What is LGBT+ History Month?
February is a month-long annual celebration and remembrance of LGBT+ history. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on the history of LGBT+ rights and related civil rights movements. In the UK, it was initiated by “Schools Out UK” in 2005, and has been an annual event since then.
2023 marks 23 years since Section 28, the law that banned “promotion of homosexuality” in the UK, was repealed in Scotland. It was an attack on LGBTQ+ visibility, and together we resisted. With parts of our community still under attack, we must remember why we can’t go back, and must join together to keep moving forward.
What is the theme for LGBT+ History month 2024?
Past themes have included everything from film and television to social justice. In 2024, the theme which has been set by Schools OUT is Medicine – #UnderTheScope. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore the contribution of LGBT+ people to advances in medical science, but also to reflect on the community’s relationship with the world of medicine, such as the history of the AIDS crisis, the medical treatment of trans people and LGBT+ people’s contributions to the NHS.
It’s also an important theme because LGBT+ people are underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers more widely. The campaigning group STEM Women reports that this shortfall could be as much as 20%. Therefore, we are excited to take this opportunity this LGBT+ History Month to highlight some of the unsung LGBT+ heroes of science and medicine, to show young people that there are diverse role models who they can aspire to emulate.
What did we do for LGBT+ History Month 2024?
At our LGBT+ History Month stall at Sighthill at the start of the month, we had some great conversations about which LGBT celebrities and public figures students were inspired by. Responses included Kevin Conroy (famous for being the voice of Batman), Judith Butler (American philosopher and gender studies scholar) and Andrew Muir (Northern Ireland's first openly gay Executive Minister).
We also worked with other students' associations from across Edinburgh to promote a charity LGBT Club night. The event was held at CC Blooms in the City Centre, and students from Edinburgh University, Heriot Watt University, Queen Margaret University, Napier University, and Edinburgh College came together to enjoy a student-only event with all ticket sales going to the LGBT Health & Wellbeing Charity.
Finally, we recruited participants to a new focus group to help us shape workshops as part of our LGBT-Friendly Classrooms project. This focus group will take real lived experiences of Edinburgh College students and use them to help improve the expereinces of future students on our campuses and in our classrooms.
Why does LGBT+ History Month exist?
Sue Sanders and Paul Patrick are the co-founders of Schools Out UK, and they organised the event initially to educate younger people about the issues that people in the LGBT+ community face, and to move forward with making schools more inclusive for everyone regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Up to 200 events took place over the UK in 2005, which exceeded Sue and Paul’s expectation of 15-20 events. LGBT+ History month has taken place every year, every February since then.
Sue stated that we need this month for the LGBT+ community because,
“The ignorance is profound. And the ignorance has been deliberately done. We [the LGBT+ community] have a history, but we have been denied it. It’s great we have the laws in place, it’s great that we’re more visible, but who is visible? It’s white gay men. If you’re black, if you’re a lesbian, if you’re bisexual or if you’re trans – we have a lot of work to do.”
What is the difference between LGBT+ History Month and Pride Month?
Pride month occurs in June every year, and is when outdoor Pride parades that celebrate LGBT+ acceptance and pride take place. These events can also serve as protests for legal rights such as marriage equality.
LGBT+ History month is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on LGBT+ History. It gives the chance to look at what hasn’t changed and what we can do to keep moving forward for an inclusive future.
Useful LGBT+ resources:
- We have our LGBT+ society at EC Students Association that you can join on our Discord server!
- LGBT History Month Scotland: Website Facebook
- LGBT Youth Scotland: Website Facebook
- In 2021, Scotland became the first country in the world to officially add LGBT+ history to the school curriculum letting children see historical figures that they can now identify with. Check out Time for Inclusive Education for more information on their successful campaigns and work to tackle prejudice with an educational approach.
- Schools Out UK have a fantastic list of resources, especially highlighting LGBT+ Film, Video and Television examples. https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/resources/