A FRESHERS GUIDE TO GAY LONDON ABOUT OUT& 4 “BE WHO YOU ARE AND SAY WHAT YOU FEEL, BECAUSE THOSE WHO MIND DON’T MATTER AND THOSE WHO MATTER DON’T MIND.” Dr Seuss (American Writer and Cartoonist, 1904-1991) The committee would like to make a special thanks to Alfredo Carpineti and Chris Kurzeja for their time and efforts in creating the professional design and thoughtful original content of Out & About. 3 CONTENTS 4 All About IQ 5 Help! (I Need Somebody) - Info & Advice 6 Help! (I Need Somebody) - Sexual Health 8 The Long Way Out 13 I Wanna Take You To A Gay Bar 16 Nightclubbing 18 Soho Map 20 I Don’t Feel Like Dancing 23 Culture Club 24 A Little History 26 What’s On: Autumn 2009 4 ALL ABOUT IQ COMMITTEE ‘09/10 PRESIDENT TREASURER SECRETARY CHRIS ROB MIKE WEB/PUBLICITY EVENTS WOMENS OFFICER MITCH FELIX IONA Our website is www.imperalcollegeunion.org/iq Our Facebook Page: search for “IQ (Imperial College LGBT)” in the Imperial College network Q-Phone: 07963 005 676 55 WORDHELP! FROM (I NEED THE SOMEBODY) PRESIDENT Sometimes you just have a burning question (or something else burn- ing) that you need help with. Sometimes friends are helpful, but most of the time you just want to find out anonymously. This section lists places and people that are there to help you out. INFO AND ADVICE The LLGS provides an information, support and referral service for lesbians, gay men, bisexual people and anyone who needs to consider issues around their sexuality. The volunteers that work for the line will not judge you or tell you what to do; they provide suitable support, information and discuss any relevant options with regards to your problems. 10am to 11pm, 365 days a year. Website: www.llgs.org.uk Phone Number: 020 738 77324. Text Number: 020 768 98501 QUEER YOUTH NETWORK A National LGBT Youth Organisation in the UK. Run by and for Lesbi- an, Gay, Bisexual and Trans YouthCHRIS and Teens. Website: www.queeryouth.org.uk THE GAY YOUTH CORNER An international gay youth website based in the UK providing ‘interesting and useful content’ with a growing community of members making up a support network. Website: www.thegyc.com GINGERBEER A Lesbian guide to London. Check it out girls. Website: www.gingerbeer.co.uk 6 HELP! (I NEED SOMEBODY) The THT is the largest HIV and sexual health charity in the UK. Don’t ignore them just because you think HIV has nothing to do with you - their website has some great info on sexual health. Website: www.tht.org.uk IMPERIAL COLLEGE COUNSELLING SERVICE The Student Counselling Service offers short-term counselling to registered students of Imperial College London. It is free and con- fidential. Counsellors are available at the South Kensington, Ham- mersmith and Silwood Park Campuses. Website: www.imperial.ac.uk/counselling SEXUAL HEALTH Sex. Sex, sex, sex, sex; you’re not going to be able to avoid it. In fact you’ll probably have some, and enjoy it too. The important thing to remember is that you have got to look after yourself, have safe sex and get yourself checked. For more information about all things sexual, there is a guide from the London LGBT Student Network. For places to get yourself tested in Central London contact the following clinics. Remember, if you’re worried about something, it’s better to sort it sooner rather than later. BART’S SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, Kenton and Lucas Wing, West Smithfield, London, EC1A 7BE. Website: http://www.bartsandthelondon.org.uk/sexualhealth Phone number: 020 760 18090 7 JOHN HUNTER CLINIC Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9NH. Website: http://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/hiv-sexual-health Phone number: 020 884 66699 CLASH 11 Warwick Street, London W1B 5NA. Phone number: 020 773 41794 SOHO CENTRE FOR HEALTH & CARE 20-30 Soho Square (entrance on Frith Street), London, W1. Phone number: 020 753 46500 VICTORIA CLINIC South Westminster Centre for Sexual Health, 82 Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PF. Website: http://www.chelwest.nhs.uk Phone number: 0845 811 6699 WEST LONDON CENTRE FOR SEXUAL HEALTH Ground Floor, South Wing of Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London , W6 8EP. Website: http://www.chelwest.nhs.uk Phone number: 020 884 66699 These are just some of the many clinics available across London and facili- ties such as PEP are available at some A&E Departments. Gay/bi men should also get vaccinated against hepatitis B, which is free from these clinics. 