}
OH416 Interview with Berkeley Wilde (OutStories Bristol)
Please note this is not a full complete transcript but a detailed summary of the recording
Berkeley Wilde [BW], born in Kingswood, Bristol, 1967. Comments on feeling different as a child. Remarks on having more female friends at school. Remarks on later being interested in music and fashion. Defines start of feeling different at 12 years old. Description of being looked at by a man on family holiday in New York in 1981. Remarks on being an only child raised by mum. Remarks on spending some years living with grandparents in Kingswood. Comments on moving to Roehampton, London aged 6. Mention of The Wombles [children’s TV show]. Comments on school initiation [00:05.56]. Comments on returning to Bristol in 1975 and being adopted by stepfather aged 9. Remarks on family as nurturing and fun. Comments on mum divorcing when he was aged 16. Mention of attending Kingsfield Secondary School, Kingswood, Heathmere Primary in Roehampton and St Stephens Primary, Kingswood. Description of drama teacher in Year 9 suggesting he do drama instead of PE. Description of doing music and drama at school. Mention of getting all qualifications after school. Discussion about possible impact of being gay on academic achievement [00:10.40]. Description of falling in love and complex relationship with boy at school. Description of love as ‘all-consuming’. Discussion about descriptive labels for feelings. Mention of homophobia. Comments about coming out as bisexual to mum. Mention of David Bowie. Comments about mum being supportive. Mention of mum as bisexual and being in a relationship with a woman. Remarks on lack of definitive labels. Comments about descriptor for feelings being ‘homosexual’. Mention of being in New York in 1981 aged 12 when AIDS was first appearing. Mention of awareness of film about 4 H’s disease – Haitians, homosexuals, haemophiliacs and heroin users in 1981/1982. Comments about cultural availability of term bisexual. Comments on ‘being in denial’ about being gay. Mention of ‘Glad to be Gay’ [popsong] [00:17.57].
[00:17.57] Comments on music changing ideas of male sexuality. Description of [band] Duran Duran on cover of Smash Hits [music] magazine. Mention of Blitz Club and New Romantic [music/fashion] scene. Mention of [gay popstars] Boy George and Marc Almond. Mention of Bronski Beat [gay band] and Small Town Boy [single]. Comments on significance of these figures. Mention of Oasis club on Park Row. Description of buying gay magazine Mister. Description of going to Oasis club [00:21.55]. Comments on Section 28 and AIDS adverts. Description of going to the Elephant [pub]. Comments on first kiss with a man in the Elephant. Mention of age of consent being 21. Comments on ‘alternative scene’ in Bristol. Mention of the Watershed bar. Mention of [clubs] The Whip, The Studio, the Bastille Club and Romeo and Juliet’s. Comments on ‘mask’ allowed by being part of alternative scene. [00:27.00]. Description of getting together with first boyfriend aged 18 (1986). Comments on moving to London with him in 1987. Mention of working as a hairdresser. Comments on living in Australia in 1988-1989. Mention of connecting with first boyfriend through Facebook recently. Mention of mum’s involvement in CND, feminism and green movements. Comments on advanced gay scene in Sydney. Comments on sense of social justice. Mention of ACT-UP, Outrage and London Pride in early 1990s. Description of going back to Oasis club in black rubber. Mention of House and Acid House music. Mention of Brighton club scene [00:35.50]. Mention of London clubs and nights Propaganda, Pyramid and Garage at Heaven, Bang, Madame Jo Jo’s and Piano Bar in Soho. Mention of Zipper, shop in Soho. Mention of London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard. Mention of safer sex campaigns. Description of denim jacket. Description of getting Pride logo tattoo. Description of involvement in London Pride. Mention of club promoter Kim Lucas. Mention of Teddy Witherington. Comments on being involved in London gay scene [00:41.00]. Mention of London Lesbian and Gay Centre in Clerkenwell. Description of involvement in ACT-UP and Outrage with Peter Tatchell. Mention of SM club Sadie Maisies at London Lesbian and Gay Centre. Mention of Tessa Boffin. Comments on attending Lesbian and Gay parenting group with half-brother. Mention of Wen Shiers. Mention of Bar Industria. Mention of Julian LaTorre. Mention of Leigh Bowery. Long description of significant cabaret performance at club night he set up, with Leigh Bowery and friend Barbara. Mention of Capital Gay. Mention of [gay magazine] Pink Paper [00:47:19]. Comments on Leigh Bowery’s and Barbara’s subsequent deaths. Comments on hedonism and risk-taking within gay scene. Comments on drugs. Comments on safe-sex. Description of ACT-UP and Outrage activities – mention of ‘vibe-watchers’. Comments on Lesbian and Gay Centre. Description of meetings. Remarks on returning to Bristol following cabaret performance [00:54:08].
