LGBT+ History Month

1-28 February

LGBT+ History Month is annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements.

The overall aim of LGBT+ History Month is to promote equality and diversity for the benefit of the public 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.

The LGBT archives are held at the Bishopsgate Institute https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/: they include thousands of journals, books, banners, badges, t-shirts, memorabilia, oral histories, written personal accounts, private papers, reports, postcards, posters, press clippings, photographs and more on individuals and organisations important to understanding and celebrating LGBT+ history, politics and culture. The collections include the archives of organisations such as Stonewall, Switchboard and Outrage! and the records of important LGBT+ activists such as Peter Tatchell and Paris Lees. The collections are open to all; no need to book in advance to come and see them or to undertake research.

The UoB LGBT+ History Month programme and events’ details can be found at https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/lgbt-history-month/index.aspx