Tony Bird
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tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Tony Bird
@tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
1.7K followers 230 following 2.3K posts
🏳️‍🌈 🇪🇺 ✅ Socialism and sequins. HIV+ he/him.

✊ 🇵🇸 🇺🇦 🏳️‍⚧️
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tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
My most popular tweet in the other place was pointing out to a bigot that I'd danced through Tower Hamlets in sequins and was perfectly safe
Brendan Cox @MrBrendanCox. Feb 26 I'm starting to think that these 'no go zones' are simply places that the person writing the tweet hasn't been to? Like me and Ibiza. Nige Devlin. Ex Tory Member @ItsPstupid · Feb 26 As a white middle age man I would not go to Bethnal Green by myself at night. Been there. My opinion. Tony Bird @TonyBirdLondon Oh honey, I'm a white middle aged gay man and I've danced through Bethnal Green at night while wearing sequins 4:22 PM Feb 27, 2024
November 18, 2025 at 10:41 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
It's been the same since I got my first smartphone
The lockscreen on my phone. The background is is multicoloured, very thin stripes. Sometimes only a pixel wide
November 13, 2025 at 12:39 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Nice to get my first mail from the Green Party hand delivered by the member who'll be standing in my ward in the local elections next year.
And also to discover that my tiny block of 12 flats has other party members in it
Leaflet for Southwark Green Party. Member Mail 2025
November 13, 2025 at 10:19 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
MI6 building at Vauxhall looking ominous in the mist/drizzle on Friday night
MI6 building as a dark silhouette with a few sections spotlit - seen from across the river with lights reflected in the water
November 10, 2025 at 4:13 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
El Anatsui: Go Back and Pick at the Goodman Gallery.
After his dazzling 2023 Turbine Hall installation he's returned to working with the salvaged wood of his early career.
Luvi - 2025
goodman-gallery.com/exhibitions/...
Strips of wood in a row that have been marked by carved and charred lines and patterns. There are very small areas of bright coloured paint
November 10, 2025 at 10:53 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Also
Keir Starmer flanked by union jacks saying "If you don't like the changes we've made, I say the door is open, and you can leave"
November 8, 2025 at 12:13 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
When Zack Polanski announced in his first speech as leader that the Greens were here to replace Labour I thought it would take more than eight weeks
Screencap of Zack Polanski saying "We're here to replace you"
November 6, 2025 at 7:27 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Screencap of Keir Starmer flanked by Union Jacks saying "If you don't like the changes we've made the door is open and you can leave"
November 6, 2025 at 7:12 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Andreas Gursky at White Cube.
His large scale photographs are incredible. This one's 4 meters across. Satisfying when viewed from a distance with incredible detail close-up. You can see into everyone's flats.
Paris, Montparnasse II - 2025
www.whitecube.com/gallery-exhi...
A large tower block of flats. 18 stories high and at least 4 times as long as it is high. It almost feels like an abstract grid of pattern
November 6, 2025 at 2:47 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
New profile pic.
I am now entering my Alexis Carrington Colby* era.
No further questions
Selfie of a middle aged man with a moustache and grey stubble in a very wide brimmed sun hat and large round black sunglasses. A floral purple scarf is wrapped jauntily around my neck
November 6, 2025 at 11:04 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Cai Guo-Qiang - Gunpowder and Abstraction
2015–2025 at White Cube.
I wasn't sure what to make of these at first but as I went round I became completely obsessed with the textures
Outside My Window: April in the Year of Gengzi - 2020
www.whitecube.com/gallery-exhi...
White background with abstract explosions of colour. The mains ones are intense magenta and dark and light grey with smaller ones of royal blue
November 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
I don't post about US politics - but everything about Mamdani's campaign in New York really gives me hope. Here he is campaigning in a queer latino nightclub.
And as every gay that learnt their politics from Harvey Milk knows "you gotta give them hope"
November 4, 2025 at 10:55 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
What movie do you consider perfect?

