LGBT History Project in the press

This page records the media articles that have been published about this site: The LGBT History Project.

CHE Annual report
CHE (the Campaign for Homosexual Equality) had an article about this project in its Annual Report for 2011–11 (page 16).

See http://www.c-h-e.org.uk/pdfs/che_annualreport2011-12.pdf

Gay Star News
31 January 2012

LGBT History Month founder excited for 2012 event

Sue Sanders, founder of British LGBT History Month is eagerly anticipating the launch of the eighth annual event.

Speaking to Gay Star News, Sanders said: 'I am so excited and proud of our community.

'We have grabbed a space, a concept and populated it with such a myriad of ideas that demonstrate the diversity of our community.

The success of the yearly event wouldn't be possible without the dedicated help of others Sanders explains: 'The tiny group of volunteers that make sure the website is up to date, gets the bulletin out, maintains the Facebook page and updates the status of the month and ensures the calendar works can now recognise that once again our community has answered the call to claim our history, celebrate our present and create our future.

Held in numerous venues across the UK, the event will have something for everybody.

'The LGBT History Month calendar offers a wide variety of events all-round the country from theatres, museums, local authorities, schools, colleges universities, libraries, cinemas, unions on the radio and of course LGBT organisations.

'You can learn about the Romans, hate crime, homophobia in schools, heath issues, queer activism, Victorian cross dresses, Alan Turing, about how to adopt, LGBT heroes in the second world war, gender identity issues, Harvey Milk, gay and lesbian marriage in Georgian England and Marlene Dietrich.

'Go on guided walks, attend a church service to celebrate the month, meet the Cardiff Dragons football team and watch rugby with Bristol Bisons and the Spartans.

'Be entertained by singers, dancers, poets, comedians, cabaret artists, remember members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community who have been murdered, hear the London gay symphony orchestra, listen to myths and stories, take a walk in a cemetery and discover the graves of lesbians and cross dressers.'

If you do attend any of the LGBT History Month events this year, Sanders wants to hear from you!

'Please do let us know if you go to an event what you thought of it and what your plans are for next year.

'I hope to see you at some of the events – enjoy!'

For the second year running, LGBT History Month is celebrating sport in all its diversity with the theme 'tackling homophobia and transphobia in the world of sport'. Next year's theme has been confirmed as maths and science with music following in 2014.

A new wikimedia website, LGBT History Project, was launched last year at the History Month prelaunch event at the Oval Cricket Ground in South London while a timeline of sporting achievements by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people was launched by champion powerlifter and Gay Games Ambassador Chris Morgan.

Sanders will be speaking at the opening of the Queer Question Time event alongside Cabinet Member for Equalities and Community Engagement Abdul Mohamed on 1 February at Glaziