In the first year of her tenure as LGBT Poet Laureate, Trudy Howson’s poetry has been recorded for posterity by The British Library.
Since then, the breadth of her work and engagement has grown and grown.
Trudy is currently working on LGBT+ projects for the British Museum and the National Trust. She has also worked for Bristol’s Museum and recently performed her work at the launch of the British Library’s Gay UK exhibition.
Her poetry celebrates the diverse and fascinating landscape (external and internal) of the LGBT+ community commemorating national and internationally recognised LGBT+ days.
She has also written poetry responses to events that have impact on our community’s lives, such as the Orlando Massacre, and the persecution of LGBT+ people in Chechnya.
Amnesty International and Stonewall are using her poem Chechnya’s Choice in their current campaign.
Trudy’s list of current projects include:
♦ Poetry and performance to commemorate 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalization of the Sexual Offences Act.
♦ Smallhythe Trio National Trust ‘Prejudice & Pride’ – exploring queer identities in our history – Tenterton, Kent.
♦ The Caravan Club – pop up poetry – London National Trust
♦ Trudy has been asked again this year to write the theme poem for London Pride, Love Happens Here which she will be performing on July 8 at 3pm on the main Trafalgar Square Stage.
♦ INCITE@ThePhoenix – hosts a free, monthly LGBT poetry evening
♦ Manchester Pride
♦ Hastings Pride
♦ Launch of London Pride at the Tate Britain on June 24 2017
Finally, this year LGBT Poet Laureate will be hosting her own event in association with London Pride & Library Private Member’s Club.
Camp Confidential is a unique event celebrating our LGBT+ community and its allies featuring cabaret, relaxation and revitalisation!
A chance to celebrate London Pride in style… be merry… and gay! All day, all night from 9.30am – 1.30am on July 8 in association with London Pride and The Library Club.
An exclusive and intimate event designed to enhance the enjoyment of the Trafalgar Square celebrations, for those who want to be able to chill out in an oasis of peace and calm, relax a little, as well as party.
Pride@CampConfidential combines all day access to the fantastic facilities of the Library Club, in St Martins Lane, just steps away from Trafalgar Square, with a star-studded Cabaret Show, Camp Confidential in the evening from 8pm to round off the day.
Guests will include Vanity Von Glow, Adam All, Evie Lake, the winner of Pride’s Got Talent, my amazing M.D. Nigel Stewart and, of course… Trudy!
Event: CAMP CONFIDENTIAL
Where: Library Club, 112 Saint Martin’s Lane, London, WC2N 4BD
When: Saturday, July 8
Time: 9.30am – 1am on Sunday, July 9
Cost: £35
To book tickets online, click here:
Trudy will be popping out during the afternoon to perform the poem she’s written for London Pride, on the Trafalgar Square Stage. Otherwise she’ll be in situ with her charming ‘Camp Confidential Angels’ to help make your Pride extra special.
Chechnya’s Choice
by LGBT Poet Laureate, Trudy Howson
Law abiding, responsible men and women.
People from our LGBT Community.
Beaten, caged, raped and tortured,
In a Hurricane of Homophobic Hate.
Chechnya has abdicated rationality,
Relinquished reason and justice.
Succumbed to brutality and hatred.
The Cull, has begun.
Fathers, brothers, uncles snatched
From the bosom of their families.
Mother’s, sisters hands wrenched
From rocking Russia’s cradle.
Chechnya has made its choice
To punish homosexual Love.
To purge its streets of dignity and respect,
Disregarding, even, pity’s gaze.
Let us now raise our voices,
Lift up our global communities heart.
Ours is the enduring voice of love
It cannot. Must not, be silenced.