Dr. Jeff Meek, a lecturer in economic and social history at the University of Glasgow, dives into the intriguing world of cottaging. He reveals how public toilets became secretive meeting spots for the LGBTQ+ community, packed with hidden signals and risks. The conversation explores the historical suppression of homosexuality in Britain and the complexities surrounding public sex and its legal challenges. Dr. Meek also sheds light on the intertwining of sex work and crime, further uncovering the intricate dynamics of privacy, intimacy, and societal norms.
Cottaging emerged as a crucial practice for the gay community in the early 20th century, providing a discreet escape from societal stigma and legal threats.
Participants developed elaborate codes and signals for safe communication in public toilets, adapting their methods to navigate evolving police tactics and legal dangers.
Deep dives
The Emergence of Cottaging Culture
Cottaging, defined as the practice of using public toilets for sexual assignations, became prominent in the early 20th century as venues for the gay community. With the societal stigma surrounding homosexuality, public toilets offered a semblance of privacy and discretion necessary for men to meet, often at great personal risk. These spaces evolved from simple public facilities to 'cottages,' allowing for clandestine encounters, which were coupled with the need for secret signals or codes to navigate the dangers of legal repercussions. This practice reflected an urgent need for connection in a time when traditional venues for companionship were nonexistent or prohibitive, highlighting the resilience and ingenuity of the LGBTQ+ community in securing spaces for sexual expression.
Legal Risks and Police Entrapment
Cottaging was fraught with legal dangers, particularly exacerbated by policing practices that targeted gay men through entrapment. Plainclothes officers would patrol public toilets, often conducting elaborate strategies to instigate criminal actions, leading to arrests based on mere interactions, which the accused often pled guilty to in exchange for lesser sentences. The legal framework surrounding sexual acts, particularly the introduction of various laws such as the Criminal Law Amendment Act, created a hostile environment ripe for misconduct and discriminatory policing. This dynamic not only rendered public toilets dangerous but also imposed profound psychological pressures on those engaging in cottaging, as they navigated a legal landscape designed to entrap rather than protect.
Social Codes and Signals
Within the cottaging culture, participants developed a sophisticated system of codes and signals to communicate intentions while avoiding detection by authorities. Simple actions, like lighting a cigarette in a particular manner or how one positioned themselves in the space, conveyed sexual availability and mutual understanding without verbal communication. This method of interaction was essential for establishing trust among participants, protecting them from both legal consequences and potential physical harm. The adaptability of these codes was crucial; as police tactics evolved, so too did the signals, underscoring the clandestine nature of these encounters and the ongoing necessity for coded communication in risky settings.
The Evolution of Sexual Spaces and Modern Implications
Although technology has transformed methods of meeting for sexual encounters, traditional cottaging continues to persist in various forms today. Many public toilets known for cottaging remain popular, even as the proliferation of dating apps provides new avenues for connection. Yet, the social stigma surrounding cottaging still influences perceptions of gay identity, reflecting broader societal attitudes toward sexuality and morality. The ongoing discourse highlights a complex relationship between historical practices of cottaging and present-day attitudes, emphasizing the enduring significance of these spaces both in history and within current LGBTQ+ cultural dialogues.
With privacy being a modern luxury, where did people in the past go to meet and hook up? Public toilets were (and can still be) a popular option.
But what were secret signals? And what were the risks? Especially if, like many of the people who did it, you were part of the gay community.
Joining Kate today is Dr. Jeff Meek, lecturer in economic and social history at the University of Glasgow, to take her into this world and help us find out.
This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign here for up to 50% for 3 months using code BETWIXT
