2020 Summer Edition
NEWSLETTER
Mardi Gras greetings to all our members and friends!
With fire, rain and other events it hasn’t been the quiet summer we were all expecting, and now here we are again in Mardi Gras. All of us at PHG hope that, whatever your summer was like, you are happy and well and ready to make history again in 2020.
Our next general meeting will be on Monday 16 March 2020 at 6.30pm at St. Helen's Community Centre, 184 Glebe Pt Rd, Glebe. Our special guest Bee Wardhaugh will talk about her work with the archive of Hunter Rainbow History. Come and join us!
What's been happening
Lavender Menace? Australia's Early Lesbian Movement
To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Australasian Lesbian Movement, on Saturday 15 February Pride History Group in conjunction with First Mardi Gras Inc. presented a forum discussing Australia’s early lesbian movement.
Over sixty people crammed into Benledi to hear Dr Sophie Robinson, Sue Wills and Robyn Plaister discuss and remember lesbian activism in Sydney in the 1970s. Di Minnis chaired the event and controlled the discussion with skill and wit.
The afternoon was filmed by William Brougham, and the video will be available to view at the First Mardi Gras website (www.78ers.org.au).
Mardi Gras events
PHG again had a stall at the Fair Day in Victoria Park on Sunday 16 February. It was busy all day as people stopped by to ask questions, do the history quiz, and share their stories. We talked to people not only from Sydney but from all over the world (the latter needed a bit of help with the quiz answers!) We also recorded several short oral history interviews which we hope to put up on the website.
On Sunday 23 February Robert French celebrated 30 years of LGBTIQ history walks by leading a group on a walk through Sydney's CBD, with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence in attendance. Here they are re-enacting Australia's first LGBTIQ rights demonstration by CAMP NSW in Ash Street, Sydney in 1971.
Congratulations!!!
Congratulations are due to our former Secretary and current 'Digital Diva', Sarah Midgley, who in the Australia Day Honours was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) Order of Australia Medal for service to the LGBTIQ community; and to one of our Patrons, Meredith Burgmann, radical reformer, former President of the New South Wales Legislative Council, who was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the people and parliament of New South Wales.
Pride History Group is very proud to be associated with these community heroes.
MERCH! It's not just for rock bands
Show your pride in Pride History Network! We now have PHG-branded merchandise available through Redbubble, including t-shirts, water bottles, travel mugs and tote bags!
A proportion of funds from all sales go to PHG.
https://www.redbubble.com/people/pridehistory/shop?asc=u
Coming up
Not Just a Phase: Recording Newcastle’s queer history
As part of her studies Bee Wardhaugh, a History student at the University of Sydney, worked with Hunter Rainbow History Group (HRHG) to redesign the digital archive of HRHG and to produce a zine featuring some of the archive’s material. Bee has written an article on her work, at ‘Not Just a Phase: Recording Newcastle’s queer history’ (link below) and will speak at our next general meeting on Monday 16 March.
Sydney Elders: Continuing Aboriginal Stories
State Library of NSW until 22 March
This exhibition explores links between the stories of several Aboriginal elders and artefacts and records in the Library’s collection. Although not specifically LGBTIQ+ the exhibition features Uncle Chicka Madden, who has often performed the Welcome to Country at Mardi Gras opening and other events. More info here.
Seminar: An Introduction to Oral History
Looking to improve your oral history skills?
This seminar introduces historians of all kinds to the possibilities and pitfalls of ‘making memories’ or doing oral history interviews with people about their experiences of the past. It asks why oral histories matter as an historical source, and explores the various ways in which they can be used.
Join Oral History NSW Vice President Dr Scott McKinnon as he discusses the value of oral history and shares examples from his own work.
Workshop: Capturing Memories: Oral History In The Digital Age
2 May 2020, History House, 133 Macquarie Street, 9.30am-4.30pm
A practical workshop for all interested in recording the experiences of family, friends, local communities, history of museum items or any other project incorporating memories of the past.
This popular and informative workshop will equip you to undertake your own oral history interviews. Workshop leaders will be Janis Wilton, an experienced oral historian and Andrew Host, whose 40 years of experience as a sound engineer can help you get quality recordings that will stand the test of time.
For more information on both of these events go to https://www.oralhistorynsw.org.au/
LGBTIQ history on the internet
Loud And Proud: Rainbow Stories On Australian Screens
From Screen Australia, a two part feature by Stephen A. Russell examining LGBTIQ representation on Australian screen and tv. More info here
Radio National – The Myths of War
Episode Seven of Mark Dapin’s series examines the experiences of gay servicemen in Vietnam. It includes interviews Dr David Bradford, author of the memoir Tell Me I’m Okay, and Noah Riseman, co-author of Serving In Silence. More info here
You’re Dead To Me
Polish up your Polari and uncover the secrets and codes that help tell the history of the LGBT community. Featuring comedian Suzie Ruffell and historian Dr Justin Bengry. More info here
BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking - Queer Histories
How do we apply modern LGBTQ+ language and identities to historical figures?
Morgan M Page, Jana Funke and Senthorun Raj look at how we apply modern LGBT+ language and identities to historical figures both real and fictional and what it means to have to "prove" your identity today in today's legal world. More info here
Digital history
Queer Maps
http://www.queermaps.org
Launched in November 2019, this interactive website maps historical LGBTI sites across Los Angeles. Loaded with photos, information and links. See the Guardian’s story on its launch here
NYC LCBT Sites @nyclgbtsites
The NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project has documented places associated with New York City’s LGBT community since 2016. Visit them on Twitter at @nyclgbtsites.
And don't forget our website!
We’ve added digitised copies of two publications of the 1970s:
Gay Trade Unionist, the newsletter of the Gay Trade Unionists’ Group from 1978 to 1980
Red and Lavender, the newsletter of the Socialist Lesbians/Male Homosexuals, Sydney from 1976 to 1978
Keep an eye out as we put up new material. It’s a big job with much to do, but our digital and creative team are working hard on it! Would you like to help? Contact the web team on admin@pridehistory.org.au.
Do you want to help?
Members are always busy on a number of projects. Do you want to get involved?
We can always use some help to:
log oral history interviews
chase up permissions to publish interviews
scan photographs and posters
work on our Decades of Pride timeline.
Or do you have your own initiative you're wanting to work on? Get in contact!
Thanks for reading
Feel free to forward this to your friends and network. We are always happy to take inquiries for new memberships.
Become a member of Pride History Group and get involved today!
And don't forget that members are encouraged to come along to monthly meetings to find out what's going on, catch up with friends and get involved.
We meet on the 3rd Monday of each month at Glebe and hope to see you soon.