Leeds, UK Mad Pride 2007 Event

Leeds, UK Mad Pride 2007

by Terry

I thought I'd report on a Mad Pride event that we organised in my home town of Leeds in West Yorkshire England on October 8, 2007. Two groups came together to create the event - the Radical Mental Health Group, which is inspired by ideas from the Icarus Project, and is mainly young people, and Leeds Survivor Poets, which has been active locally for around 13 years.

We had really nice food togther and then had a poetry reading with 6 or 7 local survivor poets. The great local survivor band The Schizos played a set, and we did some normality testing as people came in, frisking them down with a plastic banana holder (a prize from the London Bonkersfest poetry competition in the Summer) for those tell tale signs, and getting people to answer a questionnaire we devised (based on Janet Foner's 10 warning signs of normality). I've posted this below so if anyone wants to take it and use it, changing it if you feel the need, please feel free.

I took some film footage of the poetry and band, not such high quality, and not sure how easy it is to send, but if anyone would like to see it I'll try and let you have it.

The Normality Check

1. When something embarrassing happens to you in public do you:

a) Pretend it didn't happen

b) Acknowledge it happened but claim someone else was to blame

c) Laugh

d) Scream

2. When was the last time you danced, sang or whistled aloud in the street:

a) Within the last week

b) Within the last 6 months

c) Within the last 10 years

d) I would sooner die

3. When you are talking to someone you can't stand, do you:

a) Smile and pretend to be really interested in what they are saying

b) Suddenly remember something you might plausibly be doing and leave

c) Suddenly remember something outrageous there is no way you could possibly be doing and leave

d) Tweak their nose or make some other rude gesture

4. Do you wear clothes that:

a) Allow you to blend with the crowd

b) Make you stand out as a trend setter

c) Completely disregard fashion of any kind

d) Deliberately clash

5. Would you describe your living space as:

a) Neat and orderly

b) Quite messy sometimes
c) An adventure

d) I don't know I haven't been home for a week

6. If someone in authority gives you an order do you

a) Obey willingly

b) Obey reluctantly but determine to get your own back later c) Disobey indignantly

d) Pretend to be from another galaxy with no knowledge of the language 7. Do you (tick as many or as few as are appropriate)

a) Believe what your doctor tells you?

b) Believe what your newspaper tells you?

c) Believe the concept of 'mental illness' is based on scientific truth

d) Believe you are from another galaxy and when the rest of the fleet catches up these humans better watch out (or similar)

8. Do you

a) Never watch the news because it makes you feel too bad

b) Watch the news, but feel guilty, so you reach for another beer, chocolate etc

c) Watch the news and feel concerned enough to do something about it

d) Never watch the news because too busy trying to contact the rest of the star fleet

9. Do you

a) Always stick to the rules

b) Always stick to the rules except when you can get away with cheating

c) Always break the rules as a matter of principle

d) Don't understand the rules

10. Which do you prefer

a) Watching TV but not about the environment

b) Watching TV programmes about nature

c) Walking, rambling or other outdoor pursuits

d) Astral travel and other extra terrestrial activities


Scoring

Question 1 - a) 0 b) 1 c) 2 d) 3

Question 2 - a) 3 b) 2 c) 1 d) 0

Question 3 - a) 0 b) 1 c) 2 d) 3

Question 4 - a) 0 b) -1 c) 2 d) 3

Question 5 - a) 0 b) 1 c) 2 d) 3

Question 6 - a) 0 b) 1 c) 2 d) 3

Question 7 - a) -1 b) -1 c) -7 d) 3

Question 8 - a) 0 b) 0 c) 2 d) 3

Question 9 - a) 0 b) 0 c) 0 d) 3

Question 10 - a) 0 b) 1 c) 2 d) 3

20 - 30 Congratulations! You are a healthy, delightfully unique individual! You go your own way and think things through for yourself. Be extremely careful what you say to your doctor. We'll be sorry when the star fleet comes to take you home.

10 - 20 You are basically healthily eccentric, but do have some worrying signs of normality. You should take regular normality checks, and also take gentle positive action, such as whistling at bus stops, or wearing odd socks.

0 - 10 There is cause for concern. You are in danger of developing a chronic condition of normality unless action is taken now. The alarm bells are ringing. We recommend singing in the rain, wearing odd shoes, and generally breaking all those habits that you can

-10 - 0 Urgent action is needed. You need to check out the Mindfreedom website* immediately. There is still hope but it requires action now. You need to break some habits. It's time to run away and join a circus, or a rock band. * _www.mindfreedom.org_ (http://www.mindfreedom.org/)

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