Seven Miles Out

AT Seven Miles Out we endeavour to be an inclusive space that embraces and celebrates diversity. Wednesday, May, 17, is IDAHOT Day - The International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, a worldwide celebration of sexual and gender diversities.

IDAHOT was created in 2004 to present an annual landmark to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social movements, the public and the media to the violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and inter-sex people internationally, who do not conform to majority sexual and gender norms. As part of Stockport’s IDAHOT events, Seven Miles Out will have two free film screenings on Wednesday and invites everyone to come along.

In the afternoon at 2pm we will be screening FIT, an intelligent, powerful and entertaining production supported by Stonewall which tackles the issue of homophobic bullying in a culture where everything from not liking sport to wearing the wrong trainers is ‘gay.’ The story follows six young people as they battle through a minefield of exploding hormones, awakening feelings and homophobia, as they attempt to fit in, stand out, discover their own identities and accept each other.

At 7.30pm we will be screening ‘Call Me Kuchu,’ a powerful and hard-hitting documentary that follows the struggle of veteran activist David Kato, Uganda’s first openly gay man, to repeal the country’s homophobic laws and liberate his fellow lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender men and women, or ‘kuchus.’

A new ‘AntiHomosexuality Bill’ proposes death for HIV-positive gay men and prison for anyone who fails to turn in a known homosexual.

David and his fellow activists work against the clock to defeat the legislation while combatting vicious persecution in their daily lives. David fights Uganda’s government and tabloids in the courts, on television, and at the United Nations because, he insists, “if we keep on hiding, they will say we’re not here.”

But no one, not even the filmmakers, is prepared for the brutal events that shakes the movement to its core and sends shock waves around the world.

On Saturday, May 20, we have our monthly Sound and Vision retro vinyl night with ‘The Vinyl Frontier’ spinning classic tracks from past decades. It’s a great atmosphere where people can let their hair down and have a good bop on the dance floor.

Come along to this free night with your old friends and you’ll leave with many more new friends.

For more information on our up and coming events visit www. sevenmilesoutarts.co.uk