Liverpool

The top of the Liver Building

Liverpool is a city and seaport on the river Mersey in North-West England. It is currently a metropolitan borough within Merseyside but was previously in Lancashire.

Its population is somewhat over 400,000, but was almost double that in 1930. It owed its rise to its status as a major port, including a connection with the slave trade. At one time, 40% of the world's trade passed through its docks. It is known for its ethnic mix. Many of its inhabitants have Welsh or Irish ancestry. It has the oldest Black African community in the country and the oldest Chinese community in Europe. Notable landmarks include its two cathedrals (Anglican and Roman Catholic) and the Liver Building and other buildings on its waterfront.

Liverpool is known for its rich and diverse culture, and rose to world-wide fame during the 1960s with the popularity of the Beatles and other bands. Liverpool is internationally known for music and is recognised by Guinness World Records as the "World Capital City of Pop". Musicians from the city have produced 56 number one singles, more than any other city in the world.

LGBT history

Richard Whittigham-Egan wrote about the homosexual communities in Liverpool in his book Liverpool Roundabout, published in 1957. He also stated that male prostitutes operated in the city at the time. In the 1960s The Lisbon in Stanley Street attracted gay men .

Liverpool CHE Group was founded in 1970, and Liverpool Student Group and Liverpool Youth Group in 1972. Liverpool Gay Youth R Out (GYrO) was set up in 1976.

Friend Merseyside was established about 1973. Friend provided a meeting place for various groups. In 1993 some of these were listed as The Bisexual group (Monday), Women's group (Tuesday), Gay Youth (Wednesday), Transvestite/Transexual group (Friday) and Gay Alcoholics Anonymous (Sunday) .

Link was set up in 1977 as an umbrella organisation for gay men and women to work together and provided a meeting place. Link was based at 14 Colquitt Street, Liverpool L1.

Link provided a meeting place for local and national gay groups (Document in LSE Hall Carpenter Archives: papers of Micky Burbidge)

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The Lisbon was a popular pub with gay people and Jodie's was a gay club in Stanley Street . Bear's Paw was a well-known gay club in the 1970s.

SHADY (Sexual Health And Dykes) was a group working for the sexual health of lesbians in the 1980s.

The Stanley Street Quarter has become known as Liverpool's gay village.

In November 1996 24 year old gay model Nelson Asu was murdered in his flat in Toxteth by two teenagers . Liverpool Museums have created a page on their website : 'Remembering Nelson Asu'.

In July 2008, 18 year old Michael Causer, a trainee hairdresser, was battered to death in a homophobic attack at a house in Huyton part of the Liverpool Urban Area. The Michael Causer Foundation was set up following his death

Gary Millar was Lord Mayor of Liverpool for 2013–2014.

Liverpool Pride has become an annual event, first held in 2010.

Seen magazine caters for the local gay and lesbian community.

The Armistead Centre and Queer Notions provide health support for LGBT people.

Homotopia is Liverpool's annual autumn celebration of Queer culture.

Liverpool Women's Book Group meets monthly in Liverpool City Centre.

The Outsiders Film Festival is an LGBT film festival meeting monthly and in conjunction with Homotopia.

There is a Liverpool branch of Quest for gay Catholics.

LIV.FAST Network supports local FTM people.

The News from Nowhere radical bookshop has an online directory of LGBT organisations in Liverpool and Manchester.

four recorded interviews at Liverpool Museum LGBT Exhibition 2018 (photograph by Dr Clifford Williams)

In June 2021 hundreds of people gathered in Liverpool to protest over a spate of homophobic attacks in the city centre. The Mayor joined the protest.

In January 2023 the Liverpool Echo reported that a non-binary priest named Bingo Allison was a priest in Liverpool .

In May 2023 Liverpool hosted the Eurovision Song Contest with many lgbt contestants.

Notable LGBT people from Liverpool

• April Ashley, former transsexual model, was born in Liverpool.
• Clive Barker, author, director of fantasy films, now based in the USA, was born in Liverpool.
• Marcus Collins, singer, was born in Liverpool.
• Terence Davies, screenwriter, film director, novelist and actor, was born in Liverpool.
• Brian Epstein, manager of The Beatles, was born in Liverpool.
• Yankel Feather, painter, was born in Liverpool.
• Jonathan Harvey, playwright, was born in Liverpool.
• Anton Hysén, Swedish professional footballer, was born in Liverpool.
• James Hanley, author (1897-1985) born Liverpool.
• Holly Johnson, musician, painter, writer, was born in Liverpool.
• William MacDonald, convicted of five murders in Australia, was born in Liverpool.
• Ste McCabe, singer, songwriter, radio DJ, was born in Liverpool.
• George Melly, jazz and blues singer, lecturer, critic and writer, was born in Liverpool.
• Kele Okereke, singer and rhythm guitarist, was born in Liverpool.
• Steve Radford,former leader of the post-1989 continuing Liberal Party, is a Liverpool city councillor.
• Paul Rutherford, musician, singer, was born in Liverpool.
• Stephen Twigg was MP for Liverpool West Derby 2010-2019.

References

This article includes material derived from two or more Wikipedia articles.