...Gay Xmas!
On the cusp of London's Gay Pride celebrations tomorrow, we have a visitor from across the channel to the Dolores Delargo Towers Museum of Camp...
Zut Alors!
CAMP: "A cornucopia of frivolity, incongruity, theatricality, and humour." "A deadly, winking, sniggering, snuggling, chromium-plated, scent-impregnated, luminous, quivering, giggling, fruit-flavored, mincing, ice-covered heap of mother love." "The lie that tells the truth." "Ostentatious, exaggerated, affected, theatrical; effeminate or homosexual; pertaining to or characteristic of homosexuals."
Showing posts with label Gay History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gay History. Show all posts
Friday, 4 July 2025
Wednesday, 12 March 2025
The End of an Era
Sad news. Icon of the UK drag scene, one of the oldest performing drag queens in the world, Maisie Trollette has departed - feathers, sequins, high heels and acid tongue in hand - at the age of 91, to reign supreme in the Gay Pride Drag Tent on Fabulon!
Born David Raven in the oh-so-twee artistic haven of St Ives in Cornwall, raised in the rural flatlands of Suffolk, he finally left the closeted life behind in 1960 for the bright lights of London. There he met fellow entertainer James Court and founded the legendary Trollettes, who ascended to become a dominant force in blacked-out-window gay venues like The Black Cap in Camden and the Royal Vauxhall Tavern for decades.
Like so many queens in that oppressive era, David/Maisie and his life partner, banker Don Coull, gravitated to the much more gay-friendy environs of the south coast resort of Brighton and opened a bed-and-breakfast guesthouse (that ran for many years), all the while travelling up and down the country with the Trollettes, with another faboo old drag queen Phil Starr, and as a solo act.
She was still performing well into her 80s - a career of more than 50 years - and, in recognition of her longevity, a biographical film was released in 2021.
[We still haven't yet seen it, as it only seems to be on subscription services and has never been released on DVD or on terrestrial TV.]
We saw Maisie perform on many occasions, and she was a stalwart of Gay Prides in Brighton and London (raising thousands for charities supporting people with AIDS and other causes through such performances). Here are some classic moments from the old girl:
Phil Starr (with Maisie Trollette) - The Old Bazaar at Cairo:
Another glittering star has dimmed, and the loss is palpable.
There'll never be another! - RIP, Maisie Trollette (David Raven, 16th August 1933 – 12th March 2025)
Friday, 30 August 2024
The Bourne Identity
As I recounted in my post back in 2013:
On 9th September 1971 Mary Whitehouse, Malcolm Muggeridge, Lord Longford, Cliff-fucking-Richard and various assorted clergy, god-botherers and other nutters convened a mass meeting of their Festival of Light, a movement dedicated to opposing "the permissive society" in all its forms, at Methodist Central Hall opposite the Palace of Westminster.
Unbeknownst to the assembled worthies, Bette Bourne, Lavinia Co-op, Michael James, Gretal Feather, Martin Corbett, Peter Tatchell and many other founding members of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) had infiltrated the prayers. Many of Bette's coterie were disguised as nuns, and as the speakers tried to address the crowd they began slinging porn from the balcony. Others shouted, clapped and screamed at inappropriate moments. Mr Corbett, who had calmly pretended to be a Hall official and ordered technical staff out of the basement, brought the lights down.
As Peter Tatchell recalls: "On the night, mayhem erupted. When Malcolm Muggeridge, speaking out about homosexuals, declared, 'I don't like them.' The feeling was mutual. Mice were released into the audience; lesbian couples stood up and passionately embraced. A dozen GLF nuns in immaculate blue and white habits charged the platform shouting gay liberation slogans, and a GLF bishop began preaching an impromptu sermon which urged people to 'keep on sinning.'"
It all apparently ended, before the police and security were able to forcibly remove them, with the drag nuns doing the can-can on the stage in front of the astounded speakers!
