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Two black lesbians living in London speaking their unapologetic truth whilst creating a safe space for people like themselves and bridging the gap between LGBT+ people and Cis gendered straight people! Don't forget to use our #TwoTwosPodcast on social media. Want to get in touch? Email hello@twotwos.co.uk

Two black lesbians living in London speaking their unapologetic truth whilst creating a safe space for people like themselves and bridging the gap between LGBT+ people and Cis gendered straight people! Don't forget to use our #TwoTwosPodcast on social media. Want to get in touch? Email hello@twotwos.co.uk

You lost me within 5 mins of ep.82

I used to listen to this podcast but after the first 5 minutes of episode 82 - talking about liking " thick strong people " just totally put me off. I don't want to be listening to people that are super focused on what people look like. Not healthy.

Highlight of my week

10/10 look forward to this every week

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Two black lesbians living in London speaking their unapologetic truth whilst creating a safe space for people like themselves and bridging the gap between LGBT+ people and Cis gendered straight people! Don't forget to use our #TwoTwosPodcast on social media. Want to get in touch? Email hello@twotwos...

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‎The Things That Made Me Queer on Apple Podcasts

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Positively UK | Support for people living with HIV, from people living with HIV

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We have created these podcasts to connect and offer support and information for people living with HIV from the LGBT+ community. Each of the six episodes has been developed from questions arising from topic-themed workshops with our participants and aims to address common concerns.

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Landing page for Stonewall's coming out resources.

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At Stonewall, we imagine a world where all LGBTQ+ people are free to be themselves and can live their lives to the full. Inclusive workplaces have a huge part to play in this making this world a reality. But inclusion is not a given. ...

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LGBT+ History Month is a chance to shed new light on the history of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people in the UK.

This year, we'll be looking forward to Pride 50 - the anniversary of the first Pride event in the UK. As well as celebrating the many momentous achievements our movement has had over the past half a century, we'll also be looking to the future. It's time to for us ask what we want to achieve in the next fifty years. What kind of world do we want to see for LGBTQ+ people in 2072?

During this pivotal year, we'll also be exploring the history of some often overlooked identities, and showing how we are always stronger, better and prouder together.

We'll be updating this hub with new content throughout the month. Keep an eye on this page and our social media channels, or sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date.

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LGBT+ History Month is a chance to shed new light on the history of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people in the UK. This year, we'll be looking forward to Pride 50 - the anniversary of the first Pride event in the UK. As well as celebrating the many momentous achievements our movement has...

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Gay pride or LGBT pride is the promotion of the self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people as a social group. Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma, is the predominant outlook that bolsters most LGBT rights movements. Pride has lent its name to LGBT-themed organizations, institutes, foundations, book titles, periodicals, a cable TV station, and the Pride Library.

Ranging from solemn to carnivalesque, pride events are typically held during LGBT Pride Month or some other period that commemorates a turning point in a country's LGBT history, for example Moscow Pride in May for the anniversary of Russia's 1993 decriminalization of homosexuality. Some pride events include LGBT pride parades and marches, rallies, commemorations, community days, dance parties, and festivals.

As of 2017, plans were advancing by the State of New York to host in 2019 the largest international celebration of LGBT pride in history, Stonewall 50 - WorldPride NYC 2019, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. In New York City, the Stonewall 50 - WorldPride NYC 2019 events produced by Heritage of Pride were enhanced through a partnership made with the I LOVE NY program's LGBT division and included a welcome center during the weeks surrounding the Stonewall 50 - WorldPride NYC 2019 events that were be open to all. Additional commemorative arts, cultural, and educational programming to mark the 50th anniversary of the rebellion at the Stonewall Inn took place throughout the city and the world.

Common symbols of pride are the rainbow or pride flag, the lowercase Greek letter lambda (λ), the pink triangle and the black triangle, these latter two reclaimed from use as badges of shame in Nazi concentration camps.

Terminology origins

The term "Gay Pride" was crafted by Thom Higgins, a gay rights activist in Minnesota (1969+). Brenda Howard, a bisexual activist, is known as the "Mother of Pride" for her work in coordinating the first Pride march in New York City, and she also originated the idea for a week-long series of events around Pride Day which became the genesis of the annual LGBT Pride celebrations that are now held around the world every June. Additionally, Howard along with the bisexual activist Robert A. Martin (aka Donny the Punk) and gay activist L. Craig Schoonmaker are credited with popularizing the word "Pride" to describe these festivities. Bisexual activist Tom Limoncelli later stated, "The next time someone asks you why LGBT Pride marches exist or why [LGBT] Pride Month is June tell them 'A bisexual woman named Brenda Howard thought it should be.'"

Historical background

Pride precursors

Annual Reminders

The 1950s and 1960s in the United States was an extremely repressive legal and social period for LGBT people. In this context American homophile organizations such as the Daughters of Bilitis and the Mattachine Society coordinated some of the earliest demonstrations of the modern LGBT rights movement. These two organizations in particular carried out pickets called " Annual Reminders" to inform and remind Americans that LGBT people did not receive basic civil rights protections. Annual Reminders began in 1965 and took place each July 4 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

The anti-LGBT discourse of these times equated both male and female homosexuality with mental illness. Inspired by Stokely Carmichael's " Black is Beautiful", gay civil rights pioneer and participant in the Annual Reminders Frank Kameny originated the slogan "Gay is Good" in 1968 to counter social stigma and personal feelings of guilt and shame.

Christopher Street Liberation Day

Early on the morning of Saturday, June 28, 1969, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons rioted following a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar at 43 Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City. This riot and further protests and rioting over the following nights were the watershed moment in the modern LGBT rights movement and the impetus for organizing LGBT pride marches on a much larger public scale.

On November 2, 1969, Craig Rodwell, his partner Fred Sargeant, Ellen Broidy, and Linda Rhodes proposed the first pride march to be held in New York City by way of a resolution at the Eastern Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations (ERCHO) meeting in Philadelphia.

That the Annual Reminder, in order to be more relevant, reach a greater number of people, and encompass the ideas and ideals of the larger struggle in which we are engaged-that of our fundamental human rights-be moved both in time and location.

We propose that a demonstration be held annually on the last Saturday in June in New York City to commemorate the 1969 spontaneous demonstrations on Christopher Street and this demonstration be called CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATION DAY. No dress or age regulations shall be made for this demonstration.

We also propose that we contact Homophile organizations throughout the country and suggest that they hold parallel demonstrations on that day. We propose a nationwide show of support.

All attendees to the ERCHO meeting in Philadelphia voted for the march except for Mattachine Society of New York, which abstained. Members of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) attended the meeting and were seated as guests of Rodwell's group, Homophile Youth Movement in Neighborhoods (HYMN).

Meetings to organize the march began in early January at Rodwell's apartment in 350 Bleecker Street. At first there was difficulty getting some of the major New York City organizations like Gay Activists Alliance (GAA) to send representatives. Craig Rodwell and his partner Fred Sargeant, Ellen Broidy, Michael Brown, Marty Nixon, and Foster Gunnison Jr. of Mattachine made up the core group of the CSLD Umbrella Committee (CSLDUC). For initial funding, Gunnison served as treasurer and sought donations from the national homophile organizations and sponsors, while Sargeant solicited donations via the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop customer mailing list and Nixon worked to gain financial support from GLF in his position as treasurer for that organization. Other mainstays of the organizing committee were Judy Miller, Jack Waluska, Steve Gerrie and Brenda Howard of GLF. Believing that more people would turn out for the march on a Sunday, and so as to mark the date of the start of the Stonewall uprising, the CSLDUC scheduled the date for the first march for Sunday, June 28, 1970. With Dick Leitsch's replacement as president of Mattachine NY by Michael Kotis in April 1970, opposition to the march by Mattachine ended.

Christopher Street Liberation Day on June 28, 1970, marked the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots with the march, which was the first Gay Pride march in New York history, and covered the 51 blocks to Central Park. The march took less than half the scheduled time due to excitement, but also due to wariness about walking through the city with gay banners and signs. Although the parade permit was delivered only two hours before the start of the march, the marchers encountered little resistance from onlookers. The New York Times reported (on the front page) that the marchers took up the entire street for about 15 city blocks. Reporting by The Village Voice was positive, describing "the out-front resistance that grew out of the police raid on the Stonewall Inn one year ago". There was also an assembly on Christopher Street.

On Saturday, June 27, 1970, Chicago Gay Liberation organized a march from Washington Square Park ("Bughouse Square") to the Water Tower at the intersection of Michigan and Chicago avenues, which was the route originally planned, and then many of the participants extemporaneously marched on to the Civic Center (now Richard J. Daley) Plaza. The date was chosen because the Stonewall events began on the last Saturday of June and because organizers wanted to reach the maximum number of Michigan Avenue shoppers. Subsequent Chicago parades have been held on the last Sunday of June, coinciding with the date of many similar parades elsewhere. Subsequently, during the same weekend, gay activist groups on the West Coast of the United States held a march in Los Angeles and a march and "Gay-in" in San Francisco.

The next year, Gay Pride marches took place in Boston, Dallas, Milwaukee, London, Paris, West Berlin, and Stockholm. By 1972 the participating cities included Atlanta, Brighton, Buffalo, Detroit, Washington D.C., Miami, and Philadelphia, as well as San Francisco.

Frank Kameny soon realized the pivotal change brought by the Stonewall riots. An organizer of gay activism in the 1950s, he was used to persuasion, trying to convince heterosexuals that gay people were no different than they were. When he and other people marched in front of the White House, the State Department and Independence Hall only five years earlier, their objective was to look as if they could work for the U.S. government. Ten people marched with Kameny then, and they alerted no press to their intentions. Although he was stunned by the upheaval by participants in the Annual Reminder in 1969, he later observed, "By the time of Stonewall, we had fifty to sixty gay groups in the country. A year later there were at least fifteen hundred. By two years later, to the extent that a count could be made, it was twenty-five hundred."

Similar to Kameny's regret at his own reaction to the shift in attitudes after the riots, Randy Wicker came to describe his embarrassment as "one of the greatest mistakes of his life". The image of gays retaliating against police, after so many years of allowing such treatment to go unchallenged, "stirred an unexpected spirit among many homosexuals". Kay Lahusen, who photographed the marches in 1965, stated, "Up to 1969, this movement was generally called the homosexual or homophile movement... Many new activists consider the Stonewall uprising the birth of the gay liberation movement. Certainly it was the birth of gay pride on a massive scale."

1980s and 1990s

In the 1980s there was a major cultural shift in the Stonewall Riot commemorations. The previous loosely organized, grassroots marches and parades were taken over by more organized and less radical elements of the gay community. The marches began dropping "Liberation" and "Freedom" from their names under pressure from more conservative members of the community, replacing them with the philosophy of "Gay Pride"[citation needed ] (in San Francisco, the name of the gay parade and celebration was not changed from Gay Freedom Day Parade to Gay Pride Day Parade until 1994). The Greek lambda symbol and the pink triangle, which had been revolutionary symbols of the Gay Liberation Movement, were tidied up and incorporated into the Gay Pride, or Pride, movement, providing some symbolic continuity with its more radical beginnings[clarification needed ]. The pink triangle was also the inspiration for the homomonument in Amsterdam, commemorating all gay men and lesbians who have been subjected to persecution because of their homosexuality.

LGBT Pride Month

LGBT Pride Month occurs in the United States to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. As a result, many pride events are held during this month to recognize the impact LGBT people have had in the world.

Two presidents of the United States have officially declared a pride month. First, President Bill Clinton declared June "Gay & Lesbian Pride Month" in 1999 and 2000. Then from 2009 to 2016, each year he was in office, President Barack Obama declared June LGBT Pride Month. Donald Trump became the first Republican president to acknowledge LGBT Pride Month in 2019, but he did so through tweeting rather than an official proclamation.

Beginning in 2012, Google displayed some LGBT-related search results with different rainbow-colored patterns each year during June. In 2017, Google also included rainbow coloured streets on Google Maps to display Gay Pride marches occurring across the world.

At many colleges, which are not in session in June, LGBT pride is instead celebrated during April, which is dubbed "Gaypril".

Pride month is not recognized internationally as pride celebrations take place in many other places at different times, including in the months of February, August, and September.

From both outside and inside the LGBT community, there is criticism and protest against pride events. Bob Christie's documentary Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride evaluates gay pride events in different countries within the context of local opposition.

Initiatives and criticism by governments and political leaders

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it.

In August 2011, Sao Paulo city alderman Carlos Apolinário of the right-wing Democrats Party sponsored a bill to organize and sponsor "Heterosexual Pride Day" on the third Sunday of December. Apolinário, an Evangelical Protestant, stated that the intent of the parade was a "struggle ... against excesses and privileges". Members of Grupo Gay da Bahia and the Workers' Party opposed the bill as enhancing "the possibility of discrimination and prejudice". The bill was nevertheless passed by the city council, but never received the signature of mayor Gilberto Kassab.

A Brazilian photographer was arrested after refusing to delete photos of police attacking two young people participating in a gay pride parade on October 16, 2011, in the city of Itabuna, Bahia, reported the newspaper Correio 24 horas. According to the website Notícias de Ipiau, Ederivaldo Benedito, known as Bené, said four police officers tried to convince him to delete the photos soon after they realized they were being photographed. When he refused, they ordered him to turn over the camera. When the photographer refused again, the police charged him with contempt and held him in jail for over 21 hours until he gave a statement. According to Chief Marlon Macedo, the police alleged that the photographer was interfering with their work, did not have identification, and became aggressive when he was asked to move. Bené denied the allegations, saying the police were belligerent and that the scene was witnessed by "over 300 people", reported Agência Estado.

In a 2008 interview for the biography book, La Reina muy cerca (The Queen Up Close) by Spanish journalist and writer Pilar Urbano, Queen Sofía of Spain sparked controversy by voicing her disapproval of LGBT pride. This was in addition to overstepping her official duties as a member of the Royal Family by censuring the Spanish Law on Marriage in how it names same-sex unions as "matrimonio" (marriage). Without using the slogan "Straight Pride", Queen Sofía was directly quoted as saying that if heterosexuals were to take the streets as the LGBT community does for Gay Pride parades, that the former collective would bring Madrid to a standstill.

Even though the Royal Household of Spain approved publication of the interview and Pilar Urbano offered to share the interview recording, both Queen Sofía and the Royal Household have refuted the comments in question.

In 2015 police dispersed the LGBT Pride Parade using tear gas and rubber bullets.

In 2016 and 2017, the Istanbul Governor's Office did not allow the LGBT Pride Parade to take place, citing security concerns and public order.

In 2016, Ugandan police broke up a gay pride event in the capital. Homosexual acts are illegal in Uganda.

In a special queer issue of The Stranger in 1999, openly gay author, pundit, and journalist Dan Savage questioned the relevance of pride thirty years later, writing that pride was an effective antidote to shame imposed on LGBT people, but that pride is now making LGBT people dull and slow as a group, as well as being a constant reminder of shame; however, he also states that pride in some simpler forms are still useful to individuals struggling with shame. Savage writes that gay pride can also lead to disillusionment where an LGBT individual realizes the reality that sexual orientation does not say much about a person's personality, after being led by the illusion that LGBT individuals are part of a co-supportive and inherently good group of people.

The growth and commercialization of Christopher Street Days, coupled with their de-politicalisation, has led to an alternative CSD in Berlin, the so-called "Kreuzberger CSD" or "Transgenialer" ("Transgenial"/Trans Ingenious") CSD. Political party members are not invited for speeches, nor can parties or companies sponsor floats. After the parade, there is a festival with a stage for political speakers and entertainers. Groups discuss lesbian/transsexual/transgender/gay or queer perspectives on issues such as poverty and unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), gentrification, or "Fortress Europe".

In June 2010, American philosopher and theorist Judith Butler refused the Civil Courage Award (Zivilcouragepreis) of the Christopher Street Day Parade in Berlin, Germany, at the award ceremony, arguing and lamenting in a speech that the parade had become too commercial, and was ignoring the problems of racism and the double discrimination facing homosexual or transsexual migrants. According to Butler, even the organizers themselves promote racism. The general manager of the CSD committee, Robert Kastl, countered Butler's allegations and pointed out that the organizers already awarded a counseling center for lesbians dealing with double discrimination in 2006. Regarding the allegations of commercialism, Kastl further explained that the CSD organizers do not require small groups to pay a participation fee (which starts at 50 € and goes up to 1500 €). He also distanced himself from all forms of racism and Islamophobia.

A number of associations and social movements have been denouncing pride in recent years, viewing it as a depletion of the claims of such demonstrations and the merchandization of the parade. In this respect, they defend, in countries like Spain, the United States or Canada, a Critical Pride celebration to give the events a political meaning again. Gay Shame, a radical movement within the LGBT community, opposes the assimilation of LGBT people into mainstream, heteronormative society, the commodification of non-heterosexual identity and culture, and in particular the (over) commercialization of pride events.[citation needed ]

"Straight Pride" analogy

"Straight Pride" and "Heterosexual Pride" are analogies and slogans that contrast heterosexuality with homosexuality by copying the phrase "Gay Pride". Originating from the Culture Wars in the United States, "Straight Pride" is a form of conservative backlash as there is no straight or heterosexual civil rights movement. While criticism from inside and outside the LGBT community abounds, the "Straight Pride" incidents have gained some media attention, especially when they involve government and public institutions.[citation needed ]

1. Michael K. Lavers, "NAACP president: Marriage is civil rights issue of our times" ^ Washington Blade, 21 May 2012; available online

2. ^ "Symbols of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Movements". Lambda. Archived from the original on August 16, 2007.

3. McConnell Files, "America's First Gay Marriage", binder #7 (MEMORANDUM for the record), Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies, ^ U of M Libraries.

4. McCONNELL FILES, "Full Equality, a diary", volumes 1a-d (FREE: Gay Liberation of Minnesota), Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies, ^ U of M Libraries.

5. ^ Channel 13/WNET Out! 2007: Women In the Movement Archived January 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine

6. ^ The Gay Pride Issue: Picking Apart The Origin of Pride Archived July 12, 2015, at the Wayback Machine

7. Carter, p. 230

8. Fosburgh, Lacey (June 29, 1970). "Thousands of Homosexuals Hold A Protest Rally in Central Park", The New York Times, p. 1.

9. LaFrank, p. 20.

10. Armstrong, Elizabeth A., Crage, Suzanna M. (October 2006). ^ "Movements and Memory: The Making of the Stonewall Myth", American Sociological Review, 71 (5) pp. 724-752. doi:10.1177/000312240607100502

11. Clendinen, p. 25.

12. Pilar Urbano attribute to Queen Sofía polemic comments Archived July 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine La Vanguardia.

13. Butler, Judith. ^ I must distance myself from this complicity with racism (Video) Archived March 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine (Transcript). Archived March 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Christopher Street Day 'Civil Courage Prize' Day Refusal Speech. European Graduate School. June 19, 2010.

14. (in Spanish) ^ "Mercadeo rosa para la amnesia del movimiento". Diagonal Periódico. July 2, 2015

15. ^ "Making colleges and universities safe for gay and lesbian students: Report and recommendations of the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth" (PDF). Massachusetts. Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth., p. 20. "A relatively recent tactic used in the backlash opposing les/bi/gay/trans campus visibility is the so-called "heterosexual pride" strategy".

16. ^ Minton, Henry L. (2002). Departing from Deviance: A History of Homosexual Rights and Emancipatory Science in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 266.

References

External links

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Gay pride or LGBT pride is the promotion of the self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people as a social group. Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma, is the predominant outlook that bolsters most LGBT rights movements.

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Sandi Toksvig: A political party for women's equality

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Women's equality won't just happen -- not unless more women are put in positions of power, says Sandi Toksvig. In a disarmingly hilarious talk, Toksvig tells the story of how she helped start a new political party in Britain, the Women's Equality Party, with the express purpose of putting equality on the ballot.