[00:54:08] Comments on returning to Bristol in 1992/1993. Comments on setting up an Outrage in Bristol in 1992. Description of London and Bristol actions against Clerical Medical. Description of an action outside Kingsfield School in 1992/1993. Comments on Outrage becoming Pride West. Description of Winter Pride event in 1992/1993 at Bristol University Student Union. Detailed description of Pride march and event at Watershed in June 1993 which he was Chair of. Mention of GayWest and Switchboard. Mention of Sh! women’s shop. Mention of lesbian band Sexual Suspects. Mention of Rita Lynch. Mention of Labie Siffre. Mention of Mike Healy and his funeral. Mention of AIDS [01:01:23]. Remarks on volunteering for Switchboard. Remarks on being Campaign Co-ordinator for Gay West, focussing on age of consent and Section 28. Mention of Nigel Burbage and Mark Mcpherson. Description of getting job as Gay Men’s Health Co-ordinator at Aled Richards Trust in 1994. Remarks on Aled Richards Trust becoming Terence Higgins Trust. Description of setting up Freedom Youth, FFAG group and Bristol LGB Forum. Remarks on withdrawing from volunteering. Description of positive and negative press reactions to Pride. Mention of Arts Council. Mention of Bristol Evening Post. Mention of Western Daily Press. Mention of Bristol City Council. Mention of Venue magazine. Mention of Radio Bristol. Mention of HTV. Detailed description of press response to Freedom Youth summer event and lottery grant. Mention of Baroness Young and House of Lords. Description of teacher’s resource he made with Health Promotion Unit in Avon called ‘Beyond a Phase’. Remarks on shift in its reception by 1998 [01:10:10]. Remarks on political change with 1997 Labour government. Detailed description of work at Freedom Youth in 1994/1995. Mention of Bristol lesbian and bisexual women’s group. Remarks on involvement in age of consent and Section 28 campaigns. Detailed description of work at Aled Richards Trust/Terence Higgins Trust. Mention of Community HIV and Aids Prevention Strategy (CHAPS). Mention of Gay Men’s Sex Survey. Remarks on leaving Bristol in 2002 to live in Brighton. Mention of meeting current partner Gary. Remarks on returning to Bristol after travelling in 2005/2007 and moving to Meare, Somerset. Reflection on sense of ‘wearing a mask’ on scene aged 17. Reflections on living in Somerset. Reflections on work as a complementary therapist and current work in equalities and diversity with public and voluntary sector. Reflections on career in lgb work and activism [01:23:04].
Notable quotations “It would have been around this time that I told my mum I thought I was bisexual. I remember saying ‘I think I’m like David Bowie’ and she said ‘what do you mean’, I said ‘I think I’m bisexual’, she said ‘let’s have a cup of tea’ [14.02].
“All these things were happening at the same time. Suddenly you had this music and fashion and club scene and it was ok to be bi. I don’t think it was ok to be gay necessarily but you had people in bands who actually, you know, Boy George was coming on the scene, Marc Almond was coming on the scene, Small Town Boy, Bronski Beat, you know, it was suddenly all changing” [19.15].
“When I knocked on the door [of the Oasis club], and it certainly wasn’t an open door, the door had a shutter and they opened it and looked out at you and they decided whether or not they wanted to open the door to you, the man said to me ‘name 3 gay clubs and we’ll let you in... So I went in there and I remember seeing a guy from the other alternative scene and just looking around and saying to him ‘are all these men gay? I couldn’t believe there were that many gay men, in the world, in this room!” [21.06].
“You had stuff being said in Parliament, you had Section 28 being written, you had those awful AIDS adverts. It was a really frightening time but there were pockets of hope. Those pockets of hope were things like buying that magazine [gay magazine Mister] and getting to go to a gay club” [22.35].
“Because of being in the alternative scene, I was very much into dressing up and make-up and hair and fashion and all the rest of it, I think that was almost kind of a mask. So I think I was almost in that space but didn’t recognise myself as being part of it... I think that gave me that safety to be in that space but not feel I was part of it, so I was in some way again a bit of an outsider” [26.20].
“Those three things if I think about them – my mum’s sense of social justice, my first relationship nurturing that political activist in me and being in Sydney and seeing the gay community in Sydney, those three things really did have an impact on me... it fired me up to come back to the UK and start changing things” [32.44].
(On late 1980s club scene) “You wouldn’t have labelled it gay friendly because you wouldn’t have had that language but that’s what it was; it was fluid” [34.43].
