LGBT+ History Month
Hannah_Alumni
Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
It’s the 1st February, which means it’s LGBT+ History Month.
[Above image is of the LGBT+ History Month Logo]
Founded in 2004 and started by Schools OUT Co-chairs; Paul Patrick and Professor Emeritus Sue Sanders, the overall aim of LGBT+ month is to promote equality and diversity for the benefit of the public.
Did you know?
- LGBT+ History Month is celebrated in February in the UK, to coincide with the 2003 abolition of Section 28. Section 28 was a government act, a piece of legislation introduced by the Conservative Government during Margaret Thatcher’s time in number 10. It started that local authorities could not promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality.
- Trade Unions were a huge part in campaigning for full equality. As recently as 2003, an employer could discriminate against a person for their sexual orientation or gender identity. Employment Equality Regulations now means people in the LGBT+ community will not face bullying in the workplace, or discrimination. But there is still a long way to go.
- Being in a same-sex relationship is punishable by death in 8 different countries. More than a quarter of the world’s population believe same-sex marriage should be a crime.
There is a different theme each year. For 2023, the theme is ‘Behind The Lens’, celebrating people’s contribution to cinema and film from behind the lens.
We wanted to mark today, but also let you know we have a few posts going up throughout the month to highlight some of the amazing people, both following the theme of ‘Behind The Lens’ and those who have made history for the LGBT+ community.
The LGBT+ History Month website has a lot of different resources if you wish to learn more.
Do you have any plans for LGBT+ Month? Are there people in the LGBT+ community that have inspired you?
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Comments
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Thanks for the informative post@Hannah_Scope.
I don’t have any plans for LGBT+ history month as of yet. I did rewatch the 2014 film PRIDE earlier today, which is such a good and informative movie, as I didn’t know that miners and the LGBT+ community came together during the miner strikes.1 -
PRIDE is a great film, found it very informative like you and also love a bit of Bill Nighy!0
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My plans for LGBT+ month are to support people who are doing work during this month. The people in the LGBT+ community who inspire me are those who are brave enough to be themselves every day
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I have been out of the closet since 2 months before my 14th birthday in Sept '70. When I was 16 I was asked to work, voluntarily, on Gay Switchboard. I had to advise youngsters, some of whom were suicidal. I was involved in the GLF and was on the 2nd Pride march. But I would like to say this about Gay History: People were never very homophobic. Thatcher and her disgusting Clause 28 were homophobic, but most people weren't. I led my life as an out gay person and no-one seemed to care.
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The Imitation Game is worth a watch for any that haven't seen it.
It's about Alan Turing & his major contribution to the war effort. An inspiration to many, but took his own life after being arrested & chemically castrated for his sexuality.3 -
Thank you for sharing your story @Steve_in_The_City
Such lovely words @L_Volunteer
@OverlyAnxious It is an amazing film. It's such a shame, after all the amazing work Alan Turing did!0 -
Another bit of gay history that is probably forgotten, but I found hilariously funny so have never forgotten it, is when a MP said at the time they were debating the 1967 Homosexuality Reform Bill that if the bill was passed there would be buggery clubs on every street corner! He meant it in a disparaging way but I thought to myself if there is going to be a buggery club on every street corner surely it just proves how popular buggery is!!! It made me laugh, 'cos when he said it he was clearly outraged!1
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Hahaha, that's made me giggle too!
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@OverlyAnxious; I’ve not seen this film, but would like to. Alan Turing was quite amazing.1
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@Hannah_Scope Now that I'm thinking about it, no wonder the bill was passed - what a vote winner! Every street corner indeed...
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Here is a bit of gay history: I started a gay social networking company. This was in the early 1980's. Thatcher was homophobic, racist, elitist and all the things you would despise about someone. I advertised my business in The Guardian and Sunday Observer. I was the first gay business to advertise in the mainstream press.
One day I got a phone call from an advertising agency. They had seen my ad in The Observer. They asked if I would like to advertise in The Conservative Newsline! The Conservative Newsline was the most vile and disgusting piece of excrement, but I knew I could have fun. So I said Yes and placed a very big display ad! When the Conservatine Newsline came out it was absolutely hilarious. There was a full page picture of Thatcher. She was looking downwards, and if you followed her gaze it was right on my advert on the opposite page!
As a result of this my phone lines (I had 8) were tampered with, so I could not get phone calls. My mail was intercepted. So Thatcher and her government did everything to bring me down.
But I fought back. And I won. And I am here to tell that tale.2 -
I did not realise that was what happened to Alan Turing. Thank you for raising it and I will give the film a watch.OverlyAnxious said:The Imitation Game is worth a watch for any that haven't seen it.
It's about Alan Turing & his major contribution to the war effort. An inspiration to many, but took his own life after being arrested & chemically castrated for his sexuality.1 -
I think I would have done the same thing @Steve_in_The_City! It sounds like you do so much to help and support the LGBTQIA+ community and I would love to hear more of your history if you have any thing else you'd be happy to share?0
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@Adeline I would like to say this about gay history in the 70's and 80's:
The police and the state were very anti-gay, the press didn't help either. The press catered to bigots. You heard a lot of noise from anti-gay people who banged on about religion etc. But the rank and file of people really didn't care if you were gay or not.
This is why the 1967 Homosexuality Bill was passed. People were generally quite tolerant and understanding.
For myself, I was a bit radical. I hated hypocrisy and I was surrounded by hypocrites. How I became involved in the GLF was that a guy picked me up in a gay drinking club somewhere in the West End. These little clubs were everywhere and you could drink 24 hours a day. I don't know if these clubs still exist; I doubt it.
He was a white South African Human Rights lawyer and he was involved with the GLF. He introduced me to them. This would have been about 1972. I was 16. My main job was to take hard copy of the GLF newsletter to a printers in Victoria. It was all very cloak and dagger! I had to take the copy very late at night. I had to knock on the door in a certain way. The printing company were in the basement of the building and a printer would come, open the door and snatch the copy from me, before slamming the door shut straight in my face. The printing company were almost opposite New Scotland Yard, and the police were my biggest enemy.
I was required to work on Gay Switchboard because I was a young lad and I could communicate well with gay youngsters of both sexes. According to Wikipedia Gay Switchboard was launched in 1974, but that info is factually incorrect.
I wasn't in GLF for long, but where I think I made a difference was that I lived as an openly gay person since I was a young boy. I met my life partner Ian when I was 17. We were together for 48 years, but The Universe called him to the light in 2019. During those years we encountered very little homophobia, and people just seemed to accept us.
I did have problems with the police, though. They used to raid pubs. The lights would be switched off and the police would rush in. I don't know what the point of it was. On one occasion the police called at our flat, a policeman and a policewoman. We had two friends in the flat. There had been a local burglary and the police were making door to door inquiries. I had to let them in, because I did a little bit of bar work and the burglary was in a club in the same street as where I lived, and I occasionally helped out behind the bar. The policeman was ok, but the policewoman was unbelievably hostile and anti-gay. I was the youngest person in the room and she picked on me. She told me it made her stomach churn to go to the local gay pub and deal with queer's like me. So I smiled ever so sweetly and said "what makes my stomach churn is the smell of pig. But you'll be leaving soon so I can open all the windows and give the place a good airing". It wasn't the response she expected and she fled! Since then I have met some very nice police people, so it shows how times have changed (unless I am just lucky).
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