LGBT History Month is up and running in the UK, and there are a whole host of LGBTQ+ events happening on campus and around Brighton.
The first UK LGBT History Month was celebrated in 2005 and was initiated by activists Sue Sanders and Paul Patrick as part of the Schools OUT UK project.
There are various events occurring around Brighton and Sussex University.
On Tuesday 12th February, the University of Sussex Student’s Union will be hosting Travis Alabanza an artist, performer, writer and prominent trans artistic voice in the UK. In the last four years Alabanza has written for the BBC, The Independent, and The Guardian and performed in venues such as the Roundhouse, Tate Gallery and the V&A. The event will be in Fulton G15 and Fulton A Lecture Theatre from 7:30-10pm
On Wednesday 13th February, The Student’s Union will also be hosting a workshop run by Jessica Scantlebury at The Keep from 2pm-4pm “highlighting the Mass Observation Archive’s LGBT collections, including the National Lesbian and Gay Survey (NLGS)” and teaches about the everyday life for LGBT people in 1990s Britain. The Keep’s website explains that the NLGS was launched in 1986 by Kenneth Barrow who sought to collect autobiographical reports from gay men and women.
There will also be various film screenings including ‘Queerama’ on Wednesday 13th February in the Attenborough Centre from 5pm-7pm and Call Me By Your Name on Monday 25th February in Room 76 from 6-8pm.
Queerama is a 2017 film created from archive material held at the British Film Institute tells of a story of a century of gay experiences, including persecution, prosecution, injustice, love, desire, sexual liberation and pride.
There will also be events happening around Brighton. On 23 February, the Brighton Museum will be hosting a lots of free-admission LGBTQ+ events which will include a makeup and face painting session by Queer Looks Young Project Team members Li and Zoe, a series of 20 minute talks exploring a variety of LGBTQ histories from Brighton and beyond, and readings of short stories for children celebrating love and difference.
