family area, face painting and much more.

There will be a panel discussion at 1.30pm, where national and local activists will discuss how to challenge the divisions that exist within the LGBTQIA+ community.

The fun continues into the evening at Totnes Pride After Party from 7.00pm at Totnes Civic Hall, which will feature live music from popular Disco Funk band Golddust, P?nk and DJ sets from Madame Souza & Rhi Rhi Rhythm.

Due to a successful Big Lottery grant, for the first time, entry to the daytime events are free.

Tickets to the After Party are £10.00 (18 and over only) and are available to purchase online (plus £1 booking fee), from Proud2Be events in August and at Totnes Pride day event.

Proud2Be Co-founder Jon added: “We are so excited about this year’s Pride; we have been working hard to ensure that Totnes Pride is a community event we can all be proud of. We are thrilled with the support we have received from the local community. For us Totnes Pride is a chance for the whole community to come together and celebrate diversity in our town and to also raise awareness about the issues still faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, in the UK and around the world.”

To mark the event Totnes Town Council will once again, raise the rainbow flag over Totnes Civic Hall as a sign of solidarity and support for the LGBTQIA+ community. The flag raising ceremony will take place on Monday, August 29, 2015 at 6.30pm and will be followed by Totnes’ first LGBTQIA+ History Walk led by local Writer, Historian and Publisher Bob Mann.

If you would like to get involved, volunteer and help. then email Julie and Dot at volunteer@proud2be.co.uk.

Proud2Be are asking local businesses and residents to show their support by flying rainbow flags during the week of Pride. These are available to buy for £5 from Proud2Be.

To find out more about the events, or to buy a rainbow flag, click here:

Or email: info@proud2be.co.uk.

THEATRE REVIEW: High as Sugar, King’s Head

Posted on 29/07/201629/07/2016 by Paul Gustafson

High as Sugar is a new one person musical about a loud and proud trans woman living life on the wild side in the art-pop, counter-culture of New York City between 1969 and 1970.

Written and performed by Tanner Efinger, Sugar, the central character, is inspired by the true life 70s trans icon and Warhol superstar Holly Woodlawn.

The stiflingly humid night of the show’s London premiere was reminiscent of a typically airless Manhattan summer evening, heightening the experience in the small space. On a set strewn with the discarded clothes and debris of a chaotic bedsit apartment, we find Sugar already in the room. She is apparently drunk, swigging from a bottle of vodka and staggering around trying to find something ‘gorgeous’ to wear for the evening.

The sense of chaos is heightened by Efinger’s use of improvisation, with Sugar flirting and crashing into the audience and asking for help in choosing her outfit. But gradually she settles down enough to begin to tell her story, taking us back to her childhood and to the little boy who saw his first ballet and from that day on wanted to be the Sugar Plumb fairy rather than the Nutcracker Prince.

Sugar recalls her crazy life once she finally makes it to New York City. It’s a brutally honest and unapologetic tale of drugs, sex, booze and failed relationships, as Sugar lives hand to mouth despite being spotted by Andy Warhol and being invited into his bizarre world.

Though much of the play is outrageous and frantic, it’s not without its quieter, tender moments, as when the writing, direction, lighting and styling come together beautifully as Sugar recalls the funeral of her best friend, Penny, who died of an overdose. Penny was born a boy before finding her true self, but in death is heartbreakingly stripped of her persona by her conservative, catholic family, who present her as a young man at her own wake. It’s a beautifully touching part of the show.

The show’s music – three original songs – also provide the space for a more structured and reflective tone. There’s a nice love song to New York City, as well as Sugar’s own theme, reprised throughout the first half, which musically references her obsession with the Sugar Plum Fairy as well as her homely Jewish upbringing in Florida.

Despite all the chaos, Efinger’s powerful central performance connects with the audience and helps bring the show together, and in a twist at the end which blurs the line between performer and character, Efinger speaks directly and powerfully to the audience with a passion, personality and defiance as strong and as moving as the character he has created.

You can catch High as Sugar in Oxford on August 5 at the Old Fire Station.

For more information, click here:

THEATRE REVIEW: High as Sugar, King’s Head, London, July 20

BOOK REVIEW: Purple Prose: Bisexuality in Britain: Kate Harrad

Posted on 29/07/201629/07/2016 by Eric Page

Purple Prose: Bisexuality in Britain

Kate Harrad

Purple Prose: Bisexuality in Britain is a great and far ranging anthology looking at all the myriad aspects of the day to day and night to night life of a bisexual person in the United Kingdom. It’s also the first of its kind: a book written for and by bisexual people in the UK There’s a wide range of experience represented here, through interview, essays, poems and stories but it’s also wonderfully intimate, relevant and honest.

Often an anthology particularly one with such laudable aims as this one can drift and try and get too much in, but the clear focus on the personal, the immediate and the experiences of Bi folk in Britain keeps the narrative focus tight.

Editor Kate Harrad has picked some seriously entertaining and interesting stories from different cultural and ethnic perspectives along with challenging insight into non monogamy, gender queerness and disabled experiences.

Harrad has managed to keep the personal at the fore which makes the readers journey a pleasure, the book itself a relevant commentary on contemporary British Bisexual experience and a must read for Bi people and their allies from across the LGBTQ world.

An important and entertaining book.

Out now, paperback.

£21:50

For more info or to buy the book see the publishers website here:

Polari First Book Prize 2016 shortlist revealed

Posted on 29/07/201627/07/2016 by Besi

The shortlist for the Polari First Book Prize was announced last night (Thursday July 28, 2016) at the Polari Literary Salon in London’s Southbank Centre by founder and chair of judges Paul Burston.

Now in its sixth year, the Prize is awarded annually to a writer whose first book explores the LGBT experience, whether in poetry, prose, fiction or non-fiction.

