Cllr David Robson is a councillor in Clapham Town ward.
The recent census data showed that Lambeth is the borough with the largest population of LGBTQ+ people in London.
Which got me thinking, what is it about Lambeth that has made it a home for LGBTQ+ people for so long?
For me, I think there’s something in the borough’s history of LGBTQ+ activism which makes us feel welcome and it begins almost at the start of the boroughs birth.
Lambeth was formed in 1964, three years later the (partial) decriminalisation of homosexuality came into law and the GLF were formed in 1970 following the Stonewall riots in 1969.
Several of the GLF made Lambeth their home and lived in squats around Brixton which in 1974 led to the formation of the first Gay and Lesbian Centre in the UK, located at 78 Railton Road. The Brixton Fairies were also formed as a result of the centre, initially as a theatre group and then as a direct-action group.
The movie ‘My Beautiful Laundrette’ was released based on Wilcox Road and filmed around the Oval, Wandsworth & Queenstown Road in 1984. In 2021, a Rainbow Plaque was installed to commemorate this iconic piece of British/LGBT/South Asian cinema.
We’ve also been at the very heart of Pride over many years and in a key part in our history. Whether it was battling against the horrid Section 28 or facing onslaught of HIV/AIDS, Lambeth has hosted Pride in Jubilee Gardens, Kennington Park, Clapham Common and even hosted the first ever Europride in Brockwell Park back in 1992.
The Landmark Aids Centre was instrumental in the battle against HIV and marked the first of its type in London, running in Tulse Hill from 1989 until the facility moved in 2002.
We have been home to some of London’s best LGBTQ culture and nightlife including The Fridge, Love Muscle and many more iconic venues and club nights. Sadly, since 2010, 60% of LGBTQ+ venues have closed across London, yet we are lucky to still have an active and thriving scene in Vauxhall & Clapham.
We’re also a hub for the arts and culture. This March, the Southbank will host the 37th annual Bfi Flare festival while The Clapham Picturehouse is host to London’s longest running LGBTQ+ film club, ‘Out at Clapham’
We also operate several valuable community services like LGBT hero, Tonic Housing, ClinQ and valuable community groups like the South London Gays, Lambeth Links and not to mention the many different LGBTQ+ sports groups.
So, it’s really no wonder why Lambeth rates highly in terms of LGBTQ+ population – we’ve always been here and we will continue to call Lambeth our home.
As LGBTQ+ History Month draws to a close, Lambeth Labour know that support for the LGBTQ+ community doesn’t start and end with History Month. In recent years we have worked hard to support the community – from supporting LGBTQ+ venues to survive the pandemic, to centring LGBTQ+ voices in our housing services and supporting our schools to deliver LGBTQ+ inclusive education.
And at the last election we made clear our commitments to improve healthcare provision for LGBTQ+ people in Lambeth by continuing to play a leading role in reducing new transmissions of HIV, campaigning for the government to properly fund fertility treatment for lesbian and bisexual women, funding trans and non-binary specific healthcare, and breaking down the barriers for the community to access mental health services.
With the increase in hate crime across the borough and a toxic government feeding the divisive rhetoric of culture wars we must be vigilant. We know how quickly these hard-earned rights can be rolled back.
But you can be rest assured that Lambeth Labour will always stand up and be on the side of our LGBTQ+ residents.