LGBTQI+ networks in the Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences are delighted to host a discussion with the creators of award-winning podcasts, The Log Books, on Thursday 24th February, 2022 at 3pm. For further details, please contact Anson Mackay (ans.mackay@ucl.ac.uk), co-chair of UCL’s Out in Geography.

The Log Books podcast explores the UK's LGBTQ+ history through the handwritten archives of Switchboard, the LGBT+ helpline that was established in 1974. Tash Walker and Adam Zmith will explore some of their favourite stories of the people who called into Switchboard, the common themes uncovered within its archives and the helpline's significance in UK LGBTQ+ history.

The Log Books was named Best New Podcast (Gold) at the British Podcast Awards 2020, is five-star rated on Apple and has been featured in The Observer and the Guardian, Esquire, Diva Magazine, Boyz Magazine, on BBC Radio Hour, History Hit with Dan Snow and the Pod Bible podcast.

The three seasons of The Log Books podcast covers the period 1974 to 2003, and includes stories collected from more than 50 contributors talking about everything from nightlife to housing, from discrimination and HIV/AIDS, from the age of consent to migration.

Speakers:

Adam Zmith is a writer, podcaster and author of Deep Sniff: A History of Poppers and Queer Futures. He is the recipient of a London Writers Award (2019-20), the literature programmer for Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest, and a volunteer at Diversity Role Models. He has published fiction, written and produced a show with Luis Amália, and written short films that have screened internationally. His podcast Karl’s Kaschemme focuses on queer desire. He is formerly a journalist and social media editor.

Tash Walker is a Co-Chair of Switchboard. Tash has brought the charity’s log books to light through archiving at Bishopsgate Institute, talks during LGBT History Month and media interviews. She is also the Co-Founder of Get In Her Ears, an organisation set up to promote womxn and non-binary people in music.

Shivani Dave is a broadcast journalist, stand-up comedian and speaker. Although they have a background in physics, they now use their communication expertise to amplify the voices of LGBT+ people in the community and expose global inequalities.

The Log Books - Discussion with the creators - LGBT+ History Month