United Queerdom : From the Legends of the Gay Liberation Front to the Queers of Tomorrow

'One of the greatest global creative change-makers and activists in the world right now brings his incredible charisma, provocation and personality into this important book.' Ruth Daniel, CEO and Artistic Director, In Place of War 'United Queerdom is a thing of beauty. Dan Glass has penned a memoir that pulsates with existential rage, solidarity, and tactical hope.' Amin Ghaziani, author of There Goes the Gayborhood? Throughout the 1970s the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) initiated an anarchic campaign that permanently changed the face of Britain. Inspired by the Stonewall uprisings in the US, the GLF demanded a 'Absolute Freedom For All' worldwide. Yet half a century on, injustice is rife and LGBT+ inequality remains. Complete LGBT+ liberation means housing rights, universal healthcare, economic freedom and so much more. Although many people believe queers are now free and should behave, assimilate and become palatable - Dan Glass shows that the fight is far from over. United Queerdom evocatively captures over five decades of LGBT+ culture and protest from the GLF to 2020s. Showing how central protest is to queer history and identity this book uncovers the back-breaking hard work as well as the glamorous and raucous stories of those who rebelled against injustice and became founders in the story of queer liberation. Throughout the 1970s the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) initiated an anarchic campaign that permanently changed the face of Britain. Inspired by the Stonewall riots in the US, the GLF demanded a worldwide Queer Nation. Yet half a century on, LGBT+ inequality is still rife. Complete LGBT+ liberation means housing rights, universal healthcare, economic freedom and more. Some believe we are now free and should behave, assimilate and become palatable but until we achieve full liberation we can only expect further discrimination and harassment. Birth of the Queer is a collection of interviews with surviving members of the Gay Liberation Front, documented as part of a film and book project to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Pride in London in 2020. It tells the stories behind the people who started Pride, and evocatively captures fifty years of LGBT+ protest from the GLF to 2020. Protest is essential to queer identity, and this book uncovers the back-breaking hard work as well as the glamorous stories of those who rebelled against injustice and were central to the birth of queer liberation. "Throughout the 1970s the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) initiated an anarchic campaign that permanently changed the face of Britain. Inspired by the Stonewall uprisings in the US, the GLF demanded a 'Absolute Freedom For All' worldwide. Yet half a century on, injustice is rife and LGBT+ inequality remains. Complete LGBT+ liberation means housing rights, universal healthcare, economic freedom and so much more. Although many people believe queers are now free and should behave, assimilate and become palatable - Dan Glass shows that the fight is far from over. United Queerdom evocatively captures over five decades of LGBT+ culture and protest from the GLF to 2020s. Showing how central protest is to queer history and identity this book uncovers the back-breaking hard work as well as the glamorous and raucous stories of those who rebelled against injustice and became founders in the story of queer liberation." -- Back cover Front Cover 1 Half Title 2 About the Author 3 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Foreword 8 Language and Abbreviations 10 Acknowledgements 12 Part 1: Sex 14 1: Chicken Soup 16 2: An Inalienable Right 21 3: Shafted? 35 4: Sprawling Anthills Deep Underground 58 5: Leave the Gay Donkeys Alone 71 Part 2: Power 90 6: The Golden Egg 92 7: Coming Into 130 8: Janine 148 9: As Soon as this Pub Closes 159 10: Here We Dare to Dream 178 Part 3: Space 212 11: Sex Litter 214 12: Over Our Dead Bodies 225 13: Homo Hope 246 14: Spirit of the Camp Road 267 15: Liberation or Slavery 304 Notes 317 Bibliography 334 Index 340 The riotous history of the Gay Liberation Front, and its legacy for LGBT+ culture today, from the creator of the ‘A mince through time’ Queer Tour of London.