(On Pride West at Watershed in 1992) “And I invited Kye, a friend of mine from Sh! in London, and I don’t think Bristol had ever seen anything like it, you know; lesbian sex toys! You know, I mean it was out there, it was really out there!” [59.32]
Berkeley Wilde [BW], born in Kingswood, Bristol, 1967. Comments on feeling different as a child. Remarks on having more female friends at school. Remarks on later being interested in music and fashion. Defines start of feeling different at 12 years old. Description of being looked at by a man on family holiday in New York in 1981. Remarks on being an only child raised by mum. Remarks on spending some years living with grandparents in Kingswood. Comments on moving to Roehampton, London aged 6. Mention of The Wombles [children’s TV show]. Comments on school initiation [00:05.56]. Comments on returning to Bristol in 1975 and being adopted by stepfather aged 9. Remarks on family as nurturing and fun. Comments on mum divorcing when he was aged 16. Mention of attending Kingsfield Secondary School, Kingswood, Heathmere Primary in Roehampton and St Stephens Primary, Kingswood. Description of drama teacher in Year 9 suggesting he do drama instead of PE. Description of doing music and drama at school. Mention of getting all qualifications after school. Discussion about possible impact of being gay on academic achievement [00:10.40]. Description of falling in love and complex relationship with boy at school. Description of love as ‘all-consuming’. Discussion about descriptive labels for feelings. Mention of homophobia. Comments about coming out as bisexual to mum. Mention of David Bowie. Comments about mum being supportive. Mention of mum as bisexual and being in a relationship with a woman. Remarks on lack of definitive labels. Comments about descriptor for feelings being ‘homosexual’. Mention of being in New York in 1981 aged 12 when AIDS was first appearing. Mention of awareness of film about 4 H’s disease – Haitians, homosexuals, haemophiliacs and heroin users in 1981/1982. Comments about cultural availability of term bisexual. Comments on ‘being in denial’ about being gay. Mention of ‘Glad to be Gay’ [popsong] [00:17.57].
[00:17.57] Comments on music changing ideas of male sexuality. Description of [band] Duran Duran on cover of Smash Hits [music] magazine. Mention of Blitz Club and New Romantic [music/fashion] scene. Mention of [gay popstars] Boy George and Marc Almond. Mention of Bronski Beat [gay band] and Small Town Boy [single]. Comments on significance of these figures. Mention of Oasis club on Park Row. Description of buying gay magazine Mister. Description of going to Oasis club [00:21.55]. Comments on Section 28 and AIDS adverts. Description of going to the Elephant [pub]. Comments on first kiss with a man in the Elephant. Mention of age of consent being 21. Comments on ‘alternative scene’ in Bristol. Mention of the Watershed bar. Mention of [clubs] The Whip, The Studio, the Bastille Club and Romeo and Juliet’s. Comments on ‘mask’ allowed by being part of alternative scene. [00:27.00]. Description of getting together with first boyfriend aged 18 (1986). Comments on moving to London with him in 1987. Mention of working as a hairdresser. Comments on living in Australia in 1988-1989. Mention of connecting with first boyfriend through Facebook recently. Mention of mum’s involvement in CND, feminism and green movements. Comments on advanced gay scene in Sydney. Comments on sense of social justice. Mention of ACT-UP, Outrage and London Pride in early 1990s. Description of going back to Oasis club in black rubber. Mention of House and Acid House music. Mention of Brighton club scene [00:35.50]. Mention of London clubs and nights Propaganda, Pyramid and Garage at Heaven, Bang, Madame Jo Jo’s and Piano Bar in Soho. Mention of Zipper, shop in Soho. Mention of London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard. Mention of safer sex campaigns. Description of denim jacket. Description of getting Pride logo tattoo. Description of involvement in London Pride. Mention of club promoter Kim Lucas. Mention of Teddy Witherington. Comments on being involved in London gay scene [00:41.00]. Mention of London Lesbian and Gay Centre in Clerkenwell. Description of involvement in ACT-UP and Outrage with Peter Tatchell. Mention of SM club Sadie Maisies at London Lesbian and Gay Centre. Mention of Tessa Boffin. Comments on attending Lesbian and Gay parenting group with half-brother. Mention of Wen Shiers. Mention of Bar Industria. Mention of Julian LaTorre. Mention of Leigh Bowery. Long description of significant cabaret performance at club night he set up, with Leigh Bowery and friend Barbara. Mention of Capital Gay. Mention of [gay magazine] Pink Paper [00:47:19]. Comments on Leigh Bowery’s and Barbara’s subsequent deaths. Comments on hedonism and risk-taking within gay scene. Comments on drugs. Comments on safe-sex. Description of ACT-UP and Outrage activities – mention of ‘vibe-watchers’. Comments on Lesbian and Gay Centre. Description of meetings. Remarks on returning to Bristol following cabaret performance [00:54:08].
