J.S.K. Starr
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jskstarr.bsky.social
J.S.K. Starr
@jskstarr.bsky.social
950 followers 510 following 62 posts
Disabled, nonbinary, Jewish, queer, immigrant. They/them.

Oral historian, museum practitioner, educator, sensitivity reader, accessibility consultant & poet.

https://linktr.ee/JSKStarr
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jskstarr.bsky.social
In these difficult times, I know that's a message I'm keen to hold on to.

If you want to support People's History Museum to put on more incredible events like this, please consider becoming a radical friend and donating to the museum to enable us to continue our work.

phm.org.uk/support-us/
A People's History Museum advert. Text: "You can make a difference. Become a radical friend! Give £3 a month." An interpretation panel hanging from a wall. Pink text: "Now it is more important than ever for black and white to unite to fight racism; lesbians, gay men and heterosexuals to fight sexism, trade unionists are fighting to keep jobs, decent wages and working conditions and old and young alike are fighting for a dignified retirement for the elderly, training, jobs and further education for school-leavers." LGSM, 1985.
March 5, 2025 at 7:09 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
I'm so grateful to Jonathan and Mike for their generosity in sharing their memories & wisdom with us all. I'm sure everyone at the Q&A left fired up & empowered to go out into the world and forge more bonds of solidarity. As Mike said, "it only takes two people pulling together to start a movement".
(left to right) Mike Jackson and Jonathan Blake on stage at People's History Museum. Both are smiling, and Jonathan is speaking into a microphone.
March 5, 2025 at 7:09 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
Quite literally - one of the first conversations I had with Jonathan, before I worked at PHM, I told him "maybe one day, I'll get to curate an exhibition about LGSM's work". Six months after that conversation,I got a job where I could do exactly that, and a year down the line the dream came true!
The LGSM pop-up exhibition space, empty of visitors. The walls are hung with photographs, and the back wall features a bright pink LGSM Manchester banner. All objects part of People's History Museum's collection.
March 5, 2025 at 7:09 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
Last Thursday was the proudest night of my career so far. Hosting the sold out Solidarity Forever: 40 Years of LGSM at People's History Museum (@phm.org.uk) interviewing Mike Jackson and Jonathan Blake, and co-curating the pop-up LGSM exhibition was a dream come true.
(left to right) Jaime Starr (a long haired femme wearing a rainbow shirt, and Pits and Perverts t-shirt), Mike Jackson (an older man wearing glasses, a blue shirt and knitted sweater vest) and Jonathan Blake (an older man wearing glasses, a padded jacket, kilt and tartan shirt) sitting on stage. Jaime and Jonathan are laughing, while Jonathan speaks into a microphone. (left to right) Jonathan Blake, Jaime Starr and Mike Jackson standing smiling in front of the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners banner in the galleries at People's History Museum. The pop-up exhibition space, crowded with visitors. The walls are hung with photographs on exhibition boards, and the back wall features a bright pink 'Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners Manchester' banner. All objects are part of People's History Museum's collection. An interpretation panel hanging from a wall. Pink text: "Now it is more important than ever for black and white to unite to fight racism; lesbians, gay men and heterosexuals to fight sexism, trade unionists are fighting to keep jobs, decent wages and working conditions and old and young alike are fighting for a dignified retirement for the elderly, training, jobs and further education for school-leavers." LGSM, 1985.
March 5, 2025 at 7:09 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
I am thrilled to be presenting at the Museums + Heritage Show this year!

"We Have Always Been Here" - Highlighting Marginalised Voices in Permanent Collections shares my work curating LGBTQIA+ Hidden History tours at People's History Museum.

Free tickets: show.museumsandheritage.com/2025-programme
An orange coloured advert for the Museums and Heritage Show program launch - it shows a person wearing white, standing at a lectern and smiling. Text: Excited to be presenting at the Museum and Heritage Show on May 14! Book your free ticket now! My workshop will show you how to curate marginalised history tours within permanent galleries that show limited objects from those communities." A screenshot of the program page for my session at the Museums and Heritage Show. The top picture shows me giving a tour, stood in front of a pink Act Up Manchester banner in the People's History Museum galleries. Text: "In 2024 People’s History Museum designed new staff-led LGBTQIA+ history tours of our permanent galleries, which have proved hugely successful engagement opportunities. While the session will draw from LGBTQIA+ tours, this process lends itself easily to other marginalised identity groups within your communities. This session will share our process, including: - How to integrate marginalised community history into gallery sections with few or no obviously connected objects. - The research process. - Terminology challenges – how to identify and talk accessibly about LGBTQIA+ histories from periods before currently used terms for gender and sexuality existed. - Supporting a brave space for tour group discussions. - Identifying alternative sources of contact for engaging with marginalised communities. - Q&A." The bottom image is my headshot.
March 5, 2025 at 5:44 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
🎉 Trans+ History Week has been shortlisted for a DIVA Award! We need your votes! Please vote for us to win charity or community project of the year: www.surveymonkey.com/r/3SK3YQX 🗳️

