CHE ran a campaign to lower the age of consent for gay sex to 16 (there were no laws prohibiting lesbian sex in private). Alongside that campaign, CHE also set up the first groups for under 21 gay youth. But many in CHE were nervous about that work as there was a threat of prosecution for ‘corrupting public morals’. With the reluctance of CHE to commit support to gay youth groups, Phillip Cox (1956-1992) and Paul Welch broke away from CHE and ran a group in London called the Gay Teenage Group. This unique and groundbreaking unofficial youth group was run by its members. It started meeting in premises in Holloway Road, London in 1976. Although some young women attended the LGTG, the need for a separate lesbian group was recognised and this was set up in 1979.
In 1979 the London Gay Teenage Group (LGTG) moved to premises in Manor Gardens, N 7. Today there is a pink plaque at the entrance to the Manor Gardens Centre (put up by Islington Pride).
Gay News listed the LGTG and a few other gay youth groups that had started to emerge in cities like Liverpool, Manchester and Leicester.
In recognition of the need for more gay youth groups, people like Micky Burbidge, a civil servant, established the Joint Council for Gay Teenagers (JCGT). The JCGT helped people to set up other gay youth groups around the country. After a couple of years, they handed over their role to a new voluntary organisation called the Gay Youth Movement (GYM).
GYM catered for a wider age range and accepted young people up to the age of 26. Around the country some gay youth groups were set up for young people up to the age of 26 and in other areas, they were restricted, like the LGTG, to 16- under 21-year-olds.
The LGTG was officially recognised by the Inner London Education Authority in 1979. This enabled the group to apply for funding and in 1983 they appointed a part-time paid youth worker. However, the group was always led by the members.
You can read much more about this topic in a new book: ‘Courage to Be: Organised Gay Youth in England 1967-1990’ by Clifford Williams. The Book Guild ISBN 9781913913632.
