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A long standing campaigner for equal rights in the Bailiwick is hoping to compile a historical record of 'Gay Guernsey'.
Simon Naftel is launching his project now - with the aim of collating the information before the 40th anniversary of homosexual activity being legalised in Guernsey in 1984.
Mr Naftel spoke with Express ahead of the 2022 CI Pride, which was held in Guernsey last weekend.
Thousands of people attended the main events including the gathering at Candie Gardens, the march to the Market and the festivities there.
Mr Naftel was one of the speakers, along with prominent gay rights campaigner Jayne Ozanne.
The evangelical Christian said how pleased she was to see how far the island has come. She told the thousands of people gathered in Market Square that as a young woman in the 1970s she never thought she would see such a Pride event in Guernsey.
Pictured: Jayne Ozanne was a guest speaker at CI Pride 2022.
Now that CI Pride 2022 has passed, the organisers will be breathing a sigh of relief before looking to 2024, when the event will be held in St Peter Port again.
As that year will mark 40 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in Guernsey, Mr Naftel is wanting to gather stories of different people living in Guernsey to document the 'gay history of the island'.
"2024 is going to be 40 years since Guernsey decriminalised male homosexual acts and you know that's gonna be a big thing.
"It occurred to me that I really enjoy the company of people of every age. It's lovely spending time with young volunteers at Liberate and they humbled me by how hard they work and how kind and generous they are to one another. So the people who are still with us, those people, I would really like, as a project over the next two years or the year and a half, to gather together a select number of interviews, done one on one with people who remember the struggles of the 80s or the 90s. And maybe even earlier.
"I think my oldest gay friend is, I think, a very, very, very young 89 year old, who's a very keen swimmer, and I have to say is as lively in mind as any of the people I know in their 20s. But it occurred to me about all of those wonderful stories, which those people have, all their memories, all their anecdotes. I would love to sit down maybe have a nice pot of tea and have maybe a slice of cake or a bit of lunch, and just sit down and have a chat, a microphone rolling in the background, all anonymously without any names being attributed. And we'll have it ready and in print and available to buy for the 2024 Pride."
Pictured: Mr Naftel as a young man.
Mr Naftel is happy for contributions to be kept anonymous and he is dedicating his time to speak with people informally to ensure everyone is relaxed and happy to share their personal memories.
Those wanting to take part should contact him directly.
"I'd have to be very, very grateful if you could get the word out there. Anyone who's interested can get ahold of me on my Liberate email, which is simon@liberate.gg.
"If you've got any suggestions of people who would be interesting to talk to you please drop me a line or maybe mention it to them. If you know anyone in a nursing home, who's maybe not reading the Bailiwick Express but an elderly relative, I'd be very happy to work with nursing homes or meet people in their homes or invite them around for a nice cup of tea somewhere, just very, very gently, very, very, very respectfully of whatever boundaries they put in place to record the stories of those who have come before us."
Mr Naftel said everyone's experiences contribute to the collective history and all memories would be welcomed.
"The difference will be that what you're looking to do is not for new stories. No, we're looking to record history. Everyday is history. But let's face it while I very much hope you're going to be around for many years to come, I think if you're in your 80s or 90s, or even in your hundreds, you know that your time is very precious.
"And what better way of spending an hour or so of just chatting over the past and sharing your memories so that the next generation of people who are now maybe coming to their very first Pride this year, they may be 16 or 15 or 18.
"But they'll be able to pick up that book in a year's time at Mum's and actually flick through and have those stories and keep the memory alive, and to be made aware of just how very, very fortunate we are to be living in such a wonderful place like Guernsey in the year 2022."
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