LGBT History Month 2018 plans unveiled

An exciting array of events are lined up in this February, courtesy of LGBT history charity OutStories, M Shed, and Bristol Pride.

The varied programme, taking place on February 10, will include notable guest speakers Jonathan Cooper OBE, a human rights specialist, and Dr Justin Bengry, a lecturer in queer history.

Also on Feb 10, Bristol Pride return with Queer Vision (in collaboration with Watershed) to screen a preview of A Fantastic Woman. Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2018 Academy Awards, the Chilean film tells the story of Marina (Daniela Vega) a transgender woman struggling with grief after the death of her lover.

The film directed by Sebastián Lelio has been critically acclaimed for its portrayal of a trans woman.

This year, the M Shed team are partnering with Historic England who will be showcasing a brand new digital resource. The Pride of Place campaign was launched at the end of 2017, and their LGBTQ heritage map has recently debuted. The map has thousands of stories pinned across the country courtesy of LGBT historians, with around 45 histories pinned in Bristol city centre alone.

Keynote speaker Dr Justin Bengry delivers a thought-provoking talk on the relationship between homosexuality and capitalism. It’s an interesting theory – and considering homosexuality was illegal until 51 years ago – Bengry will discusses the power of the Pink Pound, which stretches back further than anyone could imagine.

The day’s events will also address the present day and reflect upon the place of LGBT+ equality in a world where millions are enshrining LGB rights in popular referendums. Ireland and Australia are just two countries that have seen people come together to vote for marriage equality but, as Jonathan Cooper OBE reflects, Slovenia and Slovakia have recently curtailed LGBT rights in popular referendums. His talk will consider the most effective way to secure rights in a world where the tone of the debate can shift suddenly.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, Dr Jana Funke will uncover the role of lesbian and bisexual suffragists and suffragettes in the campaign.

What’s more, M Shed are launching a new audio tour by local performance artist, Tom Marshman. The tour, which will be a permanent feature at M Shed, features recovered stories from LGBT people collected over many years.

“The stories have sprung from my work,” Tom explains. “I perform a lot of verbatim theatre and over the years the stories have mounted up – I wanted to do something meaningful with them. They are tales of jeopardy, injustice, celebration and indulgence!”

Listen to a teaser trailer of Tom Marshman’s new audio tour ‘Move Over Darling’ below:

Together with sound artist Rowan Evans, the stories have been captured and play from audio devices contained in match boxes. “The idea to put them there came from one of the stories about a man who met his life partner when he ran out of matches and asked a stranger for a light,” Tom beams.

It’ll be a refreshing way to consider our past, Tom says: “It will add a new queer reading to many of the objects that are part of the collection that visitors have become familiar with. When listeners sit on the double decker bus, they can hear a story about forbidden love on the top deck.”

One of the day’s more lively talks will look at the fabled Amazonians. Cheryl Morgan investigates the truth of the all-female society on the Greek island and finds a story far more interesting than anything Hollywood imagines.

Darryl Bullock’s book was featured in Bristol24/7 in September 2017

Bristol author Darryl Bullock will also attend to talk about his groundbreaking and critically acclaimed book, David Bowie Made Me Gay, and the journey the research and interviews took him on.

Read more: Nature? Nurture? No; David Bowie Made Me Gay

All our LGBT History Month coverage is sponsored by Barcan & Kirby