Culture

LGBT History Month

The LGBT History Month was initiated by Schools Out in February 2005. Schools Out is a campaigning organisation of LGBT people involved in education. They took their inspiration partly from the US, where LGBT History Month has been celebrated since 1994. The achievements of the diverse LGB community will be celebrated each year during this month, just as the achievements of black community are celebrated annually in October, during Black History Month.

For more information visit the LGBT History Month website.

Famous people

Many people are surprised to learn that people they are familiar with and may regard as heroes or leaders are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people. However, their personal lives, which often shape their professional work, have often been ignored or hidden in history.

For more information on famous LGBT people visit the LBGT History Month People web page.

Symbols

There are a variety of symbols to represent the pride, solidarity and struggle against oppression, discrimination and persecution of LGBT people. Listed below, are common ones that are widely used.

Bi Pride Flag

This is a 3 colour flag introduced in 1998 by Michael Page. The Three colours, symbolise attraction to the same sex (red), opposite sex (blue) and both sexes (purple/lavender) respectively.

Pink Triangle

This symbol represents the rights and the continuing struggle against oppression and persecution. The symbol was first used by the Nazis to identify gay men. Gay men were one of the groups sent for extermination during the Nazi era.

Today the Pink symbol represents pride, solidarity and a determination not to allow another holocaust to happen.

Rainbow Flag

Designed by the Gilbert Baker (American) as a community symbol. The flag was first used on the San Francisco Gay Freedom Parade in 1978. The colours of the flag symbolises different aspects of the community -

red for life;
orange for healing;
yellow for sun;
green for nature;
blue for art;
indigo for harmony;
violet for spirit, and
pink for sexuality.

When the flag was mass produced the colours were reduced to six stripes - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet.

Page updated: 15 Jun 2010