Canal Street Fights Back?

How to fight back against the invasion of Hen and Stag Parties and heterosexual 'Zoo' visitors to Manchester's Canal Street?  We know it's a problem from the research of Skeggs and Moran among others, and we know that the Equality Act makes discrimination impossible.  Here's a rather brilliant solution currently on the doors at Via...

Cruising in Manchester: Operation Limehouse

The excellent Lesbian and Gay Foundation website features a news item for gay men' in Manchester - particularly those men who use the Rochdale Canal towpath for cruising.  The Canal runs through the City and the Gay Village (as the name 'Canal Street' might suggest) and has a long history of cruising and an often uneasy policing history.

This story is striking for not saying 'stop cruising' (which previous press releases from GMP have suggested) but rather focusing upon the issue of safety.  For me, this is a commendable shift in emphasis but even this story reflects the uneasy line that the Police find themselves walking when it comes to policing cruising locations.

The news item begins with context, noting that: 'The Canal’ has long been a popular cruising ground but city centre regeneration schemes have caused an increase in complaints about ‘public decency’ due to the fact that many people live and work in the area.'

So we begin with a  reminder of the price of gentrification.  As the Canal Street area has become redeveloped, new apartments, businesses and even a school move in.  This means that people might witness homosexuals or men engaging in acts regarded as 'homosexual'.  It's a gay space, in which gay visibility must conform to certain - sometimes regarded as heterosexist - norms.  Cruising become defined as an act of historical desperation.  An affront to our new liberal assimulationist society.  The absolute failure to assert a "we were here first" or "this is a queer space"  philosophy within Canal Street continues to result in a high cultural  and - as we increasingly see - legal price.

The story then goes into a pretty hardline section, revealing the purpose of Operation Limehouse:  PC Sam Tennant of the Village Neighbourhood policing team based at Bootle Street, Manchester says:

"Over the last few months, officers from Operation Limehouse - which has been established to help address an increase in reports of Anti-Social Behaviour along the Rochdale Canal tow-path - have spoken with many people at Piccadilly Basin Undercroft, providing them with crime prevention advice and have found the vast majority of people are willing to discuss matters with Police.

"However, there has been a persistent minority that seems determined to continue with illegal activity in the area.

"In the early hours of Saturday 18th February 2012, two arrests were made where one of accused was detained under suspicion of offences of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Assault Police, Section 47 Assault and Outraging Public Decency. The other male was arrested under suspicion of Outraging Public Decency.

"Whilst the first male has subsequently been charged for the aforementioned offences, the second admitted his actions at the scene and as a result was de-arrested, receiving a Caution for his behaviour. 

"Operation Limehouse will continue and Police (in uniform and plain clothes) will continue to engage with the public in this location and anyone found to be taking part in illegal activity will be liable for arrest."

So, in order to protect you, we will arrest you is the faintly barmy policing reality that affects men as part of this operation.  The Police have clearly tried softly softly, and men - shock horror - continue to want to have sex in these dangerous locations despite the risks that are presented to them.  At the same time, people are complaining - although the Police don't provide figures - about the men cruising the towpath.

To some extent, I'm reminded of Lord Denning in Miller v Jackson which involved people who lived in houses adjacent to a  cricket club complaining about cricket balls inadvertently landing in the neighbouring properties.  You might think - as Lord Denning did - that if you buy a property next to a cricket club that it's reasonable to expect the occasional sound of leather on willow and cricket ball on conservatory window.  Similarly, if one chooses to buy an apartment in a gay village, overlooking a cruising site used for over a hundred years for men to engage in sexual encounters, that the occasional moment of erotic naughtiness is likely to be witnessed.  However, just as Denning found himself expressing a dissenting view, so too do I in our current sexual paradigm.

The news story goes on to suggest that if you really must ignore us and continue having sex, please don't let anyone see you - as that's the key bit legally.  A bit more on this and the question of safety would have been welcomed.