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© WORLD AIDS DAY 2018. All contents © copyright 2018 NAT (National AIDS Trust). All rights reserved.

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LGBTQ podcasts are as diverse as the colors in the pride rainbow and it can often be hard to find one that you like out of the numerous shows within the podcast listings on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and other podcasting platforms. Here are our favorite podcasts that represent the diversity within the LGBT podcasting community from gay news podcasts and queer travel shows to lesbian interviews and gaymer podcasts, there's something here for everyone no matter which flag you fly.

There are a number of gay history podcasts available to listen to on Spotify, iTunes, Anchor, and the numerous other podcasting platforms but none are as creative as Bad Gays which focuses entirely on exploring gay and queer historical figures with bad reputations. This unique take on a history podcast sets it apart from its rivals and also provides a spotlight to people and groups not usually given much attention.

Both of Bad Gays' two hosts are incredibly well-suited to their roles, both are published authors with one also being a researcher who teaches queer history, literature, and visual cultures. This means that, unlike similar podcasts who usually just read off Wikipedia articles, these two know what they're talking about and can discuss certain themes with accuracy and certainty. You won't hear any sassy gossip on Bad Gays, which is actually rather refreshing, but you will get high quality weekly easy-to-listen one hour episodes that feel like a free audiobook downloaded right to your podcast app.

Gay Pulp is arguably one of the most important gay podcasts around and is definitely the gay fiction podcast that everyone should be listening to, especially those with an interest in gay history and gay literature.

The aim of Gay Pulp is to preserve classic, out-of-print, gay pulp novels by converting them into free audiobooks. Each episode is expertly narrated and typically runs for around 20 minutes, containing a single chapter, or a part of a longer chapter, and a photo of the actual book cover for that episode's cover artwork. A brilliant look, or listen, at a time in gay history most modern gay men would have very little exposure to.

Thanks for letting us know!

Other Not enough details Hard to understand

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9 Great LGBT Podcasts You Need to Follow in 2021

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LGBTQ podcasts are as diverse as the colors in the pride rainbow and it can often be hard to find one that you like out of the numerous shows within the podcast listings on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and other podcasting platforms. Here are our favorite podcasts that represent the diversity within the LGBT podcasting community from gay news podcasts and queer travel shows to lesbian interviews and gaymer podcasts, there's something here for everyone no matter which flag you fly.

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10 Podcasts Every LGBTQ Teen Should Listen To

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From hosts who will start to feel like your new BFFs.

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Overview
Around the world, people are under attack for who they are.
Living as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI) person can be life-threatening in a number of countries across the globe. For those who do not live with a daily immediate risk to their life, discrimination on the basis of one's sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression and sex characteristics, can have a devastating effect on physical, mental and emotional well-being for those forced to endure it.

Discrimination and violence against LGBTI people can come in many forms, from name-calling, bullying, harassment, and gender-based violence, to being denied a job or appropriate healthcare. Protests to uphold the rights of LGBTI people also face suppression across the globe.

The range of unequal treatment faced is extensive and damaging and could be based on:

your sexual orientation (who you're attracted to)

gender identity (how you self-identify, irrespective of the sex assigned at birth)

gender expression (how you express your gender, for example through your clothing, hair or mannerisms),

sex characteristics (for example, your genitals, chromosomes, reproductive organs, or hormone levels.)

Amnesty International campaigns to protect and uphold the rights of LGBTI people globally, including their right to life, freedom and safety.

Previous Next

What does it mean to be LGBTI?

The term LGBTI refers to a broad category of people, including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex, although we recognize that there are many terms around the world that are used by people to define their sexual orientation or gender identity. The terminology used can vary widely depending on historical, cultural and societal contexts.

It is well established in international human rights law that states must take steps to safeguard the rights of LGBTI people.

Gender identity vs sexual orientation

Gender identity refers to each person's deeply felt internal and individual sense of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth. An individual's gender identity may be that of a man, woman, or outside the binary categories of man and woman; it may also be more than one gender, fluid across genders or no gender at all.

Sexual orientation refers to a person's capacity for profound emotional, affectionate and sexual attraction to, and intimate and sexual relations with other people. People experience sexual and romantic attraction differently. You can be attracted to people of a different gender, or the same gender as you. Some people are asexual, meaning they experience little to no sexual attraction.

What does it mean to be transgender?

Transgender (or trans) people have a gender identity that is different from typical expectations of the gender they were assigned at birth.

Some trans people might decide to get legal gender recognition or undergo gender affirmative interventions to help them feel more confident or comfortable living as their true gender.

Being transgender has nothing to do with a person's sexual orientation. You can be a trans man and be gay - or be a trans woman and be lesbian.

Not all transgender people identify as male or female. Some identify as more than one gender or no gender at all and might use terms like non-binary, agender, genderqueer or gender fluid to describe their gender identity.

What is gender affirmation?

Some trans people decide to affirm their gender identity, which is the process of living your life as the gender you identify with.

There is no single gender-affirming process. Some people may adopt new pronouns, change their name, apply for legal gender recognition, and/or undergo gender-affirming surgery or hormone therapy.

What is gender recognition?

Gender recognition, in theory, allows trans people to align their legally recognized gender with that of their own gender identity. For some trans people, having their gender legally recognized is an essential step towards being able to live freely, authentically and openly.

Unfortunately, even in countries where it is possible to affirm one's gender identity legally, the process is often dehumanizing, long and expensive.

In some countries, trans people need medical proof before they can get their gender identity legally recognized. This can be an invasive process and also reinforces the misinformed view that being trans is an illness. Unfortunately, despite the World Health Organization updating their guidelines to no longer recognize being transgender as a 'disorder', this attitude, is still prevalent in many societies around the world.

Requiring transgender people to undergo unnecessary medical treatments to obtain legal gender recognition violates their right to the highest attainable standard of health, which is protected under international human rights law, including by the UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

For transgender people, official identity documents reflecting their gender identity are vitally important for the enjoyment of their human rights. They are not only crucial when travelling but also for everyday life. States must ensure that transgender people can obtain legal recognition of their gender through a quick, accessible and transparent procedure in accordance with the individual's own sense of their gender identity while preserving their right to privacy.

What does it mean to be non-binary?

Non-binary people have a gender identity that exists outside the categories of male and female. It is an umbrella term for various gender identities that lie outside of the gender binary. While some non-binary people may identify as trans, others may not.

Some non-binary people may use gender-neutral pronouns, such as they/them. Others may use a combination of gendered and gender-neutral pronouns, such as they/he or she/they. It is important to always respect people's pronouns. If you aren't sure what words to use to describe them, find polite ways to ask them.

There is an assumption that everyone's physical, hormonal and chromosomal characteristics fit neatly into either male or female. But that is not always the case, an estimated 1.7% of children in the world are born every year with variations of sex characteristics.

These variations are diverse; for instance, some children have genitalia outside the standard norms of male and female bodies, others have female reproductive organs but have XY (male) chromosomes, or male reproductive organs and XX (female) chromosomes.

These characteristics might be present at birth or become more apparent during or after puberty.

Many people with intersex variations are forced to undergo invasive, non-emergency and irreversible "normalizing" surgeries, often when they are children, and therefore cannot consent, but sometimes this can happen later in life. Many people Amnesty International has spoken to that have gone through such surgeries reported lasting negative impacts on their physical and mental health, sexual lives, psychological well-being and gender identity.

When performed without informed consent or adequate information, these surgeries violate people's right to physical bodily integrity and may have long-term consequences on their right to health and their sexual and reproductive rights, particularly since they can severely impede people's fertility.

Discrimination against LGBTI people

We are each protected against discrimination based on our sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression and sex characteristics under international human rights law.

However, in practice, authorities in many countries that have signed international treaties, committing them to protect human rights, continue to implement and introduce legislations that singles out and discriminates against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.

There are 64 countries around the world which have laws that criminalize homosexuality, many of which can be traced back to European colonization.

In some countries, such as Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Uganda and in the northern states in Nigeria, people can be sentenced to the death penalty if they engage in consensual same-sex sexual acts.

Discrimination goes beyond being criminally prosecuted for being an LGBTI person and can include limited access to healthcare, difficulty in securing employment, bullying or harassment in the workplace and much more.

LGBTI identity and intersectionality

Intersectionality is a term coined by black, feminist legal academic, Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, and was first publicly explained in her 1989 essay ' Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex.'

The term 'intersectionality' was originally used to describe the multiple forms of inequality and discrimination black women face in the USA but has now become an international marker for defining ways that different forms of oppression and discrimination intersect with each other.

Many countries of the Global South may have their own knowledge and experiences of addressing intersecting oppression. Feminist academic Nivedita Menon gives the example of India - stating that there has been a long history of engaging with multiple, intersecting identities that can be traced back to the anti-imperialist struggle, without any reference to Crenshaw's work.

For example, an LGBTI person may experience discrimination because of their gender identity or sexual orientation, and oppression because of their race, class, caste, religion, ethnicity, (dis)ability, or age. In order to fight back against systems that oppress LGBTI people, we need to deconstruct all systems of oppression, including racism, imperialism, ableism, sexism, xenophobia, ageism or classism.

Pride as a Protest

What is Pride?

While Pride is often perceived as a celebration it originally began as a riot against police brutality at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. On 28 June 1969, the Stonewall Inn was raided by the police, as it had been on many occasions before, due to laws which required a 'man' or a 'woman' to be wearing clothing items which 'matched' their gender on their state-issued ID. As the LGBTI community in the Stonewall Inn, primarily led by trans women of colour, fought back, police brutality increased amid six days of riots which was a galvanizing force for LGBTI activism in the USA.

In many states around the world, Pride is still centrally and most importantly a protest which highlights, commemorates, and fights for the rights of LGBTI people.

Pride is marked differently in countries across the world. Many communities organize parades, marches and concerts that bring LGBTI people, allies, and the public together. But in other places, pride is actively shut down by governments and law enforcement agencies, leading to security risks for those participating.

While Pride has increasingly become one of the most visible modes of celebrating queer joy and resistance, LGBTI activism, protest and ways of coming together as a community have always existed across the world in different iterations. There are also several places in the world where Pride as a concept may not resonate with local LGBTI people, and they prefer to celebrate their identities in subtler, more locally relevant ways.

Amnesty is committed to ending discrimination against LGBTI people around the world.
We learn from the lived experiences of LGBTI people and make recommendations to governments and other influential leaders on how to improve laws. For example, our research on the rights of intersex people was one of the first of its kind from a human rights perspective and strongly influenced new laws in Denmark, Finland, Greece and Norway.

Amnesty also helps activists around the world by producing resources on various issues that affect LGBTI people. This work takes many forms, from an advocacy toolkit for activists countering discrimination in Sub-Saharan Africa to the Body Politics series aimed at increasing awareness around the criminalization of sexuality and reproduction.

There is still a lot of work to do and we endeavour to continue to push for the fulfilment of all the rights of LGBTI people, in close collaboration with partners, LGBTI groups and activists across the globe.

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Around the world, people are under attack for who they love, how they dress, and who they are.

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We are incredibly proud of our School & Colleges Champions programme.

At Stonewall, we imagine a world where all lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning, and ace (LGBTQ+) people are free to be themselves and can live their lives to the full. Inclusive schools, colleges and children and young people's services have a huge part to play in making this world a reality. But inclusion is not a given.

Our education work was set up in 2004 to give practical support to teachers following the end of the Section 28. We now work with primary schools, secondary schools, special schools, colleges, multi academy trusts and local authority children and young people's services.

Our programmes give advice, support and resources to organisations in England, Scotland and Wales on supporting LGBTQ+ children and young people on inclusive education, tackling bullying, meeting their safeguarding responsibilities and their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010. We also provide support and tools for organisations to improve their practice beyond the legal minimum, to ensure that they are creating a culture where all of their LGBTQ+ children and young people can thrive.

Over the last few months there has been some incorrect information in the press about our work with schools, colleges and children and young people's services and so we wanted to answer any questions that might have been raised.

A note on acronyms: our work is so that all LGBTQ+ people are free to be themselves, however some links or statutory regulations we refer to below may use LGBT, and in which case we will mirror that language.

Do all schools and colleges need to work on LGBTQ+ inclusion?

Getting LGBTQ+ inclusion right is really important. This includes schools' legal and statutory requirements, including under the Equality Act 2010, the Public Sector Equality Duty (where applicable) and the statutory guidance on RSHE.

The Equality Act 2010 outlines nine protected characteristics:

Age

Disability

Gender reassignment

Marriage and civil partnership

Pregnancy and maternity

Race

Religion or belief

Sex

Sexual orientation

The Act protects people from unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation on the basis of any protected characteristic.

The Public Sector Equality Duty requires all state-funded schools, colleges and settings in England, Scotland and Wales to:

eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Act - including because of the protected characteristics of sexual orientation and gender reassignment

advance equality of opportunity

foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it - e.g. between LGBT pupils and those who are not LGBT

To help meet these duties, schools, colleges and settings should tackle all forms of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying and take proactive steps to promote respect and understanding of LGBTQ+ people and the issues that affect them. They should also set specific, measurable and age-appropriate equality objectives, such as reducing levels of HBT language and bullying.

In England, Ofsted will inspect the extent to which a school 'complies with the relevant legal duties as set out in the Equality Act 2010, including, where relevant, the Public Sector Equality Duty and the Human Rights Act 1998'. Ofsted's School Inspection Handbook states that 'records and analysis of bullying, discriminatory and prejudiced behaviour, either directly or indirectly, including racist, sexist, disability and homophobic/biphobic/transphobic bullying, use of derogatory language and racist incidents' should be made.

In Wales, ESTYN are responsible for ensuring that schools adhere to their statutory requirement to "promote equality eliminate discrimination and foster good relations on the basis of 'protected characteristics". Last year ESTYN produced a thematic report on good practice for supporting LGBT learners, which highlighted that schools must record all instances of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying and that instances should be recorded and trends identified and acted upon.

The Department for Education's Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education Statutory guidance states that:
"In teaching Relationships Education and RSE, schools should ensure that the needs of all pupils are appropriately met, and that all pupils understand the importance of equality and respect. Schools must ensure that they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010, (please see The Equality Act 2010 and schools: Departmental advice), under which sexual orientation and gender reassignment are amongst the protected characteristics. Schools should ensure that all of their teaching is sensitive and age appropriate in approach and content. At the point at which schools consider it appropriate to teach their pupils about LGBT, they should ensure that this content is fully integrated into their programmes of study for this area of the curriculum rather than delivered as a standalone unit or lesson. Schools are free to determine how they do this, and we expect all pupils to have been taught LGBT content at a timely point as part of this area of the curriculum.'"
For English schools who want to know more about best practice consult our LGBT-inclusive RSHE: Putting it into practice guide.

The Scottish Government agreed in 2018 to implement a series of recommendations from the LGBTI Inclusive Education Working Group in full, with Scotland set to become the first country in the world to have LGBT inclusive education embedded throughout the curriculum. The LGBT Inclusive Education Implementation Group has been facilitating the implementation of the recommendations, which includes reforms to practice and guidance, inspections, the recording of bullying incidents, and the development and delivery of professional learning and teaching resources. The recommendations to be taken forward also include publishing new LGBT inclusive Statutory Guidance on the Conduct of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) education, and developing specific LGBT Experiences and Outcomes at the next review of Curriculum for Excellence.

The Welsh Government are currently in the process of designing and implementing the first Curriculum for Wales. A key, and now mandatory component of the new curriculum, is an overhaul of RSE provision. Proposed RSE provision in Wales will be far more comprehensive and embedded with a whole school approach, the teaching of LGBTQ+ relationships and identities will, as it stands, be a mandatory part of the new RSE curriculum. The proposed RSE Statutory Code and Guidance are currently out for public consultation.

Is Stonewall's advice on the Equality Act robust and correct?

Yes it is. Our advice is based on the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Equality Act Code of Practice, which was recently reaffirmed in the High Court, and the Department for Education's advice for schools on the Equality Act.

There have been several reports that suggest we are misinterpreting the Equality Act's protected characteristic of gender reassignment in our guidance and advice to organisations.

In most contexts, gender identity is an appropriate, inclusive, and well-understood term, so - in line with the UK Government and with international standards - we talk about gender identity in our everyday communications. Similarly, when we describe the Equality Act's protected characteristic of 'gender reassignment', we refer to 'gender identity' to explain who is covered by the law and how they are protected, as the EHRC does in their Code of Practice.

Is Stonewall's support for trans inclusion in line with guidance?

Stonewall proudly provides expertise to schools, colleges and children and young people's services to support their work with LGBTQ+ children and young people.

Our advice for schools in England is based on the Department for Education's advice for schools on the Equality Act. This states that the definition of 'gender reassignment' includes trans children and young people, who 'will not necessarily have to be undertaking a medical procedure to change their sex but must be taking steps to live in the opposite gender, or proposing to do so' in order to be protected under the Equality Act. That means that children and young people who are 'socially transitioning' will likely fall under the protection of the Act. The Department for Education's statutory guidance states:
"This broad, non-medical definition is particularly important for gender variant children: although some children do reassign their gender while at school, there are others who are too young to make such a decision. Nevertheless they may have begun a personal process of changing their gender identity and be moving away from their birth sex. Manifestations of that personal process, such as mode of dress, indicate that a process is in place and they will be protected by the Act."
Our resources and training are focused on equipping schools, colleges, teachers and other professionals with our expertise and good practice we've seen from in children and young people's settings across the country. This is informed by key pieces of guidance that support schools. In our Introduction to Supporting LGBT children and young people: A guide for schools we share good practice and key considerations for schools to make as they seek to ensure trans children and young people are safe and supported at school.

This includes sharing our expertise and good practice on supporting trans children and young people to use facilities that match their gender, including toilets, residentials and sport facilities. Our support is focused on equipping practitioners with key information about LGBTQ+ children and young people, along with a wide range of legal and good practice considerations, to help practitioners confidently support inclusion.

The Scottish Government committed in their 2019-20 Programme for Government to "produce updated guidance for schools to help them to support transgender pupils, within the current legal framework." In March 2021, the then Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills responded to a parliamentary question in relation to the guidance on supporting trans young people in schools:
"Guidance will be published when all pupils have returned to school, or at the earliest opportunity in the new Parliamentary term. Education Authorities and schools should continue to use resources and guidance that they have determined responds positively to the needs of all pupils."

Are schools allowed to work with Stonewall, in keeping with DfE guidance?

In England, the Department for Education lists Stonewall's inclusive education guidance as a key resource in Annex B of the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education Statutory guidance for governing bodies, proprietors, head teachers, principals, senior leadership teams, teachers (page 46). There is no guidance advising against working with Stonewall.

Founded in London in 1989, Stonewall is a national charity working in each nation of the UK and with established partnerships across the globe. We help create transformative change in the lives of LGBTQ+ people through our campaigns, research and change and empowerment programmes. We continue to fight for a world where LGBTQ+ people everywhere can live our lives to the full. As a charity, we work in a non-partisan way to bring about rights and protection for LGBTQ+ people. Since 2001 we've been working with employers and schools to support them to bring about LGBTQ+ inclusion in their communities. We are proud of the inclusive change we've all created together.

Some activists have been sending template letters to schools suggesting that they should not work with Stonewall. They allege that work supporting schools to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for trans children and young people goes against this non-statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education in September 2020, which states:
"We are aware that topics involving gender and biological sex can be complex and sensitive matters to navigate. You should not reinforce harmful stereotypes, for instance by suggesting that children might be a different gender based on their personality and interests or the clothes they prefer to wear. Resources used in teaching about this topic must always be age-appropriate and evidence based. Materials which suggest that non-conformity to gender stereotypes should be seen as synonymous with having a different gender identity should not be used and you should not work with external agencies or organisations that produce such material. While teachers should not suggest to a child that their non-compliance with gender stereotypes means that either their personality or their body is wrong and in need of changing, teachers should always seek to treat individual students with sympathy and support."
Stonewall's work does not fall in scope of these concerns.

