The story of LGSM
If you haven’t seen the movie Pride, you may be unfamiliar with the civil rights group Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM). The story of LGSM is an inspiring tale of solidarity, acceptance, and empathy. While it may seem like an unlikely duo, the striking miners and a group of LGBTQ+ individuals united and supported each other during trying times for both groups under the Thatcher government in the U.K.
In 1984, a plan was announced by the National Coal Board to cut the nation’s output by 4 million tons, resulting in the planned closure of 20 pits and the loss of 20,000 jobs. Workers at one site walked out on the job, the president of the National Union of Miners took this as a sign to begin a nationwide strike. The striking miners faced police brutality, similarly to the same brutality faced by LGBTQ+ people protesting unjust and discriminatory laws.
One of the founders of LGSM, Ray Goodspeed, was reminded of his childhood during these strikes, as his father and family were working class people living in a middle class neighborhood. He understood how they felt, and knew they needed help. The LGSM formed and collected donations to send to the families of the striking miners to avoid going hungry. They collected over 20,000 pounds, and while they only expected a thank you in return, they got an invitation instead.
Upon arriving in a remote town in Wales, they had no idea what to expect from its citizens. Homophobia, discrimination, and prejudice were all on the table. However, the families they assisted were relatively accepting. While they hadn’t had much experience or knowledge of the LGBTQ+ community, Goodspeed admits that a quote from the film summed up the attitude towards them pretty well: “Why should I believe what the papers write about them if I don’t believe what they write about us?”
Through spending time with, learning from, and supporting each other, the striking miners and LGSM learned more about each other’s communities. They grew empathy and respect for each other.
Despite the miners losing the strike to the Thatcher government in 1985, the miners did not lose their support for the people that supported them. The miners’ labor party groups continued to advocate for the community. They openly supported the LGBTQ+ community in the campaign against Section 28, a British law that prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality.” They endorsed and participated in gay pride events, in fact they led the Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade of 1985.
The story of LGSM tells one of mutual respect, understanding, and support between two mistreated and marginalized groups. Although the events spoken about in this post occurred over 35 years ago, we can still learn from them today. By uniting together against a common enemy in support of the same desires, we can not only be stronger, but also more educated on the struggles of other groups of people, and learn how to help. Having compassion for others is important, and in the words of LGSM co-founder Mark Ashton, “One community should give solidarity to another. It is really illogical to say, ‘I’m gay and I’m into defending the gay community but I don’t care about anything else…’.”
Haven is a developing virtual pride center aimed at providing young LGBTQ+ people with a community at their fingertips. The founders of Haven come from a place of love, understanding, and commitment. Haven is a community founded by young LGBTQ+ people for LGBTQ+ people. Checkout our website, havenvpc.org, and follow us on Instagram @haven.vpc for updates on our journey.
Haven is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. You can email us at havenvpc@gmail.com.
