LGBT+ History Month

The first of February marks the beginning of LGBT+ History Month, an annual event in the UK. It began in 2005, initiated by Schools Out UK to raise awareness of and combat prejudice against LGBT+ communities and history.

2022 sees the 50th anniversary of the very first Pride March in the UK in 1972.

Throughout the month, there is a lot going on across MPLS, the University and more widely, so we have summarised relevant events and activities, along with useful resources below.

If you would like to see anything added to this page or have any questions, please get in touch via diversity@mpls.ox.ac.uk.

LGBT+ History Month Events

University of Oxford’s LGBT+ History Month Lecture 2022 – with Professor Stephen Whittle. Wednesday 23 February at 6pm.
Dr Clara Barker discusses aspects of this year’s LGBT+ History month theme ‘Politics in Art', as a speaker at Kellogg College.
Join the Worcester College talk, ‘Heterocolonialism and the Making of the ‘Gay International’ as part of their decolonisation lecture series.
Check out the central University LGBT+ History Month webpage for a full summary of events and activities taking place across the University - there's lots going on!

Training and awareness

There are a number of training and awareness sessions offered by MPLS as part of our ED&I Training Programme, including

‘Being an effective bystander’
‘Creating an inclusive culture’
‘Intersectional allyship’

All of these (and more!) can be found on our MPLS ED&I Training Programme page.

Along with the central Equality and Diversity Unit, we are also pleased to offer a couple of LGBT+ specific sessions:

LGBT+ Role Models: Monday 14 February, 10:00-11:30 - What does it mean to be an LGBT+ role model? What barriers might there be and how best to overcome them? Have the opportunity to meet some other role models in a supportive and safe space.
LGBT+ Allies: Wednesday 18 May, 10:00-12:30 - What does it mean to be an LGBT+ ally? Learn how to become a supportive and effective ally.

To register for either session, please email the EDU directly on: equality@admin.ox.ac.uk

LGBT+ networks and support

There are a number of networks within the University which provide support for LGBT+ staff and students, as well as for allies. Click on the links below to find out more and join.

LGBT+ Staff Network

LGBT+ Role Models Network

LGBT+ Allies Network

There are also a number of different professional support networks available, including Harassment Advisors, Mental Health First Aid support, and the counselling service for students.

Harassment advice

MPLS and the University does not tolerate any form of harassment or victimisation. If you need support, get in touch with the Harassment Advisor Network by emailing harassment.line@admin.ox.ac.uk, or contact Daisy Hung or Justin Hutchence (MPLS Harassment Advisors).

More information about the Harassment Policy can be found here.

Mental Health First Aid support

MPLS have a number of trained Mental Health First Aiders. Get in touch with us by emailing mhfa@mpls.ox.ac.uk, or find out more through our Mental Health First Aid webpage.

Counselling (for students)

More information can be found on the central counselling service webpage.

Lanyards, badges – and being more visibly supportive

The MPLS ED&I team are in the middle of organising new Progress Flag lanyards (along with other designs including sunflowers for hidden disabilities) and pronoun badges for the Division. If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch with us via diversity@mpls.ox.ac.uk.

The Progress Flag – want to find out more?

This article summarises the history of the iconic rainbow flag, and the development and meaning of the new Progress Pride flag.

LGBT+ History Month Resources

Below are a number of useful resources, both internal and external to the University. This list can be updated so do get in touch if you would like to add anything.

A leaflet for new LGBT+ staff
Link to the SU's LGBTQ Campaign
A guide on how to be a good responsible bystander
More information about LGBT+ History Month from the organisation's website.
Resources in the Bodleian Libraries - colleagues in the Bodleian have been collating a collection of resources titled “Changing the narrative: championing inclusive collection development”. Here you can find a whole host of resources relating to different ED&I areas which are available to staff and students.