Our resources focus on providing teachers with knowledge and confidence to ensure all pupils learn about different gender identities and a diverse range of trans role models is part and parcel of learning about equality, diversity and respect. Challenging gender stereotypes is at the heart of our approach, and we agree with the view that nobody should assume a child or young person who doesn't conform to gender stereotypes is LGBTQ+.

Our work with schools includes support for pupils who are or who might be lesbian, gay, bi or trans, as well as pupils who are questioning their gender identity or sexual/romantic orientation. It also includes pupils with LGBTQ+ family members and loved ones.

Does Stonewall advise not to use the term 'boy' or 'girl'?

No. Being LGBTQ+ inclusive means recognising that there are boys and girls and some people who are non-binary. We do encourage staff to think about the language that is used in school or college and how far it plays into gendered stereotypes e.g. not using phrases such as 'man up' or 'don't be such a girl'. We also advise to take care to be inclusive of non-binary people; avoiding addressing groups of students using gendered language such as 'boys and girls'.

Does Stonewall advise against using the pronouns 'he' and 'she'?

No. Being LGBTQ+ inclusive means not assuming people's pronouns, sharing your own when you introduce yourself if you feel comfortable, and recognising that some people use 'they' (for more information please see page 45 of our Introduction to supporting LGBT children and young people).

What guidance should I not be using?

It's important to feel sure you're choosing and using quality LGBTQ+ inclusive resources, especially if you're using resources made by someone else. A good place to start looking for RSHE resources is Annex B to the statutory guidance on RSHE, which lists suggested resources, including resources by Stonewall and others. When you're looking at guidance, we advise that you check:

it covers the basics

that it is from a reputable source

it is inclusive - both in terms of LGBTQ+ inclusion and with regards to other protected characteristics too

hat any claims and assertions are backed up with evidence from reliable sources

There's a more detailed checklist in LGBT-inclusive RSHE: Putting it into practice. Be sure to take a look.

Learn how you can help LGBTQ+ people Sign up for news

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Frequently Asked Questions about Stonewall's work in schools and colleges

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We are incredibly proud of our School & Colleges Champions programme. At Stonewall, we imagine a world where all lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning, and ace (LGBTQ+) people are free to be themselves and can live their lives to the full. Inclusive schools, colleges and...

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The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center

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LESBIAN

A woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women. Some lesbians may prefer to identify as gay or as gay women.

GAY

The adjective describes people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attractions are to people of the same sex. Sometimes lesbian is the preferred term for women.

BISEXUAL

A person who can form enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or more than one gender. People may experience this attraction in differing ways and degrees over their lifetime. Bisexual people need not have had specific sexual experiences to be bisexual; they need not have had any sexual experience at all to identify as bisexual.

TRANSGENDER

An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from what is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth. People under the transgender umbrella may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms- including transgender or nonbinary. Some transgender people are prescribed hormones by their doctors to bring their bodies into alignment with their gender identity. Some undergo surgery as well. But not all transgender people can or will take those steps, and a transgender identity is not dependent upon physical appearance or medical procedures.

QUEER

An adjective used by some people whose sexual orientation is not exclusively heterosexual or straight. This umbrella term includes people who have nonbinary, gender-fluid, or gender nonconforming identities. Once considered a pejorative term, queer has been reclaimed by some LGBTQIA+ people to describe themselves; however, it is not a universally accepted term even within the LGBTQIA+ community.

QUESTIONING

Sometimes, when the Q is seen at the end of LGBT, it can also mean questioning. This term describes someone who is questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity.

INTERSEX

An adjective used to describe a person with one or more innate sex characteristics, including genitals, internal reproductive organs, and chromosomes, that fall outside of traditional conceptions of male or female bodies. Do not confuse having an intersex trait with being transgender. Intersex people are assigned a sex at birth - either male or female - and that decision by medical providers and parents may not match the gender identity of the child. Not all intersex folks identify as being part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

ASEXUAL

The adjective describes a person who does not experience sexual attraction. Sometimes shortened to "ace," it is an umbrella term that can also include people who are demisexual, meaning they do experience some sexual attraction; graysexual, meaning those who may not fit the strictest definition of the word asexual; and aromantic, meaning they experience little to no romantic attraction and/or has little to no desire to form romantic relationships.

NONBINARY

The adjective describes a person whose gender is not male or female and uses many different terms to describe themselves. Other terms include genderqueer , agender , bigender , genderfluid , and more. None of these terms mean exactly the same thing - but all speak to an experience of gender that is not simply male or female.

+ PLUS

The 'plus' is used to signify all of the gender identities and sexual orientations that letters and words cannot yet fully describe.

Find more LGBTQ+ information and resources by visiting our resource center or by giving us a call at 212.620.7310.

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LGBTQIA+ is an abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and more. These terms are used to describe a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.

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Floriography is a fancy term for the coded language of flowers, and has been used for thousands of years in Europe, Asia and Africa. Depending on where you're from, a bouquet arrangement could express anything from friendship to romantic love to detailed declarations of dislike!

Many flowers have been associated with LGBTQ+ movements, but most famously is the green carnation. Gay writer and poet Oscar Wilde popularised the symbol when he asked his friends to wear them on their lapels to a showing of his play Lady Windermere's Fan in 1892. It then became a light-hearted code for men who were attracted to other men.

Similarly, violets were a popular symbol of love between women up until the early 1900s. Ancient Greek poet Sappho mentioned "violet crowns", lavenders and the colour purple frequently in her poems about women and so violets became synonymous with desire. Before the late 19th Century, when purple dye was more accessible and the colour became a trend, it was common for ladies to gift each other violets as a subtle expression of love.

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LGBTQ History Month: Six symbols of pride

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Floriography is a fancy term for the coded language of flowers, and has been used for thousands of years in Europe, Asia and Africa. Depending on where you're from, a bouquet arrangement could express anything from friendship to romantic love to detailed declarations of dislike!

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Hidden within this code, Anne charts the highs and lows of her relationships with a number of different women - from her five year relationship with Mariana Belcombe, who broke her heart by marrying a man, to more short-lived affairs, and finally her union with a local heiress, Ann Walker.

Ann's wealth was certainly part of the attraction, but Anne's coded diary entries outline how quickly she became infatuated. Eventually, Ann moved into Shibden Hall with Anne and the two women chose to demonstrate their commitment by exchanging rings on Easter Sunday 1834 in a symbolic church ceremony at Holy Trinity church in York. They also altered their wills, giving each other life tenancy of their respective estates.

Reflecting on her attraction to women, Anne refers to it as her 'oddity', but one that she felt was completely natural. She writes on the 29 January 1821: 'I love and only love the fairer sex and thus beloved by them in turn, my heart revolts from any other love than theirs.'

As well as describing her lesbian relationships, Anne used the code to record details of her health and financial matters. Doing so appears to have given her a sense of release. Writing on the 29 April 1832, she states: 'What a comfort my journal is. How I can write in crypt all as it really is and throw off my mind and console myself. I thank God for it.'

When the code was first broken in the 1890s by Anne's descendent John Lister, along with Arthur Burrell, he chose to keep the diaries a secret in order to avoid a scandal. The diaries were rediscovered upon John's death in 1933, but the contents were once again suppressed.

It was only when historian Helena Whitbread took up the challenge of decoding the diaries in 1982, that their full contents were made public. The diaries were deemed to be of such importance that the United Nations formally recognised them as a 'pivotal document', voting to include them in an online archive of historic UK materials.

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Hidden within this code, Anne charts the highs and lows of her relationships with a number of different women - from her five year relationship with Mariana Belcombe, who broke her heart by marrying a man, to more short-lived affairs, and finally her union with a local heiress, Ann Walker.

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Coming out can be a huge moment in people's lives, and can sometimes be really difficult to do. It's also something that, while you may come out to lots of different people, you usually only have to do so with everyone once.

Not in Iceman's case. He was depicted as something of a ladies' man for most of his comic book life, until in 2015, his younger self time travels and comes out as gay.

This left the series with a bit of a conundrum as the older Iceman (or Bobby as he's known in the day) was still being portrayed as straight. To fix this, Bobby's younger self visits his older self and confronts him about his sexuality, eventually leading older Bobby to decide not to continue to hide who he really is.

The character's original creator - the late Stan Lee - had no idea that the current writers had depicted him as gay, although he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme in 2015 that he didn't mind a bit: "I don't care what happens as long as they tell good stories, and they do."

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Five LGBTQ+ superheroes you need to know about

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Coming out can be a huge moment in people's lives, and can sometimes be really difficult to do. It's also something that, while you may come out to lots of different people, you usually only have to do so with everyone once. Not in Iceman's case.

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We look at how LGBT+ History Month has changed since its creation.

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LGBT+ Rights

LGBT rights by United Nations states (2011)

51% do not support or are indifferent

Same-sex marriage by country/territory (2019)

89% illegal, partially legal, or do not recognise

LGBT+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (transgender, transexual), but typically also refers to other types of sexualities (hence the +) such as pansexual, asexual, queer, questioning, unlabelled, two-spirit, genderqueer, and others. Some places use terms like LGBT+, LGBTQ, QUILTBAG, or even LGBTQQIAAP2S. LGBT is currently the most recognised term.

Demographics vary significantly, ranging from 1% to 20%, however, there's no guarantee that all respondents have been truthful, in order to hide their sexuality. More modern surveys show an increase to about 8% in most places. In the UK, ONS reports 2% are LGB and 4.7% unknown, but other surveys say 13%. Some cities such as San Francisco or Brighton have higher populations of LGBT people, each about 15%.

Sexual orientation is not a choice. However, it can change through time and is dependent on various genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences. There is no single gay gene.

Gender and sex are different things and don't always align. Sex refers to the genotype of a person, such as male (XY), female (XX) or intersex (a mix of sexes). Sex determination is a spectrum. Gender is a perceived identity (composing various characteristics), such as boy/man/masculine, girl/woman/feminine, or non-binary. There is a lot of terminology.

Over 450 (recent reports suggest over 1,500) other species demonstrate homosexual behaviours such as bonobos, penguins, and dolphins. Some other species can change their sex at will, such as Asian sheepshead wrasse and clownfish.

Romantic orientation is a separate aspect apart from sexual attraction and gender - it doesn't have to align.

There are some stereotypes in the LGBT community: Camp is a style and set of mannerisms and behaviours. Drag and transvestism involve cross-dressing as another gender. There are many other stereotypes, and as with all stereotypes, some of them are negative.

There are specific laws in some countries that protect LGBT+ people. The UK has the Equality Act 2010, Human Rights Act 1998, and the Gender Recognition Act 2004 which overrule an old law banning promotion of homosexuality called Section 28.

There are different flags to represent different sexualities, genders, and communities within the LGBT community as a whole. The following is an incomplete list, but is here to encourage representation of subcultures and communities by focusing on the most recognised ones.

The Progress flag was created to help give a platform to Trans* and Black LGBT+ people that are widely discriminated, and their respective movements, #TransLivesMatter and #BlackLivesMatter.

Sexuality/Romantic Attraction

Discrimination

Inequality

Lower quality of life

Familial and social rejection, harassment, violence, harsh prison sentences - Ask Wonder, Equality Act, Gay Times, Independent, DW

Poorer mental health and satisfaction with life - Science Daily, Pink News, Talk Space, Mental Health

Bullying, hate crime, rejection, depression, suicide - Stonewall

Emancipation, castration, gay conversion therapy, riots - Pink News, Wikipedia

Death sentence - Stonewall

Lack of compassion - BBC

UK National LGBT Survey: Research report (largest worldwide survey) (2018)

Life satisfaction is 65% compared to 77% of non-LGBT people

66% avoid holding hands with a same-sex partner for fear of a negative reaction

90% of the most serious incidents went unreported, because 'it happens all the time'

See the LGBT Portal and an outline of LGBT topics at Wikipedia

Learn how to be an LGBT+ ally, and read more of my thoughts at my blog

Stonewall have many resources: coming out guide, glossary & terminology, historical key dates, how to tackle homophobia, free posters, top employers list

More advice: LGBT Switchboard, Childline, BBC Bitesize, Healthline, YoungMinds, and homophobic words/phrases to avoid

Learn about sexual health from the Terrence Higgins Trust, my blog about HIV/AIDS and get free HIV tests from the NHS

Reporting discrimination: UK Gov, Citizen's Advice

Read some quotes from activists and celebrities on QueerCultureChats

See a list of celebrities who identify as LGBT on IMDb, Pink News, Independent

Watch or read some LGBT stories

Books: The Queeriodic Table, The ABC's of LGBT+, Featured books on Amazon

Films: Call Me By Your Name, Prayers for Bobby, Moonlight, Pride, Love Simon, Brokeback Mountain, Beautiful Thing, My Own Private Idaho, North Sea Texas, Rotten Tomatoes list, List of transgender characters, Netflix films

TV Shows: It's A Sin, Love Victor, Queer As Folk, Pose, Sex Education, Will & Grace, Queer Eye, Skins, Torchwood, Class (Doctor Who), Vicious, Cucumber, Sense8, Orange Is The New Black, Star Trek Discovery S3, Wikipedia list, Netflix TV shows

Show more videos...

Tell your family and friends, or share on social media: Share Tweet

Take part in and enjoy yourself at one of many summer pride parades

Write to your government representative (e.g. UK MP or US Senator)

Support LGBT organisations such as:

Global: Amnesty International, Stonewall, All Out, Human Rights Campaign, Human Rights Watch, Rainbow Riots, Peter Tatchell Foundation

Mental Health: LGBT Switchboard, The Trevor Project, Young Minds, Samaritans, MindOut, Papyrus

Local: AKT, Mermaids UK, SupportU UK, Terrence Higgins Trust UK, Minus18 AU, GLAAD US, PFLAG

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LGBT+ Rights LGBT rights by United Nations states (2011) 51% do not support or are indifferent Same-sex marriage by country/territory (2019) 89% illegal, partially legal, or do not recognise LGBT+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (transgender, transexual), but typically also refers to other types of sexualities (hence the +) such as pansexual, asexual, queer, questioning, unlabelled, two-spirit, genderqueer, and others.

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Behind many of our freedoms we take for granted today is someone who refused to take no for an answer.

We've take a look at some of the most influential people who took that stand and helped bring about change. You will have heard of some of them, others may be new to you - but all have made an impact on society in their own way.

RuPaul once said that Marsha P Johnson paved the way for all drag queens. It's certainly a lot easier to 'sashay away' today thanks to her fighting spirit.

Marsha was a transgender activist and also a central figure in the Stonewall riots of 1969, where members of the LGBT community rose up in protest against police raids on the bar of the same name in Christopher Street, New York. The riots ran for two nights and were the beginnings of the Gay Liberation Front, the protest group which organised the first Pride marches.

Johnson was also central to setting up a safe house for gay street kids in the early 1970s.

And the P in her name? Marsha always said it stood for 'Pay it no mind'.

Years before his X-Men and Lord of the Rings fame, Ian McKellen was well known as a gay rights campaigner.

In Britain in 1988, the divisive Section 28 became part of the Local Government Act. It banned any promotion or discussion of the LGBT lifestyle by local authorities, including within schools.

This prompted McKellen to come out during a radio debate on the bill. He went on to co-found the charity Stonewall in 1989 (named after the New York riots) in direct opposition to Section 28 which the charity described as 'legalised homophobia'.

Stonewall still campaigns for LGBT equality, running a recent campaign to stop homophobic bullying in schools.

With a record nine Wimbledon singles' titles to her name, openly gay tennis player Martina Navratilova did a lot for LGBT visibility simply by being at the top her game.

But the Czech-born star wanted to do more than that. She has long been involved in activism regarding gay rights. Most recently, she spoke out after fellow champion Margaret Court publicly opposed same-sex marriage and the trans community and claimed 'tennis is full of lesbians'.

In an open letter, Navratilova wrote: "Her vitriol is not just an opinion. She is actively trying to keep LGBT people from getting equal rights (note to Court: we are human beings, too)."

This man's achievements can't be overstated. In 1977, he was the first openly gay man elected to public office in the US state of California, joining the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. His pride in simply being himself on a major civic platform was a turning point for the LGBT community.

Harvey Milk's life was cut short just a year later when he was murdered by Dan White, one of his Town Hall colleagues.

Although he was in office for less than a year, he saw a law passed where gay people could not be discriminated against when applying for jobs or seeking employment. He also encouraged the San Francisco Police Department to recruit more LGBT officers. But his greatest achievement is considered to be successfully fighting Proposition 6, which attempted to ban gay teachers from working in California's public schools, and fire staff who supported gay rights.

She may not be a household name but Barbara Gittings has been described as the 'mother of the LGBT civil rights movement'. Determined to create a space in 1950s America for gay women, she formed the Daughters of Bilitis in 1958, the country's first organisation for lesbians.

Barbara didn't stop there. As well as fighting discrimination against gay government employees, she was instrumental in amassing a collection of works related to LGBT life for the American Library Association.

In the 1970s, portrayals of the LGBT community on screen were rarely sympathetic. English film director Derek Jarman changed all that.

His 1976 film Sebastiane was groundbreaking in the way it portrayed positive gay relationships. His best-known works are the punk film Jubilee and Caravaggio, based on the life of the Italian painter and, again, told with strong gay themes. He also directed music videos for the Pet Shop Boys and The Sex Pistols.

Jarman campaigned against Section 28 and openly discussed his HIV+ status after his diagnosis in 1986. He died from an AIDS-related illness in 1994.
This article was first published in February 2019 and last updated in 2021

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We've take a look at some of the most influential people who took that stand and helped bring about change. You will have heard of some of them, others may be new to you - but all have made an impact on society in their own way.

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First-of-its-kind research uncovers what life is like for LGBT young people not in education, employment or training

Bullying at school, discrimination in the workplace and lack of home support can have devastating impact on mental health and prevent LGBT young people from reaching their potential

Almost one in five LGBT people (18 per cent) looking for work have faced discrimination trying to get a job because of who they are

A new report by lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality charity Stonewall and BritainThinks - Shut Out -reveals for the first-time what life is like for LGBT young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

The research shows that anti-LGBT bullying, lack of support at home or visible role models can have a devastating impact on LGBT young people's mental health, and lead many to being 'shut out' of higher education and work. The report finds that once out of school and employment, LGBT young people are slipping through the gaps and face significant obstacles to re-entering education and work.

Through in-depth interviews and workshops, 30 LGBT young people were asked about their experiences of being not in education, training and employment, their mental health experiences and what would help them in the future.

Key findings show why these young people left education, training and employment, including:

Experiences of familial rejection after coming out as LGBT

Isolation at school and college due to anti-LGBT bullying and a lack of LGBT-specific support

Negative experiences in the workplace, including anti-LGBT harassment

The report goes on to show that once out of education and employment, mental health struggles and difficulties accessing opportunities continue to hold LGBT young people back and prevent them from reaching their full potential.

Family relationships

The new report found that a breakdown in relationships with family, including rejection from family members due to being LGBT, was a key challenge for many LGBT young people.

Sean, a 24-year-old trans man from England, said: 'My mum didn't want me to transition, so I ended up moving into a hostel for a while.'

My mum didn't want me to transition, so I ended up moving into a hostel for a while.'

Sean, 24

Previous research from Stonewall has found that only half of lesbian, gay and bi people (46 per cent) and trans people (47 per cent) feel able to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity to everyone in their family.

Shut Out shows how difficult family relationships can leave LGBT young people without support, which can have a profound impact on their mental health and ability to stay in education or work.

Bullying in the classroom

Many of the young LGBT people interviewed expressed how experiences of bullying, coupled with a lack of support from teachers, led them to become disengaged from their education.

Aiden, a 21-year-old gay man from Scotland, said 'At school, the bullying was really related to me being gay...I had to have a lot of time off when I was in school because of this discrimination. When I turned 18, I just stopped going.'

Stonewall's School Report found that LGBT young people face troubling levels of isolation in Britain's schools, nearly half of lesbian, gay, bi and trans pupils (45 per cent) - including 64 per cent of trans pupils - are bullied for being LGBT. Young LGBT people also face higher instances of mental health challenges, with two thirds of LGBT people aged 18-24 (68 per cent) experiencing depression in the last year.

The first time I experienced depression was when I was 14. I was young and in care, and I got feelings for a girl.

Adela, 23

The combination of these factors is preventing some LGBT young people from achieving their goals by shutting them out of education and limiting employment opportunities.

Adela, a 23 year old bi/pan woman from Wales said: 'The first time I experienced depression was when I was 14. I was young and in care, and I got feelings for a girl.'

Mathew who is 21, gender-questioning and from Scotland said: 'I was nervous about [leaving the house] because of the amount of times I've been bullied as a kid. I sometimes couldn't bring myself to leave my front door.'

Life after school

Leaving education to go to university or enter the workforce is a tricky transition for some LGBT young people. Of those that did go on to university, many felt forced to stop their studies due to unwelcoming environments which made their mental health worse.

Participants also shared their experiences of feeling forced to leave jobs because of anti-LGBT bullying, while some put off applying for positions as they feared they would be discriminated against. Stonewall research revealed that almost one in five LGBT people (18 per cent) looking for work have faced discrimination trying to get a job because of who they are.

He was anti-LGBT, and said that if any employees were gay, he'd fire them. So I left ... I felt unsafe as an LGBT person.

Jamie, 19

Jamie, a 19-year-old non-binary person from England, spoke about their experience of being managed by someone who was openly homophobic: 'He was a dodgy boss. He made me feel unsafe. He was anti-LGBT, and said that if any employees were gay, he'd fire them. So I left... I felt unsafe as an LGBT person.'

Barriers to re-entry

The LGBT young people interviewed described how challenging it was to re-enter education, employment and training once they had become shut out. A range of factors led to them being unable to get back into work or school, including poor mental and physical health.

The report also found that many of the young LGBT people lacked the practical support and knowledge they needed to find training opportunities and routes into work. As a result, the charity is calling for better mental health support for LGBT young people and specific careers guidance to help those that are shut out of education and employment.

Mo Wiltshire, Director of Education and Youth at Stonewall, said: 'For the first time, this research sheds light on the challenges that young lesbian, gay, bi and trans people have faced, leading them to become shut out of education, employment or training.

Schools, colleges, local authorities and employers need to open their doors to LGBT young people, starting by creating environments in which everyone can thrive.

Mo Wiltshire, Stonewall Director of Education and Youth

'This research has brought up many areas which we know present particular difficulty for LGBT people, such as bullying and a lack of support from their school days right through to the workplace. But now we can see that these challenges have lasting impacts, which is why it's time to act.

'Schools, colleges, local authorities and employers need to open their doors to LGBT young people, starting by creating environments in which everyone can thrive. No one should be shut out of education or work because they are LGBT, and we will keep fighting until every LGBT person has the support they need to be themselves and reach their full potential.'

Download the full report below.

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New research: LGBT young people 'shut out' of education and employment

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First-of-its-kind research uncovers what life is like for LGBT young people not in education, employment or training Bullying at school, discrimination in the workplace and lack of home support can have devastating impact on mental health and prevent LGBT young people from reaching their potential Almost one in five LGBT

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Skillsfirst Awards Introduction to LGBT Inclusion in the Workplace

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This is an updated version of this article. With thanks to Dr Anna Hájková and her research into the queer history of the Holocaust for University of Warwick, and as previously published in German newspaper Tagesspiegel.
Adolf Hitler planned a 1000-year Reich. It lasted all of 12 years but in that short time some 100,000 gay men were arrested. About half of them were sent to prison but as many as 15,000 were deported to concentration camps. By 1945, more than 40,000 such camps were in operation and homosexuals were sent to any number of them.

But a relatively small number were sent to the most notorious of them all: Auschwitz.

Of the 97 gay men known to have been sent to Auschwitz, 96 were German. Scholars have unearthed the fate of 64 of them: 51 died in the camp. That's 80 per cent; a higher number than any other category of "undesirable" except for Jewish deportees.

It's important to know that Auschwitz was, in fact, three camps. The main camp, Auschwitz I, began functioning in May 1940. Based near the remote town of Oswiecim, in Poland, this is where you'll see the gate with the infamous Arbeit Mach Frei (work sets you free) sign above it. Although there was a makeshift gas chamber here in the early days, the camp was mainly a prison facility created in a former army barracks. Prisoners were forced to work and faced the prospect of barbaric experiments by SS doctors as well as sterilisation and castration. Executions were commonplace.

Construction of a second camp began in October 1941. This was Birkenau which was to become the Nazis' major killing centre and the largest cemetery in the world. A third camp, known as Monowitz opened a year later. German companies, in particular IG Farben and Buna, set up factories here, using inmates as slave labour.

Unlike Jews and Roma, gay men were not as a rule sent direct to Birkenau. They were not, as such, marked for immediate death. However, they suffered unusually cruel treatment in the concentration camps, not only from the SS -- they had their testicles boiled off in water and were given the most dangerous and arduous work under the Extermination Through Work programme - but also from fellow prisoners who saw them as the lowest of the low. They were isolated, and every attempt that they made at contact with other prisoners brought them under suspicion of "initiating promiscuous relations."

Little wonder that the rate of suicides among gay men was much higher than for an other category of prisoner. Throughout the whole concentration camp system, it was at least 10 times higher and there's no reason to believe it would have been any lower at Auschwitz. And that figure is probably a conservative one, given that the Nazis didn't always bother to register such deaths.

It is known that on 20 January 1942, there were 22 gay men in the main camp, and by August that year there were 28 of them in the entire Auschwitz complex.

But some gay men were Jewish as well and their fate was often decided by whether they arrived at the camp wearing the yellow star of David (for Jews) or the almost-as-notorious pink triangle that homosexuals were forced to sew on to their clothes.

Fredy Hirsch was an athlete and PE teacher. He was Jewish and gay. He was born in Aachen, Germany, in 1916. He moved to Czechoslovakia to escape Nazi persecution, living with his lover Jan Mautner, a slightly older medical student, between 1936 and 1939 - as reported by Der Tagesspiegel.

Fredy organised and ran youth camps and looked to help young Jews hoping to emigrate to Palestine. When the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia in 1939 and banned Jews from public places, Hirsch found a playground where the youngsters could still exercise and 18 of his youngsters managed to escape to neutral Denmark.

He was sent to Theresienstadt concentration camp, a place the Germans called the "model ghetto," at the end of 1941. Mautner was deported there a few months later. Hirsch immediately began looking after a group of children, making sure they exercised and, more importantly in the squalid conditions, stayed clean, even holding hygiene competitions.

All the children were forced to work and Fredy tried to ensure they had "easier" jobs such as in the vegetable fields. He, of course, spoke German and this helped to forge reasonable relations with the guards even though he was Jewish and openly gay. On occasion, this helped him to remove children from transports from Theresienstadt to the death camps.

However, he pushed his luck too far and having tried to make contact with a group of young new arrivals at Theresienstadt, he was sent to Auschwitz in September 1943 in a transport with 5,000 others - 300 of whom were 15 years old or younger.

Fredy ended up in a "family camp" within Birkenau. It was usual for children not to be sent straight to their deaths but somehow Fredy became the children's carer. He ensured they had lessons, organised activities and managed to get better food and warmer barracks for them. He even managed to persuade guards to hold the daily roll call inside rather than have the youngsters standing for hours in the freezing cold. But Fredy was not immune from hardship and on at least one occasion was viciously beaten when one of the children slept through the roll call.

Fredy Hirsch served as supervisor of the children's block at the family camp at Auschwitz II-Birkenau

Another transport of 700 children arrived at Birkenau in December 1943 - along with Jan Mautner, although he never saw Fredy again. Hirsch persuaded the authorities to allocate a second barracks for the younger children, those between the ages of three and eight so that they could put on a performance of Snow White for the SS.

Within the family camp, the mortality rate after the first six months was about 25 per cent - in Hirsch's barracks there were almost no deaths at all.

Fredy soon became part of a resistance movement within the camp and learned that a large group of the children was to be gassed. Although it is not known for sure what happened next, it is thought Hirsch refused to be parted from his young charges despite his status a work-fit man meaning he would have likely been spared death. Some scholars think he took his own life via an overdose - or that Jewish doctors induced an overdose themselves in order to prevent him causing an uprising that could have jepardised their own lives. What is sure is the children were murdered on the night of 8 March 1944 and their bodies burnt. Fredy's body was cremated on the same day. He was 28.

In 2008, a memorial plaque was laid outside Hirsch's childhood home in Aachen, Germany.

One of the survivors of the family camp in Theresienstadt said: "There was no one who was so self-sacrificing, [or] devoted to the children." And although, he was air-brushed out of history by the communists in Czechoslovakia and some survivors after the war because of his homosexuality, in 2016 the Lord Mayor of his home town in Aachen described him as "one of the most important sons of the city, if not the best known."

And Czech musician Zuzana Růžičková, who worked as a teacher's assistant at the children's barracks at Auschwitz, credited Hirsch with saving her life. He told her to lie about her age, saying she was 16 because younger children usually went straight to the gas chambers.
Acclaimed czech musician and Auschwitz survivor Zuzana Růžičková credited Fredy Hirsch with saving her life
Many years later, she helped organise a monument for him. At the dedication, she said: "We hope that when the last of us who knew him have passed away, future generations will stand before this tablet and say: 'He must have been a good, brave and beautiful person'."

Fredy's partner Jan survived Auschwitz, as well as at least one other camp and being shipped back to Theresienstadt. He became a doctor and found a new partner. But he did not escape unscathed: he had contracted tuberculosis in the camps and died in Prague in 1951.

Kitty Fischer was 17 when she sent to Auschwitz in 1944 because she was Jewish. On arrival, she was sent to have her head shaved. Terrified and bemused, she met a portrait painter from Munich. They made him clean the toilets seven days a week, 10 hours a day "as a better use of his brush."

Seeing, his pink triangle, Kitty asked what it meant. When he said he was a gay, she didn't understand. He explained the he was a homosexual. Kitty had no idea what the word meant and asked whether it was a religion, which made the young man, who'd been sent to the camp with his partner in 1940, laugh.

Some time later, the man brought her and her sister two hot jacket potatoes. He continued to smuggle food to Kitty every day. "He contributed to my survival, that is a fact," she said.

The artist approached her again a month later. He was being moved to another camp and warned her that there was to be a selection the next day, when the Nazis would send a large group to the gas chambers. The gay man told her that a company was looking for weavers to work outside the camp. Tell them you can weave, he said. Lie.

"I was so young," Kitty added. "He knew what was going to happen to me, I didn't." She did as she was told and survived, being liberated at the factory in May 1945. She went on to be a run a number of shops in Australia before moving to the Kings Cross neighbourhood of Sydney where she witnessed the terrible toll HIV/Aids was having on the gay community there. She spent the rest of her life offering emotional and psychological support to those suffering with the conditions. She died in 2001.

Nothing more is known about her saviour.

Karl Gorath was 26 when he arrived at Auschwitz. He'd been denounced by a jealous former lover and arrested under the Nazis' Paragraph 175 which outlawed homosexual acts - including kissing and hugging - and remained in force in parts of Germany until 1969.

He was sent to the concentration camp at Neuengamme, near Hamburg. He had been training to become a nurse so was put to work in a prisoner hospital at a sub camp. But having refused to reduce food rations to Polish inmates, he was punished by being transported to Auschwitz. Given that his crime was now seen as political, he was forced to wear a red triangle, and tattooed with the number 124630.

He worked in the sick bay of Auschwitz I until nine days before the camp was liberated when he was transported in freezing cold weather in an open freight car to Mauthausen, near Linz in what was Upper Austria. The journey took 11 days.

Karl Gorath was 26 when he arrived at Auschwitz. The anti-gay law he was arrested under remained in place until 1969

He was moved again as Allied armies closed in on Nazi Germany and was finally liberated by the Americans on 6 May 1945.

In his memoirs, he claimed that two younger Poles, Tadeusz and Zbigniew, became his lovers in the camp. Incredibly, he goes on to say: "I had my own room as a block supervisor this is where I spent the happiest days of my life, with Zbigniew." He adds that only once in his life did he experience such deep love from another man, and that it was "here, in the camp, among all the misery surrounding us, never before, and never again-never more: I met the love of my life in Auschwitz."

Tadeusz and Zbigniew both died in Auschwitz.

You would hope that Karl's troubles ended after his liberation but that's not the case. Gay holocaust survivors could be re-imprisoned for "repeat offences", and were kept on lists of "sex offenders". Under the Allied Military Government of Germany, some homosexuals were forced to serve out their full terms of imprisonment, regardless of the time spent in concentration camps.

Karl was re-arrested in March 1946, sent for trial and sentenced to five years in jail. All appeals for a pardon and clemency were turned down and he wasn't released until April 1951. As other groups seen as undesirable by the Nazis successfully pursued claims of compensation for their suffering, Karl's efforts were thwarted on the grounds that he had a "criminal record" and that he had not been persecuted because of his race or belief.

Karl continued to face discrimination for being gay long after surviving the horrors of Auschwitz

As recently as May 1975, Karl, then aged 62, was denied a pension because "the period between 1/8/39 to 8/5/45 cannot be recognised as substitute time" for work. In other words, being at Auschwitz wasn't bad enough!

Appeals against this ruling were all finally dismissed in February 1980. Karl Gorath died in March 2003 at the age of 90. Paragraph 175 was not removed from the statute books in full until 1994.

Ernst Ellson was born in 1904. He was Jewish but arrested in November 1940 after a male prostitute told the police that he was a client. Ernst was jailed for four months after being found guilty of "perverted promiscuity." He had been under surveillance since 1935.

On the day he was released from prison, the Gestapo were waiting for him with an arrest warrant. It stated: "It is to be feared that, if left at large, he will persist in behaviour that is harmful to the national health." The document was signed by one of the architects of the Final Solution, and the head of the security service, Reinhard Heydrich.

Ernst was sent first to Buchenwald, near Weimar in Germany, where some 56,000 people were to die, then Gross Rosen, which is now part of Poland, where some 40,000 inmates lost their lives. He was deported to Auschwitz on 16 October 1942.

He had lived for 18 months in the first two camps but survived just five weeks in the horrors of Auschwitz.

Manfred Lewin was gay and Jewish. He lived in Berlin and was ordered to be deported in 1942 along with his parents.

Manfred Lewin was sent to Auschwitz at the age of 20

His boyfriend, 19-year-old Gad Beck, got hold of a Hitler Youth uniform and tricked the guards at the detention centre into releasing Manfred, who he said was needed for slave labour. They walked out of the gates together, but Manfred decided he couldn't leave his family behind and turned back. He was shipped to Auschwitz where he died, aged just 22.

Manfred's boyfriend Gad Beck was one of the last gay survivors of the Holocaust when he died in 2012

Gad survived the war and in an interview in 2000, 12 years before his death, recalled the loss of his "great, great love."

Hermann Bartel was a decorator. He was gay. Sent to Auschwitz on 6 December 1941, he died there on 2 March 1942, aged 41. Erwin Schimitzek was a gay commercial clerk. He was sent to Auschwitz on 22 August 1941. He died there in January the following year. He was 23. Agricultural worker Emil Drews arrived at the death camp the same day and died a few days before Erwin. He was 58.

Gay shopkeeper Max Gergia spent three months at Auschwitz before dying. He was 37. Emil Sliwiok suffered the same fate, he was 28. Waiter August Pfeiffer was deported to Auschwitz, arriving there on 1 November 1941. Aged 46, he died at the end of December. Walter Peters, a doctor, died five days after arriving at the camp. He had just turned 51. Willi Pohl was 35 when he died. He was a textile worker and a gay man. Rudolf von Mayer was a judge. He was gay. He arrived at Auschwitz on 30 May 1941 and died three months later, just days before his 37th birthday. Willi Kacker was 36 when he died. Farmer Oskar Birke was 48. Otto Hertzfeld, 35; butcher Johann Majschek, 53; gardener Franz Ruffert, 39; office assistant Richard Schiller, 41; tailor Josef Klose, 47; electrician Hugo Prabitzer, 40.

All gay. All sent to Auschwitz. All died.

Erwin Schimitzek died in Auschwitz in 1942 aged 23

And there were more - not to mention the countless numbers whose exact fate remains unknown either at the camp or after being transported elsewhere before the end of the war. Gay men; killed simply because they loved another man.

If you take one thing from all this, this Holocaust Memorial Day, maybe it should be that the Nazis didn't just kill individuals. As historians have pointed out, one of the gay men who died might have gone on to invent something incredible, they might have become a great diplomat or leader who avoided another murderous war, the younger ones might have gone on to become scientists or doctors, who found a cure for cancer, dementia, ebola, heart disease, or HIV. The common cold - who knows?

The Nazis didn't just kill individuals: they killed the future.

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This is an updated version of this article. With thanks to Dr Anna Hájková and her research into the queer history of the Holocaust for University of Warwick, and as previously published in German newspaper Tagesspiegel. Adolf Hitler planned a 1000-year Reich.

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Peter Tatchell explains the history of Pride in London

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A short history of LGBT rights in the UK

This article traces the journey of the LGBT community from 1533 to today, looking at the battles for equality that were fought and legislative changes made.

The Buggery Act of 1533, passed by Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII, is the first time in law that male homosexuality was targeted for persecution in the UK. Completely outlawing sodomy in Britain - and by extension what would become the entire British Empire - convictions were punishable by death.

The Buggery Act 1533

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Convictions under the Buggery Act 1533 were punishable by death.

It was not until 1861 with the passing of the Offences Against the Person Act, that the death penalty was abolished for acts of sodomy - instead being made punishable by a minimum of 10 years imprisonment.

The Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 however, went a step further once again, making any male homosexual act illegal - whether or not a witness was present - meaning that even acts committed in private could be prosecuted. Often a letter expressing terms of affection between two men was all that was required to bring a prosecution. The legislation was so ambiguously worded that it became known as the 'Blackmailer's Charter', and in 1895, Oscar Wilde fell victim.

The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1885

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The Criminal Law Amendment Act was used to send Oscar Wilde to prison in 1895.

Female homosexuality was never explicitly targeted by any legislation. Although discussed for the first time in Parliament in 1921 with a view to introducing discriminatory legislation (to become the Criminal Law Amendment Bill 1921), this ultimately failed when both the House of Commons and House of Lords rejected it due to the fear a law would draw attention and encourage women to explore homosexuality. It was also assumed that lesbianism occurred in an extremely small pocket of the female population.

In the post-war period, transgender identities started to become visible. In 1946 Michael Dillon published Self: A Study in Endocrinology. The book, which in contemporary terms could be described as an autobiography of the first transgender man to undergo phalloplasty surgery, recounted Dillon's journey from Laura to Michael, and the surgeries undertaken by pioneering surgeon Sir Harold Gillies. Dillon wrote: 'Where the mind cannot be made to fit the body, the body should be made to fit, approximately at any rate, to the mind.'

In May 1951 Roberta Cowell, a former World War II Spitfire pilot, became the first transgender woman to undergo vaginoplasty surgery in the UK. Cowell continued her career as a racing driver and published her autobiography in 1954.

