South London Gay Community Centre

March 12, 2012 10:51 AM

The Brixton Fairies and the South London Gay Community Centre, Brixton 1974-6 "This fascinating story about Brixton’s legendary gay community of the 1970s was posted up on the urban75 bulletin boards, and thanks to the author Ian Townson, I’m now able to repost an illustrated version, giving a wonderful insight into a long lost part of Brixton life."
posted by Abiezer (6 comments total)

The South London Gay Community Centre at 78 Railton Road, Brixton, was squatted by people who were determined to come out into the clear light of day with a public statement of gay identity.

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, Gays of Brixton!
posted by karathrace at 11:00 AM on March 12, 2012 [2 favorites]

There were many different activities at the Centre. A modern dance group was formed and run by Andreas Demetriou.

There was a wrestling group in the basement and, to counter the ‘macho’ posturing of the group, a sewing bee and knitting circle was formed in the upstairs front room run chiefly by Alistair Kerr and Malcolm Watson.
posted by The Whelk at 11:32 AM on March 12, 2012

I love this. Thank you.
posted by latkes at 12:29 PM on March 12, 2012

Thanks for posting this - a courageous, resourceful group of guys, and I'm grateful to live in the world that they helped to make (and especially, as a guy who has never had much interest in "macho" activities, in the world that people like Alistair Kerr and Malcolm Watson helped to make.)
posted by ryanshepard at 7:58 PM on March 12, 2012 [2 favorites]

Quite a time machine. Surfing the BB, the book Goodbye to London looks to be an interesting glimpse into the zeitgeist. (The linked page has a few color photos, suggesting more life than the cold blurry B&W view does!)
posted by Twang at 11:38 PM on March 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'd only read of "Tomorrow's Too Late" in academic terms, glad this places it in a broader context of gay liberation struggles in the 1970s. Cheers for posting this!!
posted by kuppajava at 10:44 AM on March 13, 2012