Flower Power : Barneby and Barnaby

Barneby and Barnaby. Sounds like a firm of solicitors or a television detective series, doesn’t it. But they are actually the names of 2 gay men who were/are important figures in botany and horticulture. Originally my idea was to write a separate article on each of them, but the similarity of names and occupations was too much of a temptation to ignore, so I’ve put them both together.

The men in question are Rupert Barneby (1911-2000) and Barnaby Miln (b.1947). Between them they have developed, cultivated and named over a thousand species and varieties of flowers and plants which include the staples of our diet – wheat and beans. It’s interesting to compare and contrast their lives. To avoid confusion I’ll not refer to them by their similar names. I’ll refer to Rupert Barneby and Rupert, and Barnaby Miln as Miln.

Both men were born into wealthy British families. Rupert was born in Wales and Miln in Scotland. Miln had a botanical background. His family had long been associated with agriculture. His father was the third generation of his family to be managing director of Gartons, the UK’s largest agricultural plant and seed company. It was natural for Miln to enter the same profession. He studied at the Edinburgh School of Agriculture and in America before returning to work at Gartons.

Rupert, on the other hand, was basically self-taught. He didn’t come from an agricultural or botanical background. His family were mainly barristers and magistrates (Miln was a magistrate for 13 years, so there is a connection there).

Rupert’s father refused to let him study botany at university because he considered it an effeminate profession.Rupert’s interest in botany was encouraged by a couple of aunts. Like Miln, Rupert went to a posh public school. There Rupert met a fellow plant enthusiast called Dwight Ripley, an American, who became his life partner. Ripley was a talented botanist in his own right, so I’ll leave details of his life for another time (there’s no prizes for guessing what title I could use for that article).

Because of his father’s disapproval of his son’s floral interests Rupert studied history and modern languages at university. With Ripley’s extensive knowledge of plants and their Latin names Rupert learnt all about how the plant kingdom in divided into families and species and the like, and this was influential in his later career when he named and placed hundreds of new species in their appropriate places in the plant kingdom. His massive contribution to taxonomy (as this is called) led other botanists to name plant species after Rupert (again, another subject for another time).

Miln, on the other hand, has no plant named after him – yet. At Gartons he worked on developing new varieties of plant species, most notably wheat. He also developed a new sugar beet breeding programme which produced higher quality beet with better sugar-producing capacity.

Miln is also a plant historian, unlike Rupert. Miln researched the histories of over 400 flowers, plants and crops that had been introduced into the UK. Miln also set up his own seed company in 1980 and opened several garden centres and a turf grass research facility. In 1997 he designed the show garden for Christian Aid at the Chelsea Flower Show, which won a Silver Gilt certificate.

Miln’s work with Christian Aid brought him into contact with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie. Runcie appointed Miln as his Special Adviser on Sexuality (like Rupert, Miln was openly gay) and attended several AIDS conferences. It was after attending an AIDS conference in San Francisco in 1986 that Miln created the first AIDS ribbon.

Rupert, on the other hand, was not particularly religious or interested in campaigning. He was content to live with Dwight Ripley in the USA where they went to live and work after Rupert`s father disinherited him. All across America the couple spent many summer weeks searching for new plants and sending seeds to botanical institutes for study and breeding. One of Rupert’s specialist areas of knowledge was in members of the bean family, the legumes, and he was regarded as an authority on the subject and in their cultivation.

Ripley died in 1973 and Rupert continued his plant-hunting expeditions in the company of trusted colleagues. He was still making these expeditions into his 80s. He died at the Jewish Home and Hospital in the Bronx in 2000 at the age of 89.

Miln was the life partner of Rev. Sir Derek Pattinson, the Secretary General of the General Synod of the Church of England. Sir Derek died in 2006.

Rupert Barneby and Barnaby Miln had a lot in common – their privileged background, their love of plants, their development of several plant species, and their open long-term relationships. Their differences proved no barrier to them achieving notable fame and respect in the botanical sciences as openly gay men.

Medal Quest : Running With the Flag

Now that we’re getting closer to the opening of the Gay Games in Cleveland and Akron in ten days time I turn my attention to an event which has become as much associated with the Gay Games as the torch relay has with the Olympics – the International Memorial Flag Fun. Having only briefly covered the Flag Run a couple of time before it seems like a good time to go into more detail today. 