The six shortlisted titles are:

♦ Blood Relatives: Stevan Alcock (Fourth Estate)

♦ Sugar and Snails: Anne Goodwin (Inspired Quill)

♦ Trans: Juliet Jacques (Verso)

♦ Different for Girls: Jacquie Lawrence (Zitebooks)

♦ Physical: Andrew McMillan (Jonathan Cape)

♦ The Good Son: Paul McVeigh (Salt)

This year’s shortlist draws a spotlight on the increasing breadth and diversity of works focusing on the LGBT experience and demonstrates the remarkable candour and breadth of talent of the LGBT literary community.

Fiction features strongly – from Anne Goodwin’s poignant midlife coming-of-age (Sugar and Snails) and Jacquie Lawrence’s exploration of love through the entangled lives of six women (Different for Girls) to Paul McVeigh’s funny and frightening story of a young boy navigating the troubles of 1980s Northern Ireland (The Good Son) and Stevan Alcock’s unforgettable tale of teenage life set to the backdrop of the Yorkshire Ripper murders (Blood Relatives). The shortlist is rounded-off by Juliet Jacques poignant memoir of the transgender experience (Trans) and a raw yet moving collection of poems written in celebration of the masculine form (Physical) by Andrew McMillan.

Chair of judges Paul Burston said: “From an exceptionally strong long list, we are delighted to present a shortlist of books which successfully highlight the range of experiences and talent in the LGBT literary community. Our strongest ever. Since we began this year’s judging process the world has turned on its head. At a time when it has never been more important to draw our similarities over our differences, each book chosen gives us all insights into other worlds; a sense of what it’s like to walk in another’s shoes. Choosing a winner will be incredibly challenging.”

The 2016 prize is being judged by a panel consisting of chair Paul Burston, author, journalist and host of Polari literary salon; Rachel Holmes, author and former Head of Literature & Spoken Word at the Southbank; Suzi Feay, literary critic; VG Lee, author and comedian and Alex Hopkins, writer and editor.

The announcement also marks the pre-launch of Polari on Tour, a UK-wide series of events taking London’s award-winning Polari Literary Salon to major cities from September to November.

The overall winner will be revealed at the London Literature Festival on Friday 7 October, 2016 at the Southbank Centre.

Polari Literary Salon began in 2007 in the upstairs room of a bar in Soho. Events are now held monthly at the Southbank Centre and regularly sell out. In 2013, Polari was named LGBT Cultural Event of the Year in the Co-op Respect Loved By You Awards.

The Polari First Book Prize was launched in 2011. Last year’s winner was Glasgow based author Kirsty Logan for The Rental Heart and other Fairy Tales.

The winner will be announced at the London Literature Festival on Friday, October 7, 2016 at the Southbank Centre.

Polari First Book Prize partners include WH Smiths Travel and Square Peg Media.

Polari on Tour – Key Dates:

JULY 28 – PRE-TOUR LAUNCH AT SOUTHBANK CENTRE, LONDON

SEPTEMBER 8 – CHAPTER, CARDIFF

SEPTEMBER 22 – BISHOPS STORTFORD LIBRARY

SEPTEMBER 28 – PRINTWORKS, HASTINGS

OCTOBER 14 – MARLBOROUGH THEATRE, BRIGHTON

OCTOBER 21 – NOTTINGHAM WRITERS’ STUDIO

NOVEMBER 4 – ASSEMBLY ROXY, EDINBURGH

NOVEMBER 11 – IDEAS STORE, TOWER HAMLETS

NOVEMBER 15 – HOVE LIBRARY

NOVEMBER 18 – GRAND THEATRE, BLACKPOOL

NOVEMBER 19 – MAC BIRMINGHAM

NOVEMBER 21 – FRUIT SPACE, HULL

NOVEMBER 23 – NEWCASTLE CITY LIBRARY

NOVEMBER 25 – END OF TOUR AT SOUTHBANK CENTRE, LONDON

For full information about the tour, click here:

Call us now

Day: July 29, 2016

Once upon a time in Manchester

Manchester Businesses to cast a spell across the City with Dress Down Day.

BRIGHTON PRIDE is proud to help make Sussex #NoPlaceForHate

Organisers of this year’s Pride festival join forces with Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC), Katy Bourne, to help make Sussex #NoPlaceForHate.

Ten-foot tall puppet to lead Totnes Pride Parade

The procession at Totnes Pride on Saturday, September 3, will be lead by a ten-foot tall puppet.

THEATRE REVIEW: High as Sugar, King’s Head

High as Sugar is a new one person musical about a loud and proud trans woman living life on the wild side in the art-pop, counter-culture of New York City between 1969 and 1970.

BOOK REVIEW: Purple Prose: Bisexuality in Britain: Kate Harrad

Polari First Book Prize 2016 shortlist revealed

The shortlist for the Polari First Book Prize was announced last night (Thursday July 28, 2016) at the Polari Literary Salon in London’s Southbank Centre by founder and chair of judges Paul Burston.

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Call us now

Manchester Businesses to cast a spell across the City with Dress Down Day.

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Organisers of this year’s Pride festival join forces with Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC), Katy Bourne, to help make Sussex #NoPlaceForHate.

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The procession at Totnes Pride on Saturday, September 3, will be lead by a ten-foot tall puppet.

Share this:

High as Sugar is a new one person musical about a loud and proud trans woman living life on the wild side in the art-pop, counter-culture of New York City between 1969 and 1970.

Share this:

Share this:

The shortlist for the Polari First Book Prize was announced last night (Thursday July 28, 2016) at the Polari Literary Salon in London’s Southbank Centre by founder and chair of judges Paul Burston.

Share this:

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