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OutStories Bristol LGBT HM Report


OutStories Bristol presented a series of talks, a film, information stalls and an exhibition in
collaboration with Bristol City Council Museum Services for LGBT History Month 2019. It was
hosted by M Shed (the Museum of Bristol), Wapping Road, Bristol on Saturday, 16th February
2019.
Talks
“What it was like being an openly gay MP” – former Bristol West MP, Stephen Williams, was in
conversation with James Higgins of Bristol 24/7
“A personal memory of the late 80s from Section 28 to the start of Stonewall’s rise” – an account
of her experience as a founding member of Stonewall by Lisa Power
“Native American Two-Spirits: Alternative Histories of Gender and Sexuality” – talk by Max
Carocci, anthropologist and lecturer at Goldsmith, University of London
“The Romance of Silence” – Rachel Rose Reid, a performance story teller, was in conversation with Cheryl Morgan, talking about a French Mediaeval story with a non-binary person as the main
character
“Decolonising Sexuality (LGBTQ in Black History) – talk by Dr Edson Burton, writer, historian and
curator
“Reclaiming Queer Feminist Liberation” – Elissa O’Connell of Feminist Archive South spoke about :
using feminist and LGBT+ history to explore solidarity and inclusivity in activism then and now
“Wake Up and Dream” – Gemma Brace gave an introduction to the life of theatre designer, Oliver
Messel, illustrated with items from the University of Bristol Theatre Collection
Film
“Talking LGBT+ Bristol” – film record of the experience of by local activists by Bristol 24/7 and
Tusko Films
Stalls
M Shed was also host to information stalls by OutStories Bristol, Bristol Pride, LGBT Bristol, Off the
Record, Historic England, Rethinking Sexology Project of Exeter University and Action for Children
– adopter and foster carer recruitment.
Exhibition
OutStories Bristol’s highly successful ‘Revealing Stories’ exhibition was on display at M Shed from
11th to 16th February to coincide with the other events. The exhibition is based on archival
records and oral history interviews of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people associated with
Bristol and the surrounding area. Focusing on living memory (c. 1940s to the present) it tells how
people fought to shape and control their own lives. It is the story of those who witnessed these
changes and helped to make history. The exhibition comprised vertical text panels only