8 THE LONG WAY OUT When we started writing this guide, we knew straight away we didn’t want a normal advice section; we don’t have all the an- swers and information to do that! So we decided to put together a collection of stories about coming out and the things that people don’t necessarily talk about freely. It’s not always happy but we always get through and things work out in the end... berty hit me like a punch to the A LONG NIGHT... groin. I couldn’t imagine a worse “I’m gay”; not the time to become a worse time to easiest words one ever become a moody little brooder. has to say. For some people coming out is as natural as a sunrise and to everyone around them the fact that they’re gay is just as obvious as one. The rest of us are left with the long night be- forehand. Being thirteen is never easy but it was a particularly tumultuous year for me. In the space of a year my At first, though, things were parents were divorced and I was pretty normal for a boy of my age, living on the other side of the you know...ummm...’exploring’, world to pretty much everything I ‘discovering’ and other such had ever loved. And there I was, euphemisms. But then a lonely, in a dank and grey Mid- disconcerting thing happened. It lands city; wondering how my lot dawned on me, rather suddenly, could get much worse. Then pu- that I was much more attracted 9 to men than women. The differ- To throw off those years of con- ence in attraction was akin to that fusion, anxiety, anger and sad- between a dingy and an air- ness and be who I really was. craft carrier. An aircraft car- rier full of sailors, but I digress... Scared by this sudden realisa- tion, I decided to hide my dis- FIRST NIGHT NERVES covery away. I couldn’t deal with I’m standing on the staircase it myself; how was anybody else of the Coronet Theatre, El- supposed to? Even thinking ephant & Castle. Yet another the word ‘gay’ was difficult. coffin is carried up the stairs by Something vital to my be- 4 pallbearers. No, I’m not at ing was locked away in a dark a funeral; I’m at Duckie’s Gay and secret place, left to slow- Shame – the “Annual Festival of ly stew. Years passed, where Homosexual Misery”, a tongue- I tormented myself with my firmly-in-cheek anti-Pride secret. It gnawed away at me celebration. I’m scared shitless. from the inside. Lies were woven Not only because every hour but eyes seemed ever watch- another coffin is brought up of ful. I had to keep my tongue someone who’d just faked their in check and not get caught. own death on stage, but because this is my first proper experi- And so it was for five years. What ence of the London “gay scene”. was left to stew came steadily to a boil. Depressed and angry I knew I had to set my secret free on the world, though still I hadn’t the courage to do it. Then I left home and arrived at university, scared, lonely and depressed, I saw a chance to change it all. 10 intimidated and uninterested by the OTT display of homosexuality, Now this may not seem the I avoided it at all costs. While I most traditional of first scene was comfortable, I didn’t yet feel experiences, but in retrospect I confident enough to be wouldn’t have had it any other “proud” of whom I was. way. Having grown up as a con- fidence lacking country boy from It just so happened a tiny village in the North West, I that after Justin’s show was completely fed up of the ste- he was performing his reotype presented on TV and knew drag cabaret act, Kiki there must be more to homosexual & Herb at Gay Shame, culture than one big pink sea. Not the antipride – aimed that I was particularly tempted to at “Sad Old Queens, explore it. While all my friends Lonely Lesbians, Closet started progressing from drinking Cases, Bitter Bull Dykes, cider in the local park on the Fri- Men who have sex with day night to exploring Liverpool’s Men, and their Friends nightlife, I shied away, keeping and their Fans” – to my studies. I was *that* cool. perfect! Intrigued and terrified, my friend It’s 2nd July 2005 and I’m in Lon- persuaded me to go don with a friend to see New York along. After adding singer Justin Bond at the Soho a few years to my age Theatre. Going down to London with some Black Kohl as often as I could was more my eyeliner, I tried to stop way of having fun, rather than my nervous shakes as I drinking myself into a stupor (how walked past the bounc- things change).