Our 2018 calendar of walking and bus tours will soon be announced! We also welcome requests for special-themed tours , private tours and all kinds of collaborations – get in touch with us at queertoursoflondon@gmail.com
Queer Tours of London – A Mince Through Time – 2017 Review and what’s in store for 2018!
2017 has been a landmark year as the 50th anniversary of the passing of the ‘Sexual Offences Act’ and we have certainly made the most of this year to continue the journey for sexual freedom. Led alongside ‘East London Strippers Collective’ we launched the year with ‘Look Back in Pride’ to learn from our history. This led ‘Queer Tours of London – A Mince Through Time’ to bring forth the visibility of our incredible sexual revolutionary community – to harness our history for change today. Against the backdrop of the mass closure of LGBTQI, women’s and sexually dissident cultural spaces and support services, this supports current sex-positive activism, culture and performance in all its glory.
We have been honoured to collaborate with institutions and social movements in every corner of London. 2017 highlights include Rebel Dykes ‘Brixton Dykes on the Rampage’, the African Rainbow Family on LGBT+ Migrant rights; crawling up the House of Lords to commemorate radical sexual freedom history; agitating queer venues to become more accessible; successfully helping win back queer venues – see here for reviews. Actions this year have involved crawling up the House of Lords to commemorate radical sexual freedom history, agitating queer venues to become more accessible, demanding a permanent museum to celebrate sexual freedom, organised ‘pretty police’ orgies in the bushes, called for a full apology not just a pardon for queers, paid tribute to the stories of those sexual deviants untold, launched ‘Unfinished Business – LGBTQIA+ Voices of the Revolution’ festival and tore up the streets of London in drag on the ‘Bang Bus’ – and so much more to commemorate the 50th anniversary.
2018 is the 30th anniversary of when our Government introduced ‘Section 28’ which banned the promotion of queer lifestyles in schools. Next year we will reclaim the teaching of queer culture because as queer people we refuse to ever be silenced. Today we are louder and prouder than ever before. Can we, as queer people, take charge of this education?
So in 2018 come and learn about central London’s rich history of LGBTQIA+ arts, activism, sass, cabaret, resistance, oppression and much more! We tell the stories of London’s queer history, shedding light on the lives, spaces, identities, repression and resistance that form the backdrop of LGBTQIA+ lives today through educational, accessible and interactive walking tours, cabarets and performance-art that bring life to the complexities and lived experiences of our history, present and vision for the future. Find out more at www.queertoursoflondon.com
“London’s LGBTQ+ heritage is rich, diverse and important: but is often hidden and in danger of being forgotten. Our collaborations with Queer Tours are energetic, hopeful and vital explorations of this history.” Tom Furber and Jan Pimblett – London Metropolitan Archives
“Queer Tours provides a vital, enthralling and entertaining glance into an oft-ignored aspect of London’s history. This is a must-do for not just the LGBT+ community, but everyone interested in this city’s cultural landscape!” Emma Kroeger, Dalston Superstore – Marketing & Bookings Coordinator