Celebrating LGBT+ History Month

With LGBT+ History Month 2024 drawing to a close, we wanted to share with fellow members the important reasons behind the month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements.

History Month was founded back in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher, Rodney Wilson. Rodney was a gay 29-year-old teacher of American history and American government. He was concerned by the “grave erasure of a group of people and their experiences, from history” and wanted to ensure that there was an LGBT+ History Month to provide factual and honest history on LGBT+ role models, and demonstrate how acceptance helps to builds community, and give a clear representation of civil rights and the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community.

Memorials are also held during this month for those members of the LGBT+ community who have sadly been lost through hate crimes or through misinformation, mishandling and mistreatment of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The purpose of the commemorative month is to fully recognise the impact that LGBT+ individuals have had on not only the LGBT+ community but on the wider community as a whole, whether this is locally, nationally or internationally.

Below you will find some slides that help to shine a light on the sometimes forgotten or overlooked individuals in the history of the LGBT+ movement and the important part that some played in the wider fight for equal rights.

You can download these slides as a PDF.

Our thanks to James Barrett (SW LGBT+ Regional Lead) for his work in producing this resource.