PHASE 02: CRIME
The LGBT+ History Month Transmedia experience continues this week with Phase 02, zoning in on the LGBT stories that revolve around the progression (and occasional regression) of LGBT+ rights in law.
As before, this phase is bookended by two of the BBC 'Queers' monologues, which chart two crucial points in the struggle for equal rights.
To see Phase 01: War, click here.
QUEERS - I Miss the War
A gay man laments how decriminalisation has taken the fun out of being a homosexual. Despite the danger, being gay during the war was naughty. It was fun. Things have changed, but not necessarily for the better.
BBC iPlayer:
PLAY: Quaint Honour
n A group of upper-class boys explore their sexuality together at school during the 1950s. Relaxing attitudes to homosexuality after the war seem to have snapped back making the boys’ explorations fraught with risk, but a lot
of joy.
Buy Script:
TV: Against the Law
1952. Homosexuality is illegal. For the police, hunting gay men is something of a sport. When that sport catches Peter Wildeblood, a gay journalist, and several of his high profile friends, the tide of public opinion begins to change. Turning that public opinion into actionable legislation becomes Wildeblood’s sacred vow.
Where to Watch:
TV: A Very English Scandal
Homosexuality is, to an extent, no longer illegal. There are, however, ways to ignore the law for both upper-class gay men and those that find their lives perverse. Drunk on lust and power, sitting MP Jeremy Thorpe falls foul to both sides of this coin. Desperate to save his reputation from the loud mouth of his ex-lover, Norman Josiffe, Thorpe turns to more extreme means to secure Norman’s silence about the affair.
Where to Watch:
DOCUMENTARY: The Soho Nail Bomber
The change in law has now been cemented in the wider UK culture. Things are far from perfect, but they’re also unrecognisable from the events of the 50’s and early 60s. Despite this progress, there are those that would return to the old ways, and they’re willing to do anything to achieve their goals.
Where to Watch:
FILM: Clapham Junction
Laws change. Cultures change. But people? They’re more complicated. Old attitudes are hard to shake for gay people just as much as for their ‘traditional values’ tormentors. For some gay men, operating within the law just isn’t something they’re willing to do, regardless of the consequences.
Where to Watch:
SHORT FILM: Ted & Noel
Behind every hard-fought victory, there’s an army willing to fight. People who would rather be at home that choose to stand up, stare down the face of the law and say “no”. For Ted and Noel, frontline fighters for a generation, find that even in old age, the fight for dignity in the law isn’t over.
Where to Watch:
DOCUMENTARY: Forced Out
A ‘phase 01’ sequel. Returning to the topic of war, several soldiers struggle to fight for their country. Their adversary? The law. Reminiscent of the USA’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, LGBT soldiers in the UK face excommunication from the military if discovered. This is the story of the soldiers that tried to change that.
Where to Watch:
FILM: Blue Jean
The law has changed. It remains legal in the UK for homosexual people to have sex, but Section 28 has put a stop to that being common knowledge, especially in schools. One teacher, herself LGBT, struggles to cope under the immense pressure the legislation has put on her.
Where to Watch:
QUEERS: A Grand Day Out
It’s 1994. There’s a new government. There’s change coming. For 17-year-old Andrew, it can’t come quick enough. There’s a vote in Parliament, it looks likely the legal age of consent for gay people is coming in line with straight people! Andrew is here to celebrate, but is he counting his chickens before they’ve hatched?
BBC iPlayer:
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