Here you will find some media of interest to scholars of queer history and culture from a Scottish and British perspective.

BBC Open Door – The Scottish Minorities Group – Glad to be Gay (1976)?

“The public access TV programme opens its doors to the Scottish Minorities Group, which works for the rights and welfare of gay men and women. Members of the organisation discuss the advice and facilities available to gay men and lesbians in Edinburgh and explain what it means for them to have access to like-minded people who can understand their problems. The group has won support from politicians Robin Cook and Malcolm Rifkind in their campaign to change the law in Scotland, which still treats male homosexuality as a criminal offence.”

BBC Man Alive – Consenting Adults, 1. The Men

“In the first part of a special ‘Man Alive’ report, Jeremy James interviews homosexuals about their feelings and the opinions of society towards them. The contributors include a hairdresser, a doctor and a woman whose husband committed suicide rather than face a court case that would have revealed his sexuality. The language used in the programme is often blunt and reflects the attitudes of the time.”

BBC Man Alive – Consenting Adults, 2. The Women

“In the second part of this ‘Man Alive’ special report about homosexuality, Angela Huth interviews lesbians about their lives. ‘Stevie’ has been living as a man since her teens, even entering into ‘heterosexual’ relationships with other women. Julie and Cynthia have lived together for many years and claim they see no difference between their relationship and that of a married couple. In a private club in Chelsea, lesbians can enjoy a safe haven that allows them to be themselves without risking condemnation from society”

BBC This Time of Day – Lesbianism

“Reporter Wendy Jones talks to women who live ‘underground’ as lesbians and to those who cohabit openly with a female partner. Jones interviews a psychiatrist and a member of the Minorities Research Group, both of whom advocate rights for lesbians at a time when their sexuality was seen as a ‘problem’ to be ‘cured’.

BBC Home Service – Male Homosexual

“In this programme, made two years before the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, a group of men discuss their ‘problem’, the issue of acceptance in society and public reactions to their lifestyle. The broadcast contains outmoded attitudes towards sexuality, but nevertheless provides a fascinating insight into a time when homosexuals risked social stigma and even imprisonment.”

Framed Youth – The Revenge of the Teenage Perverts (1982)

Framed Youth: The Revenge of the Teenage Perverts is a 1982 documentary film, produced by the London Lesbian and Gay Youth Video Project, in which gay and lesbian teenagers interview straight people on the streets of London about their views on homosexuality.