Marc Thompson remembers ‘taking control’ with Black gay nightlife in video extract
Revolutionary Acts: Love & Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain by Jason Okundaye is available now
In a video promo for the new work of oral history from writer Jason Okundaye, LGBTQ+ campaigner Marc Thompson recounts “taking control” of Black queer spaces on the scene.
Thompson has taken part in Okundaye’s new book Revolutionary Acts: Love & Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain, which is available now.
In the short video, Thompson remembers coming out in 1985 and how he “immediately fell into the Black gay scene.” As well as house parties he also remembers clubs such as The Lift, and Stallions, as well as Sombreros which were predominantly frequented by Black queer men.
“And as time evolved, spaces got bigger and they got more popular. So, after going to clubs like Bad and Jungle, which were really a lot of fun, predominantly Black, usually run by white guys which I think is an interesting part of the narrative, we started to create our own spaces,” Thompson continued.
“So, we created spaces like The Low Down, Fish, and The Vox, which were run by young Black queer people. And I just think that that led to us owning and taking control of our own spaces.”
Okundaye’s landmark work captures Black gay Britain in a level of detail rarely seen. By speaking to mean lder generation of Black gay men he uncovered a spirited community full of courage, charisma, and good humour. It’s a community hungry to tell its of nightlife, resistance, political fights, loss, gossip, sex, romance, and vulgarity.
Through the book, Okundaye reconciles Black and gay narratives of Britain which are often seen as unrelated. Okundaye shares the stories of those who fought through the Aids crisis, built communities and created an inclusive scene.