#folk uk

[hattersarts]

hang the stars for me.

[brinconvenient]

I’m sorry... WHAT?!

Seriously: When do you ever just sit and think about the fact that Ian Katz of the Guardian (recently boycotted for its transphobia) and the BBC (routinely protested for its transphobia) was married to Justine Roberts of Mumsnet (a primary radicalizing hub for UK transphobia) for twenty-five years? Most people don’t! I didn’t, until I heard it from the poet Roz Kaveney during an interview. It got trimmed from that piece, and I have been trying to wedge it into different pieces ever since, to no avail. Sometimes, when I talk to other trans people, I will mention that a top Guardian and/or BBC editor was married to the founder of Mumsnet; almost always, when I mention this, I will find out that they didn’t know.

Here’s something else that happens when I tell a trans person that Ian Katz (Channel 4, BBC Newsnight, the Guardian) was married to Justine Roberts (Mumsnet) for 25 years. They will, without fail, make the following noise: Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Then they’ll inhale a little, and then they’ll do a controlled little exhale. Then they’ll say yeah, that explains it. Or, yeah. That makes total sense.

[oldschoolfrp]

"Rhino-Men are rather dull, bumbling creatures, not known for sharpness of wit." (Alan Langford illustration, Fighting Fantasy 24: Creature of Havoc by Steve Jackson, Puffin Books, 1986) As the 1973 Disney Robin Hood taught us, fantasy needs more rhino men.

[neitherabaron]

Race for Refugees - 30 Tunes, 30 Days!

Hey everyone,

TL/DR: I'm going to be recording and releasing 30 folk tunes on my violin for the month of September in support of Refugee Action! You can sponsor me here:

Like most people here in the UK, I've been horrified by the events of the last few weeks. Now more than ever, it's time to show solidarity, stand up against hate and discrimination, and demand a fairer future for refugees and people seeking safety in the UK.

Refugee Action support refugees' rights and services across the UK. Race for Refugees runs for the month of September - it's a race for hope, with a difference - participants take on a challenge of their choice for the month!

I'm a folk musician. I grew up with a genuine love for the folk music traditions of the UK. I've played in folk rock groups and ceilidh bands, covering traditional songs and dance tunes. But I'm perhaps not the type of person you immediately picture when you think of UK trad-folk!

My grandpa was an immigrant from Ghana in the 1950s and was blessed to be able to build a wonderful life here. I think we should demand nothing less for today's immigrants, especially those seeking safety and asylum.

Every day in September, I'm going to be recording and releasing a traditional fiddle tune from the British isles in support of refugees. There'll be jigs, reels, hornpipes and strathspeys aplenty!

Please sponsor me if you can, and help support refugees across the UK!

Thank you!

[haveyouheardthisband]

[omgthatdress]

United Kingdom!

let it be a testament to the power of English tailoring that it could make this motherfucker look good

[seed-rom]

Everyone say thank you Russell T Davies for introducing the wider television watching British public to rimming in 1999 and then heavily implying bisexuality is a natural evolution of current human sexuality in 2005 and then making a show where the entire main cast kisses someone of the same gender in 2006. Doing it like no other

[songofwizardry]

ok I'm not an expert but I'm not seeing much specific info going around here, and there's a lotta Palestine solidarity protests in the UK this weekend, so here is some (including UK-specific) protest info and resources (mostly pulled whole-cloth from Twitter)

policing is heavy at Palestine protests generally

Hamas is a proscribed org under UK law. that means "inviting support" for them or "wearing clothing or displaying articles" that implies you are a supporter is a criminal offence (if you're interested, here's the full list of criminal offences from gov.uk). Palestinian flags etc are ok*, but do not have something that could be mistaken for Hamas imagery. don't go out there looking for convictions pls.

*in spite of what Suella Braverman has implied, the London Muslim Community Forum has just confirmed that the Palestinian flag is not a proscribed flag and is not banned (apologies for quoting the "we advise the met police" group but I thought it was important to have that info explicitly)

don't talk to cops. that includes the police liasion officers in blue bibs.

particularly if you're concerned about your face ending up on social media etc, but also just good practice in general (both in terms of COVID and protest safety)—mask up. cover up tattoos etc.

have bustcards or contact details for protest legal support on you. Green and Black Cross can be contacted on 07946 541 511. write the number on your arm etc.

if you witness an arrest: check if there's a legal observer nearby and if so call them over; if not: if the arrestee doesn't have a bustcard, give them one, find out where they're being taken, and contact eg GBC or a protest support line

if you have the time and can help out, there will likely be arrestee support required after—GBC tend to post callouts on Twitter for this

other links

for particularly children and young people and their families being referred to PREVENT for pro-Palestine statements, contact PREVENTWatch and maybe also Palestine in School (newer initiative I think, I don't have an excessive amount of detail on them just FYI)

Liberty, Migrants Organise and Black Protest Legal Support have bustcards in different languages, including Arabic and Somali (also Liberty's website has lotsa useful info, including advice for disabled protesters, protesting and immigration status, and what to do if you're kettled)

GBC's thread on what to do if you see an arrest is useful, as are all their resources generally

if I've missed anything or made a mistake, lmk—as I said, I am very much not an expert. if you know people who are protesting, pass them the legal support line numbers; if you're attending, stay safe and be vigilant; and ofc carry water.

