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OUTRAGE 30TH ANNIVERSARY
VELVET JACKS LOCKDOWN TAKE AWAY
) OutRage!, the trailblazing queer rights/direct action group celebrated its 30th anniversary on Sunday, May 10. It was formed following a wave of homophobic murders, particularly that of actor Michael Boothe, and a rise in the number of gay and bisexual men arrested and convicted for consenting, victimless behaviour. OutRage! was formed in May 1990 at a meeting at the then London Lesbian & Gay Centre in Farringdon, London. The meeting was called by three gay journalists, Keith Alcorn, Chris Woods and Simon Watney, and attended by 30+ LGBTQ+ activists. Two of Outrage!'s early key demands to the police were: 'Protection, not persecution!' and 'Policing without prejudice’.
) Adam Brooks from the Bedford Tavern and his husband Tony Ford soaked up the sun with a cocktail from Velvet Jacks at Norfolk Square, who are now serving takeaway drinks, including cocktails, ice cold beer, wines and coffee. If you’re feeling peckish, chow down on one of Sharon’s homemade sausage rolls and cookies.
Soon after the founding meeting, OutRage! adopted its mission statement: OutRage! is a broad based group of queers committed to radical, non-violent direct action and civil disobedience to: • ASSERT the dignity and human rights of queers • FIGHT homophobia, discrimination and violence directed against us • AFFIRM our right to sexual freedom, choice and self-determination OutRage! was a home-grown, British queer rights and direct-action movement but activists took their inspiration variously from the suffragettes, the American black civil rights movement and from ACT UP and Queer Nation in the US. Very soon, after the initial focus on anti-LGBTQ+ violence, arrests and policing, OutRage! took direct action on a wide range of issues, including anti-LGBTQ+ policies in law, religion, politics, media, entertainment, sport and business.
PETER TATCHELL
OutRage! was an all-volunteer, non-hierarchical grassroots, democratic movement, with no officers, leaders or paid staff. Weekly meetings were open to any LGBTQ+ person to attend, speak and vote. It was funded entirely by donations from activists and supporters. OutRage! was the longest surviving grassroots, volunteer LGBTQ+ direct action organisation in the world, lasting for 21 years from 1990 to 2011. Thousands of brave, determined, inspiring, selfless volunteers contributed to OutRage!’s successes for more than two decades. They collectively made an extraordinary positive impact on public attitudes, values, institutions and laws in the UK and sometimes abroad too, through international campaigns, such as Stop Murder Music. Peter Tatchell, one of the 30+ founding members and current director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, said: “It was a remarkable social movement that mobilised the grassroots LGBTQ+ community on a scale never seen before. Through visual street protests, it secured media coverage and raised public awareness about the enormity of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination. We challenged and shamed homophobes everywhere and put the government and public institutions under pressure to change.
Velvet Jacks can be found at 50-52 Norfolk Square, Brighton BN1 2PA. Call or text 07720 661290 for more info. Follow on Facebook: @velvetjacksbrighton
REGENCY TAVERN - TAKE AWAY FOOD ) Regency Tavern Brighton, the fabulously flamboyant LGBTQ+ hot spot, is now serving a range of scrummy pies and sides through Uber Eats for you to pick up at the venue, which is located at 32-34 Russell Square, Brighton BN1 2EF. Pick one of the Regency’s delicious pies from Pulled Pork & Apple, Steak & Mushroom, Chicken Madras, Chicken & Mushroom, Vegan Smoked Tofu, Sweet Potato & Spinach, or Spinach, Red Pepper & Feta. Then top it off, with two sides, from Mash, Triple Cooked Chips, Mushy Peas, Mixed Baked Beans, Garden Peas or Extra Gravy.
“Our first successful campaign was against police harassment of the LGBTQ+ community. Our demand was ‘policing without prejudice’ and we won major police reforms. OutRage! did an average of two non-violent direct action or civil disobedience protests every month. People were willing to get arrested if need be - and many were. “The protests were daring, imaginative and often witty, drawing on LGBTQ+ traditions of camp and theatricality. They included the kiss-in, wink-in and turn-in to defy antiLGBTQ+ laws. We also released condoms in Westminster’s Catholic cathedral, attempted a citizen’s arrest of Mugabe, interrupted the Easter Sunday sermon of the Archbishop of Canterbury and made the first bid to overturn the ban on same-sexmarriage, way back in 1992. “The six-month-long Equality Now! campaign in 1992 was probably the most sustained equal rights campaign by any marginalised minority community in the history of the UK. Week after week, it targeted every anti-LGBTQ+ law and institution. I can’t think of any all-volunteer direct-action group in the world that did so many diverse protests over such a long period.' To see a video highlighting some of Outrage!'s campaigns, visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vou34cN7lnM&feature=youtu.be For more info on OutRage!, visit: www.outrage.org.uk
have hung flags from their façade to thank the NHS & other keyworkers, and to mark VE Day on May 8. One pie and two sides only £11, served from 12–9pm, 10–20 minutes wait. To order, visit www.ubereats.com and type ‘Regency Tavern’ in the search bar. The owners of Regency Tavern have been busy bees since lockdown, they’ve made some improvements inside, hosted a Movie Night over Facebook with Chris Hide, and
Regency Tavern, say: "We are still here, as fabulous as ever and we can’t wait to see you fabulous people soon. Keep safe, lots of love Louie, Simon, Leah and all the team." Regency Tavern is based at 32-34 Russell Square, Brighton BN1 2EF. For more info, visit: www.regencytavern.co.uk or follow @trtbrighton
