LGBT+ History Month in the UK

What is LGBT+ History Month?

LGBT+ History Month is a UK-wide February observance focused on learning about LGBT+ people’s lives and contributions. It creates space for histories that may be missing from a classroom, collection or familiar account of the past.

The organisers describe its aims as improving visibility, education and inclusion. Their work covers educational institutions and the wider community. The month is therefore relevant to a library visitor or museum group as well as to a teacher.

You do not need to identify as LGBT+ to take part. Start with a subject that interests you: a local collection, a scientist’s work, a community’s memories or a discussion about education. The point is to learn, rather than to arrive already knowing the answers.

Who founded it, and who runs it?

Schools OUT’s official account names its then co-chairs, Paul Patrick and Sue Sanders, as the founders in 2004. The first UK LGBT+ History Month was celebrated in February 2005. Schools OUT continues to run the initiative.

The founders’ educational background helps explain the emphasis on visibility and learning. The month was developed after the repeal of Section 28, when the organisers wanted LGBT+ lives to become a recognised part of education.

National coordination and local activity are different things. Schools OUT provides a framework, while individual venues publish their own programmes. A library exhibition, school lesson and museum performance can all contribute without being identical events.

Why February in the UK?

In her first-person history of the initiative, Sue Sanders explains the practical choice. February was then a quieter period for schools and included a half-term break. The founders hoped activity in libraries and museums would encourage teachers to participate too.

That explanation matters because the month is sometimes confused with an anniversary of a particular law. The choice described by its founder was about making educational activity workable, not assigning every strand of LGBT+ history to one date.

For a visitor, February is a useful starting point for finding programmes. It does not mean historical collections or learning opportunities disappear afterwards. If an event has finished, look for an online resource, a continuing display or the host’s next public session.

How it differs from Pride Month

Pride Month is associated with June. The National Park Service dates the Stonewall uprising to 28 June 1969. Stonewall’s Pride resource describes its legacy of protest and celebration. History Month has a distinct February calendar and an educational focus.

The two can overlap in subject. A Pride march can remember earlier campaigners, and a History Month event can include performance or celebration. The difference is not a rule that one must be serious and the other a party.

Our Pride Month in the UK guide explains the June association and the wider UK season. For a procession or festival, use the individual organiser’s date. A month-long observance does not set every local event’s timetable.

The confirmed 2026 theme

Schools OUT’s published theme for 2026 was Science & Innovation. Its official resource page connected scientific contributions with questions about how science has been used to marginalise LGBT+ identities.

The House of Commons Library’s 2026 account lists the five highlighted historical figures: Barbara Burford, Charles Beyer, Elke Mackenzie, Jemma Redmond and Robert Boyle. Their work spans medical research, engineering, lichens, biotechnology and chemistry.

A theme offers a starting point rather than a complete history. If you are planning a discussion, choose a manageable example and follow its sources. Ask what the person did, what evidence survives and how a display presents their life. Avoid reducing a complex biography to a single label.

Has the 2027 theme been announced?

A publicly stated 2027 theme could not be confirmed on the official pages checked on 17 October 2026. Follow Schools OUT for the announcement before using a theme in publicity or teaching materials.

The official 2027 badge competition page refers participants to theme guidance, but does not name the theme in its public text. The confirmed 2026 title should not be relabelled as the 2027 theme.

Royal Museums Greenwich has announced February 2027 activity, with a programme still being developed. A host announcing its own next season is separate from Schools OUT confirming a national theme. Check both when planning a visit around a particular subject.

A 2026 museum example: Greenwich

Royal Museums Greenwich advertised Fierce Queens at the Queen’s House on 27 February 2026, from 7pm to 11pm. The published programme combined cabaret, a gallery takeover and queer-history activity.

The host listed adult admission at £18 and member admission at £16. Its page now marks the event sold out. Those are historical booking details, not prices or available tickets for a new edition.

This example shows how History Month can use a collection through performance and discussion. For a future late, check its audience, entry conditions and access provision individually. A normal daytime museum ticket does not necessarily admit you to an evening event.

A 2026 archive example: London

RIBA’s 2026 programme included Clendinning’s Islington, a free photography display in the Reading Room at The London Archives. It was advertised for 2–26 February 2026, through a collaboration between the two organisations.

The display used photographs to explore architect Max Clendinning’s surroundings and the home he shared with Ralph Adron. RIBA also linked online exhibitions about LGBTQ+ architecture and design.

An archive-based visit can be a useful alternative to a crowded event. Check whether you are visiting a public display or requesting research material. Reading-room access, exhibition hours and collection appointments can have different arrangements, so follow the host’s instructions for the activity you want.

A 2026 discussion example: Sussex

University Hospitals Sussex’s announcement advertised a screening of Judith Butler’s On Gender talk at Brighton and Sussex Medical School on 5 February 2026. It also announced presentations by two doctoral researchers and time for conversation.

The host offered free booking for the evening. Its published plan is evidence of the advertised programme; it is not a report of attendance or a promise that the same speakers will return.

A discussion event may suit you if you want to listen and ask questions rather than join a procession. Read the description before booking: the subject, format and intended audience matter more than a general History Month label.

Schools, libraries and community groups

The organiser’s 2026 education resources included posters, videos, career profiles and lesson activities developed with PRISM Exeter. These gave schools and youth groups ways to connect the science theme with learning.

For a library or community group, consider a reading discussion, a small local-history display or a conversation around an existing collection. Use clearly credited material, explain the historical period and distinguish evidence from interpretation.

Choose activities around the people attending. A short discussion of one object can be more useful than a list of famous names. If inviting someone to share personal memories, agree what may be recorded or quoted and respect a decision not to contribute.

Finding an event and reading further

Check the host’s page for the year, booking route, audience and venue. Look separately for access information. A programme listed for February 2026 should not be treated as a live booking for February 2027.

For wider context, read our history of Pride in the UK. Our UK LGBTQ+ law timeline helps distinguish legal milestones across the UK’s nations.

If you are new to the subject, start with one event or collection and follow a source that catches your attention. Keep asking whose experience is included, what remains uncertain and where you can learn more.

Sources for LGBT+ History Month in the UK

Sources checked on 17 October 2026.

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LGBT+ History Month in the UK.