This month (February) is LGBT History Month!

To celebrate, the rainbow flag will fly on Newcastle University’s flagpoles throughout the month.

There is also a variety of exciting events for you to get involved in.

What is LGBT History Month?

“LGBT History month is an opportunity for those who identify as LGBTQ+ and their allies to engage and support the importance of our collective and individual histories. It is also a way to inform, educate and share the often invisible and forgotten histories of LGBTQ+ struggle, oppression and discrimination as well as creating a month long space where we can all celebrate and affirm our similarities and differences.”
– Gareth Longstaff, Chair of The Rainbow Network

You can read more about LGBT History Month and what it means here.

That sounds great! How can I get involved?

There’s a whole selection of events going on throughout February to celebrate and raise awareness.

More information and sign up details below:

• 5th. 12pm. Location TBC: “Women and LBT intersections: creating an inclusive culture”
  Joint event between NU Women’s Network and The Rainbow Network to consider challenges and opportunities for LBT women and how best to create an inclusive culture.
  More information & registration here.
• 8th.12.30-1.30pm. Medicinema, New Victoria Wing, RVI: “A Day in the Life of a Hospital Chaplain”
  Talk by Katie Watson (Trust Chaplain) focussing on understanding other’s experiences from a broad range of backgrounds and with various protected characteristics and who may be religious/spiritual or not, and how the Chaplaincy support those staff and patients regardless.
  Contact the NHS LGBT Staff Network or Victoria Usher to book your place.
• 14th. 1-2pm. Classroom 2, Freeman Education Centre.
  OR 22nd. 12.30-1.30pm. Boardroom, Peacock Hall, RVI: “Count Your Losses”
  Smaller session run by Mark Ellerby-Hedley centred around a person’s experience of coming out, and how this may affect them. The session aims to aid understanding and provide knowledge.
  Contact the NHS LGBT Staff Network or Victoria Usher to book your place.
• 15th. 9am-2pm. Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union: Trans clothes swap
   For Trans, Non-binary & gender non-conforming students to swap clothes to offset some of the costs of transitioning. Allies can also donate clothes for the swap.
  More information on where/what to donate here.
• 18th. 5.30pm. Tyneside Cinema: “Prick Up Your Ears”
  Screening about the life of queer playwright, Joe Orton, followed by panel discussion with Gareth Longstaff (Chair of Newcastle University’s Rainbow Network), Leonie Orton (Orton’s sister) and Emma Parker (Orton scholar).
  More information & tickets here.
• 19th. 5.30pm. Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building: “Seeing homosexuality in Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw”
  Insight Lecture by Dr Emma Parker on the underlying homosexual themes of Joe Orton’s play “What the Butler Saw” (1969). Orton’s sister Leonie will also read from her memoir.
  More information here, seats are first-come first-served.
• 27th. 4-6pm. G.13, Percy Building: “Celebrating LGBT+ Research at NU”
  Panel with researchers from across the University to learn about and ask questions regarding their LGBT-themed research.
  More information & sign up here.
• 28th. 3-4pm. Leech Building, Room 2.8, Medical School: “LGBT+ at work and the Rainbow Network: A bitesize session”
  Session with members of staff from the Rainbow Network to hear about their work and how you can support their activities.
  Sign up here.

You can also get involved with the Rainbow staff network – hear more about it from Network Chair, Gareth Longstaff, here.

Or, if you’re a student, you can join the LGBT+ Society.

We hope you enjoy the events!