Manchester Pride is working in association with Archives+ at Manchester Central Library and the original publisher and founding member, Paul Fairweather, to revisit the stories behind some of the most iconic headlines from the paper Mancunian Gay which was published between 1978-1986.
On Monday, July 24, 6-8pm the Manchester Central Library will commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act. Paul Fairweather will re-visit the history of the paper and explore the impact it had on reporting on a vibrant era of activism in the 1980s and bringing together a community.
The special commemorative anniversary edition of the newspaper will be available for attendees to take home from the event.
The Mancunian Gay is a time-machine into one of the most poignant periods of gay history – with its unashamed headlines reporting the struggles of the LGBT+ communities in the 1980s, including homophobia, police harassment and the AIDS crisis.
Regarded as a saving grace for most during the period, The Mancunian Gay published headlines to be discussed during the event such as:
♦ Anderton on the Ramage
♦ Poppers the Price you Pay
♦ Gay Sauna Raid
♦ Job Security for Lesbian and Gay Workers
♦ New Gay Bar in Bolton
Participants will get a chance to take part in a panel Q&A session following the deep-dive into the topical and headlines of queer culture, to discuss anything and everything around The Mancunian Gay and its history.
Mark Fletcher, Chief Executive for Manchester Pride, said: “We can’t think of a more fitting way to show the importance of acknowledging the brave individuals before us who paved the way so massively in our fight for equality.
“We’re excited to be joined by Paul Fairweather himself to give us a first hand insight into the lives of gay men in the ‘80s and the fight the magazine was instrumental in spearheading.”
The event is free – but tickets are expected to run out fast.
Event: Headlines from The Mancunian Gay
Where: Manchester Central Library, St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 5PD
When: Monday, July 24
Time: 6pm-8pm
To secure a ticket, click here: