Lesbians gravitated to Kings Heath
1985
Barbara and Bridget live in Kings Heath. Barbara
said “I’ve lived in Balsall Heath, Kings Heath or Moseley since my
second or third year in university, which is the area most lesbians
gravitate to be with others of the same kind, lots of feminists,
lesbians and left wing people. Then, house prices weren’t the issue,
lots of professionals were in a position to buy, a lot of large
Victorian properties, where shared residents could live together and
take over a house, e.g. dykes, and literally a few communes, some lent
themselves well to turning into flats or in the case of lesbians,
shared houses. A lot of socialising went on this side of the city, but
those in Handsworth or Bearwood felt very isolated as they had to get
at least two buses. You couldn’t guarantee it but you could expect
someone in the neighbourhood who would help you, and had similar
values”.
Barbara said when she lived in a flat in Balsall Heath and “A
woman was attacked in the street late at night and everyone came out
and helped her, in a very mixed neighbourhood. There was a great racial
mix, and a lot of unemployment but on the whole it worked well”.
Contributed by: Barbara Carter, 53, Bridget Malin, 62