The last word, of course, went to Bette, who, at her subsequent trial for her part in the protest, was asked by the judge to remove her hat, and said "No! It goes with the shoes."
The great avant-garde drag entertainer, actor, wit, creative genius and, above all, champion of the battle for gay rights in the UK, Ms Bette Bourne has departed for the highest echelons of Fabulon, where she will no doubt preside, bestowing her pithy quips on all who surround her.
We adored Bette Bourne. It was sixteen years ago that our gang first encountered him/her in person - at the Oval Theatre, portraying the lascivious Hollywood talent manager Henry Willson who made Rock Hudson a star, and afterwards being inducted into the "Homosexual Hall of Fame" - and fell under his spell. Two years later, we were overjoyed to be at Soho Theatre for the first run of his and Mark Ravenhill's partly dramatised A Life in Three Acts.
Then in 2013, a double-bill - not just a showing at the V&A of the film about Bette Bourne It Goes With the Shoes [see the link in the intro above for more on that], but he and his longtime partner and fellow Bloolips veteran Paul Shaw [who survives him] made a special in-person appearance at the venerable Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology to perform an extract of the troupe's classic interpretion of the lives of Roman Emperor Hadrian and his lover Antinous, Get Hur!...
He/she could turn her hand to anything - from Blanche DuBois to Lady Bracknell, Quentin Crisp to Queen Victoria, in drag or out of it. A remarkable individual.
We'll miss Bette!
A lot.
RIP, Bette Bourne (born Peter Bourne, 22nd September 1939 – 23rd August 2024)
Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Friday, 10 November 2023
Fearless
Class of 72 - Tom Robinson, Stuart Feather, Mair Twissell, Roz Kaveney, Peter Tatchell, Andrew Lumsden, Ted Brown, Nettie Pollard
In the history of human rights in this country, there are many people who could be described as "pioneers" - William Wilberforce and his fellow abolitionists in the Georgian era, Emmeline Pankhurst and the Suffragettes, campaigners against the criminalisation of homosexuality Havelock Ellis and Edward Carpenter, and so on.
In the modern era, the baton of the latter pioneers passed to a small but vocal group of "annoyed gayers" who fought on and made a significant impact on our society.
Among those (as featured in the photo above), the fantabulosa Andrew Lumsden shone through...
From his obituary by James Lucas:
[We have] lost a true pioneer with the passing of Andrew Lumsden. An unwavering champion of gay rights, Andrew dedicated his life to advocating for equality and justice... He recognised the need for change and was unafraid to stand up and be counted. His tireless efforts have inspired countless individuals to join the fight for equality.
In the late 1960s, Andrew was instrumental in establishing the Gay Liberation Front (GLF), a groundbreaking organization that fought for gay rights and acceptance. The GLF played a pivotal role in the early days of the LGBTQ+ rights movement and set the stage for future activism... [in particular] his role as one of the founders of Pride. Pride events, celebrated worldwide, have become symbols of unity, acceptance, and the ongoing struggle for equal rights. Andrew’s vision for Pride has empowered generations to continue the fight.
Another testament to Andrew’s unwavering commitment was his role as the founder of Gay News. This groundbreaking publication provided a platform for LGBTQ+ voices, stories, and issues. It was a pioneering source of information and support during a time when discrimination and prejudice were prevalent. Andrew’s... fearless activism, dedication to social justice, and advocacy for equal rights have paved the way for the progress we see today. His work has changed the lives of countless individuals.
The LGBTQ+ community and the broader fight for equality have lost a true hero with the passing of Andrew Lumsden. His legacy is a testament to the power of activism and the enduring struggle for equal rights. As we remember his extraordinary contributions, we also recognize the importance of continuing the work he began, ensuring that his vision of a more inclusive and equal world becomes a reality.
RIP Andrew Lumsden, a remarkable man.
