Snap Project: Birmingham Queer Women 1977-99 – curated by artist, writer and educator, Sarah Dolman – captures the stories and histories of queer women in Birmingham through a collection of photographs. The images featured were predominately donated from archives and individuals who were out and proud throughout the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s.
Dolman explains that the use of the term ‘queer’, a reclaimed slur, is “an inclusive term used to encapsulate a whole community, and in this case varied female identities: lesbians, bisexuals, trans, asexuals, intersexes and allies. Queer is about being different from the norm. The photos show that identities were not always obvious or overt and they’re a record of authentic queer Birmingham histories that could otherwise have been lost, hidden, or simply discarded at death.
“This collection is important for two reasons. Typically, a lack of visibility has led to myths that queer people either didn’t really exist years ago, or if they did, they lived sad, perhaps tragic lives without fun, care, or love. This collection is evidence that counters those ideas.
“Additionally, this collection is a history of real women that lived in Birmingham and were part of changing perceptions of the LGBTQ+ community. It begins before clause 28, the 2010 equality act, the declassification of LGBT as a mental illness, rights to serve in the forces, adoption rights and the rights to civil partnership and later marriage. These women were out when the biggest shifts to their rights and future generations were in the balance. Thus, they should be remembered as part of a visible path towards positive change.”
The photographs featured in this collection, Dolman explains, come from three ‘camps’ of queer Brum womxn; the scene town women, alternative scene women, and the Moseley/Balsall Heath/Kings Heath women.
Additionally, four Birmingham legends – Patti Bell, a revered punk fashion designer who is also currently celebrated at the Back to Backs Exhibition: Gary Lindsay-Moore: It’s Not Unusual; Lesley Wood from the band Au Pairs; Chrissy Van Dyke, the former front woman of Plutonik; and Lisa Wallace of Big Brother fame – also donated photos to be included in this history.
Women and Theatre – a theatre company that has produced and performed productions on issues such as sexuality, HIV, relationships, equality, ageing, and class since 1983 – also donated photos from their archive featuring Polly Wright, Jo Broadwood and ally Janice Connolly, aka Barbara Nice.
Caroline Hutton donated her Women’s Revolutions Per Minute (WRPM) – a Birmingham based feminist women’s music distributor – publicity photos, taken by Rhonda Wilson. Rhonda Wilson also took the pool players’ photographs and, thanks to her husband John McQueen granting permission, her photographs are featured in this collection.
The photo collection runs in approximate time order from 1977 to 1999. At the end of Rhonda Wilson’s photos, viewers will see a child in pink, who is artist and activist Saima Razzaq; marking the end of the ’80s, a child who is a current queer scene DJ, Soriah Lewin, marking the end of the ’90s, and the very last photo is of Ginger Baxter. “These photos are to acknowledge the lack of diversity in this collection: ethnic, disabled and elders. Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ scenes in the ’80s and ’90s were mostly white, able bodied and under 40. Which is not to say that ethnic, disabled and elder communities weren’t LGBTQ+. Rather, they were not visible on these scenes and subsequently have been very difficult to contact to encourage project participation.”
“Most photos are snaps that were taken in clubs, bars and sometimes outings or protests, or at London Prides, as it was in these spaces that queer communities could exist freely. However, as you will also see, women had holidays, travelled, and had house and garden parties. What you don’t see is that taking photos was something of a luxury, money was often tight, and photography was expensive,” explains Sarah Dolman.
All the photos and full details about the project can be found on the Birmingham Museums website
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