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Competition – Design the LGBT+ History Month Badge for 2026

The competition goes live from 2nd June 2025 and closes on the 11th July 2025.

Who are we?

Schools OUT is the LGBT+ education charity #educatingOUTprejudice and #Usuallising LGBT+ lives since 1974. We work with valued partners like yourselves to educate OUT prejudice, raise LGBT+ visibility by usualising the full diversity of LGBT+ lives to ensure our educational institutions are safe, inclusive and support LGBT+ young people’s well-being.

Schools OUT founded LGBT+ History Month in 2004 and first celebrated in February 2005.

What is LGBT+ History Month and why should you be involved?

LGBT+ History Month is for everyone; whether you work in education, a museum, library or art gallery, a business, a service, are a member of a network/social group or an individual. Its purpose is to shine a light on LGBT+ history. Claim our Past, Celebrate our Present and Create our Future. Every year Schools OUT sets a different theme for LGBT+ History Month and provides free resources for education settings, businesses, services and organisations to help them celebrate and ‘Usualise’ LGBT+ lives in their full diversity.

Surveys have shown that “Pupils in schools with strong positive messaging about being LGBT+ have drastically improved wellbeing and feel safer – regardless of whether they are LGBT+ or not” (Just Like Us – ‘Growing Up LGBT+, 2021). Taking part in the month demonstrates a commitment to providing a safe and inclusive environment for all your young people.

What is the badge competition?

Each year there is an official badge for LGBT+ History Month which helps raise awareness and funds to help continue the work of Schools OUT. From 2022 we have invited young people from 5 to 18 (key stages 1 to 5) to design the LGBT+ History Month badge. This provides young people and opportunity to be part of LGBT+ history and is a great activity for education settings to run during Pride month and Schools Diversity week. The winning design will be made into the official badge for 2026 and sold across the UK.

How do you take part?

Step 1: Register your interest using the form below.


Step 2: You will be sent information at the end of May with more details about the theme to aid your school or youth group in their badge designs.

Step 3: Complete the entry form below by 5pm on 11th July 2025.

For more information please see the competition rules, design guidelines and submission form below.

Design Guidelines

The points listed below are for teachers/youth leaders to explain to the groups and/or individuals entering the competition.

General

  • One entry per Key Stage (not per institution/organisation)
Age 5 – 11Age 11 – 16Age 16-19
Key Stage 1 & 2Key Stages 3 & 4Key Stage 5
  • Tertiary institutions (FE Colleges, youth groups etc) should also enter one overall selected winner.
  • Organisations can submit one entrance to category 1 (age 5-11 / KS 1&2), one entrance to category 2 (age 11-16 / KS 3&4), and one entrance to category 3 (age 16-19 / KS 5).

Form

  • The badge should be of any regular shape and can be designed on any sized template but should remain legible within a 4cm x 4cm square, which will be its actual scale.
  • Entrants may design their badge digitally or physical media (e.g. paint, pen and paper).
  • Use bright colours.
  • Use simple fonts.

Content

  • The badge must include the phrase “LGBT+ History Month 2026” or the phrase “Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans + History Month 2026” (These can be anywhere on the design, but must still make grammatical sense).
  • Faces must not be used.
  • Religious Symbols must not be used.
  • Party Political symbols must not be used.
  • Existing brand logos (images) must not be used.
  • Slogans must not be included.

Rules of the Competition

  • This competition is only for schools, colleges, or youth groups and is free to enter.
  • All schools, colleges, and youth groups wishing to enter must complete the registration form and submit their entry using the online form with the badge design and accompanying information attached before the deadline of 5pm 11th July 2025.
  • Entries must be clearly labelled with category (1-3), entrant’s age, name and institution details
  • Plagiarised entries will be disqualified.
  • Only one entry per category per organisation.
  • The competition will be judged on in early August by a panel of judges from Schools OUT and other LGBT+ education organisations, whose decisions are final.
  • A winner will be chosen from each of the three categories. Each category winner will receive a £25 Love to Shop gift voucher, a LGBT+ History Month 2026 badge and a book (either ‘What does LGBT+ Mean?’ or ‘Have Pride’).
  • The overall winner will be chosen from all three categories. They will receive a £250 Love to Shop voucher and the honour of having their design made into the official 2026 History Month badge, of which we will send them 10.
  • All winners will be informed in September, and the prizes sent to the school/organisation to be presented to the winners in November 2025, once the badges have been produced.
  • The finalists in each category will be announced on our website and on social media.
  • Your school/organisation is responsible for seeking permission from the young people’s legal guardians for their names to be made public. Should a young person wish to remain anonymous, only the school/organisation and age category will be publicised.
  • All entries must be made through the nominated adult contact at the school/organisation involved. No direct contact will be made with entrants, and you cannot enter the competition outside of a school/organisation.

Submission Form