Safe Spaces trail- The Courts

This is a transcript of the podcast for The Courts. You can listen to this podcast here. This was written by Fauziya.

The Courts in Liverpool city centre was honestly a second home for me. My friends and I chatted about our favourite movies, played pranks on each other, and were completely ourselves. The Courts was a safe haven, because everyone in my friends group and beyond there was completely accepting of each other, for the fact the majority of us were Queer, and we also had allies too from those who weren’t. The majority of us would go to our local LGBTQIA+ Youth Group and straight after, go to Courts to basically continue the session.

Equally, for me it was another way to get away from home, as that wasn’t a nice or freeing place to be, especially during my teenage years where I was still getting to grips with my sexuality after growing up in a homophobic household. There were two particular spots at Courts which was my favourite – either it was Youth Courts or the Titanic (a small ledge with bars jutting out from the side of the building that we could wiggle our way into and sit on, which also had circular cut outs in the concrete, that imitated the windows of the Titanic)

I think every city or town needs a re-evaluation of spaces and how they can be more accommodating for young people to hang out in. From my personal experience, I noticed most young people around me, especially queer youth, saw true family values through their friends rather than anyone who’s biological - they also needed some sort of escapism. Lots of times we were sitting next to broken glass or urinated on crevices. If we were offered an after-hours outdoor space, we’d be away from those things (which we didn’t realise could’ve been potentially harmful). And safer from the general public, too, as we were viewed as outsiders and antisocial by the general older people passing through that part of the city. On a couple of occasions my friends were robbed of their phones or money, by people who knew to specifically target us since we were minors and couldn’t ‘fight back’ against an adult, and we’d likely not report it, too.

I still notice Courts is being used by people who looked similar to me – band merch t-shirts, Dr Martens, skinny jeans and wonderful black eyeliner. I’m hopeful that they’re happy and know the history of that place so they, too, feel comfortable and know that they belong there just as much as anyone else. I’m thankful that the legacy of Courts has carried on, as I’m now 24 and moving away from Liverpool – people who are 10 years younger than me deserve that safe space too.