This month we’re celebrating LGBT+ History Month, observed in the UK every February.
What is LGBT+ History Month?
The overall aim of LGBT+ History Month is to promote equality and diversity for the benefit of the public. This is done by:
- Increasing the visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (“LGBT+”) people, their history, lives and their experiences in the curriculum and culture of educational and other institutions, and the wider community;
- Raising awareness and advancing education on matters affecting the LGBT+ community;
- Working to make educational and other institutions safe spaces for all LGBT+ communities; and
- Promoting the welfare of LGBT+ people, by ensuring that the education system recognises and enables LGBT+ people to achieve their full potential, so they contribute fully to society and lead fulfilled lives, thus benefiting society as a whole.
In the wake of the abolition of Section 28 in 2003, there is a focus on education in schools and colleges through specific teaching methods of ‘usualising’ and ‘actualising’. The theme for this year’s event is ‘Body, Mind, Spirit’.
ASCC resources
The Archives and Special Collections Centre has a number of resources created to support and celebrate LGBTQ+ communities, and to promote research in this area.
These include blogs that showcase a selection of our archives and collections, which celebrate the stories and histories of creative LGBTQ+ communities and individuals:
- Collections in focus for LGBT History Month: Ian Godfrey
- Part 1: LGBTQ+ histories in the Archives and Special Collections Centre
- Part 2: LGBTQ+ stories in the Archives and Special Collections Centre
And our library subject guide includes a section on critical use of the archive, which provides a number of LGBTQ+ research resources:
Other resources
UAL Student Communications has also compiled a list of some of their favourite events happening this month.
Online events:
- 9 February - Queer Voices From the Pandemic, University of Edinburgh
- 10 February - Michael Dillon - Trans Pioneer, Bristol Museums
- 10 February - The importance of working class LGBTQ woman in history, Working Class Movement Library
- 11 February - Gay Graffiti at Lancaster Castle, Lancaster University
- 13 February - Outing the past festival, Manchester People's Museum
- 15 February - Jamie Windust in Conversation, York St John University
- 18 February - Pride in Faith, Plymouth University
- 24 February - Pride at Work: past, present and future, Plymouth University
- 24 February - Sexuality & Design, University of Wolverhampton
- 25 February - Queer Disabilities During the Pandemic, Lambeth libraries
- 17 March - An Examination of Queer Black Aesthetics, Goldsmiths
Online exhibitions and festivals:
- LGBTQ + History Month, Museum of London
- Outing the past, Royal Museum of Greenwich
- Queer and now 2021,Tate Modern
- The Museum of Transology, Museum of Transology
- LGBTQ+ History Month, Lambeth Libraries
Podcasts:
- Queer histories, Goldsmiths
- Queer Budapest Talks podcast, UAL Alumni
For more information, and further resources, see the LGBT+ History Month webpage.