In Memoriam: Geoff Hardy – advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and educator

A warrior for all subjugated people

Shrewsbury, UK – 26th November 2024

By Peter Roscoe and Pliny Soocoormanee

 

Geoff left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of many. His life was a testament to courage, compassion, and a relentless pursuit of equality and, above all, liberation. Just as he took control over his sexuality, he took control of his death and ended his life on 30th April 2024.

Born on 30th August 1950 in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, Geoff grew up in a time when LGBTQ+ issues were seldom discussed.  His father, Arthur Hardy, was a draughtsman, and his mother, Lois Coptcoat, was a nurse. It wasn’t until his teenage years that he began to realize his unique identity amidst a backdrop of rigid gender norms and societal expectations. The partial decriminalization of homosexuality in 1967 marked a significant turning point, fuelling his resolve to advocate for change.

Geoff’s activism began in earnest when he moved to London in 1971 to study to become a secondary school teacher at Goldsmiths College. There, he discovered the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and became deeply involved in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. At Goldsmiths, he co-founded the first Gay Society, organizing pioneering events like the first Freshers Fair ‘gay’ stall and a Gay Disco on campus. He was a member of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality 1972-76, standing unsuccessfully for the CHE executive in 1975. Disillusioned with what he felt was over cautious approach of CHE, he and others formed the Lewisham Lesbian and Gay Rights Group and organised a series of classes and workshops on “glad to be gay”; radical stuff in those days.

In June 1972, Geoff participated in the first Pride march in London, an experience that solidified his commitment to a lifetime of activism. He crafted a banner for the march from his college bed sheet, symbolizing his dedication and resourcefulness. The early Pride marches were fraught, but for Geoff, they were empowering moments that underscored the importance of visibility and solidarity.

After earning his Certificate in Education in 1974, Geoff embarked on a career as an English teacher. With gay teacher colleagues, he founded the Gay Teachers Group in 1974, and his openness about his sexuality in the classroom pre-Section 28 was an inspiration both to his LGBT+ students and others; one of his inspired pupils was award-winning London-born Guyanese poet and novelist Fred d’Aguiar, who remained a life-long friend. For the rest of his life, Geoff was to remain involved with Schools Out, successor to the Gay Teacher’s Group.

His decision to “come out” to his students and colleagues in 1975 was a bold move, especially given the societal attitudes of the time and one of the first in England to come out. Despite facing mixed reactions, discrimination and the risk of being dismissed from his job, his openness fostered an environment of respect and curiosity among his pupils at Charlton Boys School in Greenwich.

In 1978, Geoff’s life took a joyful turn when he met Peter Roscoe, who would become his lifelong partner. Peter was wearing a ‘Gays Against Fascism’ badge while on a no. 75 bus, and so Geoff went to chat him up. Their relationship, formalized through a civil partnership, the first in Shropshire, at 8 am on 21st December 2005, was among the first in England. It was a beacon of love and commitment. Together, they navigated the challenges of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and continued their activism in Shropshire.

Geoff established a positive working relationship with Lewisham Council, the most concrete expression of which was Dykes and Faggots Housing (DYFA). In the early 80s, though it’s hard to credit, many councils had “hard-to-let” flats, and Geoff spearheaded a campaign to allocate these to LGBT+ people in severe housing need.  As a result, several hundred people, who would otherwise have been sleeping rough, found themselves with a home of their own for the first time. Some still have the same roof over their heads today, thanks to Geoff.

A natural educator, he moved from teaching in the mid-1980s to the field of holistic health and massage and was a valued tutor at the College of Holistic Medicine in Glasgow for many years. He was one of the founding members of the Natural Health Centre in Shrewsbury which helped to fulfil his vision of joined up therapy provision affordable to all.

Prior to leaving for Shropshire in 1985, Geoff also supported other rights groups such as the London Lesbian and Gay Centre and the GLC Gay Rights Working Party.  Geoff was one of the first four of the Greenwich Gay Centre in 1983. The forerunner of today’s thriving METRO Centre.  Between 1984–1986, Geoff was a campaigner in the Greenwich Lesbian and Gay Rights Group.

In 2006, Geoff was a founding member of the Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival, an initiative that celebrated LGBTQ+ stories and promoted inclusivity. His activism extended to the Shropshire 4 Equal Marriage campaign, LGBT+ History Month, SAND (Safe Ageing No Discrimination), FRESh, a Shropshire Equality Network, and numerous other local and national LGBTQ+ rights groups. Geoff’s work was recognized with several accolades, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Midlands Zone Readers’ Awards in 2013 and Shropshire Town Council’s Community Gold Award in 2016 and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.

In 2017, Geoff was invited to open the speaker series for Goldsmith University’s newly launched MA in Queer History, sharing his rich experiences. His contributions were further honoured when MP Daniel Kawczynski paid tribute to him in the House of Commons in 2019.

His fluency as a speaker and an advocate stood him in good stead on local and national media, and he was a go-to interviewee on all aspects of LGBT+ life, particularly for BBC Radio Shropshire, whose producers could always rely on Geoff to send the homophobes packing in an entertaining way.

Geoff’s health declined in 2021 after a diagnosis of prostatic cancer with complications leading to ongoing mental illness.

As best he could, Geoff continued to inspire and advocate for equality until his death.

Geoff is survived by his partner of over four decades, Peter Roscoe, and their pretended* son, Liam Boudicca.

*   Geoff Hardy, activist and humanist, was born on 30th August 1950; his death was certified on 9th May 2024.

*   LGBTQ+ families were designated as ‘pretend’ families under Section 28. Liam is one of the oldest ‘pretend’ babies in the UK.