LGBT+ History Month 2025: Activism & Change

Across our libraries we have displays celebrating LGBT+ History Month. The displays showcase books in our collection about LBGT+ people and history, particularly those focusing on this year’s theme of Activism and Social Change. LGBTQ people have existed throughout history but have faced many difficulties and prejudices in being open and out about their identities and faced barriers to equality. In the face of these challenges, many of our historical siblings have fought back, demanding social change and engaging in all sorts of activism for both queer rights and other societal and political problems. 

The book ‘Outrageous: the story of Section 28 and Britain's battle for LGBT education’ details the campaign to overthrow the draconic Section 28 which prohibited “promoting homosexuality” and the teaching of the “acceptability of homosexuality” in British education, effectively banning all discussions of queer matters within schools until it was repealed across the whole of the UK in 2003. Without the activists and actions this book details, LGBT+ History Month would not even be possible.  

‘Journey Back to Freedom: the Oluadah Equiano Story’ delves into the life of eighteeth-century anti-Slavery activist Oluadah Equiano. Equiano’s autobiography spoke of several close relationships with men that has caused speculation he was LGBT+, and is one of the five Historical Figures listed on the LGBT+ History Month site for 2025 . 

We also have an online collection for you to browse highlighting more books on queer history and social activism.

Another bountiful resource is our online newspaper collections, search the collections to read about activist movements, social change and as a way to see how people responded at the time. Focusing on the 5 Historical Figures of LGBT+ History Month 2025, here are some examples from our various newspaper archives: 

• Check out a 1790 advert in the TIMES for Equiano’s autobiography published only the year before and popular enough to already be on its 3rd edition. (This book is available online via the LION database) 

• Read in the Aberdare Times on Welsh Newspapers online about Whit-Monday with Miss Octavia Hill, an 1874 article describing life in one of Hill’s philanthropic dwellings. 

• Peruse the writings of Charlie Kiss, trans activist, in the Guardian, in his article on the experience of Prison while trans. 

• Learn about Ivor Cummings, the “Gay father of the Windrush Generation” in the Independent. 

• Delve into the life and legacy of Annie Kenney (Militant Suffragette who is rumoured to count Christabel Pankhurst among her same-sex lovers), by reading her Obituary in the Manchester Guardian.