LGBTQ+ History Month 2023
Claiming our past. Celebrating our Present. Creating our future.
Every February is LGBTQ+ History Month. We are proud to be sharing a whole range of events and activities throughout the month with the LGBTQ+ Society and Queer and BAME Collective, as well as all our LGBTQ+ students and their friends.
Find out the many ways you can get involved with LGBTQ+ History Month 2023 below.
Find Out More
LGBTQ+ History Month was first celebrated in the UK in 2005, which grew from the abolition of Section 28. Section 28 banned the “promotion of homosexuality” by local authorities meaning sharing materials or speaking about LGBTQ+ experiences were prohibited in places like schools. Its repeal in Scotland in 2000 and subsequently 2003 for England and Wales empowered Schools OUT to begin celebrating and raising awareness about LGBTQ+ civil rights throughout history.
It has three key messages expressed by the tagline: Claiming our past. Celebrating our Present. Creating our Future. These highlight the importance of remembering history, celebrating the community now, and striving for a more progressive and inclusive future for LGBTQ+ people.
This year’s theme is: Behind the Lens. This is to highlight all the contributions to cinema from Directors, Screenwriters, Special Effects, Make Up Artists, and more.
Below, we have collated several LGBTQ+ student stories for you to enjoy. To share your story, please email communities@exeterguild.com to find out more information.
Get Involved
Get Support
- LGBTQ+ Equality at University of Exeter
- The Laurels Exeter Gender Identity Clinic
- Intercom Trust South West LGBTQ+ Charity
- Stonewall National LGBTQ+ Charity
- Galop LGBT+ anti-abuse charity
Recommended Reading
LGBTQ+ Society & Queer and Bame Collective have teamed-up with us to provide a list of titles, some of which are available from The Lending Library in DH1.
Read Exeter student stories.
There is also a student-curated database of LGBTQ+ reading materials - click here to view it (Google Docs). Got ideas to add to this list? Click here to submit them (Google Docs).
Click here to view the below list as a PDF.
- Hell Followed With Us Andrew White - Trans rep, Queer rep, Non-Binary rep, variety of LGBTQ+ rep
- Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture Sherronda J. Brown - Non-Fiction
- Pet Akwaeke Emezi - Trans rep
- Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity Julia Serano - Non-Fiction
- Stone Butch Blues Leslie Feinberg - Lesbian rep, Gender Non-Conformity rep
- The Appendix: Transmasculine Joy in a Transphobic Culture Liam Konemann - Non-Fiction
- They Came to Slay: The Queer Culture of D&D Thom James Carter - Non-Fiction
- The Grimrose Girls Laura Pohl - Aromantic rep, Asexual rep, Biromantic rep, Demisexual rep, Lesbian rep, Trans rep
- Always Human Ari North - Non-Binary rep, Lesbian rep, Asexual rep, Aromantic rep, Gender non-conforming rep, Gay male rep, Polyamory rep
- Gender Euphoria Laura Kate Dale - Non-Fiction
- Loveless Alice Oseman - Asexual rep, Bisexual rep, Gay rep, Lesbian rep, Non-Binary rep
- Girl, Woman, Other Bernadine Evaristo - Lesbian rep
- Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex Angela Chen - Non-Fiction
- Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit Jeanette Winterson - Lesbian rep
- The Gilded Wolves Roshani Chokshi - Bisexual rep
- The Art of Being Normal Lisa Williamson - Trans rep
- No Man of Woman Born Ana Mardoll - Trans rep, Non-Binary rep
- Wild and Wicked Things Francesca May - Lesbian rep, Non-binary lesbian rep, Bisexual rep
- Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead Emily Austin - Lesbian rep
- Strange Grace Tessa Gratton - Polyamory rep, Trans rep, Unlabelled rep, Lesbian rep
- In the Ravenous Dark AdriAnne Strickland - Pansexual rep, Polyamory rep, Lesbian rep, Non-Binary rep, Asexual rep
- Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl Andrea Lawlor - Genderfluid rep
- Black Sun Rebecca Roanhorse - Queer rep, Bisexual rep, Non-Binary rep, Trans rep, Asexual rep
- Mooncakes Suzanne Walker - Queer rep, Sapphic rep, Non-Binary rep, Bisexual/Pansexual rep
More Information
Check out the LGBTQ+ History Month UK website.