#DIVAawards25 #LVW25
Image has the Diva Award 2025 logo on it and then 'Trans+ History Week' awareness week celebrating trans+ history. Charity or Community Project of the Year. Colours are vibrant oranges and pinks.
February 25, 2025 at 9:56 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
My latest blog for @phm.org.uk for LGBT+ History Month is a brief overview of UK HIV activism from the beginning of the epidemic to the present.

phm.org.uk/blogposts/a-...
A mounted poster designed like a comicstrip showing a 1940s detective in a yellow trench coat and hat making out with Superman, Robin, and Batman. The strip is captioned Dick around? Safe sex every time! The poster was created by ACT UP! Manchester in 1994 and is part of People's History Museum's collection. NMLH.2004.10.1.33
February 15, 2025 at 8:16 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
If you would like to learn more, why not check out Twenty-Eight: Stories from the Section 28 Generation, an anthology I co-authored of personal experiences from people who lived, learned & worked in impacted industries under Section 28. Published by @reconnectingrainbo.ws. Link to buy in my bio.
The cover of Twenty-Eight - Stories from the Section 28 generation. It has an orange 1980s style television on it which shows an image of an anti-Section 28 protest march.
February 13, 2025 at 10:17 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
It was an absolute pleasure to give an LGBT+ History Month lecture on Section 28 (the UK's version of a 'Don't Say Gay' law) at the Belfast office of Herbert Smith Freehills this week, discussing the societal environment in which the law was introduced, its impacts and legacy.
A group of 13 people in front of a powerpoint on a screen titled Section 28, a milestone on the road to equality.
February 13, 2025 at 10:17 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
She bop.

