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Free Schools Presentation
For 2026 we are able to offer free LGBT+ History Month presentations for secondary schools, pride clubs and youth groups. If you are interested in booking one of these for your schools we suggest that you book before the 22nd December 2025 as place are limited.
You can book your presentation here.
LGBT+ History Month 2026
From BC to AD LGBT+ people have existed. 2026 will be the 22nd UK LGBT+ History Month, the first UK LGBT+ History Month was in 2005. The month highlights the incredible things LGBT+ people in all our diversity have achieved throughout history, in all areas of life.
Over the past 50+ years Schools OUT have worked to #educateOUTprejudice and usualise LGBT+ lives, creating learning environments where all LGBT+ people feel safe, seen, and supported. This is why, following the repeal of Section 28, we founded UK LGBT+ History Month to be a dedicated space to celebrate our rich and diverse history, herstory, theirstory. With events in the USA, Europe and the UK it is even more important that we:
- Claim our past
- Celebrate our present
- Create our future
On Friday 7th November 2025 we launched the 2026 theme from the Royal Society of Chemistry, at Burlington House in London.
Science & Innovation
Science and innovation impacts our daily lives, from the technology we use to developments in healthcare, as well as helping us to address global challenges such as climate change and access to clean energy.
Diverse teams are essential for the development of solutions which benefit everyone, yet we might often struggle to name LGBT+ scientists and innovators. The 2026 theme for LGBT+ History Month aims to highlight the contributions of LGBT+ people historically and today, and to raise awareness of the people behind them.
Alongside celebrating LGBT+ people, it is important to highlight the harm that LGBT+ people have historically faced as a result of the ways in which science has been explored and misapplied in the past, such as through the medicalisation and pathologisation of LGBT+ identities, and how we still need to address this today.
Each year we choose five LGBT+ historical figures in line with the theme to highlight. This year we have chosen:
- Barbara Burford, a medical researcher who established NHS equality and diversity guidelines
- Charles Beyer, a locomotive engineer and a founding member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers
- Elke Mackenzie, a lichenologist who researched lichens in Antarctica
- Jemma Redmond, a biotechnologist who developed 3D bioprinters to create tissues and organs
- Robert Boyle, a founder of modern chemistry and of the modern scientific method
Register for UK LGBT+ History Month 2026
Please register here if you or your organisation is planning on celebrating UK LGBT+ History Month 2026. By registering you will receive advance notification about the launch, webinars and resources.
What is UK LGBT+ History Month?
Who is LGBT+ History Month for?
UK LGBT+ History Month is for everyone; whether you work in education, a museum, a library or an art gallery, a business, a service, or are a member of a network/social group or an individual.
When is it celebrated?
It is celebrated every February across the UK and was founded in 2004 by Schools OUT UK co-chairs, Paul Patrick & Professor Emeritus Sue Sanders. It was first celebrated in February 2005 and 2026 will be the 22nd UK LGBT+ History Month.
Why was it founded?
For so long LGBT+ people’s history was hidden, following the repeal of Section 28 Schools OUT created UK LGBT+ History Month to:
- claim our past
- celebrate our present
- create our future
We wanted to create a dedicated space to celebrate our rich and diverse history, herstory and theirstory.
How do we help you celebrate LGBT+ History Month?
Every year Schools OUT sets the theme for UK LGBT+ History Month and provides free resources for education settings, businesses, services, organisations and individuals to help them celebrate and ‘Usualise’ LGBT+ lives in their full diversity.
Why is it called LGBT+ History Month and not LGBTQ+ History Month?
We wanted to ensure that LGBT+ History Month celebrates LGBTQIA+ communities in all our diversity. Adding ‘Q’ for ‘Queer’ was considered but we decided to use ‘plus’ instead to include all our communities, and because for some of our communities the term ‘Queer’ is associated with a time it was used in a negative context. We understand that your organisation may choose to refer to LGBT+ History Month as LGBTQ+ History Month for your own communications.
Logo’s and Zoom Backgrounds
2026 Badge Design
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UK LGBT+ History Month Logo’s
Zoom/Teams Backgrounds
2026 Badge Design
Dr Robin Hayward
The official 2026 UK LGBT+ History Month badge was designed by Dr Robin Hayward (they/them), a science communicator and designer who specialises in the subjects of trees, woodlands, and queerness in nature. They are a published scientist in the field of ecology and have experience designing badges for their own small business, where they create science and nature inspired enamel pride pins to sell online.
The badge design creatively interprets the intersex-inclusive Progress Pride flag as an exciting demonstration of chemical reactivity. The Pride colours of the design expand to free movement outside of their rigid container and the bold outlines of the logo’s lower half.
