A QUEER HISTORY OF TARTAN TIMELINE
Scotland has dressed the world. Although certain parties would love to claim tartan as a conservative political tool, it has a long history of use by the queer community and allies. From plaid flannel shirts worn by lesbians to Alan Cumming in a yellow tartan suit on Traitors to Grayson Perry in a tartan skirt, tartan is a staple of the LGBTQIA+ community. If you want to help stop Scotland being used for the anti-LGBTQIA+ agenda please register a tartan for your queer business or chosen family with the Scottish Government here.
We have 75 and counting. If you have any photos, suggestions or if you would like to donate any tartan items please get in touch. We are putting together a small exhibition.
2004
Katherine Moennig
Katherine Moennig made an unforgettable impact as Shane McCutcheon in the original The L Word, which first aired in 2004. With her androgynous style, dry wit, and emotionally complex vibe, Shane quickly became an iconic queer character—someone many lesbians either crushed on, related to, or both. Shane was the heartbreaker hairstylist with a soft centre, a character who often sabotaged her own chances at happiness, but was deeply loyal to her chosen family. Moennig’s portrayal was subtle but powerful, and her natural charisma made Shane a touchstone for a generation of queer viewers who hadn’t seen themselves on TV before.
The original L Word was groundbreaking for its time, offering the first mainstream lesbian ensemble cast on American television. While it was sometimes critiqued for its lack of diversity, it broke barriers by centering lesbian and bisexual women's lives, friendships, and relationships. Shane stood out in that world as the queer antihero—charming, messy, mysterious. Off-screen, Katherine Moennig became a style icon in her own right, known for her tailored suits and laid-back queer cool. She didn’t come out publicly for years, but she was a key figure in giving many queer women permission to explore their own identities.
1998
Wayne Sleep
Wayne Sleep, born in Plymouth in 1948, is a celebrated British dancer, choreographer, and actor. Despite being only 5'2", he became the shortest male dancer ever admitted to the Royal Ballet School and later rose to the rank of Senior Principal Dancer with the Royal Ballet. His height, initially seen as a limitation, led choreographers like Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan to create roles specifically for him. He also became a household name through his role as Mr. Mistoffelees in the original production of Cats and famously danced with Princess Diana at the Royal Opera House in 1985.
In his personal life, Sleep kept his sexuality private until his 40s, partly out of respect for his mother. He met his husband José Bergera in Spain in 1998, and the couple has been together ever since. Sleep has spoken openly about the loneliness he experienced before coming out and how finding love later in life brought him a deep sense of happiness. His memoir, Just Different, shares his story of growing up working-class, navigating fame, and living through the AIDS crisis as a gay man in Britain.
1993
Tales of the City
Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City (1993) was a groundbreaking television miniseries based on Maupin’s beloved novels, which originally ran as a newspaper serial in the 1970s. The series follows Mary Ann Singleton, a young woman who moves from Ohio to San Francisco and finds herself living at 28 Barbary Lane, an eccentric apartment house presided over by the mysterious and nurturing Anna Madrigal. The show paints a vivid portrait of queer life in 1970s San Francisco, blending comedy, romance, and drama while exploring themes of identity, chosen family, and sexual freedom.
When it aired in 1993, Tales of the City was one of the first mainstream television dramas to openly feature gay, lesbian, and transgender characters as complex leads — including depictions of same-sex relationships, cruising culture, and drag. It starred Olympia Dukakis as Anna Madrigal and Laura Linney in one of her earliest major roles. While the series received critical acclaim and a passionate fan base, it also faced backlash from conservative groups and politicians, making its bold, unapologetic portrayal of queer life all the more significant. Today, Tales of the City stands as a cultural touchstone — a tender, funny, and revolutionary snapshot of a community and an era.
