Scottish Minorities Group
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Minorities Group (SMG) was a Scottish
gay rights group officially founded in Glasgow
on 9 May 1969. The group was a self-help organisation working for the rights of homosexual men and women, and had the aims of providing counselling, working for law reform and providing meeting places for lesbians and gay men.
The group's first meeting in January 1969 was organised by Ian Campbell Dunn
at his parents' home in Glasgow. On 9 May 1969, the group was officially launched at an open meeting in the Protestant Chaplaincy Centre of Glasgow University that was attended by about 25 men and women. SMG meetings moved to the basement of the Catholic Chaplaincy in Edinburgh in August 1969. A monthly newsletter, SMG News, was started In January 1971. In the same year the group organised the Cobweb disco, which was Scotland's first gay disco, and the SMG Glasgow Women's Group was launched along with its magazine Gayzette.
In 1972, SMG started the Edinburgh Gay Switchboard. The Paedophile Information Exchange
(PIE) was formed as a special interest group in 1974. SMG organised the International Gay Rights Congress held in Edinburgh from 18–22 December 1974. Around 400 people attended the event and it led to the setting up of the International Gay Association in 1978. At the end of 1974 premises at Broughton Street, Edinburgh were purchased and the SMG Information Centre opened there in the Spring of 1975.
In 1977, the Glasgow Gay Centre was opened in Sauchiehall Street
. In 1978, SMG News became Gay Scotland and in October the SMG changed its name to the Scottish Homosexual Rights Group (SHRG). In 1980, Robin Cook
's amendment to the 1980 Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill partially decriminalised gay sex between men over 21. This allowed a commercial scene to develop and Bennets Nightclub opened in Glasgow in 1981. There was subsequently less demand for community facilities. At its peak in 1982, SHRG had 1200 members. However, the Glasgow Gay Centre closed in 1982. In 1992, SHRG changed its name to Outright Scotland
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
gay rights group officially founded in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
on 9 May 1969. The group was a self-help organisation working for the rights of homosexual men and women, and had the aims of providing counselling, working for law reform and providing meeting places for lesbians and gay men.
The group's first meeting in January 1969 was organised by Ian Campbell Dunn
Ian Campbell Dunn
Ian Campbell Dunn was a gay rights campaigner who lived and worked in Scotland.-Life and career:Dunn began his work in gay rights activism after finding that the Sexual Offences Act 1967, which partially decriminalized homosexual relations between adult men, applied only to England and Wales and...
at his parents' home in Glasgow. On 9 May 1969, the group was officially launched at an open meeting in the Protestant Chaplaincy Centre of Glasgow University that was attended by about 25 men and women. SMG meetings moved to the basement of the Catholic Chaplaincy in Edinburgh in August 1969. A monthly newsletter, SMG News, was started In January 1971. In the same year the group organised the Cobweb disco, which was Scotland's first gay disco, and the SMG Glasgow Women's Group was launched along with its magazine Gayzette.
In 1972, SMG started the Edinburgh Gay Switchboard. The Paedophile Information Exchange
Paedophile Information Exchange
The Paedophile Information Exchange was a UK pro-paedophile activist group, founded in October 1974 and officially disbanded in 1984. In January 2006 the Paedophile Unit finally arrested the last of its members on child pornography charges, with David Joy warned by his sentencing judge that his...
(PIE) was formed as a special interest group in 1974. SMG organised the International Gay Rights Congress held in Edinburgh from 18–22 December 1974. Around 400 people attended the event and it led to the setting up of the International Gay Association in 1978. At the end of 1974 premises at Broughton Street, Edinburgh were purchased and the SMG Information Centre opened there in the Spring of 1975.
In 1977, the Glasgow Gay Centre was opened in Sauchiehall Street
Sauchiehall Street
Sauchiehall Street is one of the main shopping/business streets in the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Along with Buchanan Street and Argyle Street, it forms the main shopping area of Glasgow, containing the majority of Glasgow's high street and chain stores.Although commonly associated with the...
. In 1978, SMG News became Gay Scotland and in October the SMG changed its name to the Scottish Homosexual Rights Group (SHRG). In 1980, Robin Cook
Robin Cook
Robert Finlayson Cook was a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Livingston from 1983 until his death, and notably served in the Cabinet as Foreign Secretary from 1997 to 2001....
's amendment to the 1980 Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill partially decriminalised gay sex between men over 21. This allowed a commercial scene to develop and Bennets Nightclub opened in Glasgow in 1981. There was subsequently less demand for community facilities. At its peak in 1982, SHRG had 1200 members. However, the Glasgow Gay Centre closed in 1982. In 1992, SHRG changed its name to Outright Scotland
Outright Scotland
Outright Scotland is a LGBT rights organisation based in Edinburgh, Scotland.-History:Outright Scotland began as the Scottish Minorities Group in 1969.In 1974, SMG bought the premises on Broughton Street that became the Edinburgh LGBT Centre....
.
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See also
- LGBT historyLGBT historyLGBT history refers to the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender peoples and cultures around the world, dating back to the first recorded instances of same-sex love and sexuality of ancient civilizations. What survives of many centuries' persecution– resulting in shame, suppression,...
- LGBT rights in the United Kingdom
- List of LGBT rights organizations