Gay life in the austere 50s was not simple. Maintaining a homosexual relationship was considered illegal and society at the time did not resemble today at all. Civil unions between people of the same sex were not even in the minds of the most optimistic. The only way out for gays at the time was to join the merchant navy, where gay behavior was tolerated, in some cases, even welcomed. Now, more than half a decade later, Merseyside Maritime Museum is home to the exhibition Hello, Sailor!, in good Portuguese, “Good morning, Sailor!”, in which he documents this parallel gay life at the time. The exhibit also explores gay life in relation to passengers. At the time, gay men were well accepted as servants in catering (services that involve food, from execution to the act of serving), but they had to remain closeted if they worked as officers or engineers. Among the highlights of the exhibition is the photo in which a sailor, wearing a worn-out dress, is crowned as godmother of the group (PHOTO). In addition to the photographs, there is a handmade poster on which the parties and competitions were announced. The audio-visual materials are also worth highlighting. Among them, tapes with testimonies from sailors of the time. There is also a video of a gay wedding between two sailors who have been together since 1974. Also on display are maps made by the sailors where gay bars and spots could be found in ports around the world. There are examples of Polari – a secret language used by gay men in public places. The exposure “Hello, Sallor!”, remains until March 2007 at the Merseryside Maritime Museum, Albert Dock, Liverpool. Quite a request for anyone planning a trip to London.
in Culture
