On Wednesday 8th November over 150 leading figures from Liverpool’s LGBT community came together at the Museum of Liverpool for the national launch of LGBT History Month 2018.
David Robson
(LGBT History Month 2018 Launch Organiser)
LGBT History Month is a month-long annual event that celebrates the history and achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people every February in the United Kingdom. Each year has a different theme to work with from the school curriculum, which is led by the organisation ‘Schools OUT UK’, and strives to claim and celebrate LGBT history, which has been rendered invisible by our legal and educational systems
Janet Dugdale, Director of the Museum of Liverpool said:
We were honoured and proud to host the national launch of LGBT History Month. It’s been wonderful to work together with Schools OUT UK to raise awareness of and visibility of LGBT+ histories. At the Museum of Liverpool, one of our central aims is to represent our local communities and working in partnership helps us deliver powerful exhibitions such as Tales from the city, which explores the past 50 years of Liverpool’s LGBT+ community and has already attracted more than 16,000 visitors. We are stronger together and we can’t wait to host an exciting, challenging and inspiring programme of events on 3 February 2018.
Now in it’s 14th year the launch event occurs every year in different cities across the UK to inspire organisations and communities how to celebrate LGBT Culture.
Speakers on the night included Caroline Paige, Aderonke Apata and Angela Eagle MP. There were also video messages sent from the secretary of state for education Justine Greening and Liverpool Walton MP, Dan Carden.
Co-founder of LGBT History Month, Sue Sanders said:
Our Museum of Liverpool Launch of #LGBTHM18 was a remarkable success. Such a privilege to be at a museum that has led the way in making LGBT issues/people visible. We’re looking forward to seeing what people up and down the country are organising for their LGBT History Month events next February. Please ensure you put them on the calendar and send us pictures your events please, we love to celebrate success!
#LGBTHM18
LGBT History Month – the national launch
16 November 2017
by Matt Exley – Curator at The National Museum of Liverpool
On 8 November the Museum of Liverpool had the honour of hosting the national launch of LGBT History Month which will take place in February 2018. The theme for the month long celebration is Geography: Mapping the World and with fabulous views across the River Mersey and Liverpool’s south docks the location was perfect.
The event started with a teacher’s seminar, led by Professor Sue Sanders from Schools Out and LGBT History Month and was a chance for local teachers to explore how they can address LGBT+ issues, stories, and history better in schools. It was also a chance for us at the Museum of Liverpool to showcase our LGBT+ resources and to launch our new LGBT+ awareness session on language and law for Key Stage 3+ groups.
Speakers included representatives from National Museums Liverpool, Homotopia, Liverpool Pride, GYRO, Writing on the Wall, Schools Out and special messages from Daniel Carden MP and Justine Greening MP, the Minister for Education and Equalities.
We heard Aderonke Apata tell her inspiring story as an LGBT+ asylum seeker who faced imprisonment and death in Nigeria simply for being who she was. Her powerful story reminded us of the inequalities faced by LGBT worldwide and the continuing injustices faced by those seeking safety and refuge in the UK for being LGBT+.
Also speaking about her personal story was Caroline Paige, the first officer to transition whilst in the British Armed Forces. Caroline spoke about the inequalities of trans people barred from serving in the military worldwide, including countries close to home. Shockingly less than a quarter of European countries allow trans people to serve in their armed forces.
We were treated to a fabulous performance from the young people of GYRO (Gay Youth R’Out), the oldest LGBT+ youth group in the country. The young people performed a song they had written themselves called Teach the Teacher about training, equal rights and the fight against injustice.
The final speaker of the evening was Angela Eagle MP, a patron of LGBT History Month and Member of Parliament for Wallasey. Angela spoke about her experiences being a lesbian woman in Parliament and warned us to defend the rights LGBT+ people in the UK have fought so hard to gain.
The evening was a fabulous success, celebrated by over 150 people. The event was a great way for the museum to develop its partnership with Schools Out and LGBT History Month and has got us really excited to be the venue kicking off the national festival with a hub day which we’ll be celebrating on 3 February 2018 with a range of talks and performances focussing on LGBT+ histories. Make sure you put the date in your diary and we’ll really look forward to seeing you!
Check out our LGBT+ events page to find some of the other great events we’re running to coincide with our new exhibition Tales from the city.