From a Whisper to a Roar

Join Lisa Power has she describes the movement from the early 1980, through Section 28 and the formation of Stonewall UK.

Lisa Power is a co-founder of Stonewall, a former Policy Director for the Terrence Higgins Trust and an early Secretary-General of the International Lesbian & Gay Association (ILGA). She was the first openly LGBTQ+ person to speak on gay rights at the United Nations in New York and currently a Trustee of Pride Cymru and a Director of the Save The Coal Exchange campaign.

In the second half, Marguerite McLaughlin shares her thoughts on modern Pride and shares her experience of the 50th Anniversary of the Pride March in New York City.

In the 1980s, Marguerite worked with the Inner London Education Authority and the BBC before moving on to work with some of the UK's first LGBT+ charities including London Lesbian & Gay Switchboard, Kairos In Soho and The Metro Centre, often working in partnership with local Authorities, the Metropolitan Police and the Department of Health.

In 2013 Marguerite was awarded a British Empire Medal by the Queen for her services to LGBT and African communities

Special thanks to Beverley Hunnybun and Rachel James for providing their voices for audio samples.

Full list of audio samples available upon request.

3 audiobook segments produced in support for Schools OUT UK LGBT+ History month for late primary to secondary students

Schools OUT UK advocates the inclusion of LGBT+ topics and history in the National Curriculum for Sex and Relationships Education

More information, and the workbooks for these audio tools can be found at 

http://www.schools-out.org.uk/

Meet Lisa Power, a dyke who's (in her own words) been around for donkeys years, as she recollects on gay seperatism, a fractioning feminist movement, and mid 70s London pride marches. 

Special thanks to Lucy Rowland and Rachel James for their part in obtaining and reading out the Gay Liberation FRont demands of 1970.

From a Whisper to a Roar forms part of an oral history project conducted by Opening Doors London and with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project focuses on lived experiences of lesbian, bisexual and transwomen over the last 50 years - spanning the Stonewall Riots of ‘69 and the formation of the Gay Liberation Front in 1970 to the present day. The podcast is a 3 part series with content taken from the 40+ interviews conducted by Evelyn Pittman and produced by Lori E Allen. Each of the interviews can be accessed in their entirety at the Bishopsgate Institute in London.

Ep. 01: Stonewall Riots and Gay Liberation Front

Join guests Marguerite McLaughlin and Nettie Pollard who speak about their early experiences in NYC and London, respectively.  Beginning in 1969 in NYC,  Marguerite reflects on what is was like in New York for the gay community at the time of the uprising. Following, Nettie shares her experience as a member of the Gay Liberation Front in early 1970s London.

Guests: Marguerite McLaughlin, Nettie Pollard

Interviewer: Evelyn Pittman

Producer: Lori E Allen

Logo: Lesley Greening Lassoff

Special Mention: Rachel James and Beverley Hunnybun for help and support with production

Marguerite McLaughlin:

Marguerite McLaughlin has been a lesbian feminist activist for 46 years years.  At 22, she joined  'Lesbian Feminist Liberation', a sister group to The Gay Activist Alliance, where she directed the world's first full length lesbian musical performed at the infamous GAA firehouse in New York City.

Shortly after re-locating the UK,  Marguerite engaged in student politics and was elected the East Anglia representative for the National Union of Students Gay Rights Campaign in 1974, where she became involved in a wide range of feminist activity including women's theatre, community arts projects, radical photography co-operatives and writing for the left-wing/ alternative press.

In the 1980s, she worked with the Inner London Education Authority and the BBC before moving on to work with some of the UK's first LGBT+ charities including London Lesbian & Gay Switchboard, Kairos In Soho and The Metro Centre, often working in partnership with local Authorities, the Metropolitan Police and the Department of Health.

In 2013 Marguerite was awarded a British Empire Medal by the Queen for her services to LGBT and African communities

Currently Marguerite is a film programmer for The Vito Project at London's Cinema Museum, a volunteer for Opening Doors London, including its oral history project, a regular contributor to Diva Magazine and a very proud honourary member of the Revolting Lesbians group, New York City.

Nettie Pollard:

Nettie Pollard has been a member of the Gay Liberation Front since 1971.  In addition to her activism with GLF, she also served as Gay Rights Organiser for the National Council of Civil Liberties for over two decades. Her activism spans 50 years engaging in many campaigns organised by the GLF, and including ongoing protest against armaments and supporting migrants.

Audio Bibliography (source available on request)

Spoken Quotes

1958. The Homosexual in Our Society

1970.  Police in New York City

1967. CBS Report with Mike Wallace: The Homosexuals

1993. Dyke TV. Episode 1

1968. The Killing of Sister George

1971. The Festival of Light

(year unknown). Malcolm Muggeridge on Equality

1950 (year unknown). Elocution Lessons from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts

Songs

1969. Creedance Clearwater Revival. Fortunate Son

1965. Oh Freedom. Shirley Verret

1969. Frank Sinatra. I Did it My Way.

1979. Derek Jarman. The Tempest.

Sound FX Foley 

(available upon request)

From a Whisper to a Roar forms part of an oral history project conducted by Opening Doors London and with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project focuses on lived experiences of lesbian, bisexual and transwomen over the last 50 years - spanning the Stonewall Riots of ‘69 and the formation of the Gay Liberation Front in 1970 to the present day. The podcast is a 3 part series with content taken from the 40+ interviews conducted by Evelyn Pittman and produced by Lori E Allen.  Each of the interviews can be accessed in their entirety at the Bishopsgate Institute in London.

Evelyn Pittman

Evelyn had a long straight start in life. She married, had a family and a career in education. Discovering her ‘inner lesbian’ late in life she became active in the community through volunteering for Opening Doors London which supports older LGBT people. Her passion is to capture the stories of people in the community so that we can see our recent history through the prism of their lived experience.

Lori E Allen

Lori is a sound artist and experimental musician, working in audio, video and text.