[popsicle-stick]

what if we were boatwomen sat on a lock gate on the grand union canal in 1889……and we were both girls….👉👈😳

historical context under cut!

during the 19th century entire families lived in the tiny back cabins of narrowboats on the british canal system, hauling goods from town to town. they had a hard nomadic lifestyle, and experienced exclusion from on-shore society. due to this, an entire folk culture, with its own crafts, formed. narrowboats were painted in bright traditional patterns, in a style known as roses and castles, and the interiors were full of crocheted lace and polished copper. men wore wide, bright crocheted belts to spread weight when hauling boats with ropes, and women often wore elaborate frilled bonnets that both acted as a point of personal pride and practical shade from the sun for an outdoor existence - these became black after the death of queen victoria in 1901. much has been said about the similarity between traditional english narrowboats and roma vardos, but as far as we know there's not much historical crossover.

link 1 (with photos!)

link 2

[spirk-trek]

Nocturne Fanzine | Michael Verina, 1981

While researching this zine I was really touched by some of the testimonials from editors, readers, and contributors. I've included them below :) Always remember who carved the way before us! Thank you fandom foremothers (and fathers)!

"From what I understand from friends in the UK, homosexuality was still illegal when women began writing and publishing K/S. Most K/S zines at the time were done on mimeo machines or other types of home copying that entirely controllable by the editor. K/S fanzines from the US were often seized as pornographic by Customs." - Kathy Resch, 2010 interview

"All zines are brought out with a mixture of blood, sweat, tears and most of all, love. Love of the characters, and of Star Trek, and being privileged to know at least one of the girls involved in NOCTURNE -- [Ms. Jean B] -- I can assure you, that if she is involved, there will be 'love in abundance' … and so from me, Good Luck, Girls! Any new K/S Zine must be a welcome sight on the horizon!" - Unknown, 1981

Foreword from Editor Lee Owers:

"Welcome to NOCTURNE. The production of this zine was never an attempt to rival the well-known (and much-loved) American K/S zines but it is, perhaps true that it began by saying "we can do it, too." Somewhere along the way, nationality was forgotten and the zine's message changed to "let's do it together." NOCTURNE became, in my opinion, an example of the best of K/S fan fiction and art on both sides of the Atlantic. I am gratified that this has happened, not only because the zine has benefited from the blending of skills but because, in its compilation, I have experienced that special unity, cooperation and trust that is the spirit of STAR TREK and fandom.

I would like to thank all the contributors for their enthusiasm and assistance, without which NOCTURNE could not have been produced. My thanks to the writers for sharing their dreams with us and to the artists for turning those dreams into a visual, and beautiful reality.

I leave you now to read, and I hope, enjoy. One word of advice to the potential K/S fan:

After a time you will find that wanting is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as having. It is not logical, but it is always true!

Peace in IDIC, Lee"

[rebel-girl-queen-of-my-world]

[reactionimagesdaily]

[pastelstarmie]

Do you hate terfs?? or even maybe hate terfs?? You might like our band! This is the next song my band are working on it is called: P.R.O.T.E.C.T T.R.A.N.S K.I.D.S It is nearly ready to go and we will hopefully finish it soon! excited to shared this with you all!! If you like it and wanna check out anything here is our linktree: https://linktr.ee/cheapdirtyhorse or you can just google Cheap Dirty Horse and you should be able to find most of it!

[xxxknee]

[neitherabaron]

Day 23 - Erddigan Y Pibydd Goch

Here's today's tune!

Yo! We made it to £500 for Refugee Action!

Thank you so much to everybody who's listened, sponsored or shared so far. It means so much, and besides, I'm having a blast recording these for you.

I'll be posting about a listening party once the full album is finished - we'll hold it sometime early next month over on Bandcamp.

Meanwhile, I've got an original fiddle reel to record! I'm calling it Red Herring's Reel. Stay tuned for that, I'm planning it for day 29!

If you're enjoying the music and would like to support Refugee Action, you can do that by either sponsoring me on my JustGiving below, or by pay-what-you-want for the album on my Bandcamp. Thanks!

[haveyouheardthisband]