The Flag Run commemorates all those who have died from AIDS or breast cancer, not least of all being Tom Waddell the founder of the games. The run also pays tribute to the artist Keith Haring, a follower of the 1990 Memorial Run. The Keith Haring Foundation is one of several sponsors of the run. Victims of breast cancer are commemorated in memory of lesbian activist Rikki Streicher. 

It all began 30 years ago in 1984. The AIDS epidemic was severe across north America. There were many people who claimed the disease was a judgement from God for the homosexual lifestyle. Such ignorance spread to politicians and health organisation. A few doctors spoke out against this homophobia and began to educate the community – the lgbt community as much as any other – that AIDS was not just a “gay disease”. 

It was also a time when many in the lgbt community banded together to form groups and organisations to help raise awareness of AIDS and general sexual health issues. One vital element in this campaign was to push for funding for research and financial assistance to HIV patients, their partners and families, which governments around the world were slow to provide. 

Out of these voluntary groups came fund-raising events such as charity runs. It wasn’t a new idea, but it was a new method for gay men who wanted to help to join together. One of these men was Brent Nicholson Earle. 

Brent had seen many friends and acquaintances lose their battles against AIDS and HIV. Other friends had begun to volunteer their services to health groups and he decided to join them. The Gay Men’s Health Crisis in New York held a charity run in 1984. Brent entered the run and raised $400. 

This was one inspiration behind the International Memorial Flag Run. The other was a charity run by a young man in Canada to raise funds for cancer research. Brent founded a non-profit organisation called American Run for the End of AIDS (AREA) in December 1985 with the aim of running solo 90,000 miles around the USA, keeping as close to the national border/coastline as possible. 

The first run began in New York on 1^st December 1986. With just the minimum of a support team, just 2 people, Brent set off around the US in an anti-clockwise direction, reaching home base back in New York some 20 months later. During the run’s stay in Florida the Fort Lauderdale and Miami lgbt community presented Brent with a Rainbow Pride flag. This was to become the official standard of subsequent runs. 

In 1990 Brent decided to make his second AREA run to Vancouver, the host city of the 3^rd Gay Games, beginning the association with the games which remains to this day. AIDS had taken many Gay Games athletes from the community since the first games in 1982. In remembrance of them and Tom Waddell, who had died of AIDS shortly after the second games in 1986, Brent began his second run from the San Francisco stadium which hosted the first two Gay Games. With the flag donated by the Florida community Brent ran the 1,000 miles to Vancouver and led the parade of athletes into the stadium at the opening ceremony. This run is regarded retrospectively as the first International Memorial Flag Run. 

For the fourth Gay Games of 1994 in New York, and to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, Brent chose a different method of getting from San Francisco to the games host city – roller blades. Named the Rainbow Roll for the End of AIDS this event included a team of 6 other skaters taking the flag to the Big Apple. They appeared at the Stonewall 25 commemoration event and once again provided the lead for the athlete’s parade at the Gay Games opening ceremony. 

1998 saw another change – the first time the run went overseas. The Gay Games were held in Amsterdam and more runners, walkers and athletes took part in the Flag Run than before. By now the decision was made to include all previous host cities as part of the run. This has been the format ever since. Flag Runs have been held prior to each Gay Games. With the organising and sponsorship for the run divided between several organisations the AREA first created in 1985 has continued to raise awareness of AIDS and breast cancer and promote healthy living. While being a commemoration of those who have left us, it has also come to symbolise hope, help and celebration. 

This year’s International Memorial Flag Run began on 9^th February, starting as usual in San Francisco. Currently it is making its way to Cleveland after having left Europe last week.

 

City Pride : Pink Lace

Yesterday Nottingham hosted Nottinghamshire Pride. After many years of being held in the Arboretum or Goose Fair site it has moved into the historic Lace Market and Hockley area of the city. It feels like a home-coming, because the first ever Pride-like event in Nottingham took place there in 1997. It was called Pink Lace. 

It also gave me an idea for a new mini-series of articles. Inspired also by my recent article on Toronto I thought I’d do a series on individual cities and towns when they held their Pride celebration and look at their lgbt heritage. I’ve called the series City Pride (which includes towns and other areas). 

As the Pink Lace Tour is the newest of my lgbt tours of Nottingham I thought I’d start there. Rather than give a review of the whole city I’ll restrict myself to the Lace market and Hockley area and the street leading up to it from the Market Square. These are just snapshots of Nottingham’s great wealth of lgbt heritage and I hope I’ve chosen a varied selection for your enjoyment. There are too many lgbt pubs, clubs and venues to mention them all. The map below shows you where things happened. 

1a) Zara – This fashion store is on the site a popular old pub that was here for several centuries until 1903. Here Lord Byron’s coffin was brought to rest overnight before being taken for burial in Hucknall several miles away. Thousands of people filed past the coffin to pay their respects to one of the very few parliamentarians to defend working people’s rights. Byron lived in the city centre as a child, for part of that time at 1b). 

2) J. M. Barrie – A large decorated wall plaque marks the location of the offices of a local newspaper on which Barrie worked. It is said that he got the idea for Peter Pan after watching children at play in a local park. 

3) Thurland Hall – A pub named after a huge stately home that once stood here (I’ve outlined the extent of the original Hall on the map). This old palace was the only building big enough to house the court when “Queen” James I came to Nottingham, which he did 6 times, each time without his wife but with his “toy-boys”. 

4) The Bodega Club – This was where the Scissor Sisters gave their first Nottingham performance to a crown of less than 100 in 2003. Their subsequent 3 appearances in the city attracted thousands. 

5) Outhouse Project – In 1998 the National Lottery gave £228,000 to help establish an lgbt centre in Nottingham. Although the plane never came to fruition, with several sites being considered, the office of the Outhouse Project was here. Nottingham still has no lgbt centre.

6) The Queen of Clubs – Formerly known as Omega, before that Rain, before that Ice, and before that Jacey’s. Jacey’s hit the headlines in 2001 when the council banned its weekly male stripper show. Jacey’s pointed out that the council-run Theatre Royal had hosted the Chippendales and was about to produce “The Full Monty”. The council cancelled Full Monty and banned ALL male strippers (the ban has not been officially lifted). My friend and former barista at Jacey’s, Rich Cowell, made front page of the tabloids in 2005 when he was a Royal Navy lieutenant. He had been voted Mr Gay Plymouth and the Navy considered disciplinary action. Rich came 2^nd in the Mr Gay UK finals. 

7) Broadway Cinema – Nottingham’s leading independent cinema whose café-bar is my home from home. It has hosted several exhibitions and screening for LGBT History Month and Nottingham Pride and for many years hosted the British Film Institute’s touring LGBT Film Festival. For Pink Lace in 1997 it provided the entertainment and facilities. 

8) The Health Shop – A health clinic, the base of the Gay AIDS Initiative project (GAi) which was launched on 11 July 1994 with Sir Ian McKellen doing the official opening. The Health Shop also provided facilities for volunteers to put together thousands of free condom packs to be distributed around city venues. Several lgbt support groups held meetings here. In 1999 Channel 4 television followed Health Shop director Tim Franks for several weeks for their fly-on-the-wall series. 

9) The Masquerader – In 1913 an eccentric local character was arrested for begging. It turned out that this cross-dressing astrologer was a Serbian war refugee. His home was on the site of this car park.

10) Pierrepont Hall – another huge stately home long since demolished (the extent of the property is marked on the map). It was the childhood home of Lady Mary Wortley-Montagu, who married her lover’s brother to avoid becoming Mrs. Clotworthy Skeffington. She introduced smallpox inoculation into England and popularised the Language of Flowers.

11) Short Hill – One of the surviving lace worker’s tenement buildings still stands. It was the home of Karl Wood before World War I. He became an art teacher and painter of windmills. In 1957 he was imprisoned for his homosexuality.

12) The Galleries of Justice – The old city court house and jail, now the National Museum of Law. In 2008 an exhibition commemorating Oscar Wilde’s imprisonment in Reading Jail came here. Wilde’s grandson, Merlin Holland, recreated Oscar’s trial in the old court itself. Part of the exhibition included the door from Oscar’s cell, and visitors reported hearing voices from behind it! During it’s working life as a court this building saw one of the biggest mass prosecutions of gay men before homosexuality was legalised – 23 men were put on trial in 1961.

If you’d like to see your own city featured in City Pride why not let me know. Or you could write your own article and be a guest blogger for the day. Just give me plenty of advance notice so I can schedule it in (I usually plan one month in advance of publication).

Medal Quest : A (Common)Wealth of Athletes

The Commonwealth Games began last night with a spectacular opening ceremony (not as spectacular as originally planned after the demolition of 2 big city apartment blocks as part of the ceremony was dropped). 

I wasn’t expecting an Olympic-scale ceremony like we saw in Melbourne 2006 or the Bollywood spectacular of Delhi 2010, but Glasgow provided a modest ceremony with a surprisingly high visible lgbt content, right from the opening sequence with John Barrowman singing about the legacy of Scottish inventions and culture (complete with gay wedding and a gay kiss) all the way the entrance of the games flag, led by the recently out swimming superstar Ian Thorpe who received a huge cheer. Taking the Melbourne opening ceremony as inspiration the athlete's parade was split into continental sections, something the Olympic should think of to get rid of their interminably bland parade.

Unlike the London Olympics the BBC brought out a huge array for past sporting stars for the opening night’s coverage, including Ian Thorpe again in their pre-ceremony warm-up. It showed the Commonwealth that this may not be the Olympics but it still has the biggest stars in sport in the world. The likes of Usain Bolt, Tom Daley and Mo Farah, and many other Olympic medallists will compete, though one sad absentee, for obvious reasons, will be Oscar Pistorius. 

The Commonwealth Games offers athletes the chance to compete in an Olympic-style event and for those of us who live in a Commonwealth nation winning a Commonwealth Games medal is as big a prize as winning an Olympic one. Some athletes, though, are not fortunate enough to be able to compete at both games as some sports (e.g. squash, lawn bowls and netball) are not yet part of the Olympic programme. Many lgbt Olympians first got their taste of international medal glory at the Commonwealth Games and many may do so in Glasgow. 

Less than a week ago the governing body of the Commonwealth Games showed how outdated their rules on gender are. An Indian sprinter, Dutee Chand, the Indian 100 meter champion no less, was banned from competing because she had a naturally high level of testosterone which, they say, put her at an advantage over other female athletes. International sporting bodies, not just the Commonwealth Games, continue to dither and procrastinate over what to do about the inclusion of non-binary gender athletes. 

Here is a list of the lgbt athletes at the Commonwealth Games. The name of the athlete is followed by the nation and sport, then by the games and medals (if any). Athletes competing in the current games are also noted. It comes as no surprise that swimming superstar Ian Thorpe tops the Commonwealth lgbt medal list with a total of 11.

Nicola Adams            England           boxing

2014 Glasgow (Sco.) 

Alyson Annan           Australia          hockey

1998 Kuala Lumpar (Mal.) 

Raelene Boyle           Australia          athletics

1970 Edinburgh (Sco.)            3 gold

1974 Christchurch (NZ)          3 gold

1978 Edmonton (Can.)           1 silver

1982 Brisbane (Aus.)              1 gold, 1 silver 

Kris Burley    Canada           gymnastics

1994 Victoria (Can.)                1 gold, 2 silver

1998 Kuala Lumpar (Mal.)      1 silver 

Scott Cranham          Canada           diving

1974 Christchurch (NZ)          1 silver, 1 bronze

1978 Edmonton (Can.)           1 silver, 1 bronze 

Tom Daley     England           diving

2010 Delhi (Ind.)         2 gold

2014 Glasgow (Sco.) 

Greg Duhaime           Canada           athletics

1982 Brisbane (Aus.)              1 bronze 

Michelle Ferris          Australia          cycling

1994 Victoria (Can.)

1998 Kuala Lumpar (Mal.) 

Mathew Helm            Australia          diving

2002 Manchester (Eng.)

2006 Melbourne (Aus.)           2 gold 

Daniel Kowalski        Australia          swimming

1994 Victoria (Can.)                1 silver, 1 bronze

1998 Kuala Lumpar (Mal.)      1 gold, 2 bronze 

Marion Lay     Canada           swimming

1966 Kingston (Jam.)             2 gold, 1 silver 

Matthew Mitcham     Australia          diving

2006 Melbourne (Aus.)

2010 Delhi (Ind.)                     4 silver

2014 Glasgow (Sco.) 

Helen Richardson-Walsh     England           hockey

2002 Manchester (Eng.)         1 silver

2006 Melbourne (Aus.)

2010 Delhi (Ind.)                     1 bronze

Kate Richardson-Walsh       England           hockey

2002 Manchester (Eng.)         1 silver

2006 Melbourne (Aus.)  

2010 Delhi (Ind.)                     1 bronze

2014 Glasgow (Sco.) 

Craig Rogerson        Australia          diving

1986 Edinburgh (Sco.)            1 gold, 1 bronze

1990 Auckland (NZ)               1 gold 

Beth Storry                England           hockey

2006 Melbourne (Aus.)

2010 Delhi (Ind.)                     1 bronze 

Mark Tewksbury       Canada           swimming

1986 Edinburgh (Sco.)            2 gold

1990 Auckland (NZ)               2 gold 

Ian Thorpe     Australia          swimming

1998 Kuala Lumpar (Mal.)      4 gold

2002 Melbourne (Aus.)           6 gold, 1 silver 

Lisa-Marie Vizaniari              Australia          athletics

1990 Auckland (NZ)               1 gold

1994 Victoria (Can.)                1 bronze

1998 Kuala Lumpar (Mal.)      1 silver

Out Of Their Trees : Digging Up The Judas Tree

The family tree I’m digging up today is that of the heavy metal band Judas Priest. Or, more accurately, its openly gay lead singer Rob Halford. As usual it’s a tale of varied fortunes. Along the way we’ll be putting on our boots, rolling out the barrel, and having a pint with the founder of California. And we even get to meet some real priests.

Rob Halford was born in 1951, the son of Barrie Halford and his wife Joan, née Elsden. Most of his recent ancestry is based in the West Midlands around Walsall. Rob is rightly proud of his working class background, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t any money or influence in the family.

Up until the early part of the last century the Halfords were boot makers by trade, with Rob’s great-great-grandfather William becoming successful enough to set up a business as a boot manufacturer in Walsall employing 20 people and having several shops. But William Halford was not a native of Walsall. He came from Nottingham and he didn’t come from a boot-making family.

William’s father, another William, was a cooper with 2 shops in Nottingham. After William senior’s death in 1864 the business was taken over by his widow Elizabeth. William junior had moved to Walsall by then and had set up his boot business and was married.

There was enough money in the family for William senior to send his youngest son to the local grammar school. This son was an earlier Rob Halford, born in 1840, who was to become a leading civil figure in Nottingham. This earlier Rob – properly Robert Halford – became an estate agent and valuer, and later chairman of the Nottingham Banking Company. He also became a magistrate, and died in 1910.

The Halford Nottinghamshire roots go further back. Through William Halford senior’s wife, the aforementioned Elizabeth, we can go back to the Savage family. Records are pretty scant from this period, around 1700. It looks likely that Rob’s ancestry can be traced to some very real priests! There’s nothing to confirm this, but evidence suggests Rob is descended from father and son Rev. John and Rev. Thomas Savage, both Rectors of Sutton Bonington, south of Nottingham. Other evidence of them being descended from Sir Thomas Savage of Elmley Castle in Worcestershire is even harder to verify.

William junior’s son, Henry Wyatt Halford, married Elizabeth Flavell in 1893. Her grandfather founded California. Not California, USA, but California, a suburb of Birmingham in England.

Legend has it that Isaac Flavell (1792-1870) went to America to seek his fortune in the California Gold Rush. However, in 1842 he bought a farm near Birmingham. There’s no record of him in the USA and the Gold Rush didn’t begin until 1847, but he made his fortune quarrying red clay on his farm estate and setting up a brick making business. The Industrial Revolution was in full flow and many cities and towns were in desperate need of bricks to build factories and homes.

By 1851 Isaac was also owner of a brand new pub (maybe one built from his own bricks). The name of his pub was The California Inn. Perhaps he had spent time in America before the Gold Rush and (like my own grandfather and Newton Brook in Toronto) named his home after a place where he previously spent some time. This was probably before his rather late marriage at the age of 40 in Birmingham cathedral in 1833. Isaac got the beer for his pub from his brother-in-law Henry Chinn who had a barley farm near by and was a brewer. Henry took over running the pub when Isaac retired. The pub became so popular that the whole area was named after it. Which is why there’s still a California in Birmingham.

