In a meagre ten years since same-sex marriage has been recognised within UK law, the concentrated history of queer movements has been celebrated with shifts to an accepting cultural discourse. Yet this history by far exceeds the mass change and activism which has occurred across British history for the last ten years, and February acts as a necessary period of reflection, remembrance and rejoicing for the efforts of past figures and movements throughout history who fought passionately and painfully for the recognition which they may never have experienced. ItÔÇÖs contingent to look forward at the actions which need to occur to challenge contemporary resistance to queer acceptance across the world, but to first do so we have to carry on the momentum of past waves of history. So what better way to remember the vibrance and beauty of past trailblazers than to take a whistle-stop tour of a handful of the past key events and leaders of the LGBTQIA+ community?
Across England and Wales today, Stonewall reports that over 1.5 million people identify themselves in the LGBTQIA+ community – the first time sexuality has been recorded in the census in over 200 years. This is a groundbreaking step from 1988, where Section 28 aimed to target, discriminate and invalidate the identity of people in the queer community by banning schools and local authorities from ÔÇÿpromoting homosexualityÔÇÖ. Isolating people from finding their own communities to feel supported and celebrated within projects a heteronormative falsehood of love, sex and relationships, and enshrouded an accepting, passionate and welcoming queer community with legal and cultural villainy. During a bleak period that silenced the symphonic potential of a whole generation, it was vital organisations like Stonewall, Pink Paper and Gay Times who articulated alternative and inclusive voices to offset the prejudice bred within schools and political fields.
The Welsh queer scene has acted as a long-standing pillar of innovation, with the Welsh language fusing with the genre-defining actions of queer people across the creative and political industries. From Russell T Davies eternalising and voicing the remembrance of figures lost in the battle for recognition in his writing of ItÔÇÖs A Sin and Queer As Folk, to drag queen Tayce leading new audiences into an enlightening environment of gender fluidity, expression and non-conformity to past expectations. At the very least, any viewer of the movie Pride will remember the role rural Welsh communities had in queer protests during the 1980s and the symbolism of the Lesbians and Gays Support The Miners (LGSM) movement (a compulsory watch for any student studying in Wales, I would argue).
In many fields, phenomenal progress has been made in global efforts and advocacy of recognising the rights of queer people as human rights. Schools are teaching students the importance of LGBTQIA+ history month, dedicated government action is being made to fully recognise the gender and sexuality of the constituents who they represent, and Cardiff UniversityÔÇÖs own StudentsÔÇÖ Union is hosting its own events to celebrate the deep, nuanced history of the month. The increased ability for people to safely express their sexuality and have confidence in their identity being visible is a testament to the success of a wide breadth of trailblazers, from national leaders to local groups, trying to instigate positive change. Yet the optimistic outlook of queer history and pride month celebrations is mutually exclusive with recognising the necessary changes which still need to be made today, from university cultures and beyond.
Yes – the 20-year anniversary of the repeal of Section 28 this year should be recognised and remembered as a culturally defining moment in British history! Without the essential resistance of queer communities and advocates demanding urgent change and protection, a whole wave of British citizens would be starved of the cultural excellence and beauty found in queer communities. But anti-queer rhetoric remains embedded in legal infrastructures and mundane discourse: itÔÇÖs as implicit as differential treatment and as explicit as a slur grotesquely overheard at the pub. Participating in pride events can be a glamorous, technicolour ode to share support for past and present queer communities, which enriches the art and culture interwoven across the UK, but when you next celebrate during pride month in June take some time to learn more about what still needs to be done to support people within queer communities. After all, without looking back at LGBTQIA+ icons during queer history month, how can we effectively take a step forward and honourably continue their legacy?
Words by Alanya Smith