Meanwhile, a significant rise in arrests and prosecutions of homosexual men were made after World War II. Many were from high rank and held positions within government and national institutions, such as Alan Turing, the cryptographer whose work played a decisive role in the breaking of the Enigma code. This increase in prosecutions called into question the legal system in place for dealing with homosexual acts.

The Report of the Departmental Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution, better known as theWolfenden Report, was published in 1957, three years after the committee first met in September 1954. It was commissioned in response to evidence that homosexuality could not legitimately be regarded as a disease and aimed to bring about change in the current law by making recommendations to the Government. Central to the report findings was that the state should focus on protecting the public, rather than scrutinising people's private lives.

Wolfenden Report, 1957

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The Wolfenden Report recommended that 'homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private should be no longer a criminal offence'.

It took 10 years for the Government to implement the Wolfenden Report's recommendations in the Sexual Offences Act 1967. Backed by the Church of England and the House of Lords, the Sexual Offences Act partially legalised same-sex acts in the UK between men over the age of 21 conducted in private. Scotland and Northern Ireland followed suit over a decade later, in 1980 and 1981 respectively. The Sexual Offences Act represented a stepping stone towards equality, but there was still a long way to go.

In 1966 The Beaumont Society was set up to provide information and education to the general public, medical and legal professions on 'transvestism' and encourage research aimed at a fuller understanding. The organisation is now the UK's largest and longest running support group for transgender people and their families.

In the wake of the Stonewall Riots in New York in June 1969 over the treatment of the LGBT community by the police the UK Gay Liberation Front was founded (GLF) in 1970. The GLF fought for the rights of LGBT people, urging them to question the mainstream institutions in UK society which led to their oppression. The GLF protested in solidarity with other oppressed groups and organised the very first Pride march in 1972 which is now an annual event.

Gay Liberation Front Manifesto

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The 1971 Gay Liberation Front Manifesto proclaimed that 'Homosexuals, who have been oppressed by physical violence and by ideological and psychological attacks at every level of social interaction, are at last becoming angry.'

When the GLF disbanded in late 1973 the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE), based in Manchester, led the fight for equality by legal reform. Age of consent equality however, did not come until 2001 in England, Scotland and Wales, and 2009 in Northern Ireland.

The fight for sexual equality however, was far from over. Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, introduced by the Conservative Government under Margaret Thatcher, banned local authorities from 'promoting homosexuality' or 'pretended family relationships', and prohibited councils from funding educational materials and projects perceived to 'promote homosexuality'. The legislation prevented the discussion of LGBT issues and stopped pupils getting the support they needed. Section 28 was repealed in 2003, and Prime Minister David Cameron apologised for the legislation in 2009.

In 2004 the Civil Partnership Act 2004 allowed same-sex couples to legally enter into binding partnerships, similar to marriage. The subsequent Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act 2013 then went further, allowing same-sex couples in England and Wales to marry; Scotland followed suit with the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014. Northern Ireland enactment the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019, making same-sex marriage legal on 13 January 2020.

The Gender Recognition Act 2004, which came into effect on 4 April 2005, gave trans people full legal recognition of their gender, allowing them to acquire a new birth certificate - although gender options are limited to 'male' or 'female'. Between July and October 2018 the UK Government consulted the public on reforming the Act. As of 1 September 2020 no report from the consultation has been published.

The Equality Act 2010 gave LGBT employees protections from discrimination, harassment and victimisation at work. The legislation brought together existing legislation and added protections for trans workers, solidifying rights granted by the Gender Recognition Act.

The LGBT community continues to fight for equality and social acceptance.

is a Sound Archive and Humanities Reference Specialist at the British Library. Steven co-curated Steven Dryden Gay UK: Love, Law and Liberty (2017, British Library) and led a series of student workshops and public lectures at the Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality at Harvard University, USA (2018).

Steven's primary research interest is in the use of language by heritage institutions. His recent work has focused on the cataloguing of gender and sexual minorities in archive and museum catalogues. Steven develops content for the British Library LGBTQ Histories website and has spoken widely across Europe and the UK.

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A Short History of LGBT Rights in the UK | The British Library

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This article traces the journey of the LGBT community from 1533 to today, looking at the battles for equality that were fought and legislative changes made.

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Before the titanic struggle between miners and Margaret Thatcher, it would have been hard to imagine a colliers' minibus running around South Wales with the slogan on its doors pronouncing : "This vehicle was donated by the Lesbians' and Gay men's miners' support group."

But in the summer of 1984, a group of gay and lesbian activists in London, at a time when the AIDS issue was seeing prejudices come to the fore, decided to raise money to support the families of striking miners.

The activists saw the miners as another group who were seemingly being ostracised by society, particularly after Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher labelled the strikers "the enemy within".

By December 1984, the London group had collected over £11,000 by a mixture of pub, club and street collections, benefits, parties and other events and were able to donate a minibus to a miners' support group in the Dulais Valley near Neath.

One of the highlights of the fund raising events was undoubtedly the "Pits and Perverts" concert at the Electric Ballroom where Bronski Beat headed the bill and where £5,650 was raised for the miners.

It was the Sun newspaper which at the time described the concert as a "Pits and Perverts" function. Meant to undermine the striking miners and their new found allies, it backfired and only served to strengthen support from the broader community against the "Iron Lady".

At the concert, David Donovan, a South Wales miner, said in a speech to the miners' new comrades: "You have worn our badge 'Coal not Dole' and you know what harassment means, as we do.

"Now we will pin your badge on us, we will support you. It won't change overnight, but now 140,000 miners know that there are other causes and other problems. We know about blacks, and gays, and nuclear disarmament. And we will never be the same."

Ali (Alun) Thomas, a striking Blaenant miner in 1984, now leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, played a key part in the alliance, as he was sent to London to receive a cheque at a gay pub in London on behalf of the strikers and their families, the money having being raised by the gay community in the UK capital which was forming a considerable lobby group due to the AIDS issue.

Dulais Valley born Aberavon AM Hywel Francis, son of miners' leader Dai Francis and author of History On Our Side: Wales and the 1984/85 Miners' Strike, said: "In South Wales we wanted to broaden the appeal of the miners' case and we did it through links with women's groups, trade union groups like Brent NALGO, peace groups like CND, and the gays and lesbians, who became some of the main advocates of the miners' cause.

"The outstanding speaker in these meetings and rallies was Sian James (now the Swansea East MP), from our women's support group, who spoke at the first London Gay pride March,with the Abernant NUM banner in pride of place at the head of the march."

The link up between miners and lesbians and gays has now been turned into a movie with top British actors Bill Nighy (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Valkyrie, Notes on a Scandal) and Dominic West (Jimmy McNulty in The Wire and Richard Burton in the TV movie Burton&Taylor) starring in Pride.

The stars, joined by Harry Potter actress Imelda Staunton, shot Pride towards the end of last year in Banwen, South Wales, and in London.

Based on the true story of London based Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM), the film will look at how the two groups Margaret Thatcher tried to repress - the LGBT community and miners - joined together to fight back.

Pride, now in post-production and due to be released later this year, was directed by Tony award-winning Matthew Warchus, best known for staging theatre adaptions of Matilda, Lord of the Rings and Ghost.

He said of Pride: "This was a script I just couldn't say no to. It made me laugh out loud, it surprised and delighted me at every turn, and it ultimately moved me to tears.

"It's a truly affirming and inspiring story, funny, honest and moving, and by the end of it you want to punch the air and cheer."

The film tells the story of how the lesbian and gay group contacted the miners directly after finding it difficult to get the money to the NUM.

It climaxes in the so-called "pits and perverts" fundraising event one of a number of phenomenally successful fund-raising concerts by the likes of Jimmy Somerville and the Communards and others and later the Flying Pickets, Billy Bragg, Elvis Costello and a band called The Men They Couldn't Hang.

In Pride, Imelda Staunton will portray a real life heroine of the strike, Hefina Headon, who sadly died during the filming of Pride in Banwen last October.

MP Sian James, currently on a parliamentary mission to Argentina said after her friend's death: "One memory I have of Hefina, is standing outside Crynant Miners' Welfare, where we were voting against the miner's going back to work.

"We'd been going for nearly a year, we'd come over the wall, and we were all shouting outside. She was there in a hat, coat and stiletto heels with a hand bag.

"I said to the producers, if Imelda Staunton is wearing trainers in this film, nobody will believe it's Hefina - she never had a pair of trainers. But I think she will do her justice.

"I remember her marching through London in those heels."

After beginning with the London group, by February 1985 there were eleven lesbians' and gay men's miners' support groups all over the country.

At the October 1984 Labour Party conference, the NUM who dominated the conference, sent the following message of support: "Support civil liberties and the struggle of lesbian and gay people. We welcome the links formed with South Wales and other areas. Our struggle is yours. Victory to the miners."

MIke Jackson, who with the late Mark Ashton (who died of HIV in 1987 aged 26) was one of the founding members of LGSM said of his reason for joining the miners' fight: "The tragic truth is that, with very few exceptions, trade union and Labour Party leaders uttered fine words of support but effectively left the miners to fight alone."

Of the movie, he said: "It's a fictionalised account but faithful to the spirit of our group. We will spread its message because it's tangible proof of the huge power that working class people have if they unite and fight together. People will be reminded of the power of the working class when we find the confidence to fight.

"That message is even more relevant today because we have a government even more vicious than Thatcher's."

Best known for his Bafta-winning role as Moriarty in TV hit, Sherlock actor Andrew Scott also forms part of the cast of Pride, playing a character called Gethin along with Paddy Considine (Dead Man's Shoes) and Joseph Gilgun (This Is England) as well as relatively new faces such as Ben Schnetzer (The Book Thief, Posh) and George MacKay (How I Live Now, Sunshine On Leith).

The film is produced by David Livingstone for Proud Films and Executive Produced by Pathé's Cameron McCracken and BBC Films' Christine Langan. Natascha Wharton is lead executive for the Britith Film Institute Film Fund, one of the movie's backers.

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Miners Strike: When the gay community stood up for the miners

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Before the titanic struggle between miners and Margaret Thatcher, it would have been hard to imagine a colliers' minibus running around South Wales with the slogan on its doors pronouncing : "This vehicle was donated by the Lesbians' and Gay men's miners' support group."

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The LGBT+ self-defence class tackling hate crime

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Tackling Homophobic, Biphobic and Transphobic Behaviour at Football Stadia

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Role Model story - the impact of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic language

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Lesbians and Gays Support Miners Clip 1985

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Lesbians & Gays Support the Miners activists on Pride | BFI Flare

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Today marks 30 years since Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government introduced its highly controversial Section 28 legislation.

The clause, part of the Local Government Act 1988, banned the "promotion" of homosexuality by local authorities and in Britain's schools.

A successor to the Local Government Act 1986 (Amendment) Bill introduced by the Earl of Halsbury that had pushed the same agenda, the clause meant in practice that teachers were prohibited from discussing even the possibility of same-sex relationships with students.

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Councils were meanwhile forbidden from stocking libraries with literature or films that contained gay or lesbian themes, forcing young people to look elsewhere for educational material, finding solace in novels like Jeanette Winterson's Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (1985) and the positive examples set by the era's "out" or androgynous pop stars.

Thatcher's law was met with uproar from LGBT+ activists. Three lesbian protesters abseiled from the public gallery of the House of Lords to the chamber before being hustled away by attendants, a spectacular sight that made national news and helped draw attention to their cause. Their actions were commemorated last year when an unofficial blue plaque was placed at Parliament by a group calling themselves the Sexual Avengers.

Activists also stormed the BBC on 23 May 1988, handcuffing themselves to a TV camera and disrupting a broadcast of The Six O'Clock News presented by Sue Lawley and Nicholas Witchell.

In Manchester, more than 20,000 people marched against Section 28 while the actor Ian McKellen came out publicly for the first time in order to voice his opposition.

Ms Thatcher, responsible for the first new homophobic law to be introduced in a century, had voiced her opposition to gay rights at the 1987 Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool.

"Children who need to be taught to respect traditional moral values are being taught that they have an inalienable right to be gay," she said.

"All of those children are being cheated of a sound start in life. Yes, cheated."

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She was emboldened to express her prejudice by a rise in homophobia exacerbated by the AIDS/HIV crisis and its hostile coverage in the right-wing tabloid press.

The Tories capitalised on this sentiment in that same year's election campaign, suggesting that Labour was intent on seeing pro-LGBT+ books taught in school, a powerful piece of rhetoric at a time when the 75 per cent of the population believed homosexuality was "always or mostly wrong", according to a contemporary British Social Attitudes survey.

Section 28 marked a disturbing backwards step for tolerance and inclusivity after the strides made by the British LGBT+ movement since the decriminalisation of male homosexuality in 1967, a surge of progress that had seen activists forge alliances with Labour unions and the National Union of Mineworkers, as depicted in the film Pride (2014), and the election of Margaret Roff, Britain's first "out" lesbian mayor, in Manchester in 1985.

The pernicious influence of the clause unquestionably played a huge role in legitimising hate and reinforcing playground homophobia and bullying, demonising LGBT+ children and ensuring many stayed imprisoned in the closet for fear of social reprisals or disapproval.

The clause endured until it was repealed in Scotland on 21 June 2001 and in the rest of the UK on 18 November 2003.

Tory leader and later PM David Cameron apologised for Section 28 as a "mistake" on 1 July 2009.

Its timely passing arguably represented a watershed moment for LGBT+ rights in Britain and marked progress has since been made, a process facilitated by the emergence of Twitter as a platform for cultivating more sensitive attitudes towards questions of representation and diversity.

The number of LGBT+ teachers rose from 5 per cent to 9 per cent between 2014 and 2018, according to new data from Teach First, with many motivated in their choice of career explicitly because of their own experiences as children being unable to address their sexuality in the classroom.

However, as Stonewall has pointed out, the damaging legacy of Section 28 remains and just 13 per cent of pupils say they have been taught about how to be part of a healthy same-sex relationship in the classroom.

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This is how Section 28 affected the lives of LGBT+ people for 30 years

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Today marks 30 years since Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government introduced its highly controversial Section 28 legislation. The clause, part of the Local Government Act 1988, banned the "promotion" of homosexuality by local authorities and in Britain's schools.

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Remember our rich history - it goes way back.

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A

Ally

A (typically) straight and/or cis person who supports members of the LGBT community.

​

Ace

Ace is an umbrella term used to describe a variation in levels of romantic and/or sexual attraction, including a lack of attraction.Ace people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, asexual, aromantic, demis and grey-As.

​

B

Bi

Bi is an umbrella term used to describe a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards more than one gender.Bi people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, bisexual, pan, queer, and other non-monosexual identities.

​

Biphobia

The fear or dislike of someone who identifies as bi based on prejudice or negative attitudes, beliefs or views about bi people. Biphobic bullying may be targeted at people who are, or who are perceived to be, bi.

​

C

Cisgender or Cis

Someone whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. Non-trans is also used by some people.

​

Coming out

When a person first tells someone/others about their identity as lesbian, gay, bi or trans.

​

D

Deadnaming

Calling someone by their birth name after they have changed their name. This term is often associated with trans people who have changed their name as part of their transition.

​

G

Gay

Refers to a man who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards men. Also a generic term for lesbian and gay sexuality - some women define themselves as gay rather than lesbian.

​

Gender

Often expressed in terms of masculinity and femininity, gender is largely culturally determined and is assumed from the sex assigned at birth.

​

Gender dysphoria

Used to describe when a person experiences discomfort or distress because there is a mismatch between their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity.This is also the clinical diagnosis for someone who doesn't feel comfortable with the sex they were assigned at birth.

​

Gender expression

How a person chooses to outwardly express their gender, within the context of societal expectations of gender. A person who does not confirm to societal expectations of gender may not, however, identify as trans.

​

Gender identity

A person's innate sense of their own gender, whether male, female or something else (see non-binary below), which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth.

​

Gender reassignment

Another way of describing a person's transition. To undergo gender reassignment usually means to undergo some sort of medical intervention, but it can also mean changing names, pronouns, dressing differently and living in their self-identified gender.Gender reassignment is a characteristic that is protected by the Equality Act 2010, and it is further interpreted in the Equality Act 2010 approved code of practice. It is a term of much contention and is one that Stonewall's Trans Advisory Group feels should be reviewed.

​

Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC)

This enables trans people to be legally recognised in their affirmed gender and to be issued with a new birth certificate. Not all trans people will apply for a GRC and you currently have to be over 18 to apply.You do not need a GRC to change your gender markers at work or to legally change your gender on other documents such as your passport.

​

Gillick competence

A term used in medical law to decide whether a child (under 16 years of age) is able to consent to their own medical treatment, without the need for parental permission or knowledge.

​

H

Heterosexual / straight

Refers to a man who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards women or to a woman who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards men.

​

Homosexual

This might be considered a more medical term used to describe someone who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards someone of the same gender. The term 'gay' is now more generally used.

​

Homophobia

The fear or dislike of someone, based on prejudice or negative attitudes, beliefs or views about lesbian, gay or bi people. Homophobic bullying may be targeted at people who are, or who are perceived to be, lesbian, gay or bi.

​

I

Intersex

A term used to describe a person who may have the biological attributes of both sexes or whose biological attributes do not fit with societal assumptions about what constitutes male or female.Intersex people may identify as male, female or non-binary.Stonewall works with intersex groups to provide its partners and stakeholders information and evidence about areas of disadvantage experienced by intersex people but does not, after discussions with members of the intersex community, include intersex issues as part of its current remit at this stage.

​

L

LGBT

The acronym for lesbian, gay, bi and trans.

​

Lesbian

Refers to a woman who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards women.

​

N

Neurodiverse

A concept where neurological differences are recognised and respected in the same way as any other human difference.

​

Non-binary

An umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn't sit comfortably with 'man' or 'woman'. Non-binary identities are varied and can include people who identify with some aspects of binary identities, while others reject them entirely.

​

O

Outed

When a lesbian, gay, bi or trans person's sexual orientation or gender identity is disclosed to someone else without their consent.

​

P

Person with a trans history

Someone who identifies as male or female or a man or woman, but was assigned the opposite sex at birth. This is increasingly used by people to acknowledge a trans past.

​

Pan

Refers to a person whose romantic and/or sexual attraction towards others is not limited by sex or gender.

​

Passing

If someone is regarded, at a glance, to be a cisgender man or cisgender woman.Cisgender refers to someone whose gender identity matches the sex they were 'assigned' at birth. This might include physical gender cues (hair or clothing) and/or behaviour which is historically or culturally associated with a particular gender.

​

Pronoun

Words we use to refer to people's gender in conversation - for example, 'he' or 'she'. Some people may prefer others to refer to them in gender neutral language and use pronouns such as they/their and ze/zir.

​

Q

Queer

Queer is a term used by those wanting to reject specific labels of romantic orientation, sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It can also be a way of rejecting the perceived norms of the LGBT community (racism, sizeism, ableism etc). Although some LGBT people view the word as a slur, it was reclaimed in the late 80s by the queer community who have embraced it.

​

Questioning

The process of exploring your own sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

​

S

Sex

Assigned to a person on the basis of primary sex characteristics (genitalia) and reproductive functions. Sometimes the terms 'sex' and 'gender' are interchanged to mean 'male' or 'female'.

​

Sexual orientation

A person's romantic and/or sexual attraction to another person.

​

T

Trans

An umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.Trans people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including (but not limited to) transgender, transsexual, gender-queer (GQ), gender-fluid, non-binary, gender-variant, crossdresser, genderless, agender, nongender, third gender, two-spirit, bi-gender, trans man, trans woman,trans masculine, trans feminine and neutrois.

​

Transgender man

A term used to describe someone who is assigned female at birth but identifies and lives as a man. This may be shortened to trans man, or FTM, an abbreviation for female-to-male.

