In 1979 Martine Rose felt like the only person who had been brought up as a man, but who wanted to wear women’s clothes. She bought a run-down, partly uninhabitable terraced house in Sheffield, renovated it, and established one of the UK’s first dedicated spaces supporting the trans community.
As time progressed, and more people got in touch, this support grew into her starting Repartee magazine, a successful trans publication, which was provided, among other things, a place for men wanting to buy and wear women’s clothes and to feel part of a community, at a time when they were almost entirely invisible. One guy in the film talks about how back in those days, the only place he could shop was in charity shops. Martine talks in the film about how she always made sure to publish a line in every magazine – Transvestism; you are not alone, it’s not a problem, enjoy it.
Film-maker Naomi Abel-Hirsch has crafted a compelling short documentary that weaves together archive video, interviews and contemporary footage of Martine’s enduring work. Now 85, Martine continues to host events that made her a trailblazer – albeit no longer from the terraced Sheffield home where it all began
Abel-Hirsch told me she first met Martine after researching in Bishopsgate Library, home to one of the country’s most extensive of LGBTQ+ archives. She developed a fascination with Martine’s extraordinary story, and wanted to document it.
‘I came across photographs of her winning a contest at a drag ball. When I eventually spoke to her I realised what an amazing story she had to tell about this haven she had set up, when no-one else was doing anything like this. I actually went to see the house with her. She told me they only had parties in the winter months, because people wanted to arrive in the dark. She thought at first about establishing somewhere in the countryside but realised it would be much too visible. Strangely perhaps, they found it was much easier to be anonymous in a street of terraced houses in Sheffield.
I really want Martine to have recognition for the role she’s played. It’s important that with trans-rights appearing to be slipping backwards, this will help people to understand trans history, and see it going back to what was happening in the late 70s. Creating safe spaces for people to feel welcome has been happening for longer than you might think.’
Martine continues to be a true pioneer of the rights of the trans community and of queer resilience, and was shown under the Safe Space screening at this year’s Docfest.
