Happy LGBTQIA+ History Month 2026! LGBTQIA+ History Month is dedicated to championing diversity and equality of the queer community to the broader public, and to advocate for the rights and awareness of the community within our institution to the community.
This years theme is Find Your People, we want to embrace connection, community, reaching out and in doing so you hopefully find your people. It will continue the previous work by furthering how we can make and centre the LGBTQIA+ students in higher education to make them feel supported and thrive.
We live in a tense and challenging political climate that threatens LGBTQIA+ rights and spaces, from the Government targeting the rights and livelihoods of our trans community to the alarmingly increasing rates of anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes.
It is vital for Arts Students’ Union to ensure that UAL remains a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Arts Students’ Union is delighted to announce a range of events and opportunities. This includes a waacking dance workshop run by our dance society, a film showing ran by drama society, a popup stall at palentines for students to badgemake and sign up to the new lgbtqia+ society and to end it off a drag bingo queer night at darkroom bar. Find out more below
The history behind the history
LGBTQIA+ History Month is celebrated annually in the month of February in the United Kingdom. The first LGBTQIA+ History Month took place in 1994 in Missouri, and started in the United Kingdom in 2005 following the repeal of Section 28 two years prior. Not to be confused with Pride Month which is held annually in June, LGBTQIA+ History Month has a particular focus on visibility and awareness within the education system for LGBT+ people, something which was illegal under Section 28.
While it has been almost 20 years since the repeal of Section 28, the impact of this homophobic legislation is still felt today. As recent as 2003, children in schools would have been forbidden from learning or teaching LGBTQIA+ issues, and this stigma did not disappear overnight. And the current political climate is seeing trans people's livelihoods threatened more than ever. This is why it is so important to celebrate and to encourage visibility and awareness of LGBTQIA+ people and their experiences across all genders, sexualities, races, cultures, abilities and faiths.
Queer Liberation Society
This year we want to (re)establish the Queer Liberation Society for all at UAL. If you are keen to join, please register your interest below
UAL Queer Liberation Society
LGBTQIA+ History Month 2026 Programme