An exhibition will be held at the LGBT centre in Birmingham, exploring the Gay Liberation Front during the 1970s (Image: GLF)
LGBT History Month is, for me, about celebrating, remembering, and reflecting on the history of the LGBT community.
It’s about dedicating time to acknowledging the struggles and achievements of specific groups of people who make up between 5-10 per cent of the UK population (according to the 2011 census, the real figure is probably higher) who are often ignored in mainstream narratives.
So, LGBT History Month is about raising awareness and drawing attention to our histories. Reminding people that this history and experiences of LGBT people are relevant and important to everyone because we are all connected to them.
This year is the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK (Photograph: Adam Yosef)
To me, this is particularly important in 2017, which is the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK.
It is still shocking to think that only 50 years ago, LGBT people were systematically persecuted, arrested, and many put into psychiatric wards or worse. A large percentage of the population have grown up in a world where simply being themselves was a crime.
In 2017, the world looks very different. Significant progress has been made for the better but we are far from equal yet, there are still many battles to be won and journeys that we have left to take (LGBT people are still statistically more like to be socially isolated, to experience difficulties or discrimination in the workplace or when accessing health care, and have significantly higher suicide rates than their non-LGBT counterparts).
So, this history month is an important time for us to come together, to remember – and importantly to celebrate – how far we have come and the huge contribution that LGBT people have made to society as a whole.
A young man joins the Birmingham Pride parade in 2015, with a placard in hand (Photograph: Adam Yosef)
This year, I felt it was particularly important to mark history month and in my role with SHOUT Festival (part of Birmingham LGBT) have worked with our partner organisations to put together the Birmingham LGBT History Festival, a 5-day festival which explores and celebrates significant parts of LGBT history in Birmingham and the wider UK over the last 50 years.
It’s important (particularly at the moment when we are faced with so much intolerance) that we come together, learn, share, and celebrate our heritage to build from it and keep pushing towards a diverse and bright future where all people regardless of gender, sexuality, race, age, ability are afforded the same right, the same access, the same respect, and the same sense of meaning.
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Adam Carver | @CarverAdam
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Adam carver is the co-ordinator of the Shout Festival. More information listings of the festival’s LGBT History Month events can be found at www.shoutfestival.co.uk.
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