Britain’s National Trust are the latest official august body to announce plans to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the passing of the Sexual Offences Act effectively criminalizing homosexuality in 2017. The Trust founded in 1895 is a conservation organization which owns over 350 heritage properties which includes many of the country’s finest historic houses and gardens, industrial monuments, and social history site.
In their announcement yesterday the Trust wrote ‘many of our places were home to, and shaped by, people who challenged conventional ideas of gender and sexuality. 50 years after the partial decriminalization of homosexuality, we’re exploring our LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer) heritage with events, special exhibitions and much more.’
However before we can even applaud their decision which includes their commitment to work with artists to create new exhibitions and installations to bring these stories to life and uncovering previously untold stories with help from academic experts, the rabid right ….. in the shape of the tabloid newspaper the Daily Mail …. started screaming their objections desperately urging people to “resign in disgust” from the National Trust.
We are not quite sure what irks them most : the fact that the Trust is recognizing this important landmark in the evolution of the LGBT community , or the reality that we will all get a chance to learn about what all those gay aristocrats got up too behind the closed doors of their stately homes.
This is Kingston Lacy in Dorset which was profoundly shaped by William Bankes, who fled England in 1841 to avoid prosecution for same-sex acts. He had no choice but to leave England and the home he loved but he continued to send back works of art and treasures – the collection which can be seen and enjoyed by visitors today.
Virginia Woolf’s novel Orlando was inspired by the family history of her lover – Vita Sackville-West. Vita’s family owned Knole in Kent and the book tells the story of a gender-changing character whose life spans the 400 year history of the house.
For more information about the National Trust’s plans https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/exploring-lgbtq-history-at-national-trust-places
P.S. queerguru thinks you may also like https:// queerguru.com/2016/11/london-is-planning-a-gay-old-time-for-2017 and https:// queerguru.com/2016/04/queer-british-art-major-retrospective
