However, the AIDS crisis struck Britain in the 80s, and targeted discrimination towards the community rose again.
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Following the Stonewall riots of 1969, the existing fight for LGBTQ+ rights and equality rocketed on a global scale and was followed by the 1972 founding of Britain's first gay newspaper, Gay News, London's first Pride in that same year and the Liberal Democrats becoming the first UK political party to support equality in 1975.Įntertainer Paul O'Grady dressed as his drag queen alter ago Lily Savage (Image: TV Times via Getty Images) So whilst we can make changes to make us better, I think we’ve also got to provide and preserve the changes that have made the business into what it is."Īs one of Britain's oldest gay venues, the discrimination towards the community is deeply routed into the RVT, particularly before James' time at the site. "So a lot of people want traditional drag - which is what we do and I want a lot of that to still continue here. And of course, we need to make sure that RVT as a venue can continue to provide what people want, and not everyone is a total Drag Race fan," James says. "In the late 80's and 90's we were known as the Palladium of Drag, and drag comes in many shapes and forms now with the likes of Drag Race - it’s changed the whole profile of how people look at drag. Paul O'Grady has even referred to the Vauxhall site as "the Royal Vauxhall Tavern School of Dramatic Art" and although the venue hosts various events and shows all week, it will always be known for its drag something James wants to keep alive. The Royal Vauxhall Tavern is synonymous with drag, from the eight-year residency of Lily Savage to the legendary Dame Edna Experience and, of course, Myra DuBois. Known for its rich drag legacy, the venue where Freddie Mercury once smuggled Princess Diana inside in male drag made history again in 2015 when it became the first venue to be given Grade II listed building status for its contribution to LGBTQ+ history. James Lindsay first became involved in the RVT in 2005 (Image: Royal Vauxhall Tavern) READ MORE: The best restaurant in every London borough according to Tripadvisor When a friend convinced him to visit for the first time, he knew he had to get involved, saying: "The atmosphere was the most remarkable atmosphere of a captive audience I’d ever seen anywhere in the world." James first became involved in the RVT in 2005 and has since operated it exclusively as a performance venue. However, the RVT has proved an incredibly vital part of the LGBT community since the 1950's, and there's even unconfirmed reports of drag acts appearing there from as early as the 1880's.Ī venue that saw London through the HIV and AIDS crisis, the emergence of the London Gay Liberation Front, the city's first Pride and countless cases of horrific homophobic attacks, MyLondon spoke to James Lindsay, the CEO and Managing Director of the RVT to hear the stories behind it. In 1967, the Sexual Offences Act decriminalised sex between two men over 21 and ‘in private’. An undeniable staple in London's LGBTQ+ nightlife, this iconic venue is not just a performance space, but a sanctuary for many - both then and now.
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Just a stone's throw away from Vauxhall station, holding symbolic status and international fame, lies the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT).