Birmingham gay szene
See Birmingham's 90s gay scene through the eyes of the club photographer who saw it all
Stuart Linden Rhodes, 64, spent the 90s documenting the vibrant and diverse same-sex attracted scene in the midlands and north of England
Birmingham has boasted a vibrant and diverse gay scene for decades.
And while every generation feel their era is the definitive one, Brum in the 90s was electric, finally out, loud and proud.
For many those nights may appear like hazy memories, but for one man they are pin sharp, captured in his all-seeing lense.
READ MORE: 'We must be free to hold hands' - Mayor Andy Avenue on being gay in Birmingham
Stuart Linden Rhodes, 64, spent the era photographing the club scene which in Brum, he said, was particularly vibrant thanks to a sense of community.
Now he is bringing the history of Birmingham’s gay nightclubs to animation in his new book Out and About with Linden.
The book, which documents Mr Rhodes’ travels as a LGBTQ+ magazine writer, features more than images and interviews from clubbers on the scene at the time.
REGay Bars In Birmingham
Home to the most diverse names and faces in the UK, it's no wonder the urban area has such a thriving gay scene to match. From bars to wine and dine your other half in, to singles nights and smashing drinks deals, there's a minute something for everyone in Brum, and we're bringing you the best gay bars in Birmingham.
Sorry, the places listed below don't own online bookings obtainable, but we desire you still spot this list useful for your darkness out!
Equator Bar
One of Gay Village's finest party palaces in Birmingham, Equator is a fresh and elegant bar that is known for its charming staff and inviting ambience. It's perfect for after work tipples or a banging Saturday night out in the city.
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Medusa Lodge
5 reviews
Medusa Lodge is one of the leading gay bars in Birmingham located right on Hurst Avenue, and it's oozing s vibes with its purple interiors and chic decor. Offering up deluxe drinks, this gentlemen's club is a fab place for booze and burlesque.
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Missing
4 reviews
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Too often, gay bars don’t endure the threats of gentrification and criminalisation. Yet some last elongated enough to become important institutions in their own right.
This is true of the Nightingale, one of many queer landmarks in Birmingham.
In , 2 men named Laurie Williams and Derek Pemberton paid £ for ownership of the Nightingale, a rundown Indian restaurant on Birmingham’s Camp Hill.
It was a landmark year for British gay history, thanks to the passage of a bill decriminalising homosexuality in personal. It was also a bittersweet victory, one which came with a higher age of permission for gay men, limited jurisdiction (the bill applied only in England and Wales) and harsher punishments for gay people caught on the streets.
At the period, there were very few places for LGBTQ+ communities to state or explore their sexuality in public safely. Same-sex affection shown in straight pubs often led to violence and harassment.
There were a handful of gay club nights, but they came with the risk of being raided by police or exploited and overcharged by landlords.
Williams and
Traditionally, if you were on the hunt for some LGBTQ+ nightlife in Brum, the Gay Village in Southside would be your go-to spot. But that’s not the case anymore – while the patch is still home to some brilliant queer spaces, there are LGBTQ bars and nightlife venues all across the city today.
From cabaret shows to cocktail bars, live music venues to s car showrooms-turned-clubs (yes, you read that right), there’s a glittering smorgasbord of options across Birmingham – here are our top picks for the best LGBTQ+ clubs.
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This list was written by Jon Cook, a writer based in Birmingham. At Second Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
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