Letter T Colin Harvey, Chair,
SMG to Professionals regarding Needs of Homosexuals: 13 June
1969,
Letter
from T Colin Harvey, SMG Chair, to professionals who deal
with homosexuals in difficultly: Jun 1969. Copied.
... writing to you as someone concerned
in a professional capacity with homosexuals in difficultly. ...
SMG has been formed to consider the posision of the homosexual
in Scotland. First task to discover what are the
needs, social & otherwise, of homosexuals. In course of work
you will have formed views on this ... let me know in what way
a group like ours can contribute to meeting them.
SMG consists of 15 people, most but not
all homosexual men and women. Come togethere due to changing
climate and "partly because of the association of several
of our members with the Albany Trust, with Esquire Clubs, and
with the Monorities Research Trust [first
mention of this: what is it?]. The bodies are principally active
south of the Border only."
Group, form own experience, conscious
of social isolation. Some specialist counselling available in
larger cities, group would like to know if the social needs of
homosexuals are being met, and precisely what these needs are.
"The group is willing to organise
itself to meet these needs, but we should value the opinion of
persons like yourself before taking any action. The Group includes
a Lecturer in Social Work (myself), a Minister of the Church
of Scotland, a Glasgow solicitor, two teachers and an estate
agent and several Civil Servants. From within our resources we
anticipate that we could get sufficiently organised to unertake
education, liaison with other bodies with similar aims, to press
for Law Reform, and perhaps some sort of supportive work for
the homosexual in difficulty. But we are particularly anxious
to learn what other people see to be the needs in this field.
Yours sincerely (T Colin Harvey)" |