Sunday, 13 August 2023
Wednesday, 28 June 2023
Tuesday, 14 February 2023
A fabulous Dickie
From Vintage Everyday:
These photos belonged to an Englishman by the name of Richard Colley, known as 'Dick' or 'Dickie' to his many friends. Most of photos are dated from 1922 to 1925, some others are dated 1932 and 1933.Richard Colley enjoyed a privileged lifestyle of holidays, afternoon parties, receptions and costumed balls, interspersed with trips to the races and to the theatre. Many of his friends in the album are unidentified, but it is clear that he knew Dorothy Gish, Gaby Deslys, Harry Pilcer, Beatrice de Bourbon, and the former Queen of Italy.
It is possible that he himself enjoyed a brief career as a dancer or in silent films.
He evidently loved dressing-up!
Fab-u-lous, indeed!
A perfect example of why LGBT History Month is so important.
“To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. For what is the worth of human life, unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records of history?” – Cicero
[click any photo to enlarge]
Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Saturday, 2 July 2022
Friday, 1 July 2022
Thursday, 3 March 2022
I mimic me better than anyone else
Yesterday would have been the 80th birthday of the magnificent Lou Reed. I was about to create a new post in honour of the great man, then I noticed that the following - that I posted ten years ago for his 70th (when he was still with us) - had passed unnoticed and unloved and had zero comments. So, in the interest of recycling, here it is again...
....I here reprint in full a marvellous 1997 article on Lou Reed by Jane Appleby for Bambi fanzine. Full credit to the lady for a revealing examination of his life.
TRANSFORMER or fragments of the life of Lou Reed
Lewis Allan Reed was born in Brooklyn in 1942 to a Jewish middle class family. At the age of 17 he received electro-shock therapy three times a week to discourage his homosexuality.
"They put that thing down your throat so you don’t swallow your tongue and they put electrodes on your head. That’s what was recommended in Rockland County then to discourage homosexual feelings. The effect is that you lose your memory and become a vegetable. I wrote ‘Kill Your Sons’ about that."In 1961 he went to Syracuse University to do a degree in English Lit. and Philosophy. One of his biggest influences was his teacher the writer and critic Delmore Schwartz. He also had his 1st gay love affair at university before graduating with honours. (He also had a long term affair with a woman who went on to inspire many of his songs such as ‘Pale Blue Eyes’.) He also met up with Sterling Morrison and continued playing in bands. Lou Reed considered studying journalism before opting for drama but he was asked to leave due to his involvement in narcotics. He evaded the draft and went to work for Pickwick records in 1964-65 writing pop songs. One of these songs ‘The Ostrich’ was wanted on TV and that was how Lou Reed came to hook up with John Cale who was impressed with his other songs like ‘Heroin’.
By November 1965 Mo Tucker had joined them and The Velvet Underground had performed in public for the first time. They came to the attention of Andy Warhol who introduced Nico who had affairs with first Lou Reed then John Cale. She performed with them and had several songs written for her. They completed their first album in August 1966 but it wasn’t released until March 1967. That year they dumped Nico and Warhol and signed up with a new manager releasing another album containing ‘Sister Ray’.
"It was built around this story that I wrote about this scene of total debauchery and decay. I like to think of Sister Ray as a transvestite smack dealer. The situation is bunch of drag queens taking some sailors home with them and shooting up on smack and having this orgy when the police appear."In 1968 John Cale was ousted and replaced with Doug Yule. They began to record their 3rd album containing ‘Candy Says’ supposedly about Candy Darling. In 1970 Mo Tucker left to have a child and was replaced by Billy Yule. They recorded their 4th and final album. Lou Reed then left the band and moved back home to live with his parents even working as a secretary for the family business. (The Velvet Underground even carried on for a few years without him.) By 1971 Lou Reed was writing poetry and dating a girl named Betty Kronstadt. He was eventually persuaded to return to writing songs and released the album ‘Transformer’ in 1972. The cover featured a TV and a leather clad clone rumoured to be Lou Reed himself but in fact Ernie Thormahlen.
