Le Gateau Chocolat shares the inredible stories behind his three submissions to the imaginary queer museum. Bewitching baritone Le Gateau Chocolat is a one-man, larger-than-life musical phenomenon. The six-and-half foot tall, six-inch heeled, wig-clad wonder swings wildly from one end of the musical spectrum to another, from disco, opera, musicals and pop. In this interview Le Gateau talks about his first time on stage, his operaTIC foremothers, and about his extravagant collection of plants... Recorded remotely on May 10, 2021 Interview by: Roni Guetta and David Sheppeard Editing and original music by Olive Mondegreen

The review was written after a performance at The Trades Club in Leeds, and thanks Leeds Women’s Committee for financially supporting the performance.

Brighton Lesbian and Gay Pride, 15-25 May 1992, was organised by a small group of people under the name of Pink Parasol. In the run up to the event they produced a leaflet about their plans for Pride, which included the unveiling of a Lesbian & Gay Pride Memorial in the Old Steine. The leaflet announced the unveiling on Sunday 17 May 1992, and made it sound very much like it was a done deal with the council. "Brighton Council has pledged a central site on the Old Steine and has agreed to install and maintain the memorial. The granite slabs from which it is to be made are ready for work to begin. The design and wording has been consulted on and approved. "The memorial is a celebration of our Pride over the last quarter of a century. It is dedicated to the lives of ordinary lesbians and gay men who preceded us, to ourselves, and to the future equality of those who will follow us in this life". When a group of us gathered to attend the unveiling, we were surprised so see there was only a chalk outline of the memorial drawn on the ground, with the design beautifully brought to life with flowers. I’ve been told a number of tales about why it never came to be, from outrage caused by the council donating £5,000 to Pride '92 (partly to enable disabled access in Preston Park), to objections about the Pride memorial being too close to the existing war memorial. Whatever the reason, the Pride Memorial was sadly never realised in anything more than flowers.

A small feature piece 'Transexual movie' advertising a screening of the film 'Let Me Die A Woman' at Brighton's Continentale Cinema, Sudeley Place, 9 December 1982. This and the accompanying listing come from Issue 2 of The Lavender Letter - courtesy of the Bishopsgate Institute. A review of the film 'Let Me Die A Woman' screened at Brighton's Continentale Cinema, Sudeley Place, 9 December 1982. This comes from Issue 3 of The Lavender Letter - courtesy of the Bishopsgate Institute. This is the concluding paragraph of the review: "The transsexual is far more the sexual outlaw (to borrow John Rechy's expression) than the gay man or woman and a movie like 'Let Me Die A Woman' can serve no purpose other than to titillate those who find humour or entertainment in the anguish of others." The advert for the film comes with the copy: Born a man... Let Me Die A Woman. All true! All real! See a man become a woman before your eyes!

Digital copy of a 'Lip Schtick Season' Flyer (2011)

Digital copy of a flyer for 'Literary Bent: Neil Bartlett & Bette Bourne' at the Brighton Fringe 2010, with Pink Fringe (Front & Back)

LOVEBOOTH NEW YEAR'S EVE 2013-2014 Video shot and edited by Sharon Kilgannon at Alonglines Photography. The video documents the NYE event which took place at Phoenix Art Gallery.

On the 3 May 2024 Stuart from The AIDS Memorial (Instagram) contacted me to say that a photo of my dear friend Andrea Philippe Regard would be featured in the ‘Live to Tell’ segment of Madonna’s ‘Celebration’ concert being held in Rio on 5 May. The Aids Memorial was a direct inspiration for the Brighton AIDS Memorial, so Andrea’s inclusion in the show in his home country was both a wonderful surprise and an honour. Andrea loved Madonna and when we chatted in my café, ‘The Immaculate Collection’ was often played – it sound-tracked the last months of his life. Stuart who lives in Scotland started The AIDS Memorial account on Instagram in April 2016. Every day, those who’ve died from AIDS are remembered via pictures and words from the people who knew and loved them, as well as first-person accounts from those who are long-term survivors of HIV and AIDS. Thank you Stuart for your inspiration and kindness. Big love Harry x

One of the most important intense interests is following the Welsh band the Manic Street Preachers. Within them I unknowingly found a queer community and a disability community. It’s started with just liking the music, buying CDs from Our Price with money made from babysitting at £2 an hour. The band particularly missing guitarist/lyricist Richey Edwards; openly talked about mental health and what we would look back now as neurodivergence. Bassist Nicky Wire would dress androgynously on stage with glitter, skirts, feather boa and tiara. He wrote one song with lyrics “I wish I had been born a girl”. Despite all members of the band being straight white men, in a world with zero queer visibility, this was the queerness I could access. (Watch Loves Sweet Exile video!) Through internet forums I met other fans, we would meet hours before shows and queue to get to the front. Once I queued over night and other times we had parties with tea and cake. I am still friends with some of these people, 25 years later. This photo was taken at Brighton Centre 12/12/02, the first time I saw them live, taken on a cheap film camera.

Maria Jastrzębska shares the powerful stories behind the three objects she is donating to our Queer Museum. Polish-British poet, feminist, editor, translator and playwright, Maria has published three full-length volumes of poetry and two pamphlets. She is the co-founded Queer Writing South and South Pole. In this interview Maria talks about being a girl scout, feminist activism and intersectionality, and the inherent queerness of poetry... Recorded remotely on April 29, 2021 Interview by: Roni Guetta and David Sheppeard Editing and original music by Olive Mondegreen

Photo of me on the steps of No.6 Percival Terrace - where I lived with my second Brighton boyfriend. Note that No.7 is under construction. In fact, 7-12 had collapsed some years before as a result of a sink-hole underneath the building. Rebuilt in the same late Georgian style in the noughties, the row is complete once again.

Marlborough Madams Flyer (2010)

Marlborough Theatre Brighton Fringe 2012 Brochure designed by Sarah Ferrari. Pink Fringe LGBTIQ+ programme highlights include: A Right Pair - Bette Bourne & Paul Shaw Trouser Wearing Characters - Rose Collis Mae-Day: I'm Not Waving I'm Drowning - Mae Martin Rachael's Café - Little Fly Theatre

Marlborough Theatre Brighton Fringe 2013 Brochure designed by Sarah Ferrari. Pink Fringe LGBTIQ+ highlights include: Adventure Misdaventure - Nick Field A Right Pair - Bette Bourne and Paul Shaw Night After Night by Neil Bartlett and Nicholas Bloomfield - performed by Paul Shaw Nicholas Bloomfield Sister Acts - Mzz Kimberley and Son of a Tutu

Marlborough Theatre Brighton Fringe 2015 Brochure designed by Sarah Ferrari. Pink Fringe LGBTIQ+ programme highlights include: Big Girl's Blouse - Kate O'Donnell Miss Behave's Gameshow - Miss Behave with Harry Clayton-Wright Hard Graft - David Sheppeard Chisteene Machine