This LGBT History Month, we premiered our upcoming educational short film about the impact of the criminalisation of homosexuality in Scotland: ‘Never Going Back’.
Attendees included guests from our key partners and affiliated organisations, former and current teachers, current and former MPs and MSPs, and long-term friends and supporters of the charity.
The premiere was hosted by Graham Stewart, TV Presenter, and included an introduction from our Co-Founder and Director Liam Stevenson, who commissioned the film.
LGBT Inclusive Education is life changing and affirming for so many young people.
From the children with two mummies or daddies who feel more confident to speak about their family in the classroom, or the LGBT young people who see themselves reflected in their learning, to those who we give the chance to build empathy and understanding about other people and families that happen to be different from them.
This film was produced following several discussions about LGBT history with young people. The title ‘Never Going Back’ was chosen by a young person who took part in one of the pilot sessions of the film almost two years ago.
‘Never Going Back’ is not guaranteed - not now, and not in the future. ‘Never Going Back’ is a statement of solidarity, a marker that we put down, our promise and our commitment to LGBT people young and old, on this day and every other day."
The film explores the history and impact of the criminalisation of homosexuality in Scotland. Until 1981, same-sex relationships between men were a criminal offence in Scotland. This could include kissing or ‘chatting up’ another man in a public place – which was known as “importuning”.
To understand the impact of this, we spoke with four people who were alive at the time to hear their stories. The result is a short educational film titled ‘Never Going Back’ which includes perspectives about the last four decades of LGBT rights in Scotland, from the era of criminalisation to the passage of the Historical Sexual Offences (Pardons and Disregards) Bill 2018, which provided pardons to men unjustly convicted of homosexuality.
Following the premiere, a Q&A was held with two of its participants: Jim Whannel, a former retired teacher, headteacher, local education adviser and gay rights campaigner, and Sigrid Nielsen co-founder of ‘Lavender Menace’ which opened in August 1982 as Scotland’s first lesbian and gay bookshop.
During the Q&A, the participants took questions and reflections from the audience and built on the stories they shared in the film. The night was rounded off with a set by comedian and our charity patron Susie McCabe, who also shared her experiences growing up as a lesbian in Glasgow with the audience.
I think for me, it's the reminder of the struggle. The reminder that the struggle's never over.
But also the reminder that people came before you in this community and they smoothed the path for you to get equality and I think you need to harness their experience, and we can be sad about it and go "this was terrible", or we can actually just watch it and go "the bravery" - and I think I'm going to go with the bravery."
The film will be available for secondary schools to use, accompanied by teaching resources, later this year. It aims to help young people understand the effects of prejudice and discrimination.
You can view all of our secondary resources and workshops here.
