Caroline Barry has been gallivanting around Nottingham for all the incredible gay and gay-adjacent events. After finding out a bit of LGBTQ+ history at National Justice Museum and playing with some balls at Rough Trade, she’s got her big gay diary out to make plans for February…
Last month I had my first experience of Drag Bingo at Rough Trade. Held by Marilyn Sane and Nana Arthole, two of Nottingham’s finest drag queens, the event offers the choice to play one game for £2, or all the games for £5. Or you can simply sit back and enjoy the incredibly funny banter.
Warning, though: seriously funny as it may be, God help the poor hopeful who claims bingo when they haven’t actually won. It’s also possibly not one to bring your mam along to. Drag Bingo takes place monthly at Rough Trade, and the next event is on Tuesday 19 February.
We also headed to a relatively quiet closing party for the Still I Rise exhibition at Nottingham Contemporary. It was sad to see such a lovely exhibition finish up; their selection of zines, art and activist pieces were incredible. The exhibition closed with a set from Babe Punch playing some of their new stuff.
We also made an appearance at the launch night for Desire. Love. Identity, the new LGBTQ+ exhibition at National Justice Museum which opened on Thursday night before Drag Bingo, making Thursday our big gay night out.
The exhibition is centred round LGBTQ+ history, and changes to the law concerning the community. This includes an impressive array of badges from the early seventies to today. As an Irish woman, I was delighted to see a badge from our marriage referendum in 2015. Way to represent! It’s also well worth a look at the examples of Polari on display.
There is still plenty of time to have a look at the exhibition though as it remains open until March. It’s well worth a look.
February is, of course, LGBTQ+ history month. To mark the occasion, there will be a series of films showing at Broadway Cinema. First up is the wonderful documentary Before Stonewall. It’s so important to know our history and where the fight for our rights originated; Before Stonewall merges this history, politics and fight into an educational and enjoyable experience, and comes with a panel discussion after the screening.
I’m personally looking forward to the screening of Watermelon Woman directed by Cheryl Dunye. It’s set in the nineties, so I’m expecting to see some power lesbian haircuts. There will also be a discussion with the director (and screening) of Sauvages, Camille Vidal-Naquet.
If cinema isn’t your thing but you’re mad for a bit of culture, then check out an evening of poetry at Five Leaves bookshop who have queer poet Shaun Hill coming in to perform The First Steps of Time Travel alongside Danielle Alakija on Saturday 9 February.
If your culture is more party, then poetry then head to Albert’s for DirtyFilthySexy’s Dystopia party on Saturday 23 February, which promises to be a night of cyber aesthetics and electric entertainment. They will also be holding a raffle to raise money for the charity Mermaids who help trans youth. What’s not to love about that? Go on! Get out!
Desire. Love. Identity: Exploring LGBTQ History
National Justice Museum. High Pavement Street.
Open until March
The First Steps of Time Travel Poetry Session
Five Leaves Bookshop. 14A Long Row.
Saturday 9 February, 5.30pm - 9pm
Drag Bingo
Rough Trade. Broad Street.
Tuesday 19 February, 8pm
Dystopia. DirtyFilthySexy
Albert's, Goldsmith Street.
Saturday 23 February, 9pm – 2am
Before Stonewall Documentary and Panel Discussion
Broadway Cinema. Broad Street.
Sunday 24 February, 5.45pm
The Watermelon Woman
Broadway Cinema. Broad Street.
Monday 25 February, 6pm
Check It Out Screening + Panel Discussion
Broadway Cinema. Broad Street.
Tuesday 26 February, 6pm
Sauvage Premier
Broadway Cinema. Broad Street.
Wednesday 27 February, 6pm
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