Sexuality Lates was this month’s evening event at the Science Museum in London | Photo: Kathleen Holman
The Science Museum in South Kensington hosted a special adults-only night yesterday (27 June) in collaboration with Pride in London.
One of the monthly evening events at the museum, Sexuality Lates was among the over 100 events organized by Pride in London ahead of the big parade.
Now in its second year, the partnership with the Science Museum is among the highlights of Pride Festival.
The performances
The night was just as inclusive as Pride Festival itself with a vast array of events spread across four floors.
Lilac-haired drag queen Michael Twaits hosted a variety show especially for the Science Museum with some of the best Pride’s Got Talent acts.
The usual Silent Disco in the Space Gallery saw Izzy Trixx and Jamie Bloomfield on the deck.
Furthermore, Europe’s longest-running LGBTI choir Pink Singers stole the show on the ground floor with their repertoire of anthems, including What’s Up by 4 Non Blondes. The choir also performed outside of Parliament ahead of EU Withdrawal Bill vote earlier this month.
A crowd gathered to listen to LGBTI choir Pink Singers | Photo: Kathleen Holman
Penises and vaginas artists
The Genital Drawing workshop was one of the funniest bits of the evening. While it’s hard to believe someone who can’t draw a penis, it was interesting finding out that very few people were actually able to draw a vagina.
The museum also hosted a makeup masterclass and history and math talks with a twist. A.I. Stands for… Artificial Intimacy’ was the thought-provoking talk given by Herb Enmarch-Williams to find out what it might actually be like to meet the kind of sex robot usually found in sci-fi. Blade Runner 2049 anyone?
An LGBTI night at the museum | Photo: Kathleen Holman
Queerstory London
The brainchild of Southwark Archives employee Chris Scales, Queerstory London was inaugurated at Sexuality Lates. The project aims to explore the LGBTI community across all the London boroughs.
Visitors could stop by and then write their own LGBTI memories on a piece of paper and put it into a ‘Queer Memories Box’. All these shared stories will make an Instagram account at @queerstorylondon.
‘There are so many historical LGBTI areas in London apart from Soho, such as Clapham, which was very popular in the 70s,’ said Scales.
‘My idea is to collect people’s stories focusing on regional areas. LGBTI stories are often invisible and I want to preserve these stories from dying out.’
What is your LGBTI story? Find out at @queerstorylondon.
Sexuality Lates is all about representation
Involving the LGBTI community in activities and exhibitions is crucial for the Science Museum.
Sexuality Lates was the joint effort of Science Museum’s Joseph Whitehouse, Emma Sareen, and Pride in London volunteers Helena Liszka and Ross Head. The four of them brought together the most diverse acts and talks for the night.
‘The Science Museum always pulls out events involving the LGBTI community, so that naturally drove us to do a late event here.’
Science Museum Director Scott McKenzie-Cook and Pride in London Events Director Simon Jones | Photo: Kathleen Holman
The museum will host upcoming events appealing to all sections of the LGBTI community.
‘2018 is the Year of Engineering, so we want to highlight some of the LGBTI engineers that are currently working on projects,’ said Scott, curator of Sexuality Lates.
‘We’ll be looking at pulling out a medical gallery including sexuality issues and the often forgotten stories of LGBTI people.’
Celebrating those stories is a mission for both the museum and Pride in London.
‘We’re a queer museum and I do believe that there is a need to celebrate the community,’ he continued.
‘I like to think one day there will be no need to do a pride parade. Perhaps at some point, there will be no need for people to be concerned about walking down the streets hand in hand with the person they choose to love. It seems to be a long way off for the moment. We’re still a marginalized community,’ Jones also said.
Find out more about Science Museum Lates here.
