A local writer has launched a queer history project in the city to capture the memories of Nottingham’s LGBT Community.

The Notts Queer History project was started by writer and journalist CJ DeBarra in 2022 with the aim to capture Nottinghamshire’s vibrant LGBT+ history into two books, covering 1960 to the present day.

As part of the project, CJ has been interviewing community members of all ages about their experiences of queer Nottingham. They have collected people’s memories of law changes, Section 28 protests, transgender lives in the seventies to university life in the 1990s.

The oldest interviewee is 93 while the youngest has been 18 with a broad mix of genders, experiences and lives. CJ is hoping to encourage many more people to come forward to be interviewed and offers a chance to do it anonymously.

“The idea is to get a broad sense of the venues, clubs, and pubs we have loved and lost but also, the experiences that people have had that Nottingham as a city has helped to shape. A lot of queer history is not documented properly in the same way straight history is and we are at risk of continuing that by not writing things down or recording things,” they said.

“A lot of our histories that are recorded are of London or Manchester, yet there were a lot of important moments in this city too. We had the first club licenses for LGBT+ people in the UK and also, the first professor of Gay and Lesbian studies too. These are incredible achievements that deserve celebration and recognition. Not to mention our incredible rainbow crossing in Hockley.”

The first volume is almost full but there is still the opportunity to tell your experiences, and CJ is especially keen to hear from people with memories of the 1960s before the end of August. It is intended that the volumes will be published by Five Leaves Bookshop in July 2024, in time for Pride.

On Wednesday, August 23 an illustrated talk will take place at Five Leaves Bookshop, showcasing some of the finds from the project and highlighting the importance of making sure this history is documented. The talk will also explain how to take part and make sure your voice is part of the project.

CJ has been visiting archives across the city, London and Glasgow to delve deeper into archived materials. “This is another issue, so much of our history is scattered in different archives from London to Leeds to Glasgow. It’s been amazing to discuss boxes of items in random cities but it makes me sad that they don’t know where they are,” they explained.

“Recently, an archive got in touch to say they had 25 photos from the seventies of LGBT+ activism in Nottingham. We had no idea they were being held in London. Another in London had amazing newspaper clippings about Black LGBT+ experiences in Derby and Nottingham in the early noughties and late 90s.”

The hope is that when the books are published an exhibition will open to celebrate the rich and diverse history of Nottinghamshire’s queer community. Material would be on display and talks will take place. It will be a space to bring people together who have taken part in the book as well as those who have an interest in the history.

The project will commemorate those who have fought for LGBT+ rights in the city, some of which have passed away since. Their role in things like Notts LGBT+ Switchboard, Campaign for Homosexual Equality and HIV/AIDs crisis have paved the way for some of the freedoms the community experiences today.

“We have so many incredible and important LGBT+ people in this city who have contributed so much. This ranges from early HIV/AIDS support services to establishing phone lines for everyone who has set up a club or pub night. Many of whom are still organising these things today and have been since the seventies,” they said.

CJ DeBarra is a queer, non-binary author, journalist and editor from Ireland based in Nottingham. They are the author of Neuroqueer, A Neurodivergent Guide to Love, Sex and Everything in Between which launched earlier this year. They have already interviewed over 60 people so far.

As the first volume is nearly complete the second is almost ready to be started and CJ is looking to speak to people with memories from the nineties onwards. You can get involved here.

“I am so grateful for every person who got in touch to pass on their experiences. I cannot thank them enough for the hours, and we are talking hours here, that some spent reliving the joy, heartbreak, pain, happiness and hangovers of their lives in the clubs and pubs of the city,” they added.

“That said, I would love to encourage more people of colour and anyone from the transgender, non-binary community to get involved if they can. It’s important to make sure as many voices are heard as possible to get a true sense of how amazing and diverse our community is.”