What is LGBT+ History Month and why it’s important!

There are many reasons as to why LGBT+ History Month is important, and here are a few examples:

1.To remember people who still don’t have rights:

• According to Human Dignity Trust, 331 trans and gender diverse people were murdered in 2019.
• There are still 73 jurisdictions in the world that criminalise “private, consensual, same sex sexual activity.
• According to group Transrespect – we need to keep fighting for equal rights and holding events that teach people about LGBTQ+ issues.

2.To remember how people get rights:

• In 1967, in the UK, being homosexual was decriminalised. This is recent enough to still be in many citizens minds.
• The fight to get to that point was debilitating, and since that point the road to dull equality has been slow.
• Alan Turing, Cambridge’s hero mathematician, was chemically castrated for being gay. This was an actual legal method to stop what the government saw as ‘immoral behaviour’.

3.To discover the hidden histories were never taught to us:

• History books completely ignore, barely mention or deliberately erase any existence of LGBT+ individuals even though LGBT+ identities have existed just as long as humans have.

4.To let LGBT+ children see people they resonate with in their history:

• LGBT rights charity Stonewall found that two out of five LGBTQ+ children don’t learn anything about LGBTQ+ issues at school. 
• It is important for children to see people that they feel they can identify with in history, and not just see them exist but thrive and conquer.
• For example, the heroes behind the Stonewall riots in 1969 which is the event that triggered the gay rights movement worldwide. Marsha P Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Storme DeLarverie led the resistance against police brutality in New York at the gay bar, the Stonewall Inn.
• These were lesbian and transwomen of colour which is also the same identity type which was murdered more than any other LGBT+ identity in 2019.

5.To inspire others

• The LGBT+ community teaches people generosity, resilience and gives them the ability motivation to stand up for what they believe in.
• Their protests will be an example for ways to make change happen today.

6.To shine a light on how far we have come.

• The social acceptability for the LGBT+ community even within the last 30 years has changes significantly.
• LGBT+ historical events are talked about even more not only in their history month.

7. To learn about the struggles and successes of those different from ourselves

• LGBT+ History Month is for more than just the LGBT+ community
• This month educates individuals who have a different culture which also helps encourage tolerance through understanding.