[00:54:08] Comments on returning to Bristol in 1992/1993. Comments on setting up an Outrage in Bristol in 1992. Description of London and Bristol actions against Clerical Medical. Description of an action outside Kingsfield School in 1992/1993. Comments on Outrage becoming Pride West. Description of Winter Pride event in 1992/1993 at Bristol University Student Union. Detailed description of Pride march and event at Watershed in June 1993 which he was Chair of. Mention of GayWest and Switchboard. Mention of Sh! women’s shop. Mention of lesbian band Sexual Suspects. Mention of Rita Lynch. Mention of Labie Siffre. Mention of Mike Healy and his funeral. Mention of AIDS [01:01:23]. Remarks on volunteering for Switchboard. Remarks on being Campaign Co-ordinator for Gay West, focussing on age of consent and Section 28. Mention of Nigel Burbage and Mark Mcpherson. Description of getting job as Gay Men’s Health Co-ordinator at Aled Richards Trust in 1994. Remarks on Aled Richards Trust becoming Terence Higgins Trust. Description of setting up Freedom Youth, FFAG group and Bristol LGB Forum. Remarks on withdrawing from volunteering. Description of positive and negative press reactions to Pride. Mention of Arts Council. Mention of Bristol Evening Post. Mention of Western Daily Press. Mention of Bristol City Council. Mention of Venue magazine. Mention of Radio Bristol. Mention of HTV. Detailed description of press response to Freedom Youth summer event and lottery grant. Mention of Baroness Young and House of Lords. Description of teacher’s resource he made with Health Promotion Unit in Avon called ‘Beyond a Phase’. Remarks on shift in its reception by 1998 [01:10:10]. Remarks on political change with 1997 Labour government. Detailed description of work at Freedom Youth in 1994/1995. Mention of Bristol lesbian and bisexual women’s group. Remarks on involvement in age of consent and Section 28 campaigns. Detailed description of work at Aled Richards Trust/Terence Higgins Trust. Mention of Community HIV and Aids Prevention Strategy (CHAPS). Mention of Gay Men’s Sex Survey. Remarks on leaving Bristol in 2002 to live in Brighton. Mention of meeting current partner Gary. Remarks on returning to Bristol after travelling in 2005/2007 and moving to Meare, Somerset. Reflection on sense of ‘wearing a mask’ on scene aged 17. Reflections on living in Somerset. Reflections on work as a complementary therapist and current work in equalities and diversity with public and voluntary sector. Reflections on career in lgb work and activism [01:23:04].
Notable quotations “It would have been around this time that I told my mum I thought I was bisexual. I remember saying ‘I think I’m like David Bowie’ and she said ‘what do you mean’, I said ‘I think I’m bisexual’, she said ‘let’s have a cup of tea’ [14.02].
“All these things were happening at the same time. Suddenly you had this music and fashion and club scene and it was ok to be bi. I don’t think it was ok to be gay necessarily but you had people in bands who actually, you know, Boy George was coming on the scene, Marc Almond was coming on the scene, Small Town Boy, Bronski Beat, you know, it was suddenly all changing” [19.15].
“When I knocked on the door [of the Oasis club], and it certainly wasn’t an open door, the door had a shutter and they opened it and looked out at you and they decided whether or not they wanted to open the door to you, the man said to me ‘name 3 gay clubs and we’ll let you in... So I went in there and I remember seeing a guy from the other alternative scene and just looking around and saying to him ‘are all these men gay? I couldn’t believe there were that many gay men, in the world, in this room!” [21.06].
“You had stuff being said in Parliament, you had Section 28 being written, you had those awful AIDS adverts. It was a really frightening time but there were pockets of hope. Those pockets of hope were things like buying that magazine [gay magazine Mister] and getting to go to a gay club” [22.35].
“Because of being in the alternative scene, I was very much into dressing up and make-up and hair and fashion and all the rest of it, I think that was almost kind of a mask. So I think I was almost in that space but didn’t recognise myself as being part of it... I think that gave me that safety to be in that space but not feel I was part of it, so I was in some way again a bit of an outsider” [26.20].
“Those three things if I think about them – my mum’s sense of social justice, my first relationship nurturing that political activist in me and being in Sydney and seeing the gay community in Sydney, those three things really did have an impact on me... it fired me up to come back to the UK and start changing things” [32.44].
(On late 1980s club scene) “You wouldn’t have labelled it gay friendly because you wouldn’t have had that language but that’s what it was; it was fluid” [34.43].
(On Pride West at Watershed in 1992) “And I invited Kye, a friend of mine from Sh! in London, and I don’t think Bristol had ever seen anything like it, you know; lesbian sex toys! You know, I mean it was out there, it was really out there!” [59.32]
