The Queer Book Club has announced that Timothy Conigrave’s acclaimed memoir Holding the Man will be the focus of its November meeting.
Holding the Man captured the impact of HIV/AIDS in Australia and remains one of the country’s most significant works of queer literature. It was first published in 1995, four months after Conigrave died from conditions related to the virus.
The memoir was later adapted into an acclaimed stage play and feature film, while the documentary Remembering the Man explored the story further.
At its heart, Holding the Man is the love story of Tim Conigrave and John Caleo.
The pair met as students at Xavier College, an all-boys school in Melbourne. Caleo was captain of the football team, inspiring the book’s title. In Australian Rules football, “holding the man” is a free-kick offence.
Despite youthful experimentation, geographical separation and parental opposition, the pair maintained their relationship. Their romance was ultimately cut short after both men were diagnosed with HIV in 1985.
The memoir is renowned for its frank portrayal of same-sex love and the devastating impact of HIV at a time when discrimination remained widespread and the disease was highly stigmatised and poorly understood.
Conigrave was an actor and theatre-maker who trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. He toured Australia performing in Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, and his memoir includes a recollection of visiting Perth’s Connections Nightclub.
As a playwright, he created several works, including Thieving Boy, Like Stars in Your Hands and The Blitz Kids.
Holding the Man has been published around the world. It won the 1995 United Nations Human Rights Award for Non-Fiction and was named one of the Australian Society of Authors’ 100 Favourite Australian Books in 2003.
The book was adapted for the stage by Tommy Murphy. Its debut with Sydney’s Griffin Theatre Company in 2006 received widespread critical acclaim and became the highest-grossing production in the company’s 30-year history.
Since then, the play has been performed throughout Australia and internationally, including productions in Los Angeles, San Francisco and London’s West End. The London production starred Australian actors Jane Turner and Simon Burke.
In 2015, the film adaptation of Holding the Man was released. Directed by Neil Armfield, it starred Ryan Corr and Craig Stott as Tim and John.
The documentary Remembering the Man, released the following year, explored more of Tim and John’s story.
About Queer Book Club
Perth’s Queer Book Club is an initiative of GRAI: GLBTI Rights in Ageing and was established after years of community members expressing a desire for a dedicated LGBTQIA+ book club.
Each month, participants gather to discuss a selected book in a welcoming environment where attendees can contribute as much or as little as they wish.
Sessions begin with introductions and pronoun sharing, followed by participants describing the book in a single word. A moderator then guides discussion through a series of prompts.
At the end of the session, participants rate the book using a unicorn scoring system. One unicorn signals a lack of enthusiasm, while five unicorns indicate strong appreciation.
More information can be found via the group’s Facebook page.
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, 25 November, from 6:00pm at Connect Victoria Park, 5 Mackie Street, Victoria Park.
The venue has changed because the Pride Centre in Northbridge is booked for another event.