1993
Derek Jarman - Blue
Derek Jarman was a British filmmaker, artist, and writer who became one of the most significant queer voices in 20th-century art and cinema. He came out publicly at a time when homosexuality was still heavily stigmatized, and much of his work confronted that marginalization head-on. Drawing from his background in painting and set design, his films were visually experimental and rich with symbolism, often blending history, mythology, and personal experience. Jarman’s queerness was central to his creative identity—not as a theme to be explained or justified, but as a lens through which he interpreted the world. His work stood in stark contrast to the dominant narratives of the time, offering complex, defiant, and often tender portrayals of queer life.
Blue, made in 1993 as he was going blind from AIDS-related illness, is one of his most powerful and unconventional films. The screen remains a flat, unchanging blue while Jarman and his collaborators speak over it, reflecting on his illness, his memories, and the world as he sees it slipping away. It’s a deeply intimate piece—at once a lament, a love letter, and a protest. With Blue, Jarman stripped cinema of its visuals to draw attention to the inner world of someone living and dying with AIDS, refusing spectacle in favor of presence. The film is queer not just in subject, but in form: it challenges norms, embraces vulnerability, and insists on the value of lives often overlooked or silenced.
1990s
Shirley Manson in a tartan jacket
Shirley Manson, the Scottish lead singer of the rock band Garbage, has expressed that she identifies with the "idea of non-binary." In a 2021 interview with The Scotsman, she stated, "Being a woman who has got a lot of male traits, I’ve always really identified with this idea of non-binary." Manson elaborated that the concept of identifying within the spectrum of gender has always resonated with her. Despite this identification, she continues to use she/her pronouns.
Throughout her career, Manson has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and has often incorporated themes of gender fluidity and nonconformity into her music.
Manson's openness about her gender identity and her support for the LGBTQ+ community have solidified her status as a queer icon in the music industry.
1990s
Kurt Cobain in a plaid flannel shirt
https://theglitterandgold.com.au/why-kurt-cobain-wore-dresses/
“I like to wear dresses because they’re comfortable,” Kurt Cobain told Melody Maker in December 1992. “There’s nothing more comfortable than that cozy flower pattern… It just feels comfortable, sexy and free wearing a dress. It’s fun.”
Cobain frequently confessed to being more in touch with his feminine than male side growing up. This often put him at odds with the macho attitudes of others he lived alongside in the conservative North American logging town of Aberdeen. In addition to a fascination with women’s clothes, Cobain also experimented with makeup from a young age. As an adult, he wore women’s underwear regularly around the house. Most famously he wore lingerie to an important meeting with music industry powerbroker David Geffen.
1990s
Prince in a high waisted tartan suit
Prince’s relationship with queer culture was defined by his fearless exploration of gender and sexuality. With his androgynous style, high heels, makeup, and sexually fluid lyrics, he challenged traditional masculinity and created space for queer self-expression. Songs like If I Was Your Girlfriend and his use of the Love Symbol—a blend of male and female signs—offered a radical take on gender identity that deeply resonated with LGBTQ+ fans.
Though he never publicly identified as queer, Prince’s artistry made him a queer icon. He embraced fluidity in both his image and music, surrounding himself with diverse collaborators and pushing boundaries without apology. For many, he was a symbol of freedom—a reminder that sensuality and self-expression didn’t need to conform to societal norms.
1990s
Sleater-Kinney in a tartan mini skirt
https://www.them.us/story/sleater-kinney-little-rope-carrie-brownstein-corin-tucker-interview
Sleater-Kinney has long been embraced by queer culture for their feminist politics, emotionally raw songwriting, and boundary-pushing presence in punk rock. Founding members Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein were briefly in a relationship, and their breakup inspired songs like “One More Hour,” now considered a queer classic. Though the band never labeled themselves as explicitly queer, their work has deeply resonated with LGBTQ+ audiences through its themes of identity, desire, and defiance. Their collaborations—with queer artists like Miranda July and St. Vincent—further reflect their ties to queer creative circles. Sleater-Kinney remains a vital voice for queer representation in rock.
