Did you know that back in the 1950s there was a code word for gay men? Or did you know that gay men used different colored handkerchiefs to reveal their sexual preferences to others “in the know”? Does that mean it was expressed? Or is some modern slang derived directly from queer culture? What about the leather scene, which has been around since World War II?
Each of the above examples is part of LGBTQ history, but sadly many LGBTQ people, especially those from younger generations, are unaware of this. But they’re all created by gay dating and hookup app Grindr as part of an eight-part series called “Dad Lessons,” launched in October to coincide with recognition as LGBTQ history. It was revived with a short two-minute video. month. New episodes will be posted every Tuesday and Thursday throughout October.
Created with the help of British-born author and historian Clayton Littlewood, each episode presents a nugget of queer history to Grindle’s social media followers, including Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok.
According to Littlewood, the writing opportunity came from a mutual connection with Tristan Pineiro, Grindle’s senior vice president of brand marketing and communications, who became Littlewood’s book publicist in 2008. He is said to have been working. Dirty White Boy: A Soho Story.
The book is based on Littlewood’s popular MySpace blog depicting daily life in Soho, a historically gay neighborhood in London’s West End best known for its bohemian and artistic culture. When Grindr wanted to launch “Dad Lessons,” Pineiro suggested the company partner with Littlewood.
Littlewood came up with a list of 20 topics that are important parts of gay history. He eventually narrowed the list down to a few more specific topics and tried to condense each lesson into an easy-to-understand script.
The silver-haired, timid historian appears in some videos, as do adult film stars and male models. Such “eye candy” provides visual stimulation aimed at capturing the reader’s attention while simultaneously educating inquisitive social media scrollers.
Episodes released so far have depicted men wearing clothes that represent specific gay subcultures, such as leather workers, bikers, and bears. Decorate yourself with colored handkerchiefs for the episode about handkerchief cords. Or, as for “Disco Demolition Night,” it broke records. The event commemorates the heterosexual community’s opposition to the popular music form due to its flamboyant clothing style, acceptance by the queer community, and predominance of music artists of color. It forced the art form into the underground, where it evolved and was reborn as house and techno music.
“This project makes me wish I had done it when I was a kid. It would have made my life so much easier,” Littlewood says. “And for my generation, it’s nice to be able to give something back. We lost so many people in the ’80s and ’90s, and some of the people who survived are here to help us… I think it’s time to give back some tips and some history lessons that you didn’t have access to, because the younger generation is on TikTok and Instagram, and maybe for those who have been banned and can’t access gay books. , this project is the ideal medium to convey these little history lessons. And if you see something in a two-minute video that you think is really interesting, you can start researching it right away. ”
Littlewood, who has been working with the Grindr team to develop the script for the “Dad Lessons” episode, said he enjoyed the experience.
“It was great for me because it’s about gay culture, gay history, writing, research and presentation. It ticked all the boxes that I love,” says the 61-year-old. “It’s all things that I’m really interested in. So it didn’t even feel like work. I was like, ‘Wow, this is what I want to do forever.’ ”
Whether Littlewood’s wish comes true and he gets to write additional episodes of “Daddy’s Lessons” depends on the response to the video on social media. But Littlewood believes the project is not only a way to introduce queer history to younger generations, but also a way for LGBTQ people, especially in conservative and rural areas of Western countries, or where homosexuality is socially acceptable. I believe it is a sign of comfort and hope for people living in the area. They may discourage or even criminalize the fact that they are not alone in the world. It’s a sentiment Littlewood can personally relate to.
“I grew up in Weston-super-Mare, a small Victorian seaside town in England in the 1970s. There was no internet, no gay books, movies or literature. There were no apps.” he speaks. “It was very difficult growing up gay back then. I really thought I was the only gay person in this country.
“It was when I moved to London and went to university, I stumbled across a book on the bottom shelf at the back of the university library that I didn’t even realize was there,” Littlewood says. added. “And I picked up a book called. coming out Written by Jeffrey Weeks. It was like a revelation. I was reading about our gay history and that there was a political movement that led us to where we are today. And it felt like a history that had been denied me. And I remember being very angry that I wasn’t told about this. Because if I had done that when I was a child, it would have been easier for me to grow up. ”
Littlewood, who was born at a time when homosexuality was still criminalized in the UK, says she looks back on her 60 years of life and believes that her “daddy lessons” were a sign of the prejudice and internalized prejudice that many queer people often experience. I hope it helps you fight self-loathing.
“I hope people don’t feel the same way I felt when I was a kid, because I felt like a weirdo,” he says. “I think one of the big things that my generation has to face is to separate ourselves from the shame and stigma that we carry, to grow into confident people and to get rid of negative emotions. And now, with the election coming up, we’re experiencing a lot of negativity. We’re being attacked everywhere and being called pedophiles again. I grew up feeling that in the 70s. But now I’m experiencing it again.”
Now based in Fort Lauderdale, Littlewood feels he occupies a unique space in the world. On the other hand, he lives in a generally liberal-leaning city that boasts a large LGBTQ community as well as a number of LGBTQ-specific sites and resources, including the Pride Center, the World AIDS Museum, and the Stonewall National Museum and Archives. I’m here. A place where visitors can easily access and learn about queer history.
Meanwhile, he lives in Florida, a right-wing state that has been at the epicenter of attacks on LGBTQ visibility and transgender rights, and even passed a law banning LGBTQ history from being taught in schools. I am doing it. He is concerned about the impact these laws will have on young LGBTQ people.
“I think some of the gay kids growing up in the Midwest that Chapel Lawn mentioned in her VMA speech are isolated,” he says. “They don’t live in a ‘gay’ area like I do, and you probably don’t either. Maybe there aren’t any gay bars around. Even if they want to come out, it can be very difficult. Their iPhone is their connection and access point to gay culture,” he says. “So [with “Daddy Lessons”] We offer a small window into a world of possibilities. If you can escape from those small towns, this is what awaits you. you are not alone. ”
Dad Lessons can be viewed below. Instagram, TikTok and YouTube shortnew episodes drop every Tuesday and Thursday. Follow @grindr × and Instagram.
Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
