By Isabelle Truscott
A “pioneer” of LGBTQ+ journalism and a ‘towering figure’ in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, that is how admirers of Andrew Lumsden have described him following his death on 1 November.
Lumsden, born in 1941, was a powerhouse – co-founding Gay News in 1971, one the UK’s first leading LGBTQ+ publications; joining the Ga Liberation Front (GLF) as an activist in 1970; and helping to organise the first Gay Pride event in 1972.
But Lumsden’s work isn’t just that which is found in our history. He was a firm supporter of those most marginalised in the LGBTQ+ community who have been facing the greatest attacks in recent years. He spoke out in support of trans people in the wake of immense national prejudice, and defended Asexual activist Yasmin Benoit when she was subjected to acephobic abuse at an event.
Benoit, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) called Lumsden “an inspirational change maker”, and added: “I’ll cherish the memories we had together”.
Lumsden was fierce in his belief that gay and queer people had a right to have their stories told.
Gay News was founded after Lumsden was knocked by an editor at The Times and the Daily Mail over a story he had written about the GLF.
Determined to have the story published, he contacted The Spectator magazine which ran the piece and promoted it on the front cover – this sparked something in Lumsden.
The lack of interest from straight media to tell LGBTQ+ stories saw Lumsden create his own outlet alongside fellow GLF activist Denis Lemon (1945-1994): Gay News.
With its first issue published in 1972, Gay News was not exclusively for those who identified as Gay.
During a discussion with the Westminster LGBT Forum, Lumsden explained that at the time of its creation, Gay News used gay as an umbrella term for all people – not limited to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender – in the era before the coining of LGBT and LGBTQ+.
At the time of planning the first edition of Gay News, Lumsden was looking to push the boundaries of his own life experiences – he would wear nail polish to work meetings at The Times, recalling this had once once been to the “bewilderment” of the chairman of Shell; he wanted to experiment with drag, something he later said he had “no clothes sense” for; and he wanted to live in a commune.
Four years into its creation Gay News courted controversy thanks to Christian and anti-liberal activist Mary Whitehouse, who successfully sued the newspaper over its publishing James Kirkup’s poem ‘The Love that Dares to Speak its Name’ in 1976, which detailed the passionate and erotic love a centurion had for Jesus when he was nailed on the cross at the crucifixion.
In 1977 Denis Lemon, as editor of Gay News, had to attend the Old Bailey in London where he was found guilty of blasphemous libel and was given a fine of £500 and was sentenced to nine months in prison which was suspended for 18 months. The charge was later quashed by the Court of Appeal, but the stress of the trial had taken a toll on Lemon’s health and contributed to his decision to sell the newspaper in 1982.
“A great loss to our community”
Lumsden had returned to Gay News in 1981 as News Editor.
In an effort to show that Gay News wasn’t just for cisgender gay men, the paper looked to set itself apart by highlighting intersectional stories from across the UK.
Conversations between Lemon and the women on the paper’s staff saw the creation of the Visible Lesbian section of Gay News.
What had started out as individual columns blossomed into a much-loved section of the paper, defying the status-quo of Lesbians being erased from the gay conversation in the UK at the time.
The section was put together by the women of Gay News, not just the women who wrote for the paper, but all who had a vested interest in the championing of Lesbian issues and interests.
The paper also highlighted the work of Black journalists, including Gay News contributing writer Ted Brown who wrote about Black issues, and the work of LGBTQ+ grassroots publications forming around the world, including The Jamaica Gaily News whose delegates joined the International Lesbian and Gay Association conference in 1981.
One area which Andrew prided Gay News on was that not only did it tell the stories of all LGBTQ+ people, but the people behind the words and photos were also from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
Although there were moments of queer joy being reported in Gay News, the publication also ensured that it covered the hardships facing the LGBTQ+ community in the 70s and 80s, including the numerous raids by police.
After working with Gay News Andrew went on to explore his love of history, particularly queer history, and worked on a number of projects, his most recent works being “The Homophobe : Essays on Henry Labouchere”.
He even worked as a tour guide with Queer Tours of London.
Andrew’s impact on the LGBTQ+ community in the UK and globally is beyond words. There will be many in the queer community today who may not have known his name, but got to relish in the moments he helped create – whether by attending Pride in London, or any of the Pride marches which followed in his footsteps.
ACT UP London – a group passionately campaigning to end the HIV pandemic – perfectly expressed this profound loss: “Rest in Power Andrew Lumsden. Iconic LGBTQ+ Activist, Campaigner, Gay Liberation Front pioneer and a really kind hearted man.
“A great loss to our community who will be sadly missed. Thank you Andrew for all you did.”
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