LGBT+ History Month 2024
Equalities February 29 2024
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, who was concerned by the “grave erasure of a group of people and their experiences, from history” who wanted to ensure there was an LGBT+ History month to provide factual and honest history on LGBT+ role models, 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 whole, whether this is locally, nationally and 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 parts that some played in the wider fight for equal rights movement.