1990s
Bikini Kill in a tartan mini skirt
https://www.teenvogue.com/gallery/bikini-kill-vfiles-kathleen-hanna
Kathleen Hanna, a pioneering feminist punk musician and activist, has had a profound and enduring relationship with queer culture. As the frontwoman of Bikini Kill and a central figure in the riot grrrl movement, Hanna's work has consistently challenged societal norms and championed inclusivity. One of her most iconic songs, "Rebel Girl," is celebrated as a "frank and explicit tribute to, and love song for, another woman," highlighting themes of feminist solidarity and queer desire. Beyond her music, Hanna has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. She has expressed support for marriage equality and has been inspired by young activists forming LGBTQ+ groups in schools, stating that such efforts made her feel hopeful for the future. Hanna's commitment to queer inclusivity is also evident in her actions. She has explicitly and consistently expressed support for trans rights, making it clear that she supports trans people and even changed parts of the riot grrrl manifesto to make it explicitly trans-friendly.
1980s/90s
Leigh Bowery in a tartan clubland outfit
Leigh Bowery (1961–1994) was an Australian-born performance artist, fashion designer, and club promoter who became an icon of queer culture and avant-garde fashion in 1980s and ’90s London. Known for his outrageous, body-altering costumes and confrontational performances, Bowery turned himself into a living artwork, challenging norms around gender, beauty, and identity.
He founded the legendary nightclub Taboo, a haven for the LGBTQ+ community and a space of radical self-expression. Bowery also modeled for Lucian Freud and designed costumes for choreographer Michael Clark, bridging underground culture and the high art world. Though he died of AIDS-related complications in 1994, Bowery’s influence endures across fashion, drag, and performance art as a fearless icon of queer creativity.
1993
Vivienne Westwood tartan dress
Vivienne Westwood, the legendary British fashion designer and punk icon, had a profound and lasting relationship with tartan, rebellion, and the queer community. Known for fusing traditional British textiles—like tartan—with radical, anti-establishment designs, she redefined what heritage could mean in a contemporary, subversive context. Her use of tartan, particularly in the 1993 “Anglomania” collection, merged classic Scottish symbolism with punk attitude, turning the fabric into a statement of defiance, queerness, and creative freedom.
Westwood’s relationship with the queer community ran deep. As one of the architects of punk fashion in the 1970s, she helped foster a visual language of resistance that spoke to outsiders of all kinds—particularly LGBTQ+ people. Her designs celebrated gender fluidity, androgyny, and eroticism, often challenging traditional notions of masculinity and femininity. She featured queer models, worked with LGBTQ+ artists, and was a long-time supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, climate justice, and anti-capitalist causes.
To many in the queer world, Westwood wasn’t just a designer—she was a symbol of fearless individuality. Her legacy lives on not only in the tartan skirts and bold silhouettes she made iconic, but in the generations of queer creatives who saw her as a beacon of self-expression, defiance, and joy.
Original film 1988
Hairspray tartan skirts
Hairspray is a deeply queer film in spirit. Its queerness comes from its creator, its themes of radical inclusion, and its love of camp.
The original 1988 film was written and directed by John Waters, a legendary queer filmmaker known for his outrageous, campy style. He cast his friend Divine, a drag queen, as Edna Turnblad — Tracy’s loving, over-the-top mother. This drag casting became a tradition in all versions of Hairspray, celebrating gender fluidity in a mainstream setting.
The film and musical embody camp — with big hair, loud costumes, and joyful dance numbers — a visual and emotional language long embraced by queer communities. Its style is not just fun but defiant, rejecting societal norms about body size, race, and gender roles.
1984
Wham!
Wham! never publicly addressed queerness during their time as a duo in the 1980s, but queerness was always there—coded in the camp, the joy, the fashion, and especially in George Michael’s presence. While he didn’t come out until years later, George Michael was a queer icon in the making even then, with his playful and flamboyant energy, big earrings, and knowing glances in the music videos. Wham!’s world was one of beach parties, dancing in short shorts, and a kind of hyper-glamorous masculinity that felt subtly subversive—especially in a time when mainstream media was far less open to queer expression.
