Show explores 'queer narratives' of Section 28's impact

A performer says he wants to bring communities together to examine the effects of legislation that banned local authorities and schools from "promoting" homosexuality.

Tom Marshman, 51, based in Bristol, will be "sharing queer narratives of historical shame and invisibility" through his performance Section 28 and Me at the Bristol Old Vic from Thursday.

Section 28 of the Local Government Act was passed in 1988 and meant school teachers were effectively banned from educating people about homosexuality. It was repealed in England and Wales in 2003.

Mr Marshman said: "The route of the show for me is 'am I a show off' because I grew up in a time when identities like mine were hidden or invisible."

When the legislation was active, Mr Marshman said "there were no role models for me in that period, [or] there were a few, but they were difficult to come by".

Ahead of the performance he hosted tea parties to hear from the queer community about their experiences during that time.

Mr Marshman said he was just coming out as a young gay man while the statute was active and trying to work out who he was.

"There was some queer representation on the TV and in pop music but it felt very distant," he said.

He said he was lucky he had started visiting and making friends in Bristol, where he was able to work out who he was, "but there were lots of people who didn't have that".

The show is not just about him, but about other people and how everyone comes to their own realisation in different time frames, he said.

During previous performances, Mr Marshman said he has joined the audience afterwards and it has been "interesting [that] everyone wants to tell their S.28 story".

"There's something about looking at out past, our history, and trying to learn from that," Mr Marshman said.

Section 28 and Me is on at the Bristol Old Vic between 15 and 17 May.

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