February is LGBT+ History month, an annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community dedicated to promoting education, diversity and inclusion.
Read on to find out more about LGBT+ History month as a whole and the LGBT+ community in Newcastle!
What is LGBT+ History Month?
LGBT+ History Month was founded in 2004 by Paul Patrick and Sue Sanders of Schools OUT, a UK education charity aimed at making education a safer environment for LGBT+ staff and students. The goal of LGBT+ history month is to raise the visibility of LGBT+ people both past and present, with a focus on improving education and creating a more inclusive environment in schools, businesses and other organisations.
Each year, LGBT+ History Month focuses on a specific theme to highlight and celebrate the contributions of LGBT+ people to society. This year the theme is Behind the Lens, placing the spotlight on the contribution of LGBT+ people to cinema and film. To learn more about this topic, the official LGBT+ History Month website has compiled resources such as posters and worksheets that are appropriate for a range of age groups.
Why do we need LGBT+ History Month?
Although certain steps towards equality have been achieved in the past decades, LGBT+ History Month remains of vital importance with only two decades since Section 28 – the legislation that banned the ‘promotion of homosexuality’ in schools – was repealed. This year, the UK LGBT+ community has faced difficulties such as the blocking of the Scottish Gender Recognition Reform Bill, a bill intended to make the process of legally recognising a transgender individuals’ gender more straightforward
With issues such as this damaging LGBT+ individuals and education on LGBT+ issues only recently being made mandatory, LGBT+ History Month provides a space for members of the community and allies to come together and work towards a brighter, more inclusive future.
What can we celebrate this year?
For the first time in over 200 years, the LGBT+ community was counted in the Census of England and Wales and from this, we have learnt that over 1.5 million people identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The inclusion of LGBT identities in the Census is significant not only because it marks a huge increase in visibility and inclusion, but because this data can be used to campaign for further improvements to LGBT+ lives.
If you’re interested in the Census data, you can look at the data on sexual orientation and gender identity by area!
LGBT+ Community in Newcastle
Newcastle is widely regarded as a safe and inclusive place for LGBT+ individuals – the census data mentioned previously reveals that 5% of people over 16 identify as LGB, and 0.87% of people had a gender identity different from that of their registered sex at birth. With a relatively large LGBT+ community, Newcastle has a huge range of activities for members of the LGBT+ community, including but not limited to:
- Northern Pride, a weekend-long, free pride event that attracts over 70,000 people.
- Curious Arts, a Newcastle-based charity that promotes LGBT+ creatives.
- The ‘Pink Triangle’, a selection of LGBT+ nightlife venues near the Centre for Life.
- Multiple local LGBT+ community groups, such as LGBT+ Northern Social Group.
LGBT+ Community and LGBT+ History Month at Newcastle University
Newcastle University aims to support LGBT+ students at all times, not only during LGBT+ History Month. Newcastle University offers specific wellbeing support for LGBT+ students, including resources for transgender and non-binary students, as well as working closely with NUSU’s LGBT+ Officer and LGBT+ Society.
Throughout LGBT+ History Month and beyond, there are a wide range of events being held at the university, including:
- The LGBT+ Society Conference: a weekend-long event featuring a variety of activities, talks and social events. For more information, keep an eye out on the society Instagram page.
- EDI Photography Competition: the EDI team are hosting a photography competition with the prompt ‘what does LGBTQ+ mean to you?’ and the winner will have their photo displayed in the FMS – submissions should be sent to nfmsedi@newcastle.ac.uk by February 20.
- Insights Lecture: on Thursday 30 March, transgender author Juliet Jacques will be delivering a lecture discussing her writing. Find out more information and book your space.
LGBT+ Society
As well as the above events, students who are members of the LGBT+ community can join the LGBT+ Society for £5 a year – this student-led group runs a huge range of activities, from café visits and board game evenings to nights out and pub quizzes. The society has over 200 members this year and guarantees students a safe space to be themselves and meet people they can relate to.
For some LGBT+ students, their move to university may be the first time they’re able to be ‘out’ and embrace their own identity, and for many more the move to a city will be the first time they live somewhere with a thriving LGBT+ community. By providing a casual place to meet one another, the LGBT+ Society aims to build community, help students settle in and provide support to one another. Additionally, allies of the LGBT+ community are more than welcome to show support by joining in educational events and fundraising opportunities.
Students interested in joining can find the LGBT+ society on NUSU to buy membership and Instagram to keep up-to-date on events.