Activating LGBT+: An Online Symposium for LGBT+ History Month

deadline for submissions: 
January 31, 2025
full name / name of organization: 
Canterbury Christ Church University

A popular t-shirt claims the first Pride was a riot.

During a police raid on the Stonewall Inn on 28 June 1969, some customers fought back. Resistance continued for several nights. Whilst this may have inspired the first Pride march, it was not the first LGBT+ protest.

 

Since the framing of the Buggery Act in England in 1533, LGBT+ communities have faced many forms of criminalisation and oppression by religious and secular institutions. Whilst LGBT+ people met in secret, there is a long history of resistance and campaigning, including the Mattachine Society, Daughters of Bilitis, the Homosexual Law Reform Society, the Campaign for Homosexual Equality, SHAFT, Transgender Nation, ACT-UP and Stonewall. Trans communities, in particular, have faced down prejudice from a number of directions.

 

Even after the partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality in the UK (1967) and the USA (1962-2003), campaigners fought for equalisation of ages of consent, marriage rights, childcare rights, gender identity, blood donation, and health care, among other issues. It could be argued that the communities were created thanks to that activism. Meanwhile, LGBT+ activity is still illegal in some parts of the world.

 

In our symposium, we want to examine activist moments and movements, from letter campaigns to direct action, from quilting to outing, from gardening to punk. There has been common and intersectional causes found with other Civil Rights movements. There has been support with and from trade unions, such as the National Union of Coal Miners and the University and College Union. But there have been divisions within the communities as well.

 

We are looking for twenty minute papers, aimed at a general audience, that address any aspect of social activism connected to LGBT+ history.

 

Please send an abstract of 300 words and a biography of 100 words to andrew.butler@canterbury.ac.uk by 31 January 2025. For further information see https://canterburyccq.wordpress.com/2024/12/13/activating/.