'Remember that writing about something can change it.': Review of an LGBT history workshop at the Museum of London
On Saturday I spoke at an Untold London workshop held at the Museum of London, on the subject of LGBT history and blogging. This was coupled with a tour of the 'gay' artifacts in the Museum and a writing session.
LGBT history is full of great stories and many brave individuals right through history who were ready to defy the convention, and often the laws of the day to lead their life. Its interpretation is fraught with difficulty, often due to twentieth century abstract perceptions of what it means to be 'queer'. What was it like to be of alternative sexuality two hundred or three hundred years ago? Despite my grasp of the stories and facts I don't know, do I? I don't know what it's like now (I managed to announce, to much hilarity, that 'I am not a gay man'). I have never felt alone or rejected because of my sexuality, and have certainly never been persecuted for it.
So when I was preparing for the workshop, I had no idea what to expect - and I certainly wasn't disappointed. What a crowd! For a start, our venue in the Clore centre was packed, almost double the attendance expected. Interests ranged from high fashion in court circles to trades unions to concepts of what it means to be trans-gender, genealogy and education.
The lovely Babs gave an introduction, I blathered for a bit about being alternative in Georgian London and then Kate took us on a tour of the gay artifacts of the Museum. What is a gay artifact? Well might you ask. After all, gay people own clocks, shoes and read books just like everyone else. A 'Pride' badge is not enough to show the input of gay people into the history of London. So we looked at objects such as the head of Hadrian found near London Bridge. Hadrian was devoted to his lover Antinous, whose death almost broke the emperor. Did you know Antinous's 'head' was the only non-imperial one ever to appear on Roman coinage? As our large group wended its way through a busy Saturday afternoon Museum of London, the sense of fun and enjoyment was clear. I learned things I didn't know, and not just from Kate - my knowledge of Marie Antoinette's fashion dictatorship is now considerably increased. As we walked we discussed the difference between the performance of alternative sexuality (Alexander McQueen came up here) and the reality of living an alternative life. Which is which and which deserves to be remembered?
We returned to the Clore for questions, discussion and writing. The challenge was to put something down about the experiences of the day, and the results were quite simply, brilliant. Varied, eloquent and often very funny, they highlighted what had been learned and often passed sharp comment on modern gay life. I would like to thank everyone who came (and Babs and Kate for a splendid day), and to extend an invitation to Georgian Londoners to celebrate LGBT history month in February: email me a blog post please, up to 500 words on your favourite pre-1950 LGBT Londoner. Tell me how you found them and why you admire them. It can be integrity, heroism, social daring or killer style. I'll show you mine if you show me yours.
