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Equality activities and events

LGBTQ+ History Month

LGBTQ+ month logo

Each February it's LGBTQ+ History Month. This year the theme is 'Medicine - Under the Scope' which looks at the contributions LGBTQ+ people have made to the medical field. TouchCare has a wonderful list of 5 historical LGBTQ+ people in healthcare you should know.

Events:

The LGBTQ+ History Month website has a full list of events this month, including authors in conversation at Anglia Ruskin, plus discussions of queer desire in fiction at Cambridge Waterstones.

Books:

Adam Kay's books are memoirs about his time working in the NHS. He is now an author, TV writer, and performer. His first book, This is Going to Hurt, was also adapted into a BBC miniseries.

Who is Wellness For? by Fariha Róisín examines the idea of 'wellness' and how it's become a luxury good, ignoring anything that doesn't fit into a neat little box - including different cultures and sexualities.

Juno Dawson is a well-known trans author who has written many books but Mind Your Head deals explicitly with mental health for teens, including personal stories from teens who don't often find themselves represented in the mainstream.

TV

Pose is set in the late 80s in the New York ballroom scene. It deals with the AIDs epidemic, the importance of chosen family, and specifically at African-American and Latino queer culture.

It's a Sin is a drama looking at the AIDs pandemic from a UK lens, as we follow several housemates through their lives in the 80s. Writer Russell T. Davies said "I wasn’t at the heart of the hurricane, but I did lose lovely people." The series doesn't shy away from loss.

Grey's Anatomy, the long-running American medical drama, has in recent years explored LGBTQ+ culture through its characters. Non-binary and trans identities are represented in the staff at Seattle Grace. Plus, with season 20 about to start, there's plenty of episodes to watch!

Call the Midwife is well-known as a cosy BBC drama, but doesn't flinch at depicting the realities of life in the 60s. From season 4 onwards, two main characters enter an LGBTQ+ relationship at a time this was not widely accepted. Happily, their story doesn't have a sad ending.

Disabled History Month

The UK Disability History Month logo - a yellow circle inside a black triangle

November 16 - December 16 is Disability History Month. This year the theme is 'Disability, Children and Youth'. Their aim is to ensure no disabled child, or children with long-term health conditions, ever feels excluded because of their health.

With the advent of the internet and social media, young disability advocates have been using their networks to show people what their conditions look like and how they are affected by them. Lucy Dawson, who became disabled after her encephalitis was not treated properly, regularly makes videos where she brings viewers along for the ride.

Others use video to educate their followers. Lucy Edwards, who is blind, earned 11 million views showing people how she poured boiling water safely.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month

June is Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) History Month. Every year, we celebrate this month to tackle prejudice, celebrate the achievements of, and amplify the voices of GRT people.

This year's theme is Weaving Journeys, looking at patterns of travel for GRT people, both in distance and time. 2022 saw some significant legislation change, where the definition of a 'traveller' in planning documents was adjusted so GRT people who could not travel due to age or ill health could still be recognised as travellers.

Read more with Friends, Families and Travellers' Digital Engagement Pack.

Pride

Pride month is celebrated every June with parades, festivals and events. It's a visible and joyful occasion aimed at bringing LGBTQ+ people and allies together to have a great time and raise awareness of issues facing the community. This is especially important during times where LGBTQ+ rights are being scrutinised or debated, and hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people are on the rise.

Cambridge Pride happened on Saturday 17 June at Jesus Green.

Black History Month

Please see our dedicated Black History Month website page for details of Black History Month activities and events.

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