George Michael officially came out in 1998 after being publicly outed, but he later embraced his role as a proud gay man and used his platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Looking back, many fans and critics have recognised how much queerness was baked into Wham!’s aesthetic—the bright, over-the-top visuals, the unashamed joy, and the freedom to be soft, expressive, and sensual. For a lot of young queer people in the 80s, Wham! offered a kind of escape, a vision of a world where you could wear what you wanted, dance how you liked, and maybe even be loved for it.
1983
Bronski Beat
Bronski Beat, formed in London in 1983, was a pioneering British synth-pop trio comprising Jimmy Somerville, Steve Bronski, and Larry Steinbachek. All three members were openly gay, and their music boldly addressed LGBTQ+ issues at a time when such topics were often marginalized in mainstream media. Their debut single, "Smalltown Boy" (1984), became an international hit, narrating the poignant story of a young gay man leaving his hometown due to homophobia. The song's haunting melody and Somerville's distinctive falsetto resonated with many, making it an enduring anthem for queer liberation.
Their debut album, The Age of Consent, further cemented their role as activists in the music industry. The album's inner sleeve listed the varying ages of consent for homosexual acts across different countries, highlighting the legal inequalities faced by gay men. Following Somerville's departure in 1985 to form The Communards, Bronski Beat continued with new vocalists, achieving hits like "Hit That Perfect Beat." Despite lineup changes, the band's commitment to addressing social issues through music remained steadfast. The deaths of Steinbachek in 2016 and Bronski in 2021 marked the end of an era, but their legacy endures through their influential contributions to music and LGBTQ+ advocacy.
1983
Greenham Common
The Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp was a defining moment in lesbian and feminist history in the UK. Set up in 1981 by a group of Welsh women protesting the arrival of American cruise missiles at RAF Greenham Common, the camp quickly evolved into a powerful symbol of women-led, anti-nuclear, and queer resistance. While not exclusively a lesbian space, many of the women involved were lesbians, and the camp became a safe and radical space where lesbian identity and politics could be openly expressed—something still rare at the time. It challenged not only the militarization of land and bodies but also the patriarchal structures within wider society and within the peace movement itself.
For many women, Greenham was a political awakening—a space where sexuality, feminism, and anti-war activism merged. Living communally, often in harsh conditions, the women resisted the military through acts of civil disobedience: cutting through fences, dancing on missile silos, and forming human chains around the base. The press often labeled them "lesbian troublemakers," which they reclaimed with pride. The camp rejected hierarchy and embraced a kind of anarchic, queer autonomy that deeply influenced later activist movements. Today, Greenham is remembered not just as a protest, but as a living experiment in queer feminist solidarity, where lesbians could resist and reimagine the world together—on their own terms.
1980s
Blondie in tartan
Debbie Harry has openly shared that she had romantic relationships with women in her youth. In her memoir Face It, she wrote, “I have had romantic relationships with women, but I don’t identify as bisexual. I just did it… I was looking for love.” That kind of candidness and fluidity has resonated with a lot of queer people, especially those who resist rigid labels.
Beyond her personal life, Harry’s impact on queer culture comes through her role as a glam, punk, and gender-bending icon. She blurred lines between femininity and toughness in a way that felt liberating—especially in the punk scene, where queer aesthetics found fertile ground. Her look, her voice, and her attitude were all about rejecting societal norms, and that kind of rebellion spoke volumes to LGBTQ+ fans.
She’s also been an outspoken supporter of LGBTQ+ rights over the decades, performing at countless Pride events and benefit shows.