Absolutely AMAZING gig tonight from Cyndi Lauper on her farewell tour.
Cyndi Lauper silhouetted on stage, a mic stand in her hand. Cyndi Lauper brandishing a floaty gauze rainbow flag on stage.
February 10, 2025 at 12:45 AM
jskstarr.bsky.social
It was an early start today for an interview on Gaydio Manchester about LGBT+ History Month & People's History Museum's exciting events - tours, an archive open day and our LGSM night on Feb 27th!
Tickets: phm.org.uk/whats-on
Listen here: gaydio.co.uk/manchester/player/on-demand/andrew-edwards
February 2, 2025 at 5:34 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
It's in North End, in Liverpool. It's on the corner of Breeze Hill & Imison St in L9. Fair warning though, it was unveiled a year ago, and it had been tagged by graffiti artists before we even had the launch event, so I'm not sure what it'll look like now!
November 18, 2024 at 6:52 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
Saw this doing the rounds on other sites (it's up on an electric box outside G-Mex/Manchester Central) and couldn't agree more.
A yellow poster on a box out on a street. The poster reads: This is Manchester, we do things exactly the same as any other city that has sold its soul to the highest bidder, pursuing growth at any cost, prioritising profits over people, parading an over-cooked version of our history and culture to overseas investors while bulldozing all remaining outposts of character back home, forcing local people & their livelihoods from any last slivers of land that could potentially hold yet another plastic rental tower.
November 17, 2024 at 5:51 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
Of course thousands of words have already been written about the Battle of Cable Street, anti-fascist football fans, & Rock Against Racism. But I wanted to show how fascists have pivoted targets & how some tactics have remained useful from 1936 Cable Street to resisting Summer 2024's racist riots.
Two leaflets. Left: Pink & yellow leaflet advertising an anti trump protest at the top headlined 'World's #1 racist', and an anti Tommy Robinson protest at the bottom headlined 'Oppose the Nazis and Tommy Robinson'. There is a photo of each man below protest location details. Right: A black and white page from a Communist Party publication encouraging people to 'save the East End of London from Fascism' by going to East London for what became the Battle of Cable Street. There is a map marking the protest location, and photos of fascists marching. Images of objects in the collection of People's History Museum. Two leaflets. Left: advertising the Anti Nazi League Carnival Against the Nazis march and carnival in Brockwell park, London. There is a large red star with white writing 'Rage Against Racism' in the centre of the page. Right: A black and white leaflet from Tyne & Wear Anti-Fascist Action's Newcastle United Against Racism & Fascism campaign. It is titled 'We Want Football Not Fascism' and advertises a mass picket before a football match to oppose fascists organising in the football terraces during Newcastle United games. Images of objects in the collection of People's History Museum.
November 17, 2024 at 4:18 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
Intentionally highlighting the presence & uplifting the voices of marginalised marchers is something that stands out about Giz a Job. It'd be easy to flatten this to a class only story but it's so much richer seeing the intercommunal solidarity within the working class movement.
October 10, 2023 at 4:40 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
It was extra special seeing Sam Malkin (the wheelchair user in the grey hat) front & centre on the mural - it's still rare to see visibly disabled people represented in public heritage & art. Getting to ensure Sam's voice is heard is vital work for me as a disabled historian.
October 10, 2023 at 4:28 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
On Friday I had the absolute joy and privilege to go and see the 'Giz A Job' 1981 People's March for Jobs mural getting unveiled alongside some of the Marchers from 1981 who are featured on the mural. There'll be press about it later, but for now I wanted to share some photos from the day!
October 10, 2023 at 4:11 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
Last week I had the amazing experience of going to see the QUEER & HERE poetry trail, showing my work, Beautifying the Mitzvah & 11 other gorgeous queer poems in St Helens. It was an incredible feeling & I'm glad to be involved in this response to rising anti-queer hate crime in Merseyside.
September 7, 2023 at 3:48 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
I am hosting Tashlich for Survivors with Yelala on 20th Sept. Yelala have a great range of events for the Days of Awe with event tickets on a sliding scale, including no-cost tickets for those who need them. You can book, or find more details here: www.yelala.co.uk/store/produc...
Tashlich for Survivors with Jaime S.K. Starr Wednesday 20 September 7pm-8.30pm UK Time The days of Awe with Yelala more details & bookings: www.yelala.co.uk Twelve, fifteen or twenty pounds per session or all five events for fifty, seventy two or ninety eight pounds. (Note: free tickets are available for those who need them) Tashlich is a Jewish folk custom practised at Rosh Hashanah, typically by casting breadcrumbs into flowing water to cast off the past year. Traditional tashlich liturgy can be challenging for those of us with a trauma history. This tashlikh will be trauma-informed, survivor-led & hold space for experiences that we may not find supported in formal liturgy. This space may also be affirming if you are LGBTQIA+, disabled, a person of colour, plus-size or have unsupportive families/communities whose actions/attitudes have harmed you. You do not have to share your trauma experiences to participate. Please bring a bowl of water & salt, bread or flower petals for casting.
August 22, 2023 at 1:37 PM
jskstarr.bsky.social
I am thrilled that my poem 'Beautifying the Mitzvah' is displayed as part of 'QUEER HERE: Hidden Voices' in St Helens.
This trail uses poetry by 12 LGBTQIA+ poets from the North West to challenge the rise of anti LGBTQIA+ hate crimes in Merseyside by placing queer voices defiantly in public spaces.
JAIME STARR Beautifying the Mitzvah 1. Begin in night’s rich velvet darkness. Allow loved ones snores to pass through you. Spend 60 breaths imagining their dreams. Unclench jaw. Let envy seep out. 2. Name each uncontested breath. Nourish it like a firstborn. 3. Wake. Infuse the day with longing. Whisper darkest held secret into each second until clock hands drip. 4. Find birds in late afternoon. Name them Emotion. Accept they will never be tamed, be still, never alight on your outstretched hand. Adore them anyway. 5. When hunger strikes, interrogate it. Examine which molecules crave union with you. Find them in mango and fish – use their juices to anoint the body. 6. Bless skin with sweet scent twice daily until lovers mistake you for rose, coconut, ripe pear. 7. Greet each magpie from the window, though they will not acknowledge you – invisibility is their generous gift. Return to night. ∞ [continued next image] PROMPT: - Write 7 rituals for 7 days, (or whichever sequence feels right for you) - Utilize objects, smells, senses, music, tastes, movements - Imagine an end goal or result. What are these rituals accumulating to? What are we conjuring? - Try to use simple, direct, and directive language, try to stay in the real, the physical, even when hyperbolic or symbolic. I lift, I sit, I move, I smell, I turn, I balance.
August 22, 2023 at 12:56 PM