---
title: "Into the Archives, Out of the Closet | LGBT Humanists in the 20th Century"
date: "2024-02-26T12:35:36+00:00"
modified: "2024-06-27T14:07:46+01:00"
url: "https://heritage.humanists.uk/exhibition/into-the-archives-out-of-the-closet/"
post_id: 9246
---
# Into the Archives, Out of the Closet | LGBT Humanists in the 20th Century
- ‘Born of Mary…’
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In 1976, *Gay News* publish a poem by James Kirkup entitled ‘The Love that Dares to Speak its Name’, a homoerotic depiction of the crucifixion of Christ. Outraged, the infamous conservative activist Mary Whitehouse launches the first prosecution for blasphemy in half a century against the magazine and its editor – and wins.
- A cartoon showing Mary Whitehouse, used several times by GHG such as on the front of The Gay Humanist newsletter in 1986
- As [**George Broadhead**](https://heritage.humanists.uk/article/power-partners/), GHG’s co-founder and longtime Secretary, would recall ten years later:
> In the aftermath of the notorious *Gay News* blasphemy trial in 1977, a few Humanists who are also gay and involved in gay rights campaigning, discuss informally the possibility of setting up a gay Humanist group. Doubts are expressed as to the need for such a group since Humanists have been in the forefront of the struggle to achieve homosexual law reform and the official policies of all the national Humanist organisations are unequivocally supportive of gay rights.
>
> Nevertheless, it is felt that gay people who are not aware of the Humanist outlook would benefit from knowing that there is a long and respectable alternative to the dominant Christian attitude to ethics and one which has contributed to a movement in favour of more liberal ideas about sex.
- The group launches officially at the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) Brighton Conference in August 1979.
- An opportunity too good to miss
-------------------------------
With Whitehouse claiming that everything ‘good and true’ is being undermined by ‘the Humanist gay lobby’, the group’s co-founders seize their moment. As Broadhead would later write: ‘That there is no such lobby and the obvious concern that such an idea provokes provides the spark which convinces us that the opportunity offered to a gay Humanist group is too good to miss.’
- A leaflet introducing the Gay Humanist Group. The name will later change to the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Group, and ultimately to LGBT Humanists.
- For decades to come, the group serves a range of political, artistic and social functions, campaigning for gay rights as well as producing events and journalism. From protest marches to wedding ceremonies, group holidays to fairs, talks on pioneering artists to discussions of inspirational historical figures, much of GHG’s activities are archived for future generations.
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Scroll on to explore some highlights from the collection.
- ‘Born of Mary…’
---------------
In 1976, *Gay News* publish a poem by James Kirkup entitled ‘The Love that Dares to Speak its Name’, a homoerotic depiction of the crucifixion of Christ. Outraged, the infamous conservative activist Mary Whitehouse launches the first prosecution for blasphemy in half a century against the magazine and its editor – and wins.
- A cartoon showing Mary Whitehouse, used several times by GHG such as on the front of The Gay Humanist newsletter in 1986
- As [**George Broadhead**](https://heritage.humanists.uk/article/power-partners/), GHG’s co-founder and longtime Secretary, would recall ten years later:
> In the aftermath of the notorious *Gay News* blasphemy trial in 1977, a few Humanists who are also gay and involved in gay rights campaigning, discuss informally the possibility of setting up a gay Humanist group. Doubts are expressed as to the need for such a group since Humanists have been in the forefront of the struggle to achieve homosexual law reform and the official policies of all the national Humanist organisations are unequivocally supportive of gay rights.
>
> Nevertheless, it is felt that gay people who are not aware of the Humanist outlook would benefit from knowing that there is a long and respectable alternative to the dominant Christian attitude to ethics and one which has contributed to a movement in favour of more liberal ideas about sex.
- The group launches officially at the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) Brighton Conference in August 1979.
- An opportunity too good to miss
-------------------------------
With Whitehouse claiming that everything ‘good and true’ is being undermined by ‘the Humanist gay lobby’, the group’s co-founders seize their moment. As Broadhead would later write: ‘That there is no such lobby and the obvious concern that such an idea provokes provides the spark which convinces us that the opportunity offered to a gay Humanist group is too good to miss.’
- A leaflet introducing the Gay Humanist Group. The name will later change to the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Group, and ultimately to LGBT Humanists.
- For decades to come, the group serves a range of political, artistic and social functions, campaigning for gay rights as well as producing events and journalism. From protest marches to wedding ceremonies, group holidays to fairs, talks on pioneering artists to discussions of inspirational historical figures, much of GHG’s activities are archived for future generations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scroll on to explore some highlights from the collection.
