LGBT Events are listed by city, then type, then date. Submit listings at least 16 days before publication to gay@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Laura Ennor.
GLASGOW Activities & Events FREE Glasgow Frontrunners Thursdays, 7pm. Sundays, 11.30am. The Arc, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, glasgowfrontrunners.org A running group for all abilities for LGBT folk and their friends. FREE Prime Time Sun 25 Sep, 3–5pm. Luke and Jack, 45 Virginia Street, 552 5699. A chance for gay and bisexual men over 40 to meet in an informal setting. FREE Together Tue 27 Sep, 7–9pm. Gay Men’s Health, 48 Albion Street, 552 0112. A social support and information group for gay and bisexual men living with HIV. FREE LGBT Bipolar Self Help Group Tue 4 Oct, 7pm. Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland, 134 Douglas Street, 332 3838. LGBT self-help group for people with bipolar disorder and their families, friends and carers. Bi Glasgow Meeting Wed 5 Oct, 7.30pm. By donation. Glasgow Music Studios, 7 & 9 Osborne Street, 0844 811 7334. A welcoming environment for bisexuals and those exploring bisexuality. Mutually Exclusive Wed 19 Oct, 9.30am–4.30pm. £10 for individuals and charities; £20 for public and private sector organisations. Glasgow Marriott Hotel, 500 Argyle Street, 226 5577. One-day conference exploring issues of religion- based homophobia and transphobia. Arts Little Johnny’s Big Gay Restaurant Thu 22 Sep–Sun 6 Nov, times vary. Prices vary (Madonna set menu £8.95). The Arches Café Bar & Restaurant, 253 Argyle Street, 0870 240 7528. A gloriously gay gourmet tribute to Madonna. Drop in throughout the festival for 80s-themed decor, videos, music and a special Madge- inspired three-course menu. There are also three performances by Little Johnny himself – Sat 1 Oct, Thu 27 Oct & Sun 6 Nov – the last of which coincides with Little Johnny’s birthday celebrations with a very special guest. Part of Glasgay! FREE Rosana Cade & Laurie Brown – Confessional Tue 27 & Wed 28 Sep, 6.45pm. The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, 565 1000. Installation documenting what happened when two queer artists confessed their ‘sinful’ same-sex desires in different churches across Glasgow. Part of Arches Live. Elegies From Angels, Punks and Raging Queens Tue 27 Sat–Sat 1 Oct, 7.30pm (Sat mat 2.30pm). £9 (£7). Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. An evening of free verse set to blues, jazz and rhythm and blues, celebrating the lives of AIDS victims. Bette/Cavett Tue 27 Sep, 8pm. £12 (£10; students £8). Eastwood Park Theatre, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, 577 4970. Grant Smeaton’s verbatim recreation of the infamous Bette Davis- Dick Cavett face-off gets another outing. Four Poofs And A Piano Sun 9 Oct, 7.30pm. £17.50. Pavilion Theatre, 121 Renfield Street, 332 1846. Musical comedy from the four musical campsters. Erasure Thu 13 Oct, 7pm. £30. O2 Academy, 121 Eglinton Street, 0844 477 2000. Eighties electro-pop darlings Vince Clarke and Andy Bell tour new album Light at the End of the World. Love Hurts Tue 18–Thu 20 Oct, 8pm. £9 (£7). Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. A dark and funny play presented by Random Accomplice. Part of Glasgay! Dually Andrews Wed 19 & Thu 20 Oct, 8.05pm. £10. Rose and Grants, 27 Trongate, Merchant City, 552 7575. Andrew Agnew (songs, stories and panto magic) and Andrew Salmond (piano) guide you through the highs and lows of
74 THE LIST 22 Sep–20 Oct 2011
this queer old life. Part of Glasgay! FREE Hollywood to Dollywood Thu 20 Oct, 7pm. Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, 331 3000. Movie following gay twins Gary and Larry Lane as they travel across the US to meet their idol, Dolly Parton. The Lane brothers will stick around after for ‘The Big Debate: Sex, Gender and The Queering of the 21st Century.’ Part of Glasgay! Clubs Bitter Glitter Thursdays, 11pm–3am. £3. The Polo Lounge, 84 Wilson Street, 0845 659 5905. Madame S (Utter Gutter) and Fraser Bone (Lock Up Your Daughters) with a weekly homo-disco party. Lock Up Your Daughters Fri 23 Sep, 11pm–3am. £5 (£4). The Flying Duck, 142 Renfield Street, 564 1450. The LUYD ‘ziners return with DJ Suezz,
Lock Up Your DJs and Skeleton Boy. FREE Beartag Fri 7 Oct, 8pm–1am. Underground Glasgow, 6a John Street, 553 2456. A new Glasgow club night for the furrier gent, courtesy of Bearscots. Death Disco: Glasgay! Opening Event Sat 15 Oct, 11pm–3am. £14. The Arches, 30 Midland Street, 565 1000. Electro-trash wild child Peaches kicks off Glasgay! with a DJ set, backed up by Justus Kohncke, Hard Ton, Plaid and Optimo. Part of Glasgay! EDINBURGH Activities & Events FREE The BIG Bi Quiz! Thu 22 Sep, 7–9pm. The Street, 2 Picardy Place, 523 1100. A quiz night in an inclusive, social setting. Come as a team or an individual and get competitive in a bumper quiz with Quiz
PREVIEW RE-INVENTION WORKSHOPS HOPE ON THE HORIZON FOR GAY AND TRANS COMIC FANS In the wake of the latest Batwoman being out and proud, Lauren Mayberry talks to comic book artist Garry McLaughlin about his series of LGBT-friendly workshops encouraging people to find their inner hero
The idea of gay culture in comics is nothing new, with handfuls of uptight academics frantically pointing out the homoerotic sub-tones of Batman and Robin’s cartoon exploits since the 1950s. The foundations of X-Men arguably lie in the civil rights movement and homophobia, with mutants such as the potentially transgender shapeshifter Mystique having to ‘come out’ and deal with a life of discrimination and judgment. And in recent times, Batwoman has become an out lesbian ex-servicewoman, whilst the ‘all-gay’ comic Spandex is garnering praise from the mainstream media.