We’ll turn now to Rob’s mother’s family the Elsdens. Joan Elsden was the daughter of Arthur Augustus Elsden (1899-1937). In this centenary year of World War I it seems appropriate to mention Arthur. During the first months of the war many young men, like my other grandfather, rushed to sign up in the army. Rob Halford’s grandfather Arthur was another. Some were so eager to sign up that they lied about their age. Arthur Elsden was one of them. In 1915 he signed up in the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and was sent for training on Bodmin Moor. He gave his age as 17. As you can see from the dates he was actually 16. The Ministry of Defence found out and, because he had been absent from several parades, Arthur was discharged. Perhaps he realised too late just how hard it was to be a soldier at such a young age. He didn’t re-apply and went to work as a railway fireman. The story has an unhappy ending. In 1937 Arthur caught meningitis and died at the age of 38 leaving a young family behind him.

Wartime tragedy touched the Eldsen family again less than 5 years later. Arthur’s son (Rob Halford’s uncle) Raymond Elseden, a sapper in the Royal Engineers, died in 1941 at the age of 18. Florence, Arthur’s widow, died in 1944 at the age of 40, and his father died in 1945.

I don’t want to end on a sad note so I’ll go back 2 more generations to Arthur Elsden’s widowed grandmother Emma, a laundress. Despite having a low-earning job and being from a working class background, on her death in 1922 she left an estate which today would be worth £30,000. Quite a legacy. I wonder where it went?

Beat Out That Rhythm

Perhaps the oldest musical instrument in world history, or at least the first to be used to beat out a rhythm, is the drum. Originally it would have just been a stone or log beaten with a stick. From those simple beginnings all percussion instruments evolved – drums, gongs, xylophones, cymbals, etc. 

The drum still figures large in culture and performance (where would Olympic opening ceremonies be without drums!). There are many musicians who have built a career on being a drummer and here are some from the lgbt community.

 

In the USA there are several lgbt drum troops. The most well-known is probably DC’s Different Drummers. Although primarily founded for the lgbt community this troop has always welcomed straight members. No doubt most cities around the world have at least one local drum troop in their annual Pride marches. Then there are marching bands, and orchestras. There are many of these specifically made up largely of lgbt musicians. 

But I suppose the first image to enter the mind when the word drummer is spoken is of a pop group. Two famous, and very different, groups of the 1980s who had lgbt drummers were Culture Club and the Beastie Boys. 

It’s a very significant time for Culture Club. Only last month the band announced their reunion and a new tour, and tomorrow night they’ll be performing at a special concert in Edinburgh Castle to celebrate the imminent start of the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday. The new slim-line Boy George, emerging like a confident butterfly after many years as an overweight drug-filled caterpillar, will perform the old familiar songs with the original band line-up, and perform new songs and produce a new album. 

When Culture Club first became famous Boy George was secretly dating the drummer Jon Moss. It was a tempestuous relationship which helped to fuel creative song-writing. At times the two came to blows and they tried to kill each other. It wasn’t a very good situation for the other band members to be caught in and they all split up in 1986 – both the band and the George/Jon relationship. 

John and Boy George have now reached the part in their lives when they can work together again with the other Culture Club members, Mikey Craig and Roy Hay. Many bands have reunited over the years. Some have been successful and achieved the fame they originally had. I’m sure Culture Club will as well. 

The Beastie Boys rose to fame at the same time as Culture Club but their drummer was something rarely seen at the time – a female drummer, Kate Schellenbach. She, too, has produced a new album, not with the Beastie Boys but her later band Luscious Jackson. In parallel with Culture Club Luscious Jackson split up (in 2000) and reformed in 2011. In the years in between Kate worked in the tv industry, including working as a producer on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” for a while. 

Kate may never have become a drummer had she not gone to a New York club as a teenager to see a band called Student Teachers who had a female drummer. Kate knew that she wanted to be a drummer as well. Several years later she was asked to join a band called The Young Aborigines. At the end of one rehearsal session the band let their hair down and played their songs as punk rock. They enjoyed it so much that they chose to play all their gigs like that. And that’s how the Beastie Boys was born. 

Female drummers are still relatively rare but they are not unknown in the past (Karen Carpenter started out as a drummer). All-female bands (jazz bands, big bands, etc.) have been around for decades. Before World War II there was an American band called the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, and one of their drummers was called Ruby Lucas. She later became an icon in Chicago’s lgbt community, and I’ll tell more of her story in October. 

