Why Is LGBTQ+ History Month So Important?

Why is LGBTQ+ History Month is  so Important?   This year is the UK’s 17th national LGBTQ+ History Month, and as we’ve just celebrated our 50th pride, it’s a pretty special one!    While LGBTQ+ History Month has been a tradition in the US since 1994, the UK’s first nationally recognized LGTQ+ History Month took place in 2005. This month is devoted to highlighting the lives, achievements, and stories of queer individuals; the journey of the LGBTQ+ community throughout history, and our needs for the future.  

 The same odd question crops up around pride and history month each year - ‘why do we still need this?’ - and this year it has become more evident than ever. People across the country are protesting for the passing of trans rights and gender recognition laws, while the world cup was hosted in a country where queerness is illegal, and can be punishable by death if you’re Muslim.    Remembering our queer history, how our community was formed and the continuing struggles we go through is a necessity for worldwide queer liberation.    

London Lesbian March 1982

This year’s theme is ‘Behind the lens’, taking a conscious step out of the mainstream entertainment industry and recognizing queer achievements in a diverse range of professions.  

 Below is a brief but informative timeline of the LGBTQIA+ journey in the UK, beginning in the 1950s when homosexuality was illegal, to the establishment of Britain’s LGBTQ+ History Month in 2005. 

One of the main issues with LGBTQ+ history in the UK is the lack of diverse recognition and support. Legislation and social attitudes largely focused on the queer experience through a white, male, and cis-gendered lens, making it difficult to find QTIPOC+ history. This is something society has only recently begun working on, and the collective effort to create more spaces for QTIPOC+ is a necessity, not a privilege. In London, we are blessed to be surrounded by such queer talent, art, and love.

But the reality for the rest of the UK and worldwide is a lot different. The work done by Britain’s first gay and lesbian trade union in 1977, or the Black Lesbian and Gay Centre in 1982, is the same work we still need to be focusing on… Creating inclusive safe spaces, encouraging community, and providing a platform for voices who need to be heard. This can be a small-scale queer coffee group at your university, a weekly queer club night, or a nationwide LGBTQIA+ collective, the key is community and safety! So, to answer the question in a few words - LGBTQ+ History Month is so important because it connects us to our queer roots, providing a chance to learn about the people and stories that made queer liberation a reality for so many of us. It also shows us the work still yet to be done.