LGBT Youth Scotland Officially Launches LGBT History Month for 2022
The theme for this year has been titled ‘Blurring Borders’. Read on to discover why this theme was picked and the perspectives of some Govanhill locals.
The official logo for LGBT History Month Scotland 2022
By Jack Howse
Today marks the start of LGBT History Month here in Scotland. Since 2007, LGBT History Month Scotland has been coordinated by LGBT Youth Scotland, Scotland’s national charity supporting LGBT young people. The charity, which is based in Glasgow, describes the month as a “chance to connect and to reflect on the past and present of the LGBT community. It’s an opportunity to celebrate LGBT culture and progress towards equality over time, and to explore what the lessons of history can teach us for the future.” This day also marks, perhaps not incidentally, the forty-first anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Scotland.
LGBT Youth Scotland officially announced the theme for 2022: ‘Blurring Borders: A World in Motion”. Chief Executive Mhairi Crawford explains why this theme is important:
“This year, it felt more important than ever to use LGBT History Month to demonstrate the strength of solidarity at home and around the world. Globally, LGBT people and their allies are living through a fragile moment in history. Across Europe, there are efforts being made to roll back LGBT rights.
“Meanwhile, the UK has just been marked out by the Council of Europe as one among a few countries where rising anti-LGBT hate is of particular concern. We also know that the UK Government plans to host its first global LGBT conference, ‘Safe to Be Me’, in London this summer.
“By giving History Month an international focus, we’re inviting people and organisations across Scotland to share their ideas about what an equal world for LGBT people would really look like – and how we can work together to achieve it.”
LGBT History Month Scotland is part of an International Committee on LGBTQ+ History Months. A committee which, so far, includes sixteen locations: Scotland, Wales, USA, UK, Norway, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Italy, Ireland, Hungary, Finland, Cuba, Canada, Berlin, Australia, and the LGBT caucus of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Rodney Wilson, founder of the world’s first LGBTQ+ History Month in the USA, has spearheaded the development of this committee. He commented:
“This year’s theme in Scotland, ‘Blurring Borders: a world in motion’, perfectly mirrors the goal of the International Committee on LGBTQ+ History Months: supporting multiple established history month efforts and helping others plan an inaugural event in their nation – as Norway, New Zealand, Ireland, and Cuba are looking toward.
“In some areas of our world we’re experiencing what Australian historian Graham Willett has called ‘a Queer moment’ – a surge of interest in LGBT+ history and heightened awareness about the rights of LGBT+ individuals.
“At the same time, hundreds of millions of LGBT+ people in other parts of the world do not even enjoy the freedom to be themselves, or to know their history.
“And so this month in Scotland – and across the UK and Hungary – we take a bright light and shine it on the history of the struggles and achievements of LGBT+ people in our homelands and elsewhere, drawing strength from their stories and hope from their triumphs.”
A poster of LGBT Scottish History created by LGBT History Month Scotland
LGBT History Month Scotland’s call to “blur borders'' also aims to bring attention to the experiences of LGBT+ migrants within the UK. During the month of February, a series of blogs will be published LGBT History Month Scotland website which will explore this theme of borders, specifically when considering the experiences on LGBTQ+ migrants.
One of these blog contributors will be Chris Afuakwah, the Storytelling Officer for the Scottish Refugee Council. In it he writes:
“Borders are hostile places for anybody, and are certainly a hostile place for people in the LGBTQI+ community.
“The strength and resilience which it takes to flee persecution, to make perilous journeys, to put yourself at the mercy of governments and smugglers and lorry drivers, to continually have to hide your identity for your own protection until you are somewhere you can feel safe, only to have it disbelieved in invasive Home Office interviews, is enormous.
“Our government is trying to pass bills to prevent the right to protest, to revoke people’s citizenship without warning, to suppress Voter ID, to make life more and more difficult for people seeking sanctuary.
“At a time when we need to reach across borders in order to survive growing existential threat, to make reparations for the brutality of colonialism and learn from the Global South, the UK is instead choosing to box itself in.
“We must push for a world beyond borders, beyond binaries, beyond efforts to control us, and reconnect with ourselves and our home.”
Aside from LGBT Youth Scotland and LGBT History Month Scotland’s own events, they are also supporting organisations to host their own events for History Month, promoting each event on their website and sharing content to raise awareness. So far, there are already more than 30 events registered on the website, with more coming in each day.
Some of the events taking place in Glasgow and online include:
Queer Theory: All Love is Legal promotional poster. Artwork by @anabenaroya
An online event for young people hosted by LGBT Youth Scotland, where the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Intersex Youth and Student Organisation will take part in a Q&A.
A Valentine’s Day party and cabaret called Queer Theory: All Love is Legal, hosted at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy’s.
An online talk hosted by University of Edinburgh’s School of History, Classics and Archaeology on ‘a history of revolt, defiance and solidarity’, from the Stonewall Riots in San Francisco to the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners Group.
An inclusive drag called Drag-Opticon featuring a gaggle of performers from across the drag and performance spectrum which is being hosted at Britannia Panopticon Music Hall.
Some local thoughts on LGBT History Month and this year’s theme
Becca Dalby - student and activist
“Personally I am sceptical of the history month concept, as it leans into performative activism that often falls short of sustaining systemic change. That said, the theme 'Blurring Borders: A World in Motion' this year and in particular the words of Chris Afuakwah are welcomingly radical. We are indeed having a queer moment, and if the message that's reaching a broad range of LGBTQI+ folk and allies is that international solidarity through an intersectional lens is central to creating a safer world for all, it can't be a bad thing.”
Steve Davie - personal trainer and Southside resident for 30+ years
“For me, LGBT+ month is about celebrating and remembering the heroes and visionaries who wouldn’t stand back in silence in the face of persecution, instead leading a movement of progression, acceptance and long overdue legislative change.
“However we still need those people today to deconstruct the last borders that stand in the way of progress, particularly for our trans-and non-binary siblings, wherever they are in the world. LGBT+ month reminds us that our commonality empowers us and this is how global change is affected.”
Spyro - seamstress
“I'm really excited to see the inclusion of colonial histories and modern border politics brought into the conversation of queer history, it's something that many conversations seem to shy away from, as it is an unjust and often life shattering reality for our queer brothers, sisters, and humans in the global south. The European construction of gender roles, the export of homophobic and transphobic laws during colonialism, the policing of people within and beyond our own borders, and the omnipresent threat of repeals of LGBTQI+ rights, these are the things we need to address, because with complacency the future comes to replicate the past.”
What are your thoughts on LGBT history month? Let us know in the comments below.