"There’s a lot of sexual ambiguity in the album and two outright gay songs - from me to them but carefully worded so the straights can miss out on the implications and enjoy them without being offended.
"The gay life at the moment isn’t that great. I wanted to write a song which made it terrific, something you’d enjoy.
"Just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you have to camp around in make-up. The make-up thing is just a style thing now. If people have homosexuality in them, it won’t necessarily involve make-up in the first place."
Lou Reed married Betty Kronstadt late 1972-early 1973.
"You can’t fake being gay. If they claim they’re gay, they’re going to have to make love in a gay style and most people aren’t capable of making that commitment. That line that everyone’s bisexual - I think that’s just meaningless."He began work on ‘Berlin’ in 1973. When it was finished he separated from his wife after writing a song about her suicide attempt. The producer Bobby Ezrin also had a breakdown and had to be hospitalised after completing the record. Lou Reed’s divorce came through in autumn 1973. His behaviour began to deteriorate and then he met Rachel (transvestite/transsexual - nobody knows which).
"It was in a late night club in Greenwich Village. I’d been up for days as usual and everything was at that super-real, glowing stage. I walked in there and there was this amazing person, this incredible head, kind of vibrating out of it all. Rachel was wearing this amazing make-up and dress and was obviously in a different world to anyone else in the place. Eventually I spoke and she came home with me. I rapped for hours and hours, while Rachel just sat there looking at me saying nothing. At the time I was living with a girl, a crazy blonde lady and I kind of wanted us all three to live together but somehow it was too heavy for her. Rachel just stayed on and the girl moved out. Rachel was completely disinterested in who I was and what I did. Nothing could impress her. He’d hardly heard my music and didn’t like it all that much when he did.
Rachel knows how to do it for me. No one else ever did before. Rachel’s something else."
He recorded ‘Coney Island Baby’ which was all about how his new relationship had transformed his life even dedicating songs to Rachel. In July 1975 his tour was called off in New Zealand as Lou missed Rachel so much. He would spend hours on the phone to her, sleeping at night with the receiver off the hook and the call connected to New York so he could resume his conversation as soon as he awoke. Mick Rock photographed them for Penthouse - clad in matching black leather supported by pencil-thin legs, the couple embrace, Lou in front facing the camera with a dazed smile on his face while Rachel supports him from behind, her hands clasped possessively over his crotch, a look of serene composure in her eyes. In March 1977 they celebrated three years of friendship with a party cutting a three tier wedding cake emblazoned with a Valentine heart.
"All the albums I put out after this are going to be things I want to put out. No more bullshit, no more dyed hair, faggot junkie trip. I mimic me better than anyone else, so if everybody else is making money ripping me off, I figure maybe I better get in on it. Why not? I created Lou Reed. I have nothing even faintly in common with that guy but I can play him well - really well."Lou Reed split up from Rachel in late 1977-early 1978. He stated that his album ‘Street Hassle’ was mainly about this breakup including the lines "Love has gone away / took the rings off my fingers / and there’s nothing left to say / but oh, how I need him baby."
"They’re not heterosexual concerns in that songs. I don’t make a deal of it but when I mention a pronoun, its gender is all important. At the end of ‘Street Hassle’ that person really exists. He did take the rings right off my fingers and I do miss him.
"I have such a heavy resentment thing because of all the prejudices against me being gay. How can anybody gay keep their sanity.
"I just wouldn’t want listeners to be under a false impression. I want them to know, if they’re liking a man, that it’s a gay one - from top to bottom.
"You want to know the real Lou Reed. Turn around. Now bend over."
Lou Reed married Sylvia Morales in 1980 after meeting her in a gay SM club. He continued to release his solo albums and towards the end of the 1980s he collaborated with John Cale on ‘Songs for ‘Drella’ - their tribute to Andy Warhol who died in 1987. The early 1990s saw a short-lived Velvets reunion and Lou Reed divorced Sylvia. He is currently dating Laurie Anderson and apparently refuses to discuss his past relationships particularly Rachel who is rumoured to have died around this time.