But are comics really for us? They are, after all, often stereotypically viewed as the preserve of straight, white dudes (no offence intended to said audience, ’course).
Glasgay! is offering a week-long workshop looking at representation of gay and transgender comic characters, teaching you how to create your own heroes or heroines.
Garry McLaughlin, organiser, artist and comic enthusiast, explains: ‘I am gay myself, so I know that the comic scene is off-putting to LGBTs. There are a lot of alternative voices that aren’t heard within the comic book medium. A lot of the more mainstream gay comics tend to be very over-sexualised. I want to try to bridge that gap a little, saying to participants that you can actually achieve mainstream success but still reference LGBT issues. They don’t have to be hyper-sexualised to make an impact.’
Garry describes the workshops as a condensed version of the ten- week courses he does with his not-for-profit comic arts project, Cosmic Designs. A month-long exhibition will follow, featuring Garry’s work alongside projects from Barry M. Wolfe (Transgender Expressions) and Grant Alexander McDonald (Not So Familiar Now), focusing on trans-discrimination, empowerment and body image. ■ Workshops will be held at The Virginia Gallery, Glasgow, 17–22 Oct. The whole exhibition runs from 23 Oct–26 Nov, Mon–Sat, 11am–6pm & Sun, 12pm–5.30pm, free. For more information, visit glasgay.co.uk
Mistress Jules. Part of Bi Visibility Day. FREE The Sewing Circle Tue 27 Sep, 7–9pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, pinkpartydress@gmail.com. Make a few friends in a crafty setting at this monthly group offering help with basic projects. FREE Edinburgh Gay Men’s Book Group Wed 28 Sep, 7–9pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, scott@equality-network.org. A book club for lit-loving gents. Razzle Dazzle’s Big Camp Quiz Wednesdays, 9pm. £tbc. Cafe Habana, 22 Greenside Place, 558 1270. Join the ‘Queen of the Quiz’ for this weekly showing-off session. Swimming @ Glenogle Sat 1 & 15 Oct, 4–6pm. Prices vary. Glenogle Swim Centre, Glenogle Road Stockbridge, 523 1100. A fortnightly pool session just for the LGBT community. FREE Edinburgh Trans Women Group Meeting Sat 1 Oct, 7.30–9.30pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. A group for MTF transgender people. FREE Women’s Discussion Group Thu 6 Oct, 7–9pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, mscottdiva2003@yahoo.com. Women- only session for discussing topical and LGBT-interest subjects. FREE Edinburgh Trans Men Group Meeting Sat 8 Oct, 7–9pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 07948 735179. A social and advice evening for FTM transgender people. FREE Women’s Book Group Wed 12 Oct, 7–9pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, lena_phalen@hotmail.com. A chance to discuss books in female company. BearScotFest Fri 14–Sun 16 Oct, times and venues vary. Weekend tickets £26.50 (members £23); Sat night Caves tickets £12. bearscots.org.uk The Bearscots team welcome ‘bears, cubs, chasers, otters and admirers’ for a weekend parties and club nights, brunches at the New Town Bar (the base for the weekend’s festivities) and a cabaret show on the Sunday afternoon featuring a vote for Mr BearScots 2011. FREE Bi Edinburgh Meeting Wed 19 Oct, 7.30–9pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, info@biscotland.org. Monthly informal meet-up for bisexuals and those with questions about their sexuality.
Arts Lea DeLaria Fri 23 Sep, 7.30pm. £17.50. The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street, 556 7060. The first openly gay comic to appear on a US late- night talk show provides an evening of outrageous comedy and swinging jazz. Erasure Sat 15 Oct, 7pm. £30. Corn Exchange, 11 New Market Road, 477 3500. See Glasgow Arts. Clubs Boutique Saturdays, 10pm–3am. Free before 11pm; £5 after. GHQ, 4 Picardy Place, 0845 166 6024. Electro, house, chart and disco. Viva Wednesdays, 10pm–3am. £6 (students £5). GHQ, 4 Picardy Place, 0845 166 6024. Midweek gay student clubbing from DJ Karl. FREE Friday Funk Fri 30 Sep, 11pm–3am. CC Blooms, 23–24 Greenside Place, 556 9331. DJ Shelle la Belle gets your booty shaking. FREE ELECTROsexual Fri 7 Oct, 11pm–3am. CC Blooms, 23–24 Greenside Place, 556 9331. Cheeky electro soundtrack to the Edinburgh gay scene’s only foam party. Hot Mess Fri 7 Oct, 11pm–3am. £5 (£3). Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, 229 1442. DJ Simonotron (Club for Heroes/Devil Disco Club) provides a music-centric club night. Saturday Night Beaver Sat 15 Oct, 10.30pm–3am. £4 before 11pm; £5 after. Cabaret Voltaire, 36–38 Blair Street, 220 6176. The Street’s Trendy Wendy and Louise play tunes for ladies and their invited male guests.