February is LGBT+ History Month. This year’s theme is Science and Innovation - read on for a round-up of events, activities and ways to get involved at UCL.
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LGBT+ History Month began in February 2005 to celebrate the rich and varied history of the LGBTQ+ community and to raise awareness of, and combat, anti-LGBTQ+ prejudice.
The theme for 2026 is Science and Innovation, aiming to highlight the contributions of LGBTQ+ scientists and researchers whose work impacts and improves all of our daily lives.
The theme is also a reminder of the ways in which science has been misapplied in the past to persecute and discriminate against LGBTQ+ people, for example through medicalisation and pathologisation of LGBTQ+ identities.
Here, the Co-Chairs of UCL’s LGBTQ+ Equality Steering Group (LESG) reflect on this year’s LGBT+ History Month theme:
LGBTQ+ people have had a complicated relationship with science, technology and medicine, and this year’s history month is a good opportunity to reflect on how these areas of research and practice have historically been tools with which to construct queer lives and identities as aberrant or abnormal, and in need of medical intervention. The most famous example of this is the state sponsored medical castration of mathematician Alan Turing whose work was not only instrumental in the war effort but also underpins modern computing. He is but one of thousands of LGBTQ+ people whose lives were destroyed by contemporary understandings of what it meant to be queer, all’underpinned and legitimised by science and medicine.
Thankfully, science also evolves and changes, asks better and different questions and collects different data. For example, today modern biology is helping us to see queerness and gender diversity as something widespread across multiple species in the natural world. At a time where simplistic notions of sex and gender are rife in public discourse, we can, and should, look to contemporary science to help us update our understandings of the complexity of bodies and identities, be they LGBTQ+, racialised or disabled, so we can move on from outdated and prejudicial notions that which "other" and dehumanise and still wield far too much power in public life and discourse.
It’s also important to recognise the contributions of LGBTQ+ people within science and innovation. LGBTQ+ people have always been at the forefront of cultural innovation, but historically have been less visible within STEM areas, despite there being many queer pioneers in all areas of science and innovation. Research also shows is that it is still much harder to be out as a scientist working in STEM cultures than other areas of academic work and this is something we must address through better visibility and culture change within HEIs and broader institutions to ensure research cultures are equitable and safe for all staff and students.
- Professor Simon Lock (he/they), Professor of Science, Politics and Culture, Co-Director qUCL, Department of Science and Technology Studies (MAPS)
- Dr Kata Kyrölä (they/them), Associate Professor in Media Studies, Department of Culture, Communication and Media (Ioe)
Book recommendations for LGBT+ History Month
UCL Library Services are compiling a list of book recommendations from across the UCL community to celebrate LGBT+ History Month. The book(s) you recommend don’t have to follow the national theme. We are looking for books that celebrate LGBT+ life, culture and creativity in all’its beauty and diversity.
The deadline to submit your recommendations is 20 February.
Nominate your books here!
You can also take a look at last year’s LGBT+ History Month book recommendations (on the theme of Activism and Social Change).
Events
This webpage will be updated with additional events as they are announced, so please do check back! If you are hosting a UCL event for LGBT+ History Month that you’d like to add to this page, get in touch with us.
All month: LGBT+ History Month at Students’ Union UCL
See what’s on this month at the Students’ Union, including quiz nights, indoor picnics and sporting activities. Check out the full schedule on the Students’ Union UCL website , as well as the Union’s list of creative things to do in London for LGBT+ History Month.
9 February, 5-7 pm: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline That Listened
qUCL and LESG co-host the launch of ’The Log Books’, an intimate history of LGBTQ+ life over four decades, as documented in the rediscovered log books of the LGBTQ+ helpline Switchboard. Sign up to attend The Log Books.
11 February, 6pm: UCL East Community Cinema - The Librarians
Presented by SCCI Cinema Club, join us for a free screening of this powerful documentary exploring free speech and book banning in the US.
12 February, 1-2.30pm: Getting published: An LGBTQ+ history month event for LGBTQ+, trans-inclusive, intersectional and feminist doctoral and early career researchers with Pat Gordon-Smith of UCL Press
Approaching publishers and getting published is daunting for most scholars. However those working at the margins of the academy can face particular challenges. This event aims to offer support in the publishing process, as well as developing a proposal for an edited collection of LGBTQ+, trans-inclusive, intersectional and feminist scholarship showcasing work by UCL scholars. Register your interest in the Getting Published event and/or the edited collection here.
19 February, 6-8 pm, G08 Sir David Davies LT, Roberts Building: ReelQueers presents: Esther Newton Made Me Gay
Join us for a screening and discussion of the documentary Esther Newton Made Me Gay (Jean Carlomusto, 2022), a moving and joyous look into the life and work of Esther Newton, a pioneer in queer anthropology. No sign-up, just show up!
23 February, 12.30-2pm: UCL LGBTQ+Parents and Families Group panel event: Routes to parenting
Come along to hear about 3 different journeys to parenthood: surrogacy, adoption and fertility. There will be time for questions and discussion. As this is a ULP&F members’ event, please contact one of the co-chairs Chris Wilkinson (he/him) c.wilkinson@ucl.ac.uk or Sofia Gradoni (she/her) s.gradoni@ucl.ac.uk to join the group and show your interest in attending the event.
26 February, 12-1pm: Faith, homosecularism and LGBTIQ+ asylum in the UK
This seminar brings together findings from a qualitative study with LGBTIQ+ refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK. Sign up to Faith, homosecularism and LGBTIQ+ asylum in the UK.
UCL’s Staff Equalities networks include networks for LGBTQ+ staff members, including the LGBTQ+ Equality Steering Group.
LGBTQ+ Parents and Families Group : All LGBTQ+ parents, prospective parents, children of LGBTQ+ parents and parents & siblings of LGBTQ+ children are welcome.
qUCL - this university-wide initiative brings together UCL staff and students with research and teaching interests in LGBTQ studies, gender and sexuality studies, queer theory and related fields.
Trans-inclusivity at UCL : A hub for trans-inclusivity related content at UCL, including the Trans-inclusivity Seminar Series.
"A History of Gaysocs" - a UCL Special Collections blogpost looking at the internal documents shedding light on the history of LGBTQI+ student life at UCL.
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