"You’ll never see those faces again / The past keeps knock knock knocking on my door / And I don’t want to hear it anymore" - Halloween Parade by Lou Reed
More about the Transformer album
Lewis Allen "Lou" Reed (2nd March 1942 – 27th October 2013)
Thursday, 17 February 2022
Cigareets and whisky and wild, wild women?
More Gay History month material, I hear you ask! - well, how about these two most extraordinary women..?
Marion Barbara 'Joe' Carstairs [PDF] (1st February 1900 – 18 December 1993) was a wealthy British power boat racer known for her speed and her eccentric lifestyle. She usually dressed as a man, had tattooed arms, and loved machines, adventure, and speed. Openly lesbian, she had numerous affairs with women, including Oscar’s niece Dolly Wilde, Greta Garbo, Tallulah Bankhead and Marlene Dietrich.
During WWI she served in France with the American Red Cross, driving ambulances. In 1920, with three former colleagues from the Women's Legion Mechanical Transport Section, she started the 'X Garage,' a car-hire and chauffeuring service that featured a women-only staff of drivers and mechanics. In 1925 she inherited a fortune through her mother and grandmother from Standard Oil. In 1934, Carstairs purchased Whale Cay, an island in the Bahamas where she lavishly hosted guests such as Dietrich and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
As Joe Carstairs’ lover and secretary, she spent freely and lived very much for the moment - she even turned the kitchen in the house they shared into a bar. Apart from a prodigious appetite for drink, Ruth Baldwin used both cocaine and heroin, and enjoyed partying and had a penchant for fighting over the multiple women in her life.
She once told Carstairs, “The world is one’s oyster if taken at will.”
When Carstairs purchased her first motorboat, Baldwin gave her a Steiff doll that Joe named Lord Tod Wadley, which became her lifelong totem of good luck.
Joe had clothes made for him in Savile Row and had his name placed with her own on the name plaque on the door of her London apartment at 5 Mulberry Walk in Chelsea. She had him photographed in various tableaux and carried him with her on official business - everywhere but when she was racing her boats, for fear he might be lost.
Carstairs' friends described Ruth Baldwin thus: “She was wild. She was such fun. Ruth, she was really wild.” However her wild life caught up with her, as she died of a suspected overdose at a Chelsea party at the home of Gwen Farrar on 31 August 1937, while her friends, among whom was Dolly Wilde, listened to a boxing match in the next room.
Carstairs was bereft. She crossed the Atlantic from Whale Cay aboard the French liner Normandie, the most expensive ship in the world, and took Baldwin's ashes along with her to Whale Cay, where she built a church to house them. When she sold Whale Cay, she removed the ashes.
When Carstairs died in Naples, Florida, in 1993 at the age of 93, Lord Tod Wadley was cremated with her. Their ashes and those of Ruth Baldwin were buried in Oakland Cemetery in Sag Harbor, New York.
Friday, 8 October 2021
Morning, noon, and night-time, too
This week way back in 1978 saw the birth of a legend...
...as Miss Lily Savage made her world debut at the Black Cap in Camden!
Sad to say, the Black Cap remains boarded-up as the legal wranglings continue over its future, as they have been for the past six years. Happily, that other "venerable drag institution" the Royal Vauxhall Tavern - having won its own, similar, battle aganst developers - remains very much open. Here, in a grainy old bit of footage, Lily joins forces with fellow icons David Dale and Sandra Lush as "LSD" at the RVT back in the 1980s:
...and here she is on top form, live at the Filth concert in aid of the Terence Higgins Trust a few years later, in 1994:
A national treasure, indeed.
Saturday, 4 September 2021
Warped?
It's just a jump to the left...
And then a step to the ri-i-i-i-ight...
Put your hands on your hips
And bring your knees in ti-i-i-ight!
Do the pelvic thrust - It nearly drives you insane...
Let's do The Timewarp again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)