Operation Limehouse is once again a reminder - for I am struck by how many people need reminding and for whom this comes as a surprise - that policing resources continue to be deployed in the policing of men engaging in consensual sex in long-established ephemeral public sex cultural locations.  Moreover, Limehouse reminds us of the competing agenda relating to safety, nuisance and equality that the Police must seek to navigate.

Read the full story here.

This Stupid Little Street

Off to Manchester tomorrow for our annual field trip (steady the buffers, we're on our way).  Hugely excited to be hearing from Greater Manchester Police and their approach to policing in the Village - and the priorities that they currently face (I understand sex work/prostitution to be a key 'issue' at the moment).

The Lesbian and Gay Foundation have also been generous enough (mad enough?) to have us back to their gorgeous HQ at the heart of the Village for a chat about their work.  I will as ever be giving the students my socio-legal walkabout around the village (so if you see us, say hello), and my optional more general walkabout on history, culture and sexuality (Hacienda, raves, Marxism, Liberalism, the Suffragettes, Coronation Street).   Some of us will also be off to Canal Street on Monday night but I feel far too old and fat for such escapades these day (a theme that Stephen Whittle has written about more generally).  Yes, I am essentially a mildly intoxicated tour guide for two days.  Fun times.

I ask my students to watch the UK series' of Queer as Folk before the trip, because the series was so important and it offers so many strands of discussion.  A scene towards the end of Queer as Folk 2 encapsulates so much about the Village, but I can't find any video clips of it to embed (if you can find it, please add a link in a comment).  Instead, I offer the quote below which makes up the key scene:

"What, come back to this? The ghetto: alleyways stinking of piss, beggars in every doorway, straights and students coming to look at the freak show, and all the idiots saving all week, saving their stupid money from their stupid idiot jobs so they can come and shoot their load with some stranger. And just you look after it, this stupid little street. It's the middle of the world. Cos on a street like this, every single night, anyone can meet anyone. And every single night, someone meets someone."

- Stuart Jones, Queer As Folk 2

UPDATE - located the scene...here you go (1.29 onwards is they key bit)

 

Follow Friday: Canal Street

This week my special Follow Friday mention goes to @canalstmancs - the Twitter account for Canal Street.  It includes lots of brilliant information about events/venues on and around Canal Street, Manchester.  Next week also sees the annual Manchester field-trip for my law and sexuality class - look out Canal Street!

Don't forget, you can see all my special Follow Friday mentions by clicking the 'follow friday' tab below.

Polari, Canal Street and Those Pesky L Plates

Via - once Via Fossa - is to become 'Polari'.  One of Manchester's best-known Canal Street venues decries the change as a 'nip and tuck', with a series of tweak that sound like an attempt to shift 'up market'.  They've announced that there will be no dance music or pop, and instead they will have a live pianist and vocalist with a classical/jazz theme depending on the night.

I was particularly struck by their door policy description (keep in mind they have to comply with the Equality Act in the same way that a 'straight bar' can't exclude 'gay' customers).  They state:

'We like others are investing in our Gay Village and we will still be a straight friendly GAY venue and we will be continuing with our policy of No Fancy Dress and No Bunny Ears we do not cater for Hen Parties or Stag Nights because after all we are a gay space in the gay village not Blackpool seafront.'

Poor Blackpool (although it's an absolutely true observation).  It seems Via is the latest venue to re-iterate that they are a 'gay venue'.  When they say 'straight friendly', it's essentially to say they will comply with the law.  They can be straight unfriendly I suppose but not down and out opposed.  They can however, control dress-policy and the re-iteration of their existing policy of excluding hen and stag parties highlights that these parties remain an issue of the village - an issue that was notably highlighted in the important research of Bev Skeggs, Les Moran and others.  A must read for students interested in queer space.

LGF Homo Hero Video

Hot on the heels of the LGF 2011 Homo Hero Awards, the wonderful organisation has produced a little video highlighting their work and activities/projects.  There's a really nice bit at the end with all the team.  Special shout outs to Adam who kindly took time out to speak to Law and Sexuality students last year during a Manchester field trip (ginger, glasses and talking to the camera) and also Darren who (small world) I was at high-school with (hands behind his head, leaning back - a pose he often struck in GCSE business studies).