Back to the present, and one of the most famous drummers in popular music is Phil Collins of Genesis. His son Simon is also a drummer and singer with his own band called Sound of Contact. To some extent he is still labelled as “the son of Phil Collins” rather than a performer in his own right. From his emergence as a performer in 2005 Simon has been quite open about his bisexuality and admits, like other lgbt songwriters, his sexuality has influenced some of his work. 

Away from popular music drummers are more often referred to as percussionists. There are even fewer openly lgbt percussionists than there are female drummers. One percussionist with a particularly unique take on drumming is the New Zealander Gareth Farr. 

Primarily a composer of strong percussion-based music, writing for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Organising Committee, among others, Gareth studied percussion performance at Auckland University. In 2006 he became one of the very few percussionists honoured by the Queen, who made him an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to music and entertainment. 

I said that Gareth had a particularly unique take on drumming. In fact, in some classical circles in New Zealand it has led to him being regarded as an enfant terrible. Why? Because in 1994 he created Lilith Lacroix, a drag percussionist. From her first appearance at the Club Marcella in Rochester, New York, Lilith has wowed audiences with her percussive skills, not to mention her outfits. In 1997 Gareth created a special show for Lilith based specifically around percussion called “Drumdrag”. 

And I can think of no better way to finish than to show you part of Lilith’s 2007 “Drumdrag” show in Toronto.

 

Medal Quest Goes On The Job

(25 days to the start of the Gay Games) If you ask an Olympic medallist like Tom Daley or Andy Murray what their job is they’ll say “diver” or “tennis player”. But if you ask a medallist at the Gay Games, Outgames, or any other lgbt sporting event what their job is most of them won't say anything which is sports related. They train as hard as professionals but don’t do it for a living. They’ve very much in the mould of the original Olympians of the modern era.

In my researches into lgbt sports I have come across many athletes whose professions are far removed from the sport in which they compete. It’s worth looking at some of them. What they all prove is that you don’t need to be a professional athlete to succeed in sports, and the job you do shouldn’t dictate what sport you play. 

Quite a few Gay Games athletes work in the sports industry – as coaches or personals trainers, etc. – and some are professional or retired athletes. I won’t mention them today. In order to present this list I chose one letter of the alphabet at random and went through my Gay Games database to find 30 medallists whose professions are quite different from their sport. A large proportion of them have also competed in the Outgames and the EuroGames. Although it’s a varied list it doesn’t include other professions I could mention if I chose another letter, like US Ambassador, priest, gay porn actor, or Emmy-winning casting director. 

The athlete’s name is followed by their main profession and then the sport in which they won their medal/s. 

Walter Baardemans – journalist - badminton

Eduardo Luis Bahamon – cytogeneticist - diving

Cara Balboni - clinical social worker - in-line skating

Lenora Barot – ex-Prof. of Plastic Surgery, now writer of lesbian romances - martial arts

Orlando Barsallo – make-up artist - bodybuilding

Jarrett Basedow – international aid worker - tennis

Lynn (Allwyn) Baskin – actor - figure skating

Alec Bates – chemistry professor - cycling

Sybille Bauriedl – political and environmental ecologist - table tennis

Kevin Batungbacal – real estate agent – beach volleyball

Alexandra Bayliss – archaeologist – dancesport

Terry Bean – political fundraiser and lgbt rights pioneer – golf

Elizabeth Bellinger – school teacher – swimming

Steven Berveling – barrister - cycling

George Birimisa – playwright and actor – bodybuilding

Roger Blenman – poet and spoken-word artist - wrestling

Reggie Blennerhasset – university Pro Vice-Chancellor – sailing

Bruce Bornfleth – doctor – swimming

Keith Boykin – White House aide to President Clinton - wrestling

Kevin Brauer – registered nurse – ice hockey

Carter Bravmann – architect – cycling

Emma Jane Brennan – photographer - swimming

Rosina Bruno – journalist - tennis

Salvador Burgaleta – architect - swimming

Kristopher Burrell – Assistant Professor of History - wrestling

Jana Burton – maths teacher - athletics

Wolfgang Busch – film-maker – table tennis

Toby Butterfield – law lecturer – squash

Todd Buttery – lgbt festival organiser - swimming 

Finally, and with a note of congratulations to double gold-winning marathon runner – Jake Bartholomy, a physical therapist. He and his husband, Dr. Justin Goodman, became the proud fathers of a son, Park Bartholomy Goodman, on 30^th May.