LGBT HISTORY MONTH: Mary Jean Chan and Richard Scott @ NPG for Faber's 90th

So you may have noticed the blogs had an overhaul and I am back! I thought a pretty good way to come back would be with an event. I will be honest I've been dreading returning to this blog. I felt I've had nothing to say in a while and have so many drafts I started typing but just left to die but now I feel like I have suitable rubbish to spew so I am back! for now at least! Anyway I thought LGBT history Month would be a good time especially as I was lucky enough to attend a brilliant poetry reading 

Firstly I'd like to mention that LGBT History's Months website is brilliant for finding events to attend. I was looking for something a bit different and not too night out-y and this fit the bill perfectly. Secondly if you haven't already you need to get into London's museums Lates program. So many amazing museums/galleries have lates at least once a month that are often free to get in and super great fun. CHECK THEM OUT.

So way back at the end of January I had been looking up events to attend for LGBT History month and came up pretty short. A lot of the events were either way too late or far away from me. So I was dead chuffed when i found the National Portrait gallery was doing something fun to celebrate tied in with faber. As it was Faber's 90th Birthday Faber is celebrating all year and for LGBT History month they were celebrating by getting two queer poets for a reading of their poems and their faviorite queer poets from history for a reading. It was so up my street that I knew I had to drop everything and go!

The two poets Mary Jean Chan and Richard Scott were brilliant.They are both so passionate about poetry both their own and the medium in general.

Mary Jean Chan had some amazing points. Firstly about her new book Fleche (a fencing metaphor, she's very into fencing) and secondly about her theories on the queer body. It was really fascinating and hearing her talk about and read her favourite poets was fascinating. In particular she talked about Audre Lorde and mentioned one quote from her in particular that really stuck out for me @We were never meant to survive". It was a sobering moment.

Richard Scott continued this theme and in fact they both contrasted the idea of celebrating lgbt history month with the hideousness history had in it for lgbt people. This theme of LGBT martyrs came up a lot. His poetry was probably some of my favourite and his book is 1000% worth getting

It was honestly such a great night and such a great way to celebrate LGBT history month. Also the National Portrait Gallery is beautiful and so worth a visit. Walking around it I was shocked by how gorgeous it was. I really need to go one day during the day where I can focus on it more as opposed to only having 20 minutes before the event!

Like any massive nerd I ended up buying both their books and getting them signed! Which was super exciting. They were both so lovely!