There are always going to be things that academics, commentators and campaigners nit pick and moan about with organisations such as LGF but it's important not to lose sight of the fact we - all of us - are better for the existence of organisations such as LGF.  So thank you guys.

 

A Bit of Drama

This is something of a treat; the Canal St website have teamed up with Made in Manchester to publish a series of gay drama podcasts on their website.  The first episode, currently available here, is Rock, which sees West End star Michael Xavier play Rock while the incomparable Bette Bourne is his agent Henry Willson. Hudson was one of the biggest screen idols of his generation, but, due to his secret gay life, his career was perpetually under threat from the press. This engaging audio drama brings the seamy world of Hollywood's 50s heyday vividly to life and reveals how Rock Hudson - his name, his appearance and even his voice, was shaped for his audience. This drama comes almost 26 years since we lost Rock Hudson to AIDS in 1985.

The series continues with these three episodes:

Turing's Test 

Written by Made in Manchester writers Phil Collinge and Andy Lord, this drama examines the scientist's legacy in the field of artificial intelligence and the personal tragedy of his suicide through a deathbed dialogue with a "machine" played by actor Paul Kendrick who starred in the BBC4 film about the Wolfenden Report which eventually led to the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1968. Available from 26th Sept to 2nd Oct.

Undone

Chad McGitchie and Badcheck Productions play about surviving the village is adapted for radio by Made in Manchester and takes a look at how one young man tries to navigate his way through relationships, lovers and friends via the labyrinth of Manchester's gay scene. Available from 3rd Oct to 9th Oct.

Death in Genoa

In 1895, writer, wit and raconteur Oscar Wilde was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for gross indeceny with a number of young men. On his release, he settled on the continent under the name of Sebastian Melmoth. He wrote to his wife, Constance, but he saw neither her, nor his two young sons, again. The drama imagines what Wilde might have got up to in Italy during a visit to his wife's grave in Genoa. Available from 10th Oct to 16th Oct.

Follow Friday: Manchester Pride

Last week I announced that I'd be selecting one group or individual for a special twitter 'follow Friday' shout-out. This week it goes to @manchesterpride who are busy launching a fantastic ten day festival as I type. You can get full details on Pride 2011 on their website here, and you can also download a brilliant App to your smartphone (which I'm currently playing with).

This a special celebratory 21st for the festival - an amazing achievement and extraordinary when you reflect upon how it's changed. The organisation isn't just about a once a year party however, and they recently launched a fantastic Out in the Past website which you can check out here.

Riots, Queer Space & The Ties That Hold Us Together

The story that has dominated the media in the last few days has obviously been that of the UK riots and one of the last phases of this mass disorder were the Manchester riots. The new coverage focused on Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens with Sky (I think) featuring a live feed opposite the Britannia Hotel as they moved into Portland Street. Off camera, they went on to near-by Canal Street, the centre of the gay village in Manchester.

Twitter and Facebook swirled with rumours that Canal Street was under attack with conflicting reports. Some saying they were there and could see it being attacked, others saying they could see Canal Street and it wasn't. Once I saw a photo (which I can't now find online), I tweeted that it did indeed look as if it was under attack - but others remained unconvinced.

Nonetheless, I was immediately struck by the tweets from all over the country from those who regarded this as attacking 'their' space. Gay men (and it was just men but that probably reflects my followers) and seemed to say "oh no" in a way that other riots around the country didn't cause the same personal attack. The Village acts as not only an attractive tourist destination for many gay men and women but also acts as a symbol of queer space. There is a sense of ownership that crosses geographical boundaries and says something about the queer ties that hold us together.

