LGBT+ History Month.
Ciaran Corrigan is a Business Support Manager at Lloyds Banking Group
Every year LGBT+ History month takes place in February and is an opportunity to observe the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history. LGBT+ History month has three taglines – ‘Claiming our past, Celebrating our Present, Creating our future’ and I’ll look at each of these in turn.
Claiming our past
The origins of LGBT+ History Month - LGBT+ History Month in the U
Founded in the US in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson, LGBT+ History Month is a yearly event focussed on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements.
It celebrates role models, builds community, and represents a civil rights statement about the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. As of 2020, LGBT History Month is now celebrated in the US, Canada, Hungary, Australia, Brazil, Greenland, the city of Berlin and the UK.
In the US, Canada, and Australia, it is celebrated in October to coincide with National Coming Out Day on 11th October and to commemorate the first and second marches on Washington in 1979 and 1987 for LGBT+ rights.
In Hungary and the United Kingdom, it is observed during February; in the UK this coincides with a major celebration of the 2003 abolition of Section 28. In Berlin, it is known as Queer History Month and takes place in May.
LGBT+ History Month in the UK - LGBT+ History Month in the UK
First started in February 2005 in the UK by teachers, Sue Sanders and Paul Patrick, as a Schools OUT UK project. LGBT+ History Month is an annual event in the United Kingdom taking place every February.
The event came in the wake of the abolition of Section 28 in 2003, the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 as well as the government's proposals to bring in a single equality act and a public duty, each year focusses on a different theme. It aims to:
Increase the visibility of LGBT+ individuals, their history, lives and their experiences in the curriculum and culture of educational and other institutions, and the wider community;
Raise awareness and prompt additional education on matters affecting the LGBT+ community;
Work to make educational and other institutions safe spaces for all LGBT+ communities; and
Promote the welfare of LGBT+ people, by ensuring that society recognises and enables LGBT+ people to achieve their full potential, so they contribute fully everyday and lead fulfilled lives, thus benefiting society as a whole.
Celebrating our present
The theme for LGBT + History month is Politics in Art and will be launched online in collaboration with the National Gallery. Since 2014, the annual event has paid tribute to LGBT figures who may have been forgotten or “straight washed” by history. In 2021, this was extended to cover the additional “+” community. The Faces for the Year 2022 consist of:
Doris Brabham Hatt (1890 - 1969) – a pioneer of Modernism in the UK
Keith Haring (1958 – 1969) – American graffiti and pop artist
Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960 – 1988) – American Neo-expressionist artist
Mark Aguhar (1987 – 2012) – American activist, writer and multimedia artist
Fiore de Hanriquez (1921 – 2004) – Italian-British sculptor
You can learn more here about the LGBT+ Legal timeline and using the interactive graphic, starting with the death penalty being abolished for the crime of “Buggery” originally made law in 1533 by Henry VIII.
2022 also marks the 50th anniversary of the very first Pride march in the UK in 1972. Why not find out or join a local Pride march this year to show your support for the LGBT+ community?
Creating our future
It’s important to reflect on our history to ensure an understanding and awareness that will help us to shape our future. The LGBT+ community will continue to educate and celebrate both our past and our present, we would love it if you too could join with us and stand as allies with the LGBT+ community. Standing as one will help us to carve out the future where people can be their true authentic self without fear.
Given the current political climate between Ukraine and Russia, we must reflect and support our LGBT+ family and community in both countries and be mindful of the suppression against the LGBT+ community in Russia and the fear and concern for the LGBT+ community in Ukraine. Whilst we promote reflecting on our past, celebrating our present, we must be aware the impact of a Russian invasion on Ukraine’s LGBT+ community, who have been celebrating with Pride marches since 2015 and enjoyed free speech and assembly protections under the current President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government. We can only hope for peace in Ukraine.
As we end LGBT+ history month, I would encourage you to think about ways you can support the LGBT+ community, whether it’s a commitment to learn more or to stand up an ally and help us to promote and live in a truly equal and inclusive world.
