Kenric was established in 1965 and is made up of a network of social groups for
lesbians
A lesbian is a homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with femal ...
throughout the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. Members are of all ages, although mainly due to the long-running nature of the network it is most popular with women over 30 years old. It is often the only lesbian social outlet in areas where there is not much visible gay and lesbian presence.
Members
Throughout the country the local groups are managed by a network volunteers, who organise discos, club nights, walks, reading groups, golf tournaments, discussion groups and other such events to suit the locality. These women are from all walks of life, professions, ages and social backgrounds.
Members of the network keep in touch via a national monthly magazine, as well as regional newsletters. The basic philosophy is that no
lesbian should feel isolated or alone, no matter where they are. The group now has over 1200 subscribers, located all over the country and overseas.
Major events
Each year the organisation hosts major event that include a Christmas ball in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and an event in
Eastbourne
Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the la ...
to mark the end of the
International Women's Open
The Eastbourne International is a tennis tournament on the WTA Tour and the ATP Tour held at the Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club, Eastbourne, United Kingdom. Held since 1974, it is classified as a WTA 500 series on the WTA Tour and an ATP Tour 2 ...
tennis tournament. These events are open to women who are both members and non-members.
History
Many of the early members of Kenric were members of the
Gateways club
The Gateways club was a noted lesbian nightclub located at 239 King's Road on the corner of Bramerton Street, Chelsea, London, England. It was the longest-surviving such club in the world, open by 1931 and legally becoming a members club in 1 ...
in
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
. The name "Kenric" was formed from joining the regional names of
Kensington and
Richmond, which is where the group was originally formed in 1965. Some of the early members were also members of the
Minorities Research Group
The Minorities Research Group (MRG) (est. 1963)p.96 From the Closet to the Screen – Jill Gardiner was the first organisation to openly advocate the interests of lesbians in the United Kingdom. It was founded by four women who got together in r ...
(which published the magazine
''Arena Three''), but were keen to move away from research into lesbianism and develop the more social aspects. A former member believes that a group calling themselves ''The Sisters of Kranzchen'' may have been forerunners of Kenric.
Newsletter
Kenric soon started to connect members via a newsletter. Group co-founders Diana Chapman and Esma Langley wrote many of the first articles using a variety of assumed names.
[Hall Carpenter Archives Lesbian Oral History Group, ''Inventing Ourselves: Lesbian Life Stories'', Routledge, 1989 p54]
See also
*
List of LGBT organizations
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) related organizations and conferences range from social and support groups to organizations that are political in nature. Some groups are independent, while others are officially recognized advocacy gr ...
References
External links
The Kenric Website
LGBT history in the United Kingdom
1965 establishments in the United Kingdom
Lesbian organisations based in the United Kingdom
Lesbian history
History of women in the United Kingdom
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