Manto's on Canal Street was my first gay bar and I remember bravely going in on my own, feeling I had crossed some invisible but powerful force-field into another world. I remember sitting upstairs in what was an ultra trendy venue with tall lime green tables upstairs (remember them?) in the very spot that had featured weeks earlier in Channel 4's Queer as Folk. As I paid, I was given the bill on a saucer with a mini bar of dairy milk (these seemed like opulence gone mad to the Lancashire lsd that I was) as a slightly rotund older man said words along the liens of "There's something to have a suck on, I bet a young lad like you would love to suck on other things". I was a slim, tanned, mildly cocky teen and as disturbed as I was, I also immediately wanted to go back to this magical space. It was a space that combined humour and wit with sexual tension. It was, and is a hunting ground of intense looks, subtle gestures and tantalising promise.

The important symbolic visit of a gay bar means that these spaces hold a special importance to us as gay men and women. Even today, there is something about crossing that threshold into queer space and feeling a sense of belonging, of community. When it is attacked, we are attacked.

The Lesbian and Gay Foundation reported that Village venues: Churchills, View, Via, The REM Bar, and Tribeca all sustained damage. Olive Deli on Sackville Street was the victim of widespread damage and looting and the Probation Centre at the very top of Canal Street also had windows put through, whilst a burnt out shell of a van on was seen on Minshull Street Car Park opposite Essential night club.

Businesses were quickly back to normal and Bent magazine reports today that plans continue as normal for Pride alter this month.

Meanwhile, I have a suggestion for what the gay 'community' should produce the next time someone threatens our space. Check it out below...

The Withering of Queer Space?

WBEZ, the Chicago based media company has a superb webpage with a radio recording, video footage, pictures and detailed analysis exploring the growing issue of violence in Boystown - the LGBT neighbourhood. Read it all here - a must for my law students (who will hopefully read this in the next academic search after searching the blog!).

It comes as the Manchester scene continues to wrestle with growing tensions with the influx of heterosexuals invading the village (excellent research by Moran and Skeggs et al on this). Liverpool seems in long-term debate over greater attempts by the council to promote a queer space as a destination (and with it the potential problems that Manchester faces). In the north -east Newcastle continues to struggle to grow and is all too grim despite the best efforts of some, and would be grateful to face the issues that Liverpool and Manchester face. Middlesbrough appears to have a small but successful queer community, if not the same clear 'village' whilst Sunderland is still no-where, although there continue to be sporadic efforts.

Back in the US, San Francisco's Castro has seen sky-high house prices continue to push out LGBT citizens in favour of richer heterosexuals and as locals there tell me the Castro is struggling economically - the closure of A Different Light bookstore earlier this year being one depressing example.

Together, they show that whilst the problems vary, queer spaces beyond Chicago are facing growing crises of identity and function. The socio-legal change of the last twenty years has brought with it new challenges to our cultural geography; changes that we need to recognise and respond to before it's too late.

Appeal: Calling Manchester Folks

Don't panic, this isn't one of those "just £2 a month" adverts as I peer into the camera with puppy eyes. Well, not quite anyway. Regular readers will know I run an annual field trip to Manchester as part of my final year LLB Law and Sexuality module. It's going to be 7/8th November this year and I'm looking for some friendly Manchester organisations and individuals who'll talk to us about anything and everything related to sexuality (it needn't be overtly 'legal') as I'm interested in the wider sociological context that the law operates within. It will be around 20/25 people inclusive of myself and a colleague. I'd love to get us into a sauna one year but such are the extensive opening hours these days that it doesn't seem practical (more girls than boys in the cohort and can't be walking around while men are mid fellatio - the university isn't terribly keen on that featuring as an organised aspect of field trips for some reason).

Anyway, if you know of anyone who'd be interested in helping us out/talking some more or you are that person, please get in touch: chris.ashford@sunderland.ac.uk or on Twitter: @lawandsexuality

I'll no doubt throw some help requests out nearer the time but I thought I'd get one in early!