(Pretty much any movie starring Madeline Kahn qualifies but this is my favorite)
A still from What's Up Doc. Barbra Streisand is cycling a delivery bike. Ryan O'Neill is sitting on the box on the front
October 31, 2025 at 11:31 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
We have the worst trans rights in Europe. Equal to Hungary and Russia.
A massive drop since Labour took over.
I'm a gay man who lived through the homophobia of the 80s - what Labour is doing now with transphobia is just the same.
rainbowmap.ilga-europe.org/categories/l...
ILGA map of trans rights in Europe showing the UK in the red danger zone along with Russia and Hungary
October 30, 2025 at 7:45 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Whereas Faiza Shaheen is actually an academic but is labelled an 'activist'
Screencap from wikipedia Faiza Shaheen From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Faiza Shaheen (born 1982) is a British academic and economist in the field of economic inequality.
October 30, 2025 at 10:54 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Sad news about Prunella Scales. I know she'll be best remembered for Faulty Towers but she'll always be the quintessential Miss Mapp to me
Prunella Scales and Geraldine McEwan as Mapp and Lucia. They're wearing 1930s clothes and sat back to back on a stool in a churchyard
October 28, 2025 at 10:58 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
This is the summary
Anthony Bird's HIV journey began dramatically in 1995 when he went from seroconversion to hospitalisation with PCP in just 4-5 months, an unusually rapid progression that fascinated medical consultants. Working as a graphic designer in London and deeply embedded in the vibrant gay club scene centred around Brixton's legendary Fridge nightclub, Tony's diagnosis came at 28 during the height of the pre-combination therapy era. His story captures the terror of thinking he wouldn't live to see 30, watching 30,000 balloons released at Pride representing AIDS deaths whilst believing one would represent him the following year. Yet Tony's experience stands apart from many others in its lack of shame or secrecy - his hospitalisation made his status obvious to friends, and he found himself surrounded by HIV-positive activists who provided community rather than isolation. From near-death to the miraculous transformation brought by combination therapy, Tony's journey continues to the present day where he's found unexpected joy in ballroom dancing, describing himself as happier than at any point in his life whilst living with HIV as mere background noise.
October 27, 2025 at 6:04 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Your Party's company secretary and nominating officer is saying that Nazis and anti-Nazis are just as bad as each other.
Is this the party's official position now?
screencap of post on twitter Adnan Hussain MP The average brit: black, white, or brown, just wants to live peacefully. Co-exist with their neighbours and live a decent life with dignity The vast majority of brits do not want nazis crusading through our streets, nor equally absurd "counter-demonstraters." Calm down!
October 27, 2025 at 11:54 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Danielle McKinney - Second Wind at Max Hetzler
Really liked these moody paintings - especially the colour palette
Second Wind - 2025
www.maxhetzler.com/exhibitions/...
A black woman in a white bathrobe with a white towel wrapped over her hair sits drinking on a long beige sofa covered in cushions. The wall behind her is dark brown and lighting is dim. The colour palette is mostly warm browns and there's a very 70s feel to the decor
October 25, 2025 at 11:48 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Post a green Transformer.

Burnel Penhaul - aka Transformer.
A legend in gay 90s London
Left - a man in white clowface Right - Burnel Penhaul as Transformer. His face is light green with bizarre drag make-up and two ornate red horns/lights on his head.
October 23, 2025 at 4:17 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
I enjoyed the Lee Miler exhibition much more than I was expecting.
I knew a little of her pioneering work with solarisation and surreal fashion photography but nothing of the incredible photojournalism she did during WWII
Model with lightbulb - 1943
www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tat...
A black and white photo of a woman with her face in profile. In front of her is a large, spherical lightbulb. The clear circle of glass frames her face
October 22, 2025 at 2:08 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
This section is interesting. I don't remember anyone on the front bench being this critical of Labour's appalling stance on trans rights
Ms Powell has criticised the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s guidance on transgender issues, which was issued in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling on biological sex and has been criticised by trans campaigners. She believes the issue is one where Labour has been swayed by the culture wars waged by the Tories, Reform and right-wing media. “I've been really clear throughout my political career and life that I'm a feminist. I support all rights for women, for gender equality and for women's safety, all of those issues, and I'm not going to stop doing that. “But for me, I see absolutely no contradiction in fighting for those things, whilst also at the same time being really clear that I support the trans community and people who are trans, who are some of the most marginalised, ostracised people in society, who suffer greatly with mental health and homelessness.”
October 21, 2025 at 10:46 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Who robbed the Louvre? Right answers only.
Promotional picture from the Doctor Who episode Time Heist showing the 12th Doctor and the other members of the gang involved in the heist
October 20, 2025 at 9:40 AM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
Saw an amazing show by Gavin Maughfling today at 185 Park St.
I really love his paintings.
The Botanics - 2025
Today was the last day but this is his website
www.gavinmaughfling.co.uk/home/
An asian man is dressed in a white vest, shorts and trainers against a lush green background. The painting style is very loose and free
October 19, 2025 at 1:14 PM
tonybirdlondon.bsky.social
I had a two hour nap this afternoon - no regrets

(Credit to www.heybuddycomics.com )
Comic of dinosaurs talking. 1: What's your dream of the future? 2: I would like to take a nap 1: No, I mean what do you want to do with your life? 2: Oh, I would like to take many naps
October 18, 2025 at 7:11 PM