​

Transgender woman

A term used to describe someone who is assigned male at birth but identifies and lives as a woman. This may be shortened to trans woman, or MTF, an abbreviation for male-to-female.

​

​Transitioning

The steps a trans person may take to live in the gender with which they identify. Each person's transition will involve different things. For some this involves medical intervention, such as hormone therapy and surgeries, but not all trans people want or are able to have this.Transitioning also might involve things such as telling friends and family, dressing differently and changing official documents.

​

Transphobia

The fear or dislike of someone based on the fact they are trans, including the denial/refusal to accept their gender identity.

​

Transsexual

This was used in the past as a more medical term (similarly to homosexual) to refer to someone whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.This term is still used by some although many people prefer the term trans or transgender.

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A Ally A (typically) straight and/or cis person who supports members of the LGBT community. ​ Ace Ace is an umbrella term used to describe a variation in levels of romantic and/or sexual attraction, including a lack of attraction.Ace people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, asexual, aromantic, demis and grey-As.

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National Center for Transgender Equality

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Nonbinary Defined

Most people - including most transgender people - are either male or female. But some people don't neatly fit into the categories of "man" or "woman," or "male" or "female." For example, some people have a gender that blends elements of being a man or a woman, or a gender that is different than either male or female. Some people don't identify with any gender. Some people's gender changes over time.

People whose gender is not male or female use many different terms to describe themselves, with being one of the most common (sometimes spelled with a hyphen, as "non-binary") . Other terms include genderqueer , agender , bigender , genderfluid , and more. None of these terms mean exactly the same thing - but all speak to an experience of gender that is not simply male or female. If you're not sure what a word means, you can usually just ask politely.

Why "Nonbinary"?

Some societies - like ours - tend to recognize just two genders, male and female. The idea that there are only two genders is sometimes called a "gender binary," because binary means "having two parts" (male and female). Therefore, "nonbinary" is one term people use to describe genders that don't fall into one of these two categories, male or female.

Basic Facts about Nonbinary People

Nonbinary people are nothing new. Non-binary people aren't confused about their gender identity or following a new fad - nonbinary identities have been recognized for millennia by cultures and societies around the world.

Some, but not all, nonbinary people undergo medical procedures to make their bodies more congruent with their gender identity. While not all nonbinary people need medical care to live a fulfilling life, it's critical and even life-saving for many.

Most transgender people are not nonbinary. While some transgender people are nonbinary, most transgender people have a gender identity that is either male or female, and should be treated like any other man or woman.

Being nonbinary is not the same thing as being intersex. Intersex people have anatomy or genes that don't fit typical definitions of male and female. Most intersex people identify as either men or women, though some may be nonbinary. Non-binary people are usually not intersex: they're usually born with bodies that may fit typical definitions of male and female, but their innate gender identity is something other than male or female.

How to Be Respectful and Supportive of Nonbinary People

It isn't as hard as you might think to be supportive and respectful of nonbinary people, even if you have just started to learn about them.

You don't have to understand what it means for someone to be nonbinary to respect them. Some people haven't heard a lot about nonbinary genders or have trouble understanding them, and that's okay. Identities that some people don't understand still deserve respect.

Use the name a person asks you to use. This is one of the most critical aspects of being respectful of a nonbinary person, as the name you may have been using may not reflect their gender identity. Don't ask someone what their old name was.

Try not to make any assumptions about people's gender. You can't tell if someone is non binary simply by looking at them, just like how you can't tell if someone is transgender just by how they look. A nonbinary person might appear feminine, masculine, or genderless, or show a mix of gendered ch aracteristics - and their appearance doesn't determine their pronouns.

If you're not sure what pronouns someone uses, ask. Different nonbinary people may use different pronouns. Many nonbinary people use "they" while others use "he" or "she," and still others use other pronouns. Asking whether someone should be referred to as "he," "she," "they," or another pronoun may feel awkward at first, but is one of the simplest and most important ways to show respect for someone's identity.

Advocate for non-binary friendly policies. It's important for nonbinary people to be able to live, dress and have their gender respected at work, at school, and in public spaces.

Understand that, for many nonbinary people, navigating gendered spaces - like bathrooms - can be challenging. For many non binary people, using either the women's or the men's rest room might feel unsafe, because others may verbally harass them or even physically attack them. Non binary people should be able to use the restroom that they believe they will be safest in . You can help support nonbinary people by accepting their judgment about where they feel most comfortable when dealing with spaces that are based on binary gend er distinctions .

Talk to nonbinary people to learn more about who they are. There's no one way to be nonbinary. The best way to understand what it's like to be nonbinary is to talk with nonbinary people and listen to their stories.

Related Links:

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Understanding Nonbinary People: How to Be Respectful and Supportive

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Most people - including most transgender people - are either male or female. But some people don't neatly fit into the categories of "man" or "woman," or "male" or "female." For example, some people have a gender that blends elements of being a man or a woman, or a gender that is different than either male or female.

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When are you protected from discrimination?

Discrimination means treating you unfairly because of who you are. The Equality Act 2010 protects you from discrimination by:

employers

businesses and organisations which provide goods or services like banks, shops and utility companies

health and care providers like hospitals and care homes

someone you rent or buy a property from like housing associations and estate agents

schools, colleges and other education providers

transport services like buses, trains and taxis

public bodies like government departments and local authorities.

There are nine protected characteristics in the Equality Act. Discrimination which happens because of one or more of these characteristics is unlawful under the Act. We all have some of these characteristics - for example, sex or age - so the Act protects everyone from discrimination.

If you're treated unfairly because someone thinks you belong to a group of people with protected characteristics, this is also unlawful discrimination.

What are the protected characteristics?

The characteristics that are protected by the Equality Act 2010 are:

age

disability

gender reassignment

marriage or civil partnership (in employment only)

pregnancy and maternity

race

religion or belief

sex

sexual orientation

Discrimination by association

The Act also protects you if people in your life, like family members or friends, have a protected characteristic and you're treated unfairly because of that. This is called discrimination by association. For example, if you're discriminated against because your son is gay.

If you complain about discrimination

The Equality Act protects you if you're treated badly because you've complained about discrimination or stood up for discrimination rights, either for yourself or for someone else.

Further help and information

You can find out more about your rights under the Equality Act in our discrimination section.

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Equality Act 2010 - discrimination and your rights

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Discrimination means treating you unfairly because of who you are. The Equality Act 2010 protects you from discrimination by: employers businesses and organisations which provide goods or services like banks, shops and utility companies health and care providers like hospitals and care homes someone you rent or buy a property from like housing associations and estate agents schools, colleges and other education providers transport services like buses, trains and taxis public bodies like government departments and local authorities.

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Queer heritage is everywhere. What we today call Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer (LGBTQ) histories are embedded in the buildings and landscapes all around us. Pride of Place uncovers and celebrates places of LGBTQ heritage across England, ranging from the frontiers of Roman Britain to the gay pubs and clubs that remain important in our lives today.

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Pride of Place: England's LGBTQ Heritage | Historic England

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Pride of Place uncovers and celebrates places of LGBTQ heritage across England, ranging from the frontiers of Roman Britain to the gay pubs of today.

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Why is coming out still a problem at work?

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According to the survey, one in eight LGBT people say that they were encouraged to hide or disguise that they are LGBT by a work colleague. This increases to one in four trans people. One in five LGBT disabled people have been encouraged to hide in the last year, compared to nine per cent of non-disabled LGBT people.

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Steven Dryden invites transgender activists to consider two newspaper articles from our collections and asks if we can find trans and gender non-conforming identities in the past.

Looking at the past through a contemporary lens can reveal evidence of lives very different from those we might expect to find. Minorities - smaller groups who sit outside the predominant majority within society - have often sought to find themselves in the past. In some instances these histories can be quite visible and relatively well documented in official records, although they usually relate to persecution, internment and oppression.

The exploration of the past for a minority history can be painstaking in terms of time, labour and emotional investment. However, these histories let us revisit a past that we think we know, ask new questions and consider things differently. This can have profound implications for the majority and the subscribed historical norms.

In January 2018 the British Library hosted a conversation between E-J Scott, curator of the Museum of Transology; Dr Jay Stewart, the chief executive of Gendered Intelligence (GI), and Annie Brown activist, artist and GI youth worker.

Using two articles found in the newspaper archives at the British Library, the conversation touched on the challenges of finding trans lives and experiences in archives, the idea of a 'trans-past' and the challenges faced by the community today.

An extraordinary investigation, 1833

On Monday 28 January 1833 the Sussex Advertiser featured an article about 24-year old actor Eliza Edwards who was found dead. Edwards is taken to St Guys Hospital for an autopsy, where it is discovery that they were 'a perfect man'.

How would Eliza have described their gender and sexuality in 1833? How and why would we go back and claim this person from history? What language would we use to do this?

An erased and sensationalised life, 1901

In 1901 the Tamworth Herald published an article concerning a case of fraud heard at Marylebone Magistrates Court against an individual identified as 60-year old Catherine Coome. Coome had been married several times to a number of women and had worked as a cook on a P&O liner for several years 'without [their] true sex being discovered'.

Throughout the report Coome is only referred to by a female identity. The male identity that they lived for 40 years is completely erased by the article.

How have media representations of transgender and non- binary individuals changed in 117 years? What can this article teach us about the economy of gender both historically and today? How would this person have identified with contemporary language?

The role of museums and galleries

Museums, archives and galleries have a responsibility to ensure that all its patrons are represented and included in the histories that they create. Language is a problem, as is the ability to find consensus and work in the middle ground where narratives are open and have multiple points of access. In the last 50 years the vocabulary available to identify sexuality and gender has undergone a huge expansion. These challenges are not insurmountable, and the reward of enquiry can have a profound effect on our understanding of the past, how far we have come, and the battles left to fight.

What is the impact of museums and galleries neglecting to represent transgender lives?

Communities must be involved in the discovery, claiming and labelling of their past to help society better understand the boundaries of sexuality and gender in historical discourse.

The conversation

Conversations, by definition are an informal talk in which news and ideas are exchanged between those taking part. We are extremely fortunate that E-J, Annie and Dr Stewart have given us their time and permission to share this conversation. The thoughts and feelings in the short clips above are fragments of a larger conversation, just as the newspaper articles are fragments from a much larger historical narrative of the UK.

Both newspaper articles provide a stepping stone to consider a Trans reading of artefacts from the past. Though a way forward is far from clear, a seed is planted for others to find, consider and explore.

These two articles represent only a fraction of materials that can be found in our collections. What discoveries will you make?

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Steven Dryden invites transgender activists to consider two newspaper articles from our collections and asks if we can find trans and gender non-conforming identities in the past. Looking at the past through a contemporary lens can reveal evidence of lives very different from those we might expect to find.

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How I knew I was transgender/ coming out as Transgender

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Want to be a better ally to lesbian, gay, bi and trans people but not sure where to start?
This blog originally appeared on Huffington Post
Unsure what's a stereotype, what's an assumption and, for want of a better term, what's absolute rubbish?

This might get you started.

Here are 10 common misconceptions about LGBT people and their lives:

1. Coming out only happens once

Incorrect.

'Coming out' is something LGBT people have to do again and again, if they choose to do so.

Whether we start a new job, meet new neighbours, make new friends, come into contact with old friends or meet up with distant relatives, it's a decision we have to make constantly.

There's also a misconception that people usually come out at a young age. Realising you're LGBT, and feeling comfortable enough to tell others, can happen at any stage of life, whether you're 15, 55 or 95 years old.

For trans people, depending on whether passing is an integral part of someone's trans identity or not, they may choose not to come out.

For non-binary people, meaning those who don't identify as only male or only female, or may identify as neither or both of these genders, coming out can be time-consuming, as it might involve explaining their identity outside of what other people understand about gender.

This might include physical gender cues (hair or clothing) and/ or behaviour which is historically or culturally associated with a particular gender.

Find out more about Coming Out

2. Same-sex couples have 'male' and 'female' roles

Same sex relationships come in different shapes and sizes. Some people may display attributes or take on responsibilities typically associated with what it means to be 'male' or 'female' but others won't.

(And even then, there's a longer conversation to be had around the fact that those associations are based on sexist stereotypes, rather than what makes someone 'male' or 'female'.)

On the flipside, people's assumptions that same sex couples don't form families is also way off.

There's a whole host of ways for LGBT couples to have children, whether that's donor insemination and fertility treatment, adoption, fostering, or surrogacy.
Find out more on Parenting Rights
3. Gay men are 'feminine' and lesbian women are 'butch'

Nope. There's a whole spectrum of identities within the LGBT community and 'butch' and 'feminine' are just some of the ways people might identify. These attributes aren't related to gender identity or sexual orientation. They are just part of who someone is and how they present themselves to the outside world.

4. Bisexual people are greedy and/ or they can't make up their minds

Again, this is an out-and-out no, and is a biphobic assumption to hold.

Being attracted to more than one gender doesn't make someone 'greedy', or imply that they plan on dating more than one person at a time.

It also has no impact on someone's fidelity. Genuine commitment isn't related to who or how many genders you find attractive.

You might have heard the term pansexual. And you might have heard the gag about it meaning you have the hots for a saucepan. Groan.

'Pansexual' is a term people might hear used less often, but it has absolutely nothing to do with kitchen utensils.

Identifying as 'pansexual', in a nutshell, means your emotional, romantic and/or sexual attraction towards another person isn't limited by biological sex, gender or gender identity.

You're attracted to the person. Full stop. It's kind of simple when you think about it.

Stop for a minute and think about all the different things you find attractive in a person. Don't get carried away! Are you always attracted to people of the same weight, height, race? With the same eye colour, hair colour, accent? No? Does that mean you can't make your mind up? Or that you don't know what you want? No.

For bi and pansexual people, part of this openness is the genders they're attracted to. It doesn't mean they're confused or undecided.
Find out more about our Bi Workplace Role Models Programmes
5. Being trans means having surgery

Trans is an umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.

Being trans doesn't automatically mean that someone will undergo any medical interventions. Each person's transition will involve different things.

For some trans people, this might include hormone therapy or surgeries, but not all trans people want or are able to have this.

Transitioning might also involve things like changing name, 'coming out' to friends and family, dressing differently or changing official documents.

People who identify in other ways that sit within the trans umbrella (that Stonewall uses), like non-binary, might not necessarily opt for medical interventions either.
Find out more about Stonewall's work with the trans community
6. Being trans means you're straight. Or gay. Or you only date other trans people.

Who you're attracted to is who're you're attracted to.

Someone's gender identity, before, during or after transition, doesn't make a difference.

People in the trans community come in all shapes and sizes. Some trans people are lesbian, gay and bisexual, in the same way that some are straight.

This is no different to the way in which people who aren't trans identify.

And trans people don't only date other trans people, like people with blue eyes don't only date other people with blue eyes!

7. We look and act like the LGBT people you see on telly

Unfortunately, we're still at a point where LGBT representation is often white, young, cisgender and of non-faith background.

That leaves a LOT of gaps for a LOT of people who're part of our community. If you hear LGBT people talk about 'visibility' a lot, that's because it's vital for us.

Have you heard the phrase, 'you can't be what you can't see'? Well, if you're growing up without visible role models, it can be really hard to understand and embrace your identity.

Don't forget that LGBT people are present across all communities within society - this means there are lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people who are also:

Senior citizens

People of colour and /or black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME)

Disabled people

People of faith

Young people

That might sound obvious, but often the specific experiences of those groups are overlooked, which in part is because LGBT representation is not diverse enough.

It's important to understand the idea of 'intersectionality' - a term which describes how someone can suffer lots of different types of discrimination just because their identity overlaps several minority groups, like race, class, gender, age, ethnicity, health and so on.

For example, a bisexual person with a disability might face 'dual discrimination' for being both those things.
Visit our blog for perspectives from across the LGBT community
8. The LGBT community is one big happy family

Being part of a minority group in no way means LGBT people are from a community without prejudice.

Racism, sexism, ableism, xenophobia are all, sadly, present in the LGBT community.

It's also easy to think homophobia biphobia and transphobia aren't an issue within the LGBT community, but that isn't the case.

This is why we, as LGBT people, have to also be active allies to all individuals within our own community.

9. Gay people thrive working in arts and media

This is most definitely a myth. In fact, these are the sectors which are least represented in our Top 100 Employers list at the moment. The Top 100 is part of the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, a great benchmarking tool which employers can use to measure their progress on lesbian, gay, bi and trans inclusion in the workplace.
Find out more about the WEI
10. Queer

This was, and still can be, used as a derogatory term for LGBT individuals.

But the term has been reclaimed by many LGBT people, particularly those of a younger age, who feel empowered by it.

For many, 'queer' provides a particular freedom of expression that 'gay', 'lesbian' bisexual' or 'trans' might not, and provides an identity that they feel relates to their experience.

Some LGBT people of dual identities might not feel that terms like 'gay' represent them, because of the historic prejudice that those people have faced within 'gay' circles'.

This is the case for many POC, which is why we often see the acronym QTPOC (Queer or Trans People Of Colour) used in conjunction with or instead of LGBT POC.

At Stonewall, we recently made the decision to expand our 'Some People Are...' t-shirt range to include queer, because many supporters and individuals approached us asking for this option to reflect their identity.

We did this with the knowledge that not everyone uses this word and some people might have different, often negative associations with it. We will always strive to be sensitive to that.
Check out our new t-shirts
Come Out For LGBT

Our new campaign is all about the part we all have to play in creating a world where everyone, everywhere can be themselves. There's a whole range of ways you can Come Out For LGBT to show your support and have an impact on the lives of LGBT people you know, and many more that you don't.
Visit the campaign page

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History of LGBT rights in the UK: A long road to equality

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New measures to deliver greater equality for the LGBT community have been announced by the Minister for Women and Equalities Justine Greening, ahead of the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality.

Proposals to streamline and de-medicalise the process for changing gender will be part of a broad consultation of the legal system that underpins gender transition, the Gender Recognition Act.

Currently individuals need a diagnosis of gender dysphoria and have to provide evidence that they have been in transition for at least two years before they can apply to legally change their gender.

Justine Greening also announced the launch of a national survey today (Sunday 23 July) that will ask the 1.5million LGBT people in the UK to share their views on public services to help inform Government policy.

The Government has also announced that the deferral blood donation period for men who have sex with men, will be reduced from 12 months to three months increasing the supply of donor blood available for life-saving operations.

Minister for Women and Equalities Justine Greening said:

This government is committed to building an inclusive society that works for everyone, no matter what their gender or sexuality and today we're taking the next step forward.

We will build on the significant progress we have made over the past 50 years, tackling some of the historic prejudices that still persist in our laws and giving LGBT people a real say on the issues affecting them.

Since Parliament voted for the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967, there has been significant progress on LGBT equality. In 2013 the law was changed to allow same-sex couples to marry. Earlier this year, Turing's Law was passed, posthumously pardoning men who had sex with men for these now abolished offences. And the recent election saw the highest number of openly lesbian, gay and bisexual MPs voted into Parliament. Today's announcement looks to build on this progress.

The consultation on the Gender Recognition Act, to be published in the Autumn, will look to improve the recognition process and reduce the stigma faced by the trans community. Proposals will include:

Removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria before being able to apply for gender recognition. The current need to be assessed and diagnosed by clinicians is seen as an intrusive requirement by the trans community; and

Proposing options for reducing the length and intrusiveness of the gender recognition system.

It will aim to relieve the bureaucratic and medical burdens for those who choose to change their gender.

Suzanna Hopwood, a member of the Stonewall Trans Advisory Group, said:

I am really pleased that the Government is making good on its commitment to review the Gender Recognition Act. Reform is one of the key priorities in our vision for removing the huge inequalities that trans people face in the UK. The current system is demeaning and broken.

It's vital that this reform removes the requirements for medical evidence and an intrusive interview panel, and finally allows all trans people to have their gender legally recognised through a simple administrative process. That's what we'll be calling for during this consultation, and I'm looking forward to seeing the law change soon after.

The LGBT survey, launched today, will allow the Government to understand the experiences of LGBT individuals across the UK. This will help identify ways to improve public services for LGBT users, including in health and education, and to understand how individuals might face discrimination. The survey will run for 12 weeks until 15 October

Ruth Hunt, Chief Executive of Stonewall said:

We're pleased the Government recognises there is still more to be done to ensure all lesbian, gay, bi and trans people are accepted without exception, and welcome the announcement of new measures to tackle some of the remaining inequalities. The consultation on reforming the Gender Recognition Act is hugely encouraging.

The 2004 Act was ground-breaking in giving trans people a way to have their gender legally recognised, but the process is in dire need of reform. We need a simple process which isn't medicalised, intrusive or demeaning. We would urge the Government to ensure that all trans communities are consulted and to act quickly on their concerns.

Change to the blood donation rules are also welcome. However, while this is an important move, it's vital that this is a stepping stone to a system that doesn't automatically exclude most gay and bi men. We would like to see individualised risk assessment, and are encouraged that the Government and NHS Blood and Transplant Service are committed to exploring how to do this. And we welcome the Government's intention to better understand the inequalities LGBT people face in Britain to identify key areas for future action, and to ensure that this Government maintains the UK's impressive record as a world leader on LGBT equality.

Ethan Spibey, Founder, FreedomToDonate said:

Today's announcement from the Government marks a world-leading blood donation policy for gay and bisexual men and the other groups previously restricted. I'm so proud that the work of FreedomToDonate and our supporters will help ensure more people than ever before are allowed to safely donate blood.

I began this campaign because I wanted to repay the donor who saved my granddad's life after a major operation and this announcement means I'm closer than ever to doing that, with the invaluable help of our team of volunteers, and the charities and organisations FreedomToDonate represents.

The Government has also accepted the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) to change the deferral periods for blood donation for men who have sex with men. The usual deferral blood donation period will be reduced from 12 months to three months for men who have sex with men. These reductions are based on the most up to date scientific evidence and medical advances, which will offer more people the opportunity to donate blood without affecting the safety of the blood supply - helping to increase the supply of donor blood and save lives. Further work on more personalised risk assessment is also under way to allow as wide a pool of donors as possible while maintaining the safety of the blood supply.

The UK has one of the safest blood supplies in the world. These rules are in place to keep blood donors and the patients who receive their blood safe. The UK Government will now work with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) to implement the changes to deferrals for sexual behaviours from early 2018, and submit evidence on the other recommendations on blood donation announced today to a wider European evidence evaluation.

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New measures to deliver greater equality for the LGBT community have been announced by the Minister for Women and Equalities Justine Greening, ahead of the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality. Proposals to streamline and de-medicalise the process for changing gender will be part of a broad consultation of the legal system that underpins gender transition, the Gender Recognition Act.

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Our reasons for concern about proposed government changes to the Gender Recognition Act which would make it easier for any person, for whatever motivation, to change their legal sex, are as follows:

the practical impact on the rights of women and children and the safety issues it raises, especially for girls

the implications for parents, schools and professionals in its acceptance of the diagnosis of 'transgender children' as fact

the impact on children's view of themselves if 'gender' stereotypes are enshrined in law as the distinction between men and women, rather than biological sex

For parents who want to challenge their child's school on new policies such as 'gender neutral' toilets, allowing male pupils to use girls' toilets, changing-rooms and residential accommodation, compete in girls' sports, or allowing male pupils into all-girls schools, it is important to know your facts. We have put together a document listing all relevant sections of the Equality Act and government statutory schools guidance and advice which parents need to know. Download our easy guide here:

Existing UK Equality legislation and guidance

Our statement on sex and gender reassignment: legal protections and language (July 2018)

Equality and Human Rights Commission

After questioning by the campaign group Fair Play for Women, the EHRC was forced to clarify that a person without a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) is treated for sex discrimination purposes as their legal sex. No child under the age of eighteen has a GRC so a male child is still legally male even if he identifies as a girl.

Under the Act, the protection from gender reassignment discrimination applies to all trans people who are proposing to go, are undergoing or have undergone (part of) a process of gender reassignment. At the same time, a trans person is protected from sex discrimination on the basis of their legal sex. This means that a trans woman who does not hold a GRC and is therefore legally male would be treated as male for the purposes of the sex discrimination provisions, and a trans woman with a GRC would be treated as female. The sex discrimination exceptions in the Equality Act therefore apply differently to a trans person with a GRC or without a GRC.

Read the full statement here
Providing Services For Transgender Customers (Nov 2015)

Government Equalities Office in collaboration with Gendered Intelligence

This is a guide for service providers, and as such, not new legislation. However, service providers will be pressured to follow these guidelines as in any cases of litigation they may be used as part of a case for discrimination.

The guide specifically defines what it takes to be treated in law as the opposite sex:

"...if someone adopts a new gender role by changing their name, title and pronoun and/or by wearing different clothing, altering their body language, speech and hairstyle, they have reassigned their gender. As part of their gender reassignment some people may choose to take hormones and/or have surgery, but medical intervention is not an essential part of gender reassignment."

This definition of the sexes as a set of behavioural and appearance-based stereotypes, in place of biological fact, is of great concern. It takes away the protection of children from adult ideas and judgments imposed upon them and puts gender non-conforming children at risk of believing themselves to be the opposite sex.

The guide also specifies the various different categories of people who fall under the 'trans' umbrella. The inclusion of people who don't conform to "traditional gender roles" exposes the regressive and reactionary nature of gender ideology.

"Trans people come from all walks of life and include those who may describe themselves as transsexual, transgender, a cross-dresser (transvestite), non-binary and anyone else who may not conform to traditional gender roles."

The guide further defines a 'cross-dresser' below; in the case of a man this indicates a male part-time cross-dresser, a fact which clearly puts women and girls at risk:

"Someone who wears the clothes usually expected to be worn by someone of the 'opposite' gender. Other terms include 'transvestite' (now becoming a dated term and disliked by some) and 'dual role'. A cross-dresser is unlikely to have a full-time identity as a member of their cross-dressed gender and typically does not seek medical intervention."

The good practice guidelines clearly encourage service staff and security guards to assume a man is a woman if he walks into a women's toilet or changing room:

Try not to assume someone's gender simply by their appearance.

Assume everyone selects the facilities appropriate to their gender.

A trans person should be free to select the facilities (such as toilets or changing rooms) appropriate to the gender in which they present.

Staff are further discouraged from challenging a man for fear of being accused of harrassment which, in these guidelines, specifies the following:

The meaning of 'transphobic' is not defined, nor the actions or words which would make someone feel 'emotionally or physically unsafe' so service staff may reasonably feel afraid to challenge anyone who walks into a women's toilet or changing room. No such consideration of feelings of safety is extended to women and girls.

The guidance further states "the exception has to be used in exceptional circumstances" and

In general, it is very unlikely that any exceptions will apply in ordinary 'high street' service provision situations.

This is inaccurate. It goes way beyond what the Equality Act actually says. Provision of single-sex facilities is lawful as long as it can be objectively justified as a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.
Read the full guidelines here.
Technical Guidance for Schools (July 2014)

Equality and Human Rights Commission

This schools guidance does not advise allowing pupils who identify as transgender to use facilities of the opposite sex, but that the school must provide alternative facilities.

3.20 The way in which school facilities are provided can lead to discrimination. Example: A school fails to provide appropriate changing facilities for a transsexual pupil and insists that the pupil uses the boys' changing room even though she is now living as a girl. This could be indirect gender reassignment discrimination unless it can be objectively justified. A suitable alternative might be to allow the pupil to use private changing facilities, such as the staff changing room or another suitable space.

This guidance also recognises the right of schools to be single-sex:

2.13 For single-sex schools, there are exceptions for admissions to enable them to restrict admission to pupils of only one sex.

And again here:

2.35 Single-sex schools are allowed to admit pupils of only one sex without this being unlawful sex discrimination. In this context, a single-sex school includes those schools that admit pupils of the opposite sex, but the admission of whom to the school is exceptional or whose numbers are comparatively small and their admission is confined to particular courses or classes.

Read the full guidance here
Collecting Information On Gender Identity (2012)

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Even though 'gender' is recognised as a socially constructed role, this government document specifically states that the terms 'man' and 'woman' refer to 'gender' and not biological sex.

"Gender refers to socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes. The terms 'man', 'masculine', 'woman', and 'feminine' denote gender."

This document also gives this very confusing definition of a 'cross-dresser':

"The term refers to a person who wears the clothing of the opposite sex because it is the clothing of the opposite sex. This excludes people who wear opposite sex clothing for other reasons. Cross-dressers may not identify with, or want to be the opposite gender, nor adopt the behaviours or practices of the opposite gender, and generally do not want to change their bodies. This term is associated with transvestite, though some cross-dressers would not identify as such."

The specified definition of those who fall under the 'trans' umbrella is so wide as to be meaningless. It allows both a diagnosis of children as 'trans' if they fail to conform to expected gender roles, and affords protection to anyone wanting to enter private facilities for women and girls for whatever reason:

"The terms 'trans people' and 'transgender people' are both often used as umbrella terms for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from their birth sex, including transsexual people (those who intend to undergo, are undergoing or have undergone a process of gender reassignment to live permanently in their acquired gender), transvestite/cross-dressing people (those who wear clothing traditionally associated with the other gender either occasionally or more regularly), androgyne/polygender people (those who do not identify with male or female
identities and do not identify as male or female), and others who define as gender variant."

Read the full document here.
Equality Act 2010 Statutory Code of Practice (2011)

Equality and Human Rights Commission

This is the Code of Practice for all protected groups under the Equality Act 2010, which specifies both 'gender reassignment' and 'sex' as protected characteristics. The Code subsequently refers to the 'reassignment' of a person's sex, not gender, validating the view that it is possible to change sex:

"The reassignment of a person's sex may be proposed but never gone through; the person may be in the process of reassigning their sex ; or the process may have happened previously. It may include undergoing the medical gender reassignment treatments, but it does not require someone to undergo medical treatment in order to be protected."

The document specifically references the application of this ideology to children (although conceding that some children may be 'too young' to make the 'decision') and reinforces 'mode of dress' as an indicating factor that a child may be the opposite sex.

"This broad, non-medical definition is particularly important for gender variant children: although some children do reassign their gender while at school, there are others who are too young to make such a decision. Nevertheless they may have begun a personal process of changing their gender identity and be moving away from their birth sex. Manifestations of that personal process, such as mode of dress, indicate that a process is in place and they will be protected by the Act."

The Code also stipulates that a gender recognition certificate (GRC) is no longer required as proof that a person is genuinely transsexual, making it easier for any man to access women and girls' private spaces:

"The Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA) provides that where a person holds a gender recognition certificate they must be treated according to their acquired gender (see the GRA for details on those who are covered by that Act; see also the Data Protection Act 1998 which deals with processing sensitive personal information). 2.27 Transsexual people should not be routinely asked to produce their Gender Recognition Certificate as evidence of their legal gender. Such a request would compromise a transsexual person's right to privacy. If a service provider requires proof of a person's legal gender, then their (new) birth certificate should be sufficient confirmation."

Read the full document here.
Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 specifies the reassignment of 'sex,' not gender, even though the 'protected characteristic' is gender reassignment. The 'process' of reassignment is undefined, as are the 'other attributes' of sex apart from the physiological:

"A person has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment if the person is proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process (or part of a process) for the purpose of reassigning the person's sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex."

The Act defines the protected characteristics of 'gender reassignment' as in reference to a transsexual person, and 'sex' as in reference to a 'man' or 'woman' although these terms are redefined as denoting 'gender' in the Collecting Information on Gender Identity document 2012 (above).

"In relation to the protected characteristic of gender reassignment - a reference to a person who has a particular protected characteristic is a reference to a transsexual person"

"In relation to the protected characteristic of sex- a reference to a person who has a particular protected characteristic is a reference to a man or to a woman"

Read the full document here.
Gender Recognition Act 2004

This Act is defined as:

"An Act to make provision for and in connection with change of gender."

It then goes on to specify that an 'acquired gender' indicates a change of sex where a person has obtained a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). This means that a person with a GRC is treated for legal purposes as a member of the opposite sex. (However, sex-based exemptions may still be invoked if it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim).

"Where a full gender recognition certificate is issued to a person, the person's gender becomes for all purposes the acquired gender (so that, if the acquired gender is the male gender, the person's sex becomes that of a man and, if it is the female gender, the person's sex becomes that of a woman)."

Read the full document here. Download our Key Points document here

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UK Transgender Rights Legislation - Transgender Trend

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Our reasons for concern about proposed government changes to the Gender Recognition Act which would make it easier for any person, for whatever motivation, to change their legal sex, are as follows: the practical impact on the rights of women and children and the safety issues it raises, especially for

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Description

For 400 years male homosexuality was a crime in Britain, punishable by years in jail, deportation or death. Many reputations and lives were ruined. But the Wolfenden Report, controversial at the time, helped change not only the law but public attitudes and acceptance.

What was the legal status of homosexuality before Wolfenden?

The Buggery Act of 1533, passed by Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII, is the first time in law that male homosexuality was targeted for persecution in the UK. Sex between men was punishable by death until 1861. Other sentences included imprisonment or transportation to Australia. The last men executed for homosexual acts were James Pratt and John Smith in 1835.

Despite executions for homosexual activity being outlawed, discriminatory law took a new form in the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885, outlawing any homosexual act - whether a witness was present or not. Amongst those prosecuted under the amendment was, most famously, Oscar Wilde in 1895.

Female homosexuality was never explicitly targeted by any legal legislation.

Why was the Wolfenden Report commissioned?

Arrests and prosecutions for homosexual activity between men had increased since the end of World War II; for many in authority this was a worrying sign.

Authorities feared the possibility of homosexual members of the civil service being blackmailed into giving state secrets to the USSR. This paranoia was magnified with the discovery of the Cambridge Five - a ring of spies who passed information to the Soviet Union during World War II - and the realisation that two of the group were gay. This was followed by the conviction of Alan Turing for 'gross indecency'; at the time of his conviction his role in breaking Enigma was a highly-classified state secret.

Meanwhile, the case of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu - arrested in 1954 for 'gross indecency' - resulted in convictions for himself, as well as journalist Peter Wildeblood and Michael Pitt-Rivers.

This and other cases led the Conservative Government to set up a Departmental Committee under Sir John Wolfenden, Vice-Chancellor of Reading University, to consider both homosexuality and prostitution. The Committee published its report in September 1957, priced five shillings (about the cost of three pints of beer).

What evidence was the Report based on?

The committee first met on 15 September 1954 and had 62 meetings in total over three years. Half of these were used for interviewing witnesses. Finding gay men who were willing to give evidence proved difficult though, and an initial idea to place an advert in a newspaper or magazine was rejected in favour of focusing on three men who the committee had selected. These were Carl Winter, Patrick Trevor-Roper and Peter Wildeblood.

What did the Report recommend?

The Wolfenden Committee put together a report, after their three-year enquiry. It was 155 pages long and recommended that 'homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private should no longer be considered a criminal offence'.

Wolfenden clearly took great care to avoid the sort of widespread prejudice of the time and to reach his conclusions impartially. He believed the law's role was to protect the public, not to interfere in private lives: 'There must remain a realm of private morality and immorality which is, in brief and crude terms, not the law's business', he wrote.

The Report also had implications for street prostitution, with the subsequent passing of the Street Offences Act of 1959. This prevented loitering and soliciting in public places for the purpose of prostitution, and a major police crackdown followed.

The Report caused much controversy within society and amongst some members of the committee. Indeed, committee member James Adair from Scotland, felt compelled to disassociate himself from the recommendations, writing a lengthy response included in the final Report.

Adair expressed concern about the legalisation's 'serious effects on the whole moral fabric of social life', stating that 'so soon after two world wars... is not a time when... the approval of homosexual conduct should be introduced'. Adair's work would prove crucial in excluding Scotland from legislative change when the recommendations of the Wolfenden Report were implemented into law.

What happened in the wake of the Wolfenden Report?

The Government initially rejected the Report's recommendations, with leading British judge, Lord Devlin arguing that the law should intervene in acts concerning morality, even if they are conducted in private.

On 7 March 1958, The Times newspaper published an article by academic Tony Dyson, calling for the Wolfenden Report's recommendations relating to homosexuality to be reconsidered for implementation into law. It was signed by many important figures, including writer J.B Priestly, and brought together members of the Homosexual Law Reform Society which formed shortly after. This would prove to be key to galvanising parliamentary support, leading to the passing of the Sexual Offences Act 1967, which applied in England and Wales.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland gay and bisexual men would have to wait until 1980 and 1982 respectively, for the same protection in law.

Click here to hear a British Library curator talk about the Wolfenden Report.

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For 400 years male homosexuality was a crime in Britain, punishable by years in jail, deportation or death. Many reputations and lives were ruined. But the Wolfenden Report, controversial at the time, helped change not only the law but public attitudes and acceptance.

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A fully searchable living archive of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual history in Birmingham from post-war to present day

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London Pride parade: History of gay rights in the UK

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The Pride parade in London takes place every summer. Pride events are held all over the world in support of LGBTQ rights. Find out about the history of gay rights in the UK.

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How the Gender Recognition Act has shaped my gender identity - #YourStoryOurHistory

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In 2010 The Beaumont Society became a registered charity. (No. 1135548). The aim of the society then, is remarkably similar to those of the Charity now :-

The Charity believes transgender people are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect in all aspects of their lives by family, friends and the wider non-transgender community, including businesses and services. To achieve this vision, the Charity will:

1. Form an association for the transgender community to facilitate mutual support and communication in order to improve the health, emotional well-being and confidence of transgender people.

2. Promote and assist the study of gender.

3. Educate lay and professional groups about transgenderism, its associated issues and the work of the Charity.

4. Engage and support the accomplishment of any lawful activity that promotes the above aims.

We also seek to provide opportunities for transgender people to socialise in safe and comfortable surroundings.

From those early roots, the UK Chapter eventually became the Beaumont Society, taking the name of the Chevalier d'Eon de Beaumont. Originally, all members had to be sponsored by an existing member and had to be vetted before being accepted - but this is no longer the case.

Traditionally regarded as a secret MTF group for cross-dressers, the society has significantly evolved since these humble beginnings. It's now open to any section of the transgender community who would like to join, MTF, FTM, bi or non gendered - even wives and partners. If you are a wife or partner, we would also recommend our sister "partners" organisation which has specifically been established for you.

Click here to download PDF of the History of the Society

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The Charity believes transgender people are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect in all aspects of their lives by family, friends and the wider non-transgender community, including businesses and services. To achieve this vision, the Charity will: Form an association for the transgender community to facilitate mutual support and communication in order to improve the health, emotional well-being and confidence of transgender people.

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On a hot summer night in 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a bar located in New York City's Greenwich Village that served as a haven for the city's gay, lesbian and transgender community.

At the time, homosexual acts remained illegal in every state except Illinois, and bars and restaurants could get shut down for having gay employees or serving gay patrons. Most gay bars and clubs in New York at the time (including the Stonewall) were operated by the Mafia, who paid corrupt police officers to look the other way and blackmailed wealthy gay patrons by threatening to "out" them.

Police raids on gay bars were common, but on that particular night, members of the city's LGBTQ community decided to fight back-sparking an uprising that would launch a new era of resistance and revolution.
June 24, 1969: Police arrest Stonewall employees, confiscate alcohol.
On the Tuesday before the riots began, police conducted an evening raid on the Stonewall, arresting some of its employees and confiscating its stash of illegal liquor. As with many similar raids, the police targeted the bar for operating without a proper liquor license.

After the raid, the NYPD planned a second raid for the following Friday, which they hoped would shut down the bar for good.
June 27-28, 1969: Stonewall crowd erupts after police arrest and rough up patrons.
After midnight on an unseasonably hot Friday night, the Stonewall was packed when eight plainclothes or undercover police officers (six men and two women) entered the bar. In addition to the bar's employees, they also singled out drag queens and other cross-dressing patrons for arrest. In New York City, " masquerading " as a member of the opposite sex was a crime.

More NYPD officers arrived on foot and in three patrol cars. Meanwhile, bar patrons who had been released joined the crowds of onlookers that were forming outside the Stonewall. A police van arrived, and police began loading Stonewall employees and cross-dressers inside.
Early hours of June 28, 1969: Transgender women resist arrest. Bottles are thrown at police.
Accounts vary over exactly what kicked off the riots, but according to witness reports, the crowd erupted after police roughed up a woman dressed in masculine attire (some believe the woman was lesbian activist Stormé DeLarverie) who had complained that her handcuffs were too tight. People started taunting the officers, yelling "Pigs!" and "Copper!" and throwing pennies at them, followed by bottles; some in the crowd slashed the tires of the police vehicles.

According to David Carter, historian and author of Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution, the "hierarchy of resistance" in the riots began with the homeless or "street" kids, those young gay men who viewed the Stonewall as the only safe place in their lives.

Two transgender women of color, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, were said to have resisted arrest and thrown the first bottle (or brick or stone) at the cops, respectively. Although Johnson later said in a 1987 podcast interview with historian Eric Marcus that she had not arrived until the uprising was well underway.

The exact breakdown of who did what first remains unclear-in part because this was long before the smartphone era and there was minimal documentation of the night's events.
Close to 4 a.m. June 28, 1969: Police retreat and barricade themselves inside Stonewall.
As the police van and squad cars left to drop the prisoners off at the nearby Sixth Precinct, the growing mob forced the original NYPD raiding party to retreat into the Stonewall itself and barricade themselves inside.

Some rioters used a parking meter as a battering ram to break through the door; others threw beer bottles, trash and other objects, or made impromptu firebombs with bottles, matches and lighter fluid.

Sirens announced the arrival of more police officers, as well as squadrons of the Tactical Patrol Force (TPF), the city's riot police. As the helmeted officers marched in formation down Christopher Street, protesters outsmarted them by running away, then circling the short blocks of the Village and coming back up behind the officers.

Finally, sometime after 4 a.m., things settled down. Amazingly, no one died or was critically injured on the first night of rioting, though a few police officers reported injuries.
June 28-29: Stonewall reopens, supporters gather. Police beat and tear gas the crowd.
Despite having been torn apart by the cops, the Stonewall Inn opened before dark the next night (though it wasn't serving alcohol). More and more supporters showed up, chanting slogans like "gay power" and "we shall overcome."

Again the police were called out to restore order, including an even larger group of TPF officers, who beat and tear-gassed members of the crowd. This continued until the early hours of the morning when the crowd dispersed.
June 29-July 1, 1969: Stonewall becomes gathering point for LGBTQ activists.
Over the next several nights, gay activists continued to gather near the Stonewall, taking advantage of the moment to spread information and build the community that would fuel the growth of the gay rights movement. Though police officers also returned, the mood was less confrontational, with isolated skirmishes replacing the large-scale riots of the weekend.
July 2, 1969: Gay activists protest newspaper coverage.
In response to the Village Voice'scoverage of the riots, which referred to " the forces of faggotry," protesters swarmed outside the paper's offices. Some called for burning the building down. When the police pushed back, rioting started again, but lasted only a short time, concluding by midnight.

The New York Daily News also resorted to homophobic slurs in its detailed coverage, running the headline: "Homo Nest Raided, Queen Bees Are Stinging Mad." Meanwhile, the New York Times wrote only sparingly of the whole event, printing a short article on page 22 on June 30 titled "Police Again Rout 'Village' Youths."
The lasting impact of the Stonewall Riots.
With Stonewall, the spirit of '60s rebellion spread to LGBTQ people in New York and beyond, who for the first time found themselves part of a community. Though the gay rights movement didn't begin at Stonewall, the uprising did mark a turning point, as earlier "homophile" organizations like the Mattachine Society gave way to more radical groups like the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA).
June 28, 1970: First Gay Pride parade sets off from Stonewall.
On the first anniversary of the police raid on the Stonewall Inn, gay activists in New York organized the Christopher Street Liberation March to cap off the city's first Gay Pride Week. As several hundred people began marching up 6th Avenue toward Central Park, supporters from the crowd joined them. The procession eventually stretched some 15 city blocks, encompassing thousands of people.

Inspired by New York's example, activists in other cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston and Chicago, organized gay pride celebrations that same year. The frenzy of activism born on that first night at Stonewall would eventually fuel gay rights movements in Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, among other countries, becoming a lasting force that would carry on for the next half-century-and beyond.

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What Happened at the Stonewall Riots? A Timeline of the 1969 Uprising | HISTORY

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The June 1969 uprising at New York City's Stonewall Inn marked a raucous turning point in the fight for LGBT rights.

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At Stonewall, we stand for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace (LGBTQ+) people everywhere. We imagine a world where all LGBTQ+ people are free to be ourselves and can live our lives to the full.

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Gay rights: Life under Section 28 - BBC Newsnight

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Since terminology is so fluid and identity labels mean different things to different people, this list simply aims to serve as a resource and guide. By no means can every definition perfectly describe every individual's experience with an identity.

Biological sex/assigned sex

A medical label used to categorize people according to their chromosomes, hormones, genitalia and secondary sex characteristics (breasts, body hair, etc.). Usually assigned at birth as "male" or "female" by a doctor, though there are many variations outside of that socially-constructed binary (i.e. intersex).

Term used to describe an individual whose assigned biological sex aligns with their expected binary gender identity. Considered to be opposite of "transgender." Example: A person whose sex assigned at birth is "female" and identifies their gender as girl or woman.

Cross dresser

A person who enjoys dressing in clothing typically associated with the other of the 2 socially-sanctioned genders, but who generally have no intent to live full-time as the other gender. The older term "transvestite" is considered derogatory by many in the United States.

The theatrical act of dressing in gendered clothing and/or adopting gendered behaviors as part of a performance (usually clothing and behaviors not typically associated with your own gender identity. Can be done for entertainment, as parody or to make a political statement. Does not indicate performer's sexual orientation or gender identity.

A socially constructed identity centering around notions of "masculinity," "femininity" and "androgyny," which includes aspects of identity and expression.

Gender expression

The way an individual conveys (or is perceived as conveying) their gender, including their choices in clothing, hairstyles, mannerisms, communication patterns, social roles, etc.

Gender identity

A person's own understanding of themselves in gendered categories such as woman, man, boy, girl, transgender, genderqueer, etc. How an individual feels inside and believes themself to be.

Gender dysphoria (formerly referred to as gender identity disorder)

A diagnostic label included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to describe when a person identifies as a different gender than the one they were assigned based on their birth sex. This diagnosis is usually required so a trans person can receive hormone replacement therapy, sex affirmation surgery and/or revised gender and sex markers on their identification.

Genderqueer

An identity label sometimes claimed by people whose gender identity does not fit into the culturally accepted man/woman binary. May be characterized by the desire to challenge norms of gender roles and expression, to "play" with gender and/or to express a fluid gender identity.

Term to describe a person whose sex assigned at birth does not neatly fit into the socially accepted binary of "male" or "female," because they have genitalia, hormone production levels and/or chromosomal makeups that are ambiguous or non-binary.

MTF/M2F/MtF and FTM/F2M/FtM

Terms used to indicate the direction of a trans person's transition and/or identification change. Usually means male-to-female, male-toward-female, female-to-male or female-toward-male.

Being perceived by others as the gender you are aiming to present as. Usually used to describe if a trans person is able to live convincingly and publicly as the gender they identify as.

Pre-, post and non-operative (or -op)

Terms used to describe a transgender or transsexual person's intentions or status regarding sex affirmation surgeries.

An umbrella identity term used by people who do not conform to norms of heterosexuality and/or the gender binary. A reclaimed slur, often used with a political connotation.

Sexual orientation

Aspect of an individual's identity that determines who they focus their sexual/erotic drives, desires and fantasies toward.

Sex affirmation surgery (commonly referred to as sex reassignment surgery or gender confirmation surgery)

Surgeries to change the sex characteristics of one's body, including genitals and/or secondary sex characteristics. Often misunderstood as being a single surgery that makes all body modifications, but the reality is that there is no " one " surgery or procedure.

Transgender or trans

An identity label used to describe a person whose gender identity does not align with the socially expected one according to their sex assigned at birth. Often used as an umbrella term to include people who transgress gender norms, including cross dressers, genderqueer people, trans women, trans men, bigender or polygender people, etc.

Trans man (or transgender man or transexual man)

A person who has transitioned their identity from woman to man, and sometimes their body from female to male.

Trans woman (or transgender woman or transexual woman)

A person who has transitioned their identity from man to woman, and sometimes their body from male to female.

Transition

The process of changing one's sex or gender, socially (e.g. changing one's name, clothing, makeup, hair, pronouns) and/or medically (e.g. hormones and/or surgery).

Transexual

A person who usually experiences a strong and persistent feeling that their body and assigned sex are at odds with their gender identity. These individuals often (but not always) desire to change their bodies to reduce this dysphoria. Since this term comes from the medical establishment, many people choose not to identify with it.

Identity label used within many American Indian and Canadian First Nations indigenous groups to describe an individual that possesses both "masculine" and "feminine" spirits. Coined by contemporary LGBT Native Americans to describe themselves and the traditional roles they are reclaiming.

Gender-neutral pronouns. Can be used similarly to she/her, he/him or they/them.

Oppression

The systematic subjugation of a group of people by another group with access to social power, the result of which benefits one group over the other and is maintained by social beliefs and practices.

A "system of advantage" that gives people from more powerful social groups access to resources and opportunities that are denied to others (and usually gained at their expense) simply because of the groups they belong to (Goodman, 2001; Johnson, 2001; Wildman & Davis, 1996, 2000).

To hold an adverse opinion or belief without just ground before acquiring specific knowledge; often against people or groups of people who are perceived as being "different" or having "different values."

Discrimination

When prejudiced feelings or beliefs move into the realm of behavior, and people are denied equality of treatment. Can be conscious and deliberate or it can be unconscious and unintentional.

The cultural, institutional and individual beliefs and practices that privilege men and/or masculinity, subordinate women and/or femininity, and denigrate values and practices associated with women.

Heterosexism

The cultural, institutional and individual beliefs and practices that assume heterosexuality is the only natural, normal and acceptable sexual orientation. Belief that LGBQ identities are inferior to, or less authentic than, heterosexual identities.

An identity label sometimes claimed by people who do not experience sexual attraction. This differs from celibacy or abstinence, which are behaviors. Often used as an umbrella term to encompass identities such as aromantic, demisexual, grey-A, heteroromantic, homoromantic, etc.

An identity label sometimes claimed by people who experience sexual attraction across the spectrums of gender identity, biological sex and sexual orientation.

Homophobia

Negative attitudes and feelings, ranging from aversion to hatred, toward people who identify as or are perceived to be LGBQ. Can be present in institutions such as religion, the education system and the law, and also internally in individuals that may or may not identify within the LGBTQQIAP community.

Transphobia

Negative attitudes and feelings, ranging from aversion to hatred, toward people who identify as or are perceived to be trans. Can be present in institutions such as religion, the education system and the law, and also internally in individuals that may or may not identify within the trans community.

The cultural, institutional and individual beliefs and practices that assume being cisgender is the only natural, normal and acceptable gender identity. Belief that transgender identities are inferior to, or less authentic than, cisgender identities.

Heterosexual

Originally a medical term to describe a person who experiences sexual attraction to people on the "opposite" side of the sex and/or gender binaries. Term came into existence in the 1890s solely to be used in opposition to the term "homosexual."

Homosexual

Originally a medical term to describe a person who experiences sexual attraction to people on the same side of the sex and/or gender binaries. Because of its pathological connotation, many LGBQ people today do not identify with it.

An identity label sometimes claimed by woman-identified people who form their primary romantic and sexual relationships with other woman-identified people.

An identity label sometimes claimed by people who are sexually attracted to two (or more) sexes or genders, not necessarily equally or simultaneously.

An identity label sometimes claimed by man-identified people who form their primary romantic and sexual relationships with other man-identified people.

FAAB or AFAB

Abbreviation for "female assigned at birth" or "assigned female at birth."

MAAB or AMAB

Abbreviation for "male assigned at birth" or "assigned male at birth."

Polyamorous

An identity label sometimes claimed by individuals that recognize their ability to be in multiple loving and honest sexual and/or romantic relationships at the same time.

Heteronormativity

The outright or underlying assumption that all people are heterosexual.

Cisnormativity

The outright or underlying assumption that all people are cisgender.

Romantic attraction

Aspect of an individual's identity that determines who they focus their romantic feelings and desires toward.

A person that actively combats homophobia, queerphobia, transphobia, heterosexism and cissexism in their day-to-day life.

To be openly identified as LGBTQ to certain people and in certain spaces. Outing someone without their consent is not only invasive, but also can put that individual in danger.

Term to describe an assumed duality. Usually in reference to the socially constructed gender binary of man/woman and sex binary of male/female.

Aggressive (ag)

An identity label claimed by some African-American and Latin@ masculine of center lesbians. Some use "stud" as a synonym.

Same gender loving (SGL)

A term sometimes used by Black women who love women and Black men who love men. Emerged in the 1990s to provide people in the African-American and Black communities an alternative way to discuss their identity, outside of white-centric terminology.

Abbreviation for "queer people of color" or "queer and trans people of color."

Masculine of center

Term coined by B. Cole of the Brown Boi Project to describe a queer or lesbian female assigned at birth person with a more masculine gender expression. Can be used as an umbrella term of sorts to include identities such as butch, stud, aggressive (ag), dom, mach@, boi, tomboi, transmasculine, etc.

Undocuqueer

Identity label claimed by some individuals in the United States who are both queer and undocumented to show that those two aspects of their identity are not only intersectional, but also inseparable.

A term originating from the African-American community to describe a man who usually identifies as heterosexual but also has sex with men, often secretly.

A person, often-but not always-a lesbian or queer-identified woman, that identifies strongly with "masculinity." Has been used historically in a derogatory manner.

A person, often-but not always-a lesbian or queer-identified woman, that identifies strongly with "femininity."

Transmasculine

A trans person whose gender expression is primarily "masculine." Often includes trans, transgender and/or transexual men.

Transfeminine

A trans person whose gender expression is primarily "feminine." Often includes trans, transgender and/or transexual women.
Some of these definitions draw upon those created by other LGBT Centers (Syracuse University, UC Berkeley, UCLA and Ohio University), The Brown Boi Project and trans-academics.org.

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Since terminology is so fluid and identity labels mean different things to different people, this list simply aims to serve as a resource and guide. By no means can every definition perfectly describe every individual's experience with an identity. Biological sex/assigned sex A medical label used to categorize people according to their chromosomes, hormones, genitalia and secondary sex characteristics (breasts, ...

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In many ways, it's a great time to be gay.

It's increasingly normal to see same-sex couples holding hands in public. We now celebrate marriage between two people of the same sex.

And yet, in the three months following the Brexit vote, homophobic attacks increased 147%. Across the Atlantic and there are also concerns. America's Vice President, Mike Pence opposed gay marriage and signed a bill making it legal for businesses to refuse gay and transgender customers on the grounds of religious freedom. LGBT people also face an increased risk of mental health problems.

There's a lot left to fight for.

Let's remember some of the extraordinary people who have battled for gay rights.

1. Karl Heinrich Ulrichs: The first gay person to publicly speak out for homosexual rights

Karl Heinrich Ulrichs was a civil servant in Germany until he was forced to resign in 1854 on account of his homosexuality.

He became an activist and published 12 volumes of work about sexuality, including what's believed to be the first theory about homosexuality. He argued that it is an, 'inborn condition' not a learned corruption, as was the prevailing wisdom at the time.

Ulrichs is thought to have been the first gay person to publicly speak out for homosexual rights. In 1867, he urged the German government to repeal anti-homosexuality laws, which firmly established himself as the pioneer of the gay rights movement.

Barbara Gittings was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1932, and moved to Philadelphia, USA at 18.

Legend has it she would hitch-hike to New York at the weekends dressed in male drag.

Gittings headed up the New York branch of the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) in the 1950s - the USA's first lesbian civil rights organisation.

In the 1970s, she was a prominent member of the American Psychiatric Association's fight to get homosexuality removed from the list of psychiatric disorders.

In 2006, The APA recognised her work by awarding her its first annual civil rights award.

Harvey Milk was born in New York in 1930, and became a prominent gay rights activist.

He found his voice in gay rights activism after moving to San Francisco in 1972.

In 1977, he became the first openly gay person elected to public office, winning a seat on the San Francisco City Council Board. He had previously run for the seat twice, unsuccessfully.

Milk was shot and killed in 1978 by Dan White, a fellow City Council board member.

Harvey Milk's life has been celebrated in a plethora of books and films, including the award-winning Milk (2008) starring Sean Penn.

Hirschfeld is believed to have coined the term 'transvestitism'.

He established the world's first gender identity clinic, whose clients included Einar Wegener (the protagonist of 2015's The Danish Girl, who transitioned to become Lili Elbe - one of the first people to undergo gender reassignment surgery).

Hirschfeld began researching sexuality after moving to Berlin in 1896, where he lived as an openly gay man, and campaigned for gay rights.

He was once described by Hitler as "the most dangerous Jew in Germany", and the entire library of his Institute for Sexual Science was burned by the Nazis.

Audre Lorde described herself as a 'black lesbian mother warrior poet'.

Born in New York in 1934, Lorde worked as a librarian for many years before she published her first volume of poetry, First Cities, in 1968.

Her work covered everything from civil rights (The Black Unicorn) and sexuality, to her own battle with breast cancer (A Burst of Light, for which Lorde received an American Book Award).

She inspired Barbara Smith to found Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press, the first U.S. publisher by, for, and about women of colour.

From 1991 until her death a year later, Lorde was the New York State Poet Laureate.

In 2001, the Audre Lorde Award was launched to honour works of lesbian poetry.

Bayard Rustin was a close advisor to Martin Luther King, and an openly gay activist.

He was a key organiser of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King gave his historic 'I have a dream' speech.

Walter Naegle, Rustin's partner for the last decade of his life, has said that he was "someone who was working to expand our democratic freedoms and increase our civil liberties and our individual freedoms".

In 1948, Rustin served time in prison for refusing to go to war. His prison records describe him as an "admitted homosexual" - one reason, perhaps, why Rustin hasn't received the same recognition as others in the civil rights movement.

Born George Jorgensen in the Bronx, New York, Jorgensen underwent a year and a half of hormone treatment and gender re-assignment surgery in 1952.

Christine stepped off an aeroplane wrapped in fur, following her surgery in Denmark.

The Danish doctor, Teit Ritzau, who knew Christine well has said "The young Jorgensen identified himself... as a woman who happened to be in a man's body."

Returning to New York, Jorgensen was pored over by the media and triggered national discussions about gender identity.

In 1952, she was crowned Woman of the Year by the Scandinavian Society in New York.

Jorgensen herself acknowledged how revolutionary her case was, saying, "we didn't start the sexual revolution, but I think we gave it a good kick in the pants!"

She died in 1989 of cancer.

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7 people who changed LGBT history - BBC Three

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In many ways, it's a great time to be gay. It's increasingly normal to see same-sex couples holding hands in public. We now celebrate marriage between two people of the same sex. And yet, in the three months following the Brexit vote, homophobic attacks increased 147%. Across the Atlantic and there are also concerns.