40 minutes | Thursday, 17 February 2022
QUEER HISTORY IS ALL OF OUR HISTORY
DR JUSTIN BENGRY, DIRECTOR OF QUEER HISTORY AT GOLDSMITH'S, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
Just as the news landed that the worlds first and only Masters course in Queer History was being axed, alongside the UK's only Black History Masters in a round of cuts. Graeme catches up with The Director of Queer History at Goldsmiths, University of London, Dr Justin Bengry. We learn about ‘The Unexpected History of the Pink Pound’. and his work with Historic England on the history of Queer spaces outside of London.
In the 1970s and 1980s an increasing variety of openly gay-oriented newspapers, magazines, clubs, and bars appeared, but it was not until the 1990s that terms like the ‘pink pound’, ‘pink dollar’, or ‘pink economy’ gained a foothold in marketing texts and everyday language. And yet, a longer history remains untold.
In this talk based on a decade of research into the history of the Pink Pound, Dr Justin Bengry uncovers more than a century of evidence that shows how business has been fascinated with LGBTQ people. History shows us that long before Pride sponsorships and glossy magazines capitalism and homosexuality have been intertwined.
We also hear about how a cruising spot at a public toilets in Liverpool made history and inspired a unique piece of art!
LGBTQIA+ History is the social history of our society. We're here for learning more about our queer and in the closet ancestors!