1976
Armistead Maupin
Armistead Maupin is a pioneering American author best known for his Tales of the City series, a beloved collection of novels that began as a newspaper serial in the 1970s. Set in San Francisco, the stories follow the lives of a diverse and queer-chosen family living at 28 Barbary Lane. Maupin’s writing broke new ground by portraying LGBTQ+ characters with warmth, humor, and depth at a time when queer people were rarely represented in mainstream media — and almost never in a positive light. His work offered a joyful, humanizing counterpoint to the stigma and silence that often surrounded queer life.
Openly gay and politically outspoken, Maupin used his platform to challenge homophobia and conservative social norms. He was one of the first authors to write about the AIDS crisis with emotional honesty and compassion, and his books capture the cultural and political evolution of queer life from the 1970s onward. With his wit, empathy, and unshakeable belief in the power of chosen family, Maupin helped shape the landscape of queer literature and continues to inspire generations of readers and writers around the world.
Late 1970s
Vivienne Westwood, Sex, Kings Road tartan bondage coat
https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/33854/1/was-joe-corre-right-to-burn-his-5m-punk-archive-vivienne-westwood-mclaren
Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren ran a boutique which formed the foundation of the punk movement. Vivienne’s designs - ripped and safety pinned tartan trousers are still seen in punk movements today, almost 50 years later.
Punk culture often challenged gender conformity.
Westwood actively supported LGBTQ+ visibility. She cast queer models in her campaigns, including gay porn star Colby Keller and drag performer Milk. Her influence extended to drag culture, inspiring artists like Bimini Bon Boulash and The Vivienne, who took her name in homage .
1970s
Bay City Rollers tartan outfits
While the band was marketed toward teenage girls, their androgynous style—tight trousers, feathered hair, soft features, and, of course, matching tartan—flirted with gender nonconformity in a way that definitely pinged on the queer radar. Their image echoed glam rock aesthetics of the era (think Bowie or Marc Bolan), where gender play and camp fashion opened up space for queer identification, even if not stated outright.
In that sense, the Rollers were queer-adjacent: their look and pop idol packaging aligned with the era’s loosening norms around masculinity and self-presentation, offering some young queer fans a glimpse of something softer, flirtier, more playful.
1973
Rocky Horror Picture Show tartan bow tie
The Rocky Horror Show is iconic queer theatre—loud, camp, and gloriously transgressive. Since its 1973 debut, it’s celebrated sexual liberation, gender fluidity, and unapologetic self-expression.
At its heart is Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a gender-bending, pleasure-seeking figure who embodies queer freedom. Through him, the show boldly embraced bisexuality, drag, kink, and chosen family long before mainstream media caught up.
What makes Rocky Horror so powerfully queer isn’t just its characters—it’s the spirit of transformation. It tells the audience: be whoever you want, wear whatever you like, love whoever you love.
The audience participation, costumes, and community that grew around it turned it into a queer ritual—a celebration of nonconformity and joy. For generations, it’s been a glitter-covered sanctuary for LGBTQ+ folks finding their voice.
1969
Stonewall Riot
The Stonewall Riots were a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history, marking the beginning of the modern queer liberation movement. On the night of June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village. While police raids on queer spaces were common at the time, this one sparked something different. Instead of quietly dispersing, patrons — many of them trans women, drag queens, lesbians, and queer people of colour — resisted. The crowd outside the bar grew, tensions escalated, and a spontaneous uprising erupted, lasting for several nights. Led by figures such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, the riots galvanized a community that had long been pushed to the margins. In the wake of the protests, LGBTQ+ activism surged, with the formation of groups like the Gay Liberation Front and the organisation of the first Pride marches a year later. Stonewall became a symbol of queer resistance and pride, reminding the world that queer people have always existed, fought back, and demanded the right to live openly and with dignity. Its legacy continues to shape LGBTQ+ activism and visibility today.
Late 1960s
Elton John’s tartan song
Late 60s song Tartan Coloured Lady
Sir Elton John, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947, in Pinner, Middlesex, England, is a legendary British singer, pianist, and composer whose career spans over six decades. A child prodigy, he began playing piano by ear at age three and earned a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at eleven. In 1967, he formed a lifelong songwriting partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin, leading to iconic hits like "Your Song," "Rocket Man," and "Tiny Dancer." With over 300 million records sold, Elton John is one of the best-selling music artists in history.
Beyond his musical achievements, Elton John is renowned for his philanthropy, particularly through the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which has raised over $600 million for HIV/AIDS programs worldwide. In 2024, he achieved EGOT status by winning an Emmy for his live concert special "Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium," joining the exclusive group of artists who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. His farewell tour, "Farewell Yellow Brick Road," concluded in 2023, marking the end of an era for the flamboyant performer whose influence on music and culture remains indelible.
Mid 20th C onwards
Lesbian flannel shirts
https://www.vice.com/en/article/lets-end-flannel-as-a-lesbian-signifier-once-and-for-all/
Flannel tartan shirts have long held a special place in lesbian culture, becoming a beloved and iconic staple of queer style. Originally practical garments worn by workers and outdoorspeople, flannel shirts — especially in bold tartan patterns — were embraced by lesbians in the 20th century for their comfort, durability, and rejection of traditional femininity. They became particularly symbolic during the lesbian feminist movement of the 1970s, when queer women began reclaiming clothing associated with utility and strength, asserting visibility and autonomy in a world that often sought to erase or soften their presence.
Beyond practicality, the flannel shirt evolved into a kind of shorthand — a sartorial wink — among lesbians, especially in rural or conservative areas where overt expressions of queerness could be risky. In pop culture, this look has been reinforced and celebrated by figures like k.d. lang and the cast of *The L Word*, helping to cement the flannel shirt as more than just clothing — it’s a badge of identity, solidarity, and comfort. Today, whether worn ironically, stylishly, or simply because it's warm and soft, the flannel tartan shirt remains a powerful and playful symbol of lesbian pride and queer resilience.
1921
Patricia Highsmith in a plaid shirt
Patricia Highsmith (1921–1995) was a trailblazing American author known for her unsettling psychological thrillers. She gained early fame with Strangers on a Train, later adapted by Alfred Hitchcock, and went on to create the iconic antihero Tom Ripley in her Ripley series. Her writing is marked by cool, precise prose and a fascination with moral ambiguity, often placing charming sociopaths or isolated outsiders at the center of her stories.
Highsmith also made a lasting impact with The Price of Salt (later retitled Carol), one of the first lesbian novels with a hopeful ending. Though private and often reclusive, her queer identity and outsider perspective deeply informed her work. Today, she is celebrated for reshaping the crime genre and influencing generations of writers with her eerie, elegant style.
1920s
Dorothy Hepworth and Patricia Preece
Dorothy Hepworth and Patricia Preece were British artists and life partners who met at the Slade School of Fine Art in the 1920s. Hepworth, the more reserved of the two, was the primary painter, while Preece, known for her charisma, took on the public-facing role. Together, they presented Hepworth's artworks under Preece's name, a strategy that led to exhibitions in prestigious Mayfair galleries and attracted patrons like Virginia Woolf and Kenneth Clark. Their collaboration challenged traditional notions of authorship and visibility in the art world.
The exhibition "Dorothy Hepworth and Patricia Preece: An Untold Story" at Charleston's new gallery in Lewes delves into their complex personal and professional relationship. A notable aspect of their story involves Sir Stanley Spencer, who, after divorcing his wife Hilda, married Preece. This marriage, reportedly unconsummated after a single encounter, was part of a proposed cohabitation arrangement with Hepworth and Hilda, reflecting the unconventional dynamics of their circle. While the exhibition highlights their intriguing narrative, some critiques suggest that the artistic quality of the works varies, with only a few pieces standing out. Nonetheless, the exhibition sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of British art history, emphasizing themes of identity, authorship, and the complexities of personal relationships within the artistic community.