LGBT+ History Month 2021: "We must move forward as people"
Co-founder says threats from the right-wing, and inspiration of the Black Lives Matter movement makes 2021's event as important as ever.
Last updated 28th Jan 2022
The co-founder of LGBT History Month has told us that it's crucial we have a more inclusive society in the UK, in the face of threats from the right wing.
Speaking ahead of the event in 2021 Sue Sanders spoke of transpeople being targeted, and how the LGBT and Black Lives Matter movements have shone a spotlight on how, as a society, we've not gone far enough to understand and respect diversity.
Sue said: "I think at the moment there is a very big right wing backlash on us, and we have to work on that. Seeing the shift in America is exciting, Biden's gone in there and has already started to solve some of the problems. It'll take some time to happen here because we're right in the middle of it."
WATCH: Sue Sanders speaks to Senior Correspondent Mick Coyle about LGBT+ History Month 2021
Diversity within the LGBT+ community celebrated
The theme for the event in 2021 was Body, Mind and Spirit, with events across the whole of February.
Sue told us she was keen to represent all aspects of LGBT life:
"For me the importance of LGBT History Month has been to show that diversity, because so often we get to hear about white, gay men. We don't get to hear about lesbians, bi-sexuals or trans. At the moment trans people are having the most horrific of times, there's an appalling attack on them."
"Our community has been a very rich an diverse community: writers, geographers, photographers, scientists, mathematicians, you name it, we've been there, and we've been giving amazing gifts to everybody."
Lived experience of LGBT+ community shared
Sue says sharing the experiences of those who've been on the frontline of fighting for LGBT+ rights is crucial to increase understanding of what people have been through and is a key part of this year's event.
"I think it's so important, and Black Lives Matter has been a very important reminder that we must move forward as people making sure we're all inclusive. If you go to museums, if you go to the school curriculum, it's been a while before we have all been in there, and that's the massive importance of LGBT History Month, and movements like Black Lives Matter, to remind institutions they're not just serving white, heterosexual, middle class people. They're serving the whole population, and they have to make clear who we all are, and include us."
Find out more about this year's event and get access to resources for schools on the LGBT+ History Month website