Chemical reactions such as this occur when different materials are brought together and allowed to mix, just as our diverse identities can bring about sudden and creative change when acting in community.
You can see Robin’s other work on their Etsy shop.
LGBT+ Historical Figures – Information & Images
Click on the images to download them.
LGBT+ Historical Figures – Video Shorts
Educational Resources – PRISM Exeter & Schools OUT Collaboration
Download the resources for free here.
Schools OUT are delighted to have collaborated with PRISM Exeter to provide a range of educational resources that can be used in UK LGBT+ History Month and throughout the year.
PRISM (Pride and Representation in STEMM Matters) Exeter was established in July 2018 to provide a network for professionals and students working and studying within the local STEMM sector. In 2020 they founded a biannual Queer Science Competition to combat the dearth of LGBT+ role models in STEMM fields beyond Alan Turing.
The competition provided cash and work experience incentives to encourage secondary school, college and university students across South West England to discover LGBT+ scientists, technologists, engineers, mathematicians and medics for themselves. Entrants were tasked with summarising – in just 300 words or a 3 minute video – what the person did, how they identified and, most importantly, how the person inspired them.
From the winning entrants Schools OUT & PRISM Exeter have chosen Ben Barres, Hannah Barnham-Brown, Joan Roughgarden, Nergis Mavalvala, Ron Buckmire and Sally Ride to develop a range of free educational resources that can be used in UK LGBT+ History Month and throughout the school year to share these stories of inspiration.
The resources include posters, postcards, videos, tutor time activities, career profiles, science and maths lesson activities and a pack of activities that can be used in pride (LGBT+)/Science (STEM) clubs.
Business Resources
Celebrating LGBT+ History Month 2026! 
This year’s theme, ‘Science & Innovation’, highlights LGBT+ trail blazers whose creativity, discoveries, and breakthroughs have shaped the world. From video resources about this years UK LGBT+ History Month historical figures to ideas on how you can celebrate this years theme ‘Science and Innovation’ in your sector we have you covered, please explore the resources here
We are also proud to offer an interactive way to celebrate UK LGBT+ History Month with our CTV quiz!
Players can test their knowledge and explore the inspiring stories of Barbara Burford, Charles Beyer, Elke Mackenzie, Jemma Redmond, and Robert Boyle, learning more about the contributions they made to science, innovation, and society.
Click here to play: http://bit.ly/3Z2tsJH
Available on Play.Works Digital Limited across SKYQ, LG & Roku.
A special thank you to Play.Works Digital Limited and Diversity Media Sales for their help in bringing this to life for us.
LGBT+ Science Groups
Pride in STEM is a charity run by an independent group of LGBTQIA+ scientists & engineers from around the world. Proud of who they are and what they do. They aim to showcase and support all LGBTQIA+ people in STEM fields.
500 Queer Scientists is a visibility campaign for LGBTQ+ people and their allies working in STEM and STEM-supporting jobs — a group that collectively represents a powerful force of scientific progress and discovery.
PRISM Exeter PRISM (Pride and Representation in STEMM Matters) Exeter was established in July 2018 to provide a network for professionals and students working and studying within the local STEMM sector. The foundation followed conversations between Exeter-based STEMM professionals who volunteered at (or visited) the Institute of Physics South West branch’s stall at Exeter Pride in May 2018.
STEM, LGBTQ & You is the annual UK Regional oSTEM Conference bringing together LGBTQ+ people, allies and organisations working across STEM. Taking place during LGBT+ History Month, the conference creates space for learning, visibility and community — from students and early-career researchers to industry professionals and educators.
Books related to the theme
Play – “The BBC’s First Homosexual”
Inkbrew Productions is delighted to continue its partnership with SchoolsOUT for LGBT+ History Month with a new play The BBC’s First Homosexual, written by Dr Stephen M Hornby and directed by Oliver Hurst. The play is touring extensivel throughout February 2026. It reveals the story of a forgotten landmark moment in queer broadcasting history.
Read more about “The BBC’s First Homosexual” on our Playwright in Residence page.
Tickets for all venues start from £5 and are available here: https://linktr.ee/inkbrewtheatre
New Adelphi Theatre in Salford – 4th and 5th February 2026
The Crescent Theatre in Birmingham – 6th February 2026
Lantern Theatre in Brighton – 7th and 8th February 2026
The Cinema Museum in London – 10th to14th February 2026
Hope Street Theatre in Liverpool – 17th and18th February
Loughborough University – 24th and 25th February.