During my three years as a gay teacher in a British army school in West Germany, my social and love life took off in many directions. Shortly after arriving in 1978, I connected serendipitously with Lorentz, leading to countless adventures. Manfred and Paul added their own delights. Then there was my other love – roaming around Europe and over the Iron Curtain in my trusty yellow Renault 5, Spartacus and Michelin Guides in hand.
In the late 70s/early 80s, as a gay teacher in a British Forces secondary school in West Germany, I faced unique challenges. The film “Nighthawks,” directed by a friend, explored similar themes, shedding light on the joys and difficulties of coming out. It resonated deeply with me, helping me to navigate my identity in the classroom. My interactions with students, particularly supporting two young women in their lesbian relationship, reminded me of the importance of positive role models for queer students.
My last post talked about me moving to West Germany in 1978 to teach the children of British Forces serving… Read more What Kind of a Teacher was I, anyway?
This might come as a surprise to you. After living the Gay Liberation/socialist leftie life in Sydney, London and Colchester… Read more I’m in the army now… 🎶
As you may or may not know, one of the greatest pleasures in my life is to sort things into… Read more Those ticket stubs and more
OK. I promise. This is the last post about my trip to Sydney. A short-ish one too. Here you can… Read more Part Two – Sydney’s WorldPride 2023
My last post was about my upcoming visit to Sydney to be part of their 45th annual Mardi Gras celebrations… Read more Sydney’s WorldPride 2023 was a Smash Hit – Part One
What is WorldPride and why am I going? For those who don’t know, WorldPride is a massive event held every… Read more I’m going to Sydney WorldPride 2023
Be warned. This post isn’t for the faint of heart nor for those not accustomed to “joyously romping around in… Read more Gay Sex in the 70s: My Story
What I want to talk about in this, my second post concerning my 1977-78 year at the University of Essex,… Read more The Making of the Modern Homosexual
“You’ve got mail”, my flatmate Peter Chadwick announced. It was September 1977. I was lounging in bed one Saturday morning… Read more A New Home in Colchester
Picture this. Me. May 1976. Buxton, in England’s Peak District. At the Annual Conference for NATFHE – the union for… Read more Gays at Work: Sexual Orientation, Trade Unions and Equal Opportunities
In my last post, I talked about the trouble that I and my fellow lecturers got into for wearing anti-racism… Read more Badges, Buttons and Pins
With my, as they say, newly-minted teaching certificate/PGCE in hand, I went for an interview in the summer of 1974… Read more Teaching the Lads at Uxbridge Tech
For those of you who have read about my life and times coming out as a 23 year old in… Read more The Gay Left and Me in London
Having just taken you through some of my travel experiences in Northern Europe in the 70s, now we’ll head south… Read more Onto Southern Europe and Gay/Nude Beaches
Having now settled into London, I yearned to get across the Channel to explore worlds I imagined filled with deep… Read more First Forays into Europe
In my last post, I told you I was going to talk about Garry, a flatmate of ours from that… Read more Garry – A Lesson in Love
It’s the beginning of October 1973 and time to start my PGCE (teacher training) program at University of London’s Institute… Read more Off to Classes
Here is my diary entry for my first day of my new life in London: August 29, 1973. “Land from… Read more Starting a New Life in London – 1973
This post will be quite different from my previous ones – for better or worse – and that’s why I’m… Read more How My Memorabilia Help Tell My Story
Are you ready for the final post of my nostalgic ramblings as a gay 23 year old Canadian backpacking through… Read more Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos 1973 – Part Two
After my adventures in Indonesia with Teddy and the boys as outlined in my last post, I flew away to… Read more Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos 1973 – Part One
The moment I stepped off the plane in Bali, Indonesia on June 2, 1973, I knew right away that I… Read more The Next Stops: Bali and Java
My last post, you may remember, was about my visits to my beloved city of Berlin back in the 70s,… Read more The Berlin Wall – Before and After