LGBT+ History Month 2025 – Reflecting on Activism and Social Change
Thursday 6th February 2025
February is LGBT+ History Month. To commemorate, Marketing Officer Ben reflected on this year's theme and the legacy of LGBT+ communities.
LGBT+ History Month is a UK-specific month of observation when we can all look back and reflect on the progress we’ve made as a country for LGBT+ people.
This year’s theme is Activism and Social Change; a reminder that many rights we may take for granted were hard won through resilience and collective action, driven by those who refused to accept injustice.
It was not that long ago that colleges would not have been able to discuss LGBTQ+ topics because of the introduction of Section 28, a law passed in 1988 that prohibited local authorities and schools from "promoting" homosexuality. The wording was vague, but the impact was clear. Many educators felt unable to support LGBTQ+ students, and positive representation all but disappeared from education.
This left young people without the guidance or reassurance that they were not alone. Activism played a vital role in challenging Section 28, with campaigners, educators, and students speaking out against its effects, regardless of if they identified as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
The legacy of movements against Section 28 reminds us that standing up for fairness and representation can lead to meaningful change, which we represent throughout our community through our shared FREDIE values. When we use our voices together, we have the power to make positive and permanent change.
Now, 22 years on from the repealing of Section 28 in 2003, Loughborough College is able to provide LGBTQ+ students with specific and tailored support via services such as those from Lisa Vine who offers 1-to-1 sessions either in person or online via Teams. You can find out more about accessing these sessions and other in-College support by contacting Learner Welfare.
To find out more about Section 28 you can watch this short explainer video from BBC Newsnight, and find more resources from the LGBT+ History Month site.
Our friends at Loughborough University are offering a range of public exhibitions, events and lectures commemorating the month including:
- Queer: Then & Now - an exhibition exploring changing narratives and conversations within the LGBT+ community
- Leicestershire LGBTQ+ Centre: A History Of Queer Activism - the remarkable history of queer activism in Leicester
- LGBT Comic Book History Month - a lecture exploring 100 years of LGBT themes in comic books.
See the full programme on the Loughborough University website.
