Women's access to the Nightingale
1982
Alan notes, “The campest and most effeminate men were usually the most anti-women and resisted women being members of the club.” He says there was a move to make the club formally men only in the early 80s. “I was elected as Chairman of the club in 1982 and stayed until 1985 but then in 1987 I returned as Chairman as I was upset that there were things going on in the club, particularly anti-women, anti-transvestite. Transvestites were being refused membership. From the outset the club had never discriminated and if you look at the original members list, some of them were women! It was a battle I fought and won, taking on the chairman at the time, Gary Wilkes.”
Contributed by: Alan 2, 60