LGBTQ+ History Month 2021 events hosted by people in Bristol

2021’s LGBTQ+ History Month looks different to previous years. With queer community more important than ever, here is a list of online events taking place throughout the month hosted by organisations and individuals based in Bristol.

LGBT+ History Month Launch: “Mind, Body and Soul”, hosted by UWE Bristol
Monday, February 1
Free

Yassine T Senghor, formerly from Stonewall, Kaz Self from Trans Pride South West, Dr Miles Linton from Kiki Bristol and Tamsila Tauqir, a materials engineer technician, will launch UWE Bristol’s LGBT+ History Month with a panel on the national theme of mind, body and soul.

Focus on LGBTQ+ individuals, hosted by BCfm
Monday, February 1-Friday, February 26
Free

Community radio station BCfm will be releasing a minute-long audio or visual vignette on air and on its social media every weekday in February focusing on an LGBTQ+ individual.

LGBT History Quiz, hosted by UWE Bristol
Wednesday, February 3
£1

Held by the university’s LGBT+ society, it costs £1 to enter and the winner will receive a £15 UberEats voucher. The quiz will take place on Facebook and Discord.

Muslim views in queer relationships over time, hosted by M Shed
Thursday, February 4
Free, donations welcome

A talk hosted by M Shed in collaboration with LGBTQ+ charity Hidayah. Outreach volunteer at the charity for queer Muslims, Osman, will discuss LGBTQ+ Muslim art and poetry and reflect increasing visibility for this group.

From Abu Nuwas, a poet from Baghdad who wrote explicitly about gay love, to Rumi and Hafiz, Muslim poets from the 13th and 14th centuries, who wrote on themes including same-sex attraction and romance, this talk is a chance to discuss positive Muslim representation.

This event is held at a time when research shows that Muslim views on sexual diversity have become more conservative over the past century but challenging the culture’s heteronormativity through art is increasing.

Hidayah at 2019’s Bristol Pride. Photo: Jack Joseph

Sexuality, appearance and visual identities, hosted by UWE Bristol
Friday, February 5
Free

A talk from Dr Nikki Hayfield, who researches bisexualities, pansexualities, asexualities, and LGBTQ+/sexualities more widely, this talk held at 10am will discuss how identities are expressed through how queer people dress and appear.

Talk and discussion with members of the Bristol LGBT+ community, hosted by UWE Bristol
Saturday, February 6
Free 

Held on Facebook and Google Hangouts, expect a relaxed talk with members of the city’s LGBTQ+ from a host of background and identities.

Guests are still to be announced, but participants will have the chance to get involved and ask questions.

LGBT movie screening, hosted by UWE Bristol
Tuesday, February 9
Free

Join the LGBT+ Society for an LGBT movie screening, which is to be confirmed.

Michael Dillon – Trans pioneer, hosted by M Shed
Wednesday, February 10
Free, donations welcome

Focusing on the life of Michael Dillon, one of the first trans men to use testosterone and likely the first to have a bottom surgery, this talk will look at the lasting importance of this man’s life.

Most of Dillon’s treatment took place in Bristol. He received hormonal treatment at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. At the same hospital in 1942 he met a doctor who agreed to perform a mastectomy, completing his journey to fully transitioning.

Cheryl Morgan, co-chair of Outstories Bristol, will lead the talk.

‘We ask, what’s next for Queer Britain?’, hosted by the Human Rights Implementation Centre at the University of Bristol
Thursday, February 11
Free

Jonathan Cooper from Doughty Street Chambers, will delve into queer history and explore the human rights of being LGBTQ+ in this Zoom seminar.

Chaired by Dr Sandra Duffy, Jonathan will be joined by Cheryl Morgan and Dr Peter Dunne for a debate and discussion.

This event will look at equality, legal reform and what’s next for Queer Britain.

For 2021, celebrate queer history online. Photo: Nicky Ebbage

Dr Paul Baker talk on the history of Polari, hosted by UWE Bristol
Friday, February 12
Free

Celebrating Polari, the language of gay men, Polari was used to conduct conversations in secret up until the 1960s, operating as a form of bonding and humour.

Dr Paul Baker will look at the language’s history and its revival, with younger queer people using it in new ways.

Art Workshop, hosted by UWE Bristol 
Saturday, February 13
Free

Members of the LGBT+ Staff Networks from UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol will host a two-hour online art workshop, with all abilities welcome.

There will be an ice breaker and a warm-up exercise, then spend two hours will be spent making artwork on the theme of ‘My Personal LGBT+ History’, celebrating LGBTQ+ history.

Participants will be invited to add work made during the session to our online exhibition, which will be launched on Friday, February 26.

Queer Heartbreakers Ball, hosted by For Books’  Sake
Saturday, February 13
£5-£60

A celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month and spoken word, Jenny Foulds, Desree and Reece Lyons will join Bristol’s Bridget Hart and Paul Forster for a queer Valentine’s Day extravaganza.

Cipher Press will be joining to tell the audience about their #NewQueerVoices campaign and their will be open mic slots available.

“Don your ballgowns and tuxes, invite a digital long-distance date and break out the rainbow glitter,” say For Books’ Sake. “We honestly can’t wait to get the gang together online again and celebrate our brilliant community of unromantic queerdos, at the same time as raising some much-needed funds to see us through the next few months.”

Wasted Rainbow virtual launch, hosted by Caleb Parkin
Saturday, February 13
Free

Caleb Parkin, the current city poet, will be launching his debut pamphlet, Wasted Rainbow, with guest readers Keith Jarrett, Rowena Knight, Sonya Smith and Rachael Clyne. Queer poets can also sign up to perform in a two-minute-long open mic slots.

Caleb is the new city poet. Photo: Paul Samuel White

Byron and the Lion King, hosted by Christ’s LGBT+
Monday, February 15
Free

Hosted by one of Cambridge University’s colleges but featuring Bristol’s Cheryl Morgan, this hour-long discussion will look at plays, ancient texts and archaeology to see how sexuality and gender has morphed over time.

Queer Yoga, hosted by UWE Bristol
Tuesday, February 16
Free

Hosted by Emma from Shine Yoga, this event is all levels and will focus on breath, alignment and building physical and mental strength.

Nicola Griffith in conversation, hosted by M Shed
Tuesday, February 16
Free, donations welcome

Saint Hilda of Whitby is a key figure in the history of Christianity in early Britain and her historical novel, Hild, based on the early life of the saint, Nicola Griffith made the heroine bisexual.

The award-winning historical novelist will speak with Cheryl Morgan about the research underpinning the novel, and how contemporary society understands ideas of sexuality and gender in the ancient and early-medieval world.

Charlotte de Beaumont, Chevalière d’Eon: Being trans in the 18th century, hosted by Strawberry Hill House & Garden
Wednesday, February 17
£8 (free for members)

Strawberry Hill House & Garden in Twickenham is hosting a series of online talks which looks at the house’s occupants through an LGBTQ+ lens. Bristol’s Cheryl Morgan will look at Charlotte de Beaumont, Chevalière d’Eon, a diplomat, spy and calvary officer who spent her retirement in London.

Her gender has been to subject of much discourse since her death. Morgan will look at her legacy – from the Beaumont Society, Britain’s oldest support organisation for trans women and cross-dressers to becoming an anime star.

Queerness in football, hosted by Football V Homophobia
Wednesday, February 24
Free

Sharifa Whitney James hosted a panel discussion on being queer and playing football in Bristol.

She talks to Leilah King, an ex-semi pro, trainee coach, Sammy Walker, a  lifelong football fan and high-level player in the top tier of the women’s national league, Andi Davies, a member of Steps FC and Nerida Peirce, who runs open queer/trans friendly practice sessions.

Between them, the guests have played for Brighton & Hove Albion, Cardiff City, Keynsham and Bristol Academy, spoken for The Diversity Trust and written articles on LGBTQ+ issues and trans experiences.

The history of gender in sport, hosted by M Shed
Wednesday, February 24
Free, donations welcome

A panel discussion hosted towards the end of the month will look at the history of gender segregation in sport and what that means for intersex and transgender athletes in 2021.

LGBTQ+ History Month is a time to remember queer history. Photo: Brigstowe

Cheryl Morgan will chair the talk. She will be joined by Sonja Erikainen, whose research examine the relationships between gender, sport and science, with a focus on the rights of intersex, transgender and non-binary athletes in sports.

Football fan and a player in top tier of the women’s national league, Samantha Walker, will also join the discussion, alongside Noah Riseman, who has interviewed trans athletes for his research into the histories of race, gender and sexuality, and Verity Smith, a gay trans man and wheelchair rugby player.

Queer: LGBTQ+ Writing from Ancient Times to Yesterday, hosted by Bristol Libraries
Thursday, February 25
Free

Translator, writer and editor Frank Wynne will be discussing his new book, Queer: LGBTQ Writing from Ancient Times to Yesterday, in an LGBTQ+ History Month event hosted by Bristol Libraries.

In conversation with Cheryl Morgan, Frank Wynne will talk about the 80 works on queer love from across time by LGBTQ+ authors that are included in the book.

Trans people in Celtic Britain, hosted by Aberration Cymru
Friday, February 26
Free

Cheryl Morgan will chat about gender diversity in early Britain as part of Aberration Cymru’s celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post film screening, hosted by UWE Bristol
Friday, February 26
Free

UWE Bristol LGBT+ Staff Network and University of Bristol LGBT+ Staff Network will host this film screening via Teleparty.

ShakesQueer, hosted by Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Saturday, February 27
Free

In a brand new show, Bristol theatre maker Tom Marshman will tell the LGBTQ+ stories surrounding the famous playwright Shakespeare.

Have we missed any events? Let us know by emailing lowie@bristol247.com.

Main photo of a Sisters of the Blue Moon member: Jack Joseph

Read more: Connecting queers in Bristol and beyond