LGBT+ History Month: Reflections as an Older Gay Man
Edward Houghton | he/him
As an older gay man, now 70, I have an opportunity to look back on my life so far.
I decided I was gay at the tender age of 30.
Before that, I grew up in Birmingham. I became a trainee lab technician in the City Bacteriologist in Central Brum.
I loved soul music and dancing (still do), enjoyed clubbing with my mates and had girlfriends, but was a late developer.
When I was 22 I went to Sydney, Australia. I had 40 jobs in eight years and periods of travelling around that beautiful continent.
I came back to England, lived in London and got a job as a trainee print technician at the RCA. This is when I decided I was gay and came out to myself.
From MDX student to Lighthouse volunteer
In 1980 I was accepted on the Constructed Textiles degree course at Middlesex University Cat Hill, Cockfosters, as a student. My thesis was on gay male dress codes and their significance. This meant visiting London clubs, interviewing people and informing myself about what was going on in the capital.
Around this time AIDS was starting to appear in the scene: friends died; the scaremongering was awful. We lost a huge percentage of our peer group and the generation before ours.
I supported friends till they died, then did voluntary work at the London Lighthouse.
This was a new form of hospice with outreach for people living with the virus. I started on reception, helped out on the unit where terminal care occurred then did outreach work.
A few years later I was diagnosed as hyper manic, a different form of bi-polar. Luckily I am functioning, and this doesn’t normally affect my life due to the correct medication.
I think mental health issues can be very disturbing for anyone, and in the same way as some non-heterosexual people do not want to talk about their sexuality, mental health is often a difficult subject to raise to discuss.
I am currently Pagan. I was brought up as a Roman Catholic and chose to relinquish this religion when I was 19 years old. Many religions are non-accepting of non-heterosexual people, and this can cause terrible stress for us. I suppose it all comes down to acceptance.
Looking forwards but remembering the past
We have made great strides in this country — civil partnership, equal marriage, trans rights, the rise of younger generations being more accepting of gender and sexual diversity.
However, it is not so long ago that we had section 28. Homophobic attacks still occur, not everyone is accepting.
Within our own communities homophobia and racism, misogyny and body shaming still go on. Drugs and alcohol are still huge problems.
Out and proud at Middlesex
In my role as a lecturer at the University I am out and proud. I would like to feel that I am available to offer any student a listening ear, positive advice and/or my personal opinion as part of providing equal opportunity and inclusivity. I always uphold confidentiality.
I currently support the LGBT+ Network at Middlesex University — I am currently a champion within the group.
Let’s all live our lives with Pride and look out for me at Duckie, The Eagle or Bar Wotever, when we are allowed to mix again. Mine’s a pint of bitter, and what’s yours?
Ted Houghton is Lecturer in Fashion Textiles with the Specialism of Knitwear at Middlesex University