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Gallery
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[  Click to zoom Constitution of the GHG, August 1979 ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/GHG-Constitution-1-721x1024.jpg "Constitution of the GHG, August 1979")
[  Click to zoom Gay Humanist Group Newsletter 1979 (Issue 1) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-23-at-15.31.30-721x1024.png "Gay Humanist Group Newsletter 1979 (Issue 1)")
[  Click to zoom Gay Humanist Group Newsletter 1980 (Issue 4) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-23-at-16.25.16-725x1024.png "Gay Humanist Group Newsletter 1980 (Issue 4)")
[  Click to zoom The Gay Humanist 1983 (Volume 3, no. 2) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-23-at-16.32.54-917x1024.png "The Gay Humanist 1983 (Volume 3, no. 2)")
[  Click to zoom The Gay Humanist 1984 (Volume 4, no. 1) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Gay-Humanist-1984-719x1024.jpg "The Gay Humanist 1984 (Volume 4, no. 1)")
[  Click to zoom ‘Whitehouse on the Warpath Again’, George Broadhead in The Gay Humanist 1986 (Volume 5, no. 3) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-23-at-15.50.45-1024x729.png)
- 1. Honorary President Maureen Duffy and founder members drink a toast at GHG’s 5th anniversary celebration, 1984
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- 2. GHG members enjoying their first weekend gathering, Somerset, 1984
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- 3. Derek Jarman (right) speaks to George Broadhead at a GHG meeting, 1986
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- 4. Art critic Emmanuel Cooper (right) from the Gay Times speaks to George Broadhead at a GHG meeting, 1987
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- 5. GHG members at a Stop Clause 28 demonstration in Manchester, 1988
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- 6. Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) at London Pride, 1991
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- 7. Photo of George Broadhead at a GALHA and Pink Triangle Trust stall at Pride, 1994
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- 8. GALHA Members enjoying a weekend gathering in York, 1999
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Gallery
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[  Click to zoom Drag performers dressed as nuns during the GHG’s Spanish holiday, The Gay Humanist, 1986 (Volume 6, no. 2) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Parry-Duke-in-Drag-1986-copy-867x1024.jpeg "Drag performers dressed as nuns during the GHG’s Spanish holiday, The Gay Humanist, 1986 (Volume 6, no. 2)")
[  Click to zoom Flyer for the 1988 Winter Fair, sponsored by GALHA ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Winter-Fair-1988-728x1024.jpg "Flyer for the 1988 Winter Fair, sponsored by GALHA")
[  Click to zoom Photo of Ben Ellison as Langston Hughes, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1989 (Volume 8, no. 3) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-23-at-17.57.22-986x1024.png "Photo of Ben Ellison as Langston Hughes, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1989 (Volume 8, no. 3)")
[  Click to zoom Wedding of Caroline Hyslop and Margaret Faichney, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1990 (Volume 9, no. 4) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-23-at-18.10.37-699x1024.png "Wedding of Caroline Hyslop and Margaret Faichney, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1990 (Volume 9, no. 4)")
[  Click to zoom Maureen Duffy, Norman Bacrac and an E.M. Forster portrait, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1990 (Volume 9, no. 4) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-23-at-18.10.46-699x1024.png "Maureen Duffy, Norman Bacrac and an E.M. Forster portrait, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1990 (Volume 9, no. 4)")
[](https://artuk.org/visit/venues/conway-hall-7420)[](https://heritage.humanists.uk/object/portrait-of-e-m-forster/)**[Portrait of E.M. Forster](https://heritage.humanists.uk/object/portrait-of-e-m-forster/)** (1989) by his cousin, Philip Wichelo, who gave it to GALHA. On the group’s 10th anniversary the painting was presented to Conway Hall as a token of gratitude for hosting GALHA meetings. © **[Conway Hall Ethical Society](https://artuk.org/visit/venues/conway-hall-7420)**
Gallery
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[  Click to zoom Photo of GALHA at Pride, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 10th Anniversary Issue, 1989 (Volume 9, no. 1) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Gay-and-Lesbian-Newsletter-1989-1-708x1024.jpg "Photo of GALHA at Pride, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 10th Anniversary Issue, 1989 (Volume 9, no. 1)")
[  Click to zoom George Broadhead, ‘Secretary’s Round-Up’, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1989 (Volume 9, no.1) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/History-1-1989-1-1024x742.jpg "George Broadhead, ")
[  Click to zoom George Broadhead, ‘Secretary’s Round-Up’, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1989 (Volume 9, no.1) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/History-2-1989-2-1024x740.jpg "George Broadhead, ")
[  Click to zoom George Broadhead, ‘Secretary’s Round-Up’, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1989 (Volume 9, no.1) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/History-3-1989-1-1024x736.jpg "George Broadhead, ")
[  Click to zoom George Broadhead, ‘Secretary’s Round-Up’, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1989 (Volume 9, no.1) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/History-4-1989-1-1024x743.jpg "George Broadhead, ")
[  Click to zoom George Broadhead, ‘Secretary’s Round-Up’, The Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1989 (Volume 9, no.1) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/History-5-1989-1-1024x744.jpg "George Broadhead, ")
Brochure for Gay and Lesbian [Humanist Ceremonies](https://heritage.humanists.uk/humanist-ceremonies/), issued by the **[Pink Triangle Trust](http://www.pinktriangle.org.uk/glh/index.html)** (GALHA’s publisher, also co-founded by George Broadhead), photograph from 1990s, published in 2000
Thank you to Digitisation Volunteer, Kate Schotness, for her diligent work scanning these archival materials and collaborating with Heritage Project Officer, Cas Bradbeer, to select some of their favourites to feature in this online exhibition.
This archival showcase has been made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund project [***Humanist Heritage: Doers, Dreamers, Place Makers***.](https://heritage.humanists.uk/about/)
See also
----------
- [ LGBT Humanists ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/lgbt-humanists/)
- [ Barbara Smoker (1923-2020) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/barbara-smoker/)
- [ From the archives: Separate Development? ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/from-the-archives-separate-development/)
- [ E.M. Forster (1879-1970) ](https://heritage.humanists.uk/e-m-forster/)