Having met in 1993 it took a while for the law to catch up with our love. We made the best of it - DIY wedding in 1997, Civil Partnership in 2008 but it wasn't until 2015 that we finally made it to equal marriage. But as all good queers should do, we made the most of the journey to equality. Celebrating with our chosen family, dancing and laughing - wedding hats not always optional.

Wildblood and Queenie Post Office photobooth, Ship Street, Brighton 1993 We met in late 1992. Josephine aka Queenie called to ask if she and her girlfriend Michele could come play their bongos in my women-only nightclub Shameless Hussies which had just started upstairs at Fagins on East Street that May. Thanks to the committee of Brighton Pride’s Lesbian Strength who I worked alongside with Tiz Cartwright to create Shameless Hussies, this could only be approved by, you guessed it, a Lesbian Strength committee meeting. All of us. So we did. One meeting, many lesbians. Queenie, Michele, Tiz, the Lesbian Strength committee and me. It was at my place on Roundhill Crescent where I lived with my then-girlfriend Melissa. The sun was shining. The doorbell rang. I legged down our hallway stairs in my purple Doc Martens, Womad-purchased multi-coloured embroidered smoking cap and Tank Girl tee to open the door to my destiny. A destiny wearing a short-sleeved, stripey roll neck t-shirt tucked into a pair of oversized khaki high-waisted Bermuda shorts and a pair of dyke regulation black steel toe cap Doc Martens boots. T-shirt tucked in. Obviously. All it took was one look at that lesbian in that outfit walking up those stairs in front of this soul with her glorious backside flaunting its way ahead of me for this queer 23-year-old to become smitten. Completely and utterly. 18th May 1993. Seven months of flirting later we finally had our first kiss in the doorway of a lightbulb shop at the bottom of Trafalgar Street in Brighton. Having invented the term “it’s complicated” long before it was social, we had many dramas to get through before we could meet our disco destiny but it was coming. We were starting a connection. A connection made in dodgy 90s outfits and created in the DJ booths of Brighton. A connection that has lasted over 30 years. A connection I’m forever proud of. So this is our story. In long-kept ephemera, fabulous flyers, fuzzy photos, self-penned tunes, loved fuelled cartoons, xeroxed creations, press cuttings, VHS static, and adored audio. Wildblood and Queenie. Two elder queer disco dears who really should know better. Words by Kate Wildblood April 2024

St James Street Party / Pride Village Party Various moments of joy from St James Street and the Brighton Pride celebrations.

2008-2009 Took place at Envy now Charles Street 8 Marine Parade Brighton Funky Buddha Lounge 169 Kings Road Arches Brighton, Suga Qube, Castle Square, Brighton, Dr Brighton’s, 16-17 Kings Road, Brighton Door Policy: Househeads Music Policy: House DJs and promoters / creators: Mikalis, Bryony Masters, Queen Josephine, Kate Wildblood Flyer Design: Peter Greenwood “Electronic Disco was created by a collective of music lovers with the intention of attracting like minded clubbers for a night of proper house music like it used to be, creating that feeling of unity and smiling faces.” Mike Mikalis

Before social media or even the internet Freddie Bateman’s Scene 22 was the first port of call for any young queer soul rocking up wide-eyed and hopeful on Brighton’s shores. His cafe/shop /community hub Scene 22 on St James Street delivered every piece of information you could need about LGBTQI+ Brighton life via leaflets in every shape and size you could imagine. Helplines, support groups, club flyers, safer sex information, lubrication, love. Eyes were opened, blushes made, and lives changed. Thanks to a man with a mission to make LGBTQI+ Brighton better for everyone. Thanks to Freddie.

The Candy Bar Brighton 2000-2004 33 St James Street, Brighton Door Policy: All welcome but respecting women a must Music Policy: House / disco / indie / alt / R’n’B DJs: Kate Wildblood & Queen Josephine, DJ Rocket, Ms Annik, Darren Skene, Dulcie Danger, Hollie, DJ Slamma, DJ Philly, DJ Minx and many, many more Co-founders and promoters: Kim Lucas and Rachael Venia Woodgate Flyer Design: Jo Gell & Rachael Venia Woodgate

Wildblood and Queenie: The Candy Bar, 129 St James Street 2004-2008