Queer Space and Commercial Blues

The ebb and flow of venues and trade (in ever sense) from Manchester's Canal Street always attracts a lot of attention and is seen as a key indicator in the struggle for spatial identity, attracting considerable academic and media coverage over the years. Mancunian resident and self-styled trolley dolly, Mickie Lawson discusses the current situation on his blog. As much as I enjoy the blog, I do wonder whether the praise for Nicksy and Essential is a reflection of Mickie's desire for publicity and getting another appearance on Nicksy's show. How are other Mancs finding things on Canal Street? Post your thoughts in comments. Check out Mickie's thoughts here.

It will be interesting how the ongoing economic difficulties will affect queer commercial spaces up and down the UK, and if leads to a lasting shift in spatial identity.

Pride, Social Documentary and Jumping the Paywall

The Sunday Times Spectrum section is always enjoyable and this week features three photographs from Elaine Stapleton taken at Manchester Pride earlier this year. The photographs feature gay men dressed as anti-gay protesters and it's a rather wonderful satire. Annoyingly I can't link to the images as Murdoch wants you to pay to access them. The flaw in this is that they are freely available (with more pics, and in full colour) on the Manchester Pride website. You can check them all out here and I've included a couple above.

Manchester Bound

Wow, it's almost that time of year when my Law and Sexuality students head off to Manchester for their annual field trip. We'll be in the city next Tuesday/Wednesday and I'm so grateful to the Lesbian and Gay Foundation (LGF) for sparing some time to chat to us about their important work such as the excellent Enough is Enough campaign (check out details and their video here).

Councillor Paul Fairweather has also generously agreed to give up some time to talk to us down at the Town hall. Paul is Lead Members Gay Men’s Issues on Manchester City Council and has a long track-record as community activist.

I'll also be leading my usual walkabouts so if you're in the city and see us about, say hello. For students reading this, don't forget that there's lots of material/videos on Manchester - just search 'Manchester' in the search box on the top right hand side.

Party Conference Season and a Tory Future

As the Political Party Conference season goes into its final week, it’s interesting to note how the two main parties have addressed the sexuality agenda. I have to confess, I didn’t pick anything up from the Lib Dems but anyone wants to add a comment on that stuff, feel free.

Michael Cashman MEP did briefly address the LGBT agenda at the Labour Party Conference, criticising the Tory apology over Section 28 as simply not good enough. His anger is understandable but will not translate to a generation who has never heard of Section 28. Generations of youth can not remember a time before the tolerance that defines the law in relation to aspects of sexuality today. Harriet Harman’s charge was similarly focussed on the Tories – stating they oppose LGBT rights. Of course, it’s an untrue statement but she is right to question the Tory commitment to gay rights and the shape of those rights in coming years if they win the next election. Harman noted Labour’s annual Diversity evening and suggested the Tories couldn’t do anything similar. She also commented on sex work and I’ve addressed that in the previous post.

The Tories will be having a big bash on Canal Street during their conference this week. The event claims to be the first ‘official conference gay night’ but TORCHE (the old Tory campaign group active in the 90s) used to hold fringe gatherings at conferences (maybe that wasn’t official?). This event is further supported by LGBTory – launched at Manchester Pride earlier in the year with the slogan ‘Conservative and Proud’. You would have been shot 13 years ago with T-shirts like that. Pictures of the group reveal two things – one they are young, and secondly, they don’t look the Tory stereo-types of old. This is important in gradually changing the look and feel of a party that is criticised by others for making only small changes at the top of the leadership.

If the Tories do win next year (as now seems likely), there remain big questions about the future shape of a sexuality agenda, potentially over the next decade.. BDSM and fetish continues to be punished by laws and does not appear to have a lobbying group that has made it to the conference circuit. It may well be, that only when that lobby trades in their leather and rubber suits, they will be taken seriously. I don’t see a Tory government moving on that issue but will they be any worse than Labour? The wider issue will be one of attitudes led by legal reform. Contrast the law and attitudes of 1997 with 2009. In 2023, will attitudes have shifted by a similar degree?

Pre-Module Filmography

If you’re starting LAW326 or LAWM28 in 2009/10 and you are particularly enthusiastic, you might want to spend the final few weeks of the summer break taking a look at these films/TV shows. I’ve put them in order of use for the module, and it’s a pretty easy way to familiarise yourself with some of the socio-legal themes we will explore on the modules:

Angels in America (TV show of a play – 6hrs). This gives a good overview of issues and is is great for exploring identity and power.

Queer as Folk UK (two series, only need series 1) Landmark 90s drama set in Manchester which amongst its various achievements, mainstreamed awareness of the word 'rimming' (watch episode 1). All episodes available for free via 4 On Demand. Click here. You should watch this series before the Manchester Field Trip.

Milk (film) Dramatisation of the life of Harvey Milk. You should watch this film before the San Francisco Field Trip (LAW326 only).

The Life and Times of Harvey Milk (film). This is a documentary but worth a watch before the SF field trip.

Irina Palm (film) Addresses sex work.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (film) (pictured right) Explores trans and identity issues in a musical.

The Laramie Project (film) Drama of a real life project followign the murder of Matthew Shepard.

Victim (film) Classic film exploring blackmail in 50s Britain.

The Children’s Hour (film) One of the first films to explore lesbianism and prejudice.

Rick and Steve (TV – two series) (bottom picture) Series 2 currently showing on E4. Animated comedy take on modern gay life.

Brokeback Mountain. Surely no introduction needed? Gay cow boys.

The L Word (ongoing –several series to date, dip into) Kind of a lesbian 'Queer as Folk'.

Queer as Folk USA (5 series) (top picture) US version of UK series. Worth dipping into.

Channel 4 has released lots of interesting and useful documentaries on 4OD. Take a look here.

If you’ve worked through all these and would like further suggestions, give me a shout. If you think there's something that should be recommended, and I've missed it off, just click the 'comment' link below and add your suggestion. There's a slight delay in comments appearing as they are all moderated.

Canal Street

Interesting little snippet in the latest Pink Paper (14 May) about the changes to Canal Street geography in Manchester. A new rail is being erected and glass fencing to prevent people falling into the canal together with enhanced lighting. We'll be back in November for the annual module field trip so we can take a look then unless I manage to make it before then or make the Big Weekend in August. What's not clear reading the article is the extent of the lighting. It will be interesting to see if it continues to the far end of Canal Street and the canal itself which is a cruising zone and if that area has lighting enhanced whether the cruising will be moved and where to.

Engels and Feminism

I listened to an interesting Start the Week on Monday. The programme can be listened to here. It features a discussion about Friedrich Engels which includes his experiences in Manchester (L&S students past and present will remember some key sites from the Manchester field trip). The key talking head on the subject is Tristram Hunt who also has an article in the Guardian today questioning Engels' approach to feminism and asking whether he is feminism's friend or foe. It makes for an interesting read and can be viewed here.

Military Pride Documentary

The Imperial War Museum North and Manchester Pride have worked together to produce and make available this wonderful documentary entitled 'Military Pride' looking at the rarely discussed issue of being gay int he army prior to the lift on the ban in 2000 (in contrast to the continued 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy in the USA). You can view the video here. It is deeply touching and incredibly informative.

Manchester Field Trip

Don't forget it's our Newcastle walkabout this Thursday (11am outside the Central Station). Next week some of you will be joining me on our field trip to Manchester (8am Thursday 13th outside the Reg Vardy Building). There's more info on SunSpace including details on hotels (make sure you've booked!). In the meantime, hopefully you've found some of the Manchester materials on this blog. If not, here's a bit of a summary. You can view a brief overview of Canal Street and some of the history of the area here. You can view a video promoting one club on Canal Street and see a blog post exploring identity here. Those of you with memories might recall the famous 'gay kiss' in Coronation Street (the Manchester based soap) and you can view those clips here. You can view a Pink Planet guide to Manchester here and see a post/video exploring community tensions here. You can view some pictures from last year on the Flickr link at the side of the blog. Enjoy!