LGBTQ+ History Month 2026
Posted on Friday 30 January 2026
The theme for 2026 LGBTQ+ History month is Science and Innovation. We encourage students, staff and all members of our community to join in with events and conversations.
LGBTQ+ History Month is intended to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ history, and combat prejudice against LGBTQ+ people.
We can uncover and tell the stories of those who didn't have rights, remember the lives lost through discrimination and violence and consider how history can help us move forward in a way that validates, supports and champions the LGBTQ+ community. We can contemplate how we continue to fight against ongoing attempts to erode LGBTQ+ freedoms in the UK and around the world.
This year's theme of LGBTQ+ people contributing to, shaping and innovating with science and technology reminds us that both now and in the past, people from the LGBTQ+ community contribute so much to society. Diverse teams are essential for developing solutions which benefit all and we must raise awareness of the ways in which we, as a community, are a key part of this.
It's still important that we come together as a community, with our allies, to understand how activism, past, present and future leads to acceptance of all, regardless of who they love, and who they choose to be.
Change only happens when people make it happen. We must continue to stand up, be heard, and share how we improve and enrich society not just for ourselves, but for everyone. We proudly stand with our colleagues, friends, students and all people and will continue to do so, whatever challenges continue to come at us in today’s world.
Co-Chairs of the Rainbow Alliance staff network
What's on?
University events
Hidden Stories of LGBT+ Scientists
Wednesday 4 February, 12.30pm, in-person and online
Professor David K. Smith explores the lives and science of a variety of figures, some well-known, others less celebrated.
Unheard voices: exploring marginalised experiences of eating disorders
Wednesday 11 February, 1pm, B020, Psychology Building
Dr Ruth Knight is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at York St John University. She researches mental health experiences in marginalised communities, with a particular focus on eating disorders. This talk will focus on a series of studies that were co-produced with community members and organisations, in which they attempted to take an intersectional perspective on minority stress and disordered eating.
Sorting Humanity: Can trans people save the world?
Thursday 19 February, 12.30pm, in-person and online
Professor Kathryn Cowtan will explore her lived experience of gender and gender transition using lenses of autism, folk music, history, feminist theory and science fiction.
Before Gender: Lost Stories from Trans History 1850-1950
Tuesday 24 February, 6.30pm, online
Eli Erlick shares thirty remarkable stories from romance to rebellion and mystery to murder. These narratives chronicle the grit, joy and survival of trans people long before gender became an everyday term
York SU events
Glitter
Saturday 7 February, 10pm
Meet Your SU
Wednesday 11 February, 12 noon
LGBTQ+ History Month: PGR Research Spotlight
Wednesday 25 February, 1.30pm
LGBTQ+ Coffee & Crafts Mixer
Friday 27 February, 3pm
City-wide and national events
There are other LGBTQ+ History Month events taking place within the city and across the country.
York LGBT+ History Month events programme
3,000 Lesbians go to York: the story of a Queer arts festival
Screenings nationally, including York on Sunday 1 March.
Re/Assemble at the People's History Museum (Manchester)
January 2026 to January 2027
A new exhibition exploring the 1988 Section 28 protest in Manchester, featuring new artwork commissions that respond to its legacy.
York St John University events
Dr Rob Clucas: For Women Scotland 2, The Equality and Human Rights Commission, and understandings of (trans+) gender
Wednesday 18 February, 4pm
LGBTQ+ History Month at YSJ - Closing Event with Clare Summerskill
Friday 20 February, 5.30pm
For national events, see the LGBT+ History Month events page.
Resources and networks
Watch again
We have some recordings from previous events available for you to watch again via the University’s Celebrating Diversity and York Ideas YouTube channels. Revisit some of the following:
- Progress Pride Flag raising event 2024
- Five decades of LGBT+ activism - Stuart Feather in conversation
- Caring for the Grey in LGBTQ+
- Queer futures in science fiction theatre - Bee Scott
- As good as a marriage: the Anne Lister diaries - Jill Liddington
- One of them: from Albert Square to Parliament Square - Michael Cashman in conversation
- Rethinking trans history
Students' network and society
If you self-identify as LGBTQ+, you're invited to join LGBTQ+ Students Network and be part of the community!
The network is managed by YorQueer (formerly LGBTQ Social), the LGBTQ+ society at York. For more information about the network or the society, email yorqueer@yorksu.org.
The Rainbow Alliance staff network
The Rainbow Alliance is the staff network to represent our LGBTQ+ staff community.
The network holds monthly social activities including an evening gathering in the city centre on the first Thursday of each month and monthly day-time meetings with an open agenda and open attendance. If you are interested in organising any events with support from the Network, let us know. For more details, please contact equality@york.ac.uk.
Supporting our trans and non-binary community
We are committed to creating an environment that is safe, inclusive and welcoming for all staff and students. This includes supporting people who wish to make or have made changes to their gender identity.
We have put together extensive information about sources of support, University processes and things to know for staff and students wishing to transition, and for those staff supporting them.