Christopher Owens ✒ The passage of time can do wonders for your perspective.


Matters that once seemed urgent, important and all-encompassing are now long forgotten, while the sense of hope and optimism that ran through a movement with a united goal can seem quaint today in light of a group of lesbians being removed from Cardiff Pride over allegations of transphobia.

Of course, there will always be factions when it comes to a large movement. But there has to be some common ground and some clearly defined ideas, otherwise the movement becomes an amorphous blob that means well but is susceptible to outside influence and ever shifting public opinion. A bit like Sinn Fein.

Published in 1998, this book is a neat little time capsule. Depicting a scrappy upstart organisation (founded by Peter Tatchell, Simon Watney and Chris Woods) who punched well above their weight in the early days (attacking the police for arresting gay men when a record number of them were being attacked, staging ‘kiss-ins’ to protest about laws around kissing in public, protesting against Benneton over their hugely misunderstood advert) before descending into a peer pressure group for Tatchell.

Somewhat scattershot in terms of narrative (there are numerous quotes from people where they speak about events in such a way that implies that the reader is familiar with every aspect of what is being discussed), it’s still easy enough to follow and enjoy, especially whenever the various disagreements emerge. Nothing like left wing in-fighting: issues that are the minutiae of an overall movement lead to splits and denunciations!

Of particular interest is the story about ‘outing’ various members of the Church of England and the Houses of Parliament. While it’s made clear that this tactic was hotly debated within Outrage!, it is deemed a partial success whenever Bishop Hope (London Bishop for the Church of England) admitted that his sexuality was something of a “grey area”.

However, the Belfast Telegraph picked up a rumour that an Ulster MP was on the list to be outed (which was blamed by some on Tatchell teasing the press with tidbits) and said MP (Ulster Popular Unionist Party MP James Kilfedder, whose order to remove the tricolour from Divis Street in 1966 inadvertently became one of the milestones that would lead to conflict) was subsequently named by the paper. The same day, Kilfedder died of a heart attack en route to London. Although it’s tricky to say for definite that the two events are linked, it does bring home that ‘outing’ people can have consequences.

Something that should be considered by gossip columnists and bored Twitter users.

Closing with the election of the Blair government, and the gradual winding down of the campaign in favour of a shift towards a general LGBT outlook (meaning that the various communities were grouped together in favour of a ‘united we stand’ approach), various members reflect on their time in Outrage!: most feel that they did make a change and that the direct action meant that they had to be taken seriously, as opposed to the likes of Stonewall (who are derided by various commentators throughout the book as an ineffective, milktoast organisation). A smaller amount suggests that the focus on gay culture and lifestyle ended up being part of the problem as it led to a segregationist attitude among some. It’s a shame this angle wasn’t explored in further detail as it is an accusation that has been levelled at several LGBT groups over the last ten years and a contemporaneous discussion of the matter would be fascinating.

A relic of a different time, certainly. But one that should still be read to not only remember what those who came before us had to go through, but also as a reminder of how once potent organisations have the potential to be derailed through in-fighting and impotent actions.

Ian Lucas, 1998, Outrage!: An Oral History. Cassell. ISBN-13: 978-0304333585

⏩ Christopher Owens was a reviewer for Metal Ireland and finds time to study the history and inherent contradictions of Ireland. He is currently the TPQ Friday columnist.

Outrage! ✑ An Oral History

Christopher Owens ✒ The passage of time can do wonders for your perspective.


Matters that once seemed urgent, important and all-encompassing are now long forgotten, while the sense of hope and optimism that ran through a movement with a united goal can seem quaint today in light of a group of lesbians being removed from Cardiff Pride over allegations of transphobia.

Of course, there will always be factions when it comes to a large movement. But there has to be some common ground and some clearly defined ideas, otherwise the movement becomes an amorphous blob that means well but is susceptible to outside influence and ever shifting public opinion. A bit like Sinn Fein.

Published in 1998, this book is a neat little time capsule. Depicting a scrappy upstart organisation (founded by Peter Tatchell, Simon Watney and Chris Woods) who punched well above their weight in the early days (attacking the police for arresting gay men when a record number of them were being attacked, staging ‘kiss-ins’ to protest about laws around kissing in public, protesting against Benneton over their hugely misunderstood advert) before descending into a peer pressure group for Tatchell.

Somewhat scattershot in terms of narrative (there are numerous quotes from people where they speak about events in such a way that implies that the reader is familiar with every aspect of what is being discussed), it’s still easy enough to follow and enjoy, especially whenever the various disagreements emerge. Nothing like left wing in-fighting: issues that are the minutiae of an overall movement lead to splits and denunciations!

Of particular interest is the story about ‘outing’ various members of the Church of England and the Houses of Parliament. While it’s made clear that this tactic was hotly debated within Outrage!, it is deemed a partial success whenever Bishop Hope (London Bishop for the Church of England) admitted that his sexuality was something of a “grey area”.

However, the Belfast Telegraph picked up a rumour that an Ulster MP was on the list to be outed (which was blamed by some on Tatchell teasing the press with tidbits) and said MP (Ulster Popular Unionist Party MP James Kilfedder, whose order to remove the tricolour from Divis Street in 1966 inadvertently became one of the milestones that would lead to conflict) was subsequently named by the paper. The same day, Kilfedder died of a heart attack en route to London. Although it’s tricky to say for definite that the two events are linked, it does bring home that ‘outing’ people can have consequences.

Something that should be considered by gossip columnists and bored Twitter users.

Closing with the election of the Blair government, and the gradual winding down of the campaign in favour of a shift towards a general LGBT outlook (meaning that the various communities were grouped together in favour of a ‘united we stand’ approach), various members reflect on their time in Outrage!: most feel that they did make a change and that the direct action meant that they had to be taken seriously, as opposed to the likes of Stonewall (who are derided by various commentators throughout the book as an ineffective, milktoast organisation). A smaller amount suggests that the focus on gay culture and lifestyle ended up being part of the problem as it led to a segregationist attitude among some. It’s a shame this angle wasn’t explored in further detail as it is an accusation that has been levelled at several LGBT groups over the last ten years and a contemporaneous discussion of the matter would be fascinating.

A relic of a different time, certainly. But one that should still be read to not only remember what those who came before us had to go through, but also as a reminder of how once potent organisations have the potential to be derailed through in-fighting and impotent actions.

Ian Lucas, 1998, Outrage!: An Oral History. Cassell. ISBN-13: 978-0304333585

⏩ Christopher Owens was a reviewer for Metal Ireland and finds time to study the history and inherent contradictions of Ireland. He is currently the TPQ Friday columnist.

12 comments:

  1. How interesting. I didn't know that about Kilfedder, and the UCB thing passed me by also.

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    1. I'm forever intrigued how certain events are (in my view, conveniently) memory-holed whenever they do not comfortably fit with a narrative.

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    2. And don't forget the Mandela Effect!

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  2. Re Bennetton, I've got the slightest hint of a memory of something, but hard to say if it's a memory of the photo in question rather than the ad. I certainly remember the mobile phone network 121 using political commentary in its ad campaigns - possibly a footballer saying he'd like to have a '121' with Nelson Mandela. Rory Bremner did a wonderful parody of it.

    At uni, I remember studying a paper which outlined the case against gay marriage made by some gay men - basically saying they had a distinct culture of their own and didn't need or want marriage, which was a heterosexual norm. I think it was called sexual citizenship, and it was part of a Queer Theory module. At the time, I remember thinking that QT was the ultimate academic subject as it was too far removed from activism or affecting change. That point of view has been robustly challenged in recent years.

    The response to Tatchell's election campaign retains capacity to shock I think.

    This conversation reminded me of Brass Eye with Tatchell https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pIE3e9JtI_0

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    1. I don't have any memory of it (being 5 years old in 1992) but I became aware of it through reading about Diamanda Galas burning it at every gig she played that year. While it seems utterly tasteless (reminiscent of the sort of advert seen in Robocop 2), reading the family's take on it gave me a newfound appreciation for it.

      What you discuss re. gay marriage really gets to the heart of the dichotomy that exists at the heart of the LGBT movement: do you want equal rights or special rights? It can't be both.

      Brass Eye, possibly the most bold and daring show of the last 25 years. Chris Morris is the man.

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  3. Some good points here Christopher about the effects of outing - there is something of the bullying to it

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    1. I can see Tatchell's point that, if closeted people are voting or saying things that hinder gays, outing them can be fair game. But there are limits.

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    2. I can see it too as there was a purpose. I would worry when the motive becomes vindictive which I think you allude to when referencing Twitter users.

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  4. Does the book mention the other hangers on, in the Pedophile Information Exchange (PIE), and their attempt to gain legitimacy via proxy using the LGBTI movement?

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    1. No, as PIE had disbanded by 1984 (whereas the book starts in 1990).

      There is mention of the Revolutionary Communist Party attempting to infiltrate Outrage, which caused division whenever Outrage members kicked over the RCP stall at Pride in 1990.

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    2. Thanks Chris I always enjoy your reviews.

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    3. I think he is a brilliant reviewer

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