My night with the Ab-Fab society

Last night I attended the Ab-Fab’s “Purple Rain” event, a night of music, comedy, cake and beer for the LGBT+ community. Not having anything purple to wear as was asked of everyone, I instead chose to wear my trusty Tab t-shirt thinking it would break the ice a little quicker walking into the room.

That wasn’t the case, unfortunately. Members of the society looked warily at the logo on my chest when I walked in. The President, Judith, came up to introduce herself to me and was very nervous asking: “So you’re from The Tab?”

It took some convincing to prove that as much as I was there to review the music and the society holistically, the LGBT+ community has The Tab on its side.

With over 100 members Ab-Fab is one of the biggest and most active societies in Aberdeen, frequently hosting nights such as the one I attended and other, smaller events every month:

“Every two weeks we do an evening that’s just cups of tea and cake,” said Judith, “We try and cater for all of our members – not everyone wants to come to something that involves alcohol.”

When I whipped out my camera to take some snaps of the performers I was told I had to ask permission first of anyone I was planning to photograph:

“Some people aren’t out and so we don’t put photos online or on Facebook. It’s so important that this society is a safe place for its members – as President that’s all I want, for them to feel safe.”

I was happy to hear that Aberdeen and its campus are known as safe places for the LGBT community and, as a group, they have not been met with an abundance of homophobia.

One student said, “My boyfriend and I were holding hands on the street as we were walking home and someone followed us, but that’s quite rare. I’ve generally not had a problem in Aberdeen.”

I then asked him if there were any transgender members present at the event, and how they find living in Aberdeen and he quickly said, “Well I don’t know. I’m gay, not transgender. I have no idea how it is to be transgender.”

I felt embarrassed I had thought to put lesbians, gays, bi-sexuals and transgenders under one umbrella.

“We don’t want to be seen as a minority, we want to be seen as a part of the community,” stated Judith.

I asked if they had any heterosexual members within the society and she said, “Of course we do! They might not come along to everything or be as ‘active’ but they’re present.

“That’s what the plus represents – it’s not about sexuality it’s about promoting equality.”

I consider myself educated, and an activist of gay rights, but spending just three hours with the LGBT+ society showed me I have a long way to go.

I’ve been laboring under the impression that LGBT is a minority that we have to support, but now I understand being LGBT is about being a part of the community in the same way in which I, a straight 21 year old girl, am a part of the community.

It’s not about being a heterosexual platform to shout out the rights of a different group of people, it’s about accepting and enjoying society’s quirks and differences – we wouldn’t want to be mainstream, now, would we?

Oh, also – I went to Cheerz, I kissed a girl, and I liked it.

Go to 9:50 to hear the very talented Sarah Clark singing one of the funniest songs from the night: