Dame Gracy Memorial
Village legend, Dame Gracy (Graham Giles), sadly passed away in March 2021.
Instrumental in the beginnings of the Pride March in our city, Dame Gracy was well known in Manchester as a stalwart activist and community member in the Gay Village.
As a proud gay man, Dame Gracy led a spectacular life of courage, resistance and defiance when the social and legal penalties for being an out, LGBT person in the UK were cruel and oppressive.
Gracy was a dynamic activist for gay rights and for people living with HIV, a drag artist, and a beloved community member who was instrumental in organising gay resistance and pride in Manchester, and supporting the fight for HIV provision and against stigma.
Superbia by Manchester Pride worked with Gracy’s friends and family to create a community event celebrating the life, times and activism of this incredible individual.
Friends, family, and members of Manchester’s LGBTQ+ community came together on Friday 8th April 2022 to celebrate and honour the life of Gracy. The event was both a celebration and a memorial, and included a timeline of Gracy’s life and LGBT activism in Manchester, readings from friends and family, two fantastic short documentary films about Gracy made by Jemma O’Brien, plus poetry, conversation, music, drinks and social time.
A Dame’s Tale
By Visual Anthropologist/Documentary Filmmaker, Jemma O'Brien
This moving documentary follows the life of Dame Gracy and his (sometimes outrageous!) unexpected tales of past, present and future through frocks, flowers and fireworks.
Mature content and very strong language throughout
