Core Arts has put together a list of events, learning and mental health support resources for our LGBTQIA+ community. As ever, if you have any questions or would like any further support, please get in touch with the membership team.
In the spirit of sharing information about LGBTQIA+ history, and in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, we would like to highlight that Pride is celebrated at this time of year to mark the anniversary of the stonewall riots, which began on June 28th 1969, and which are seen as a crucial turning point in the ongoing fight for LGBTQIA+ rights. These riots against police violence towards LGBTQIA+ people were spearheaded by black trans women, QTIPOC and many other of the most marginalised members of the LGBTQIA+ community. If you’d like to learn more, a great place to start is this comic by Mike Funk mikefunk.info/stonewall-1969, and see below for more learning resources.
Events
UK Black Pride
UK Black Pride is Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQI+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern-descent. More info on @ukblackpride
Queer House Party
‘Born on the Friday of lockdown, Queer House Party is camp, sexy, inclusive, and it’s live-streamed to you. With the aim of bringing solidarity and release to our community, and every week hundreds of us party together. Join us!’ – BSL interpreted and audio captioned facebook.com/queerhouseparty/ (also on insta and twitter)
Pride in London
The UK’s biggest Pride parade, taking place 1 July 2023, more info on their website prideinlondon.org/
Learning
Making Gay History podcast
‘Since 2016, Making Gay History has been bringing the largely hidden history of the LGBTQ civil rights movement to life through the voices of the people who lived it.’ makinggayhistory.com/
lgbt_history instagram account
An instagram account documenting queer history, which ‘blends striking imagery and meticulously researched narratives to uncover details too often overlooked’. instagram.com/lgbt_history/?hl=en
Gendered Intellingence – Knowledge is Power
Information, resources and learning about navigating the world as a trans person genderedintelligence.co.uk/projects/kip
Goodreads’ LGBTQIA literature list
Get some inspiration for your next LGBTQIA+ read! goodreads.com/list/show/926.Best_LGBTQIA_literature
BFI best LGBTQ+ films list
A (by no means exhaustive) list of great queer films bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/30-best-lgbt-films-all-time
LGBTQIA+ mental health support
ELOP
‘East London Out Project is a holistic lesbian and gay centre that offers a range of social, emotional and support services to LGBT communities, and our core services include counselling and young people’s services.’ Currently operating services by phone and running events on zoom. elop.org/ (or for regular updates follow on twitter @ELOP_LGBT, or email info@elop.org to be added to their monthly newsletter)
Spectra
Free counselling, peer support, groups and workshops for anyone who identifies as trans, non-binary, or who are questioning their gender identity. More information here: spectra-london.org.uk/trans-gender-services/
CliniQ
‘Our aim is to offer a queer inclusive and non-judgemental holistic well-being and sexual health service to trans clients, members of the trans community, their friends and families.’ Services include counselling & yoga sessions, currently running remotely. cliniq.org.uk/
E-mail: admin@cliniq.org.uk Text/Voicemail: 07545 143797
London Friend
London friend provides counselling, social & support groups information and advice for the LGBT+ community in London. Currently running their services, including both 1:1 and group sessions, online. londonfriend.org.uk/
Switchboard
‘We are Switchboard, the LGBT+ Helpline. We are a safe space for anyone to discuss anything, including sexuality, gender identity, sexual health and emotional wellbeing.’ Phone line open 10am – 10pm, or chat available by clicking the chat icon on the switchboard website switchboard.lgbt/. Phone number: 0300 330 0630
Mindline Trans+
‘An emotional and mental health support line for anyone identifying as trans, non-binary or gender variant, and their families, friends, colleagues and carers.’
The phone line is open Mondays and Fridays 8pm to midnight mindlinetrans.org.uk/. Phone number: 0300 330 5468
Rainbow Mind
Mind’s LGBTQ+ service, website here: rainbowmind.org/