LGBTQ+ History Month 2023
February marks the start of LGBTQ+ History Month, a month-long celebration of the history of the beautiful and diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.
It is a time to celebrate and reflect on the importance of civil rights movements in progressing gay rights, and over the years has evolved into a national collaborative effort to bring extraordinary figures from the LGBTQ+ community into the spotlight.
The theme this year is ‘behind the lens‘ which celebrated the contribution of LGBT+ people to cinema and film from behind the camera. The celebrations take place every February and mark the contribution that LGBT+ people have made to society and their communities over the years.
List of films that fit this year’s theme ‘Behind the lens’
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Feature film adaptation of a musical about a teenager from Sheffield, England who aspires to become a drag queen.
Moonlight
The story of Moonlight tracks a young African-American man named Chiron as he contends with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and expanding into becoming adult. The film won an Oscar for best picture, along with a plethora of other merited awards.
Strike a Pose
In 1990, seven young male dancers – six gay, one heterosexual – joined Madonna on her most controversial tour. On stage and in the iconic film Truth or Dare they showed the world how to express yourself. Later, they reveal the truth about life during and after the tour. Strike a Pose is a tale about overcoming shame and finding the courage to be who you are.
All About My Mother
Pedro Almodóvar’s comic melodramas are filled to the brim with delightfully absurd characters, and his Oscar-winning All About My Mother offers some of the best. After the death of her son, Manuela seeks to find his father—who now goes by the name of Lola.
Call Me by Your Name
Nominated for three Golden Globes, two BAFTAs and two Academy Awards (including Best Actor and Best Picture), Timothée Chalamet is Elio, a teenager living in Italy while Armie Hammer plays Oliver, an older student who stays with Elio’s family while working as the teen’s father’s temporary assistant.
My Beautiful Launderette
A Pakistani Brit and his former lover, who has become a fascist street punk, reunite and run a family laundromat. The characters deal with the materialism and the anti-immigrant furore of Thatcher’s England.
The NHS Rainbow Badge
The NHS Rainbow Badge initiative gives staff a way to show that Barnsley Hospital offers open, non-judgemental and inclusive care for children, young people and their families, who identify as LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender). The + simply means that we are inclusive of all identities, regardless of how people define themselves.
Originally growing from a conversation and shared experiences between colleagues, the initiative aims to make a positive difference by promoting a message of inclusion. Barnsley Hospital was among the first trusts in the country to sign up for the Rainbow Badge initiative in LGBTQ+ History Month back in 2019.
Got a question about the project or would you like to order a NHS Rainbow Badge? Get in touch with our Equality and Diversity Lead.