At the Rainbow’s End by Clare Summerskill

Coming to MAC (Midland Arts Centre) Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH

on Sat July 4th  at 3pm

Artemis Theatre Company presents a play by Dr Clare Summerskill based entirely on interviews with older LGBT people who have experienced homophobia and transphobia in care settings and when receiving care in their own home.

At the Rainbow’s End tackles an extremely important issue concerning older LGBTQ+

people who, having perhaps been out for their whole adult lives, are faced with the

possibility of having to go ‘back into the closet’ at the point of accessing care in later life.

Each script-in-hand performance will be followed by a Q&A with the writer, the audience,

and informed panellists.

The UK has a growing elderly LGBTQ+ population (along with the general growth in

population of older people) and there are tens of thousands of carers whose jobs will be to

provide them with care and support in one form or another. It is therefore imperative and

timely to not only increase awareness of the specific needs and lifestyles of older LGBTQ+

people but also to expose homophobic, and transphobic incidents of prejudice and even

cruelty towards members of this population.

This hard-hitting piece of theatre is intended to raise general awareness about real life

situations occurring where members of the LGBTQ+ population, who are vulnerable as older

people needing care, can suffer at the hands of carers who may be inexperienced, ill-

informed or even, at times, blatantly cruel. Since this play is based on real people’s

narratives, it makes an extremely powerful impact on the audience.

We welcome audience members who work in any capacity with older people, including

health & social care sector workers, care home managers and carers, voluntary sector staff,

housing officers, Council staff etc. Members of the LGBTQ+ community (groups and

individuals) are also warmly invited to attend.

The performances last approximately 50 minutes each followed by a Q&A session (Total

length 1 ½ hours).:

https://macbirmingham.co.uk/events/at-the-rainbows-end

Feedback from audience members:

“This is amazing- if you haven't been go. Funny, tragic, Sad, insightful and really well put together”

“Wow, wow, wow, what a powerful and moving piece of work. Exceptional”

“Such a great piece. So moving and infuriating. Congratulations”

“Thank you again to you and the actors for a powerful, moving and thought-provoking performance today. You really stimulated some interesting reflections and conversations, which I know will continue to improve the work we do here in Camden across our whole health and care system for the LGBTQ+ community”

Chris Lehmann. Director of ASC Strategy and Commissioning and Deputy DASS, London Borough of Camden.

https://macbirmingham.co.uk/events/at-the-rainbows-end

Box Office: 0121 446 3232

  www.artemistheatre.co.uk                                    www.claresummerskill.co.uk 

Look out for your envelopes that will begin arriving  from the 28th October 2025. 

Voting will be over a 4-week period from Tuesday 28 October to Tuesday 25 November.

Ballots will be mailed out by the Post Office from Tuesday 28 October so are likely to arrive any time from a few days to a couple of weeks after this date. 

1.5 million UNISON members – our in-work members plus our Retired members – get a vote in this election, so it is a big exercise, and ballot mailouts are staggered. By law, we cannot allow members to vote electronically, so lookout for your ballot paper which will be posted to your home address.

Inside will be a smaller addressed envelope, with the postage already paid. Vote by placing an X in the box beside your preferred candidate’s name, put the ballot in the envelope and put it in the post box. Simple!

Members are strongly encouraged to use their vote in this important election that comes only once every five years. Make your choice and have your voice heard!

See details about taster sessions being run by UNISON College during Learning at Work Week 2024. Registration will open next week so keep an eye on the page below. 

Learning at Work Week 2024 | UNISON College

Enter the bisexual flag, a celebration of attraction without boundaries. Designed in 1998 by Michael Page, its pink, purple, and blue hues speak to the spectrum of attraction, from same to multiple genders, offering visibility and validation to bisexual individuals.

In 2010, the pansexual community unveiled its flag, a triad of pink, yellow, and blue, echoing the fluidity of attraction across genders. Each colour represents a facet of attraction, from feminine to masculine, agender to all-encompassing, embracing the complexity of desire beyond binary confines.

Similarly, the asexual flag, with its black, grey, white, and purple stripes, shines a light on a spectrum of attraction that transcends sexual desire. It stands as a beacon of visibility for those navigating a world that often equates identity with attraction, offering a sense of belonging and acceptance.

There are many variations of lesbian flag.  One of the most recent lesbian flags incorporates shades of orange and white to represent all members of the lesbian community. This includes transgender women and those who do not identify with a gender.

· Dark orange/red represents gender non-conformity.

· Orange represents independence.

· Light orange represents community.

· White represents unique relationships to womanhood.

· Light pink represents serenity and peace.

· Darker pink represents love and sex.

· The purple/plum represents femininity.

Designed in 2013 by Morgan Carpenter, the intersex flag, with its yellow background and purple circle, stands as a symbol of wholeness and visibility for those whose identities challenge traditional notions of sex and gender.

Crafted by Monica Helms in 1999, the transgender flag's light blue, pink, and white stripes symbolize the journey of self-discovery and affirmation. Its symmetrical design reflects the quest for correctness and validation in a world that often denies transgender individuals their truth.

With its pink, blue, purple, black, and white stripes, the genderfluid flag celebrates the fluidity and diversity of gender identity. From femininity to masculinity, and everything in between, each colour represents a facet of identity, offering a sense of validation and empowerment.

Enter the nonbinary pride flag, a testament to identity beyond the confines of the gender binary. With its yellow, white, purple, and black stripes, it honours the myriad ways individuals experience and express gender, offering visibility and validation to those often marginalised within LGBT+ spaces.

The ally pride flag, with its black and white stripes and rainbow ‘A’, stands as a symbol of solidarity and support for LGBT+ individuals. It serves as a reminder that allyship is not passive but an active stance in the fight for equality and acceptance.

Lastly, the new pride flag.  The new flag has been redesigned to incorporate elements from various LGBT+ subcultures.

The following are the various meanings of the new flag:

· Red represents life.

· Orange represents healing.

· Yellow represents new ideas.

· Green represents prosperity.

· Blue represents serenity.

· Violet represents spirit.

· Black/Brown represents people of colour. Black also serves to remember those who have died from, and those who are living with HIV/AIDS and the stigma around the virus that is still present in society.

· White/Blue/Pink represents the trans community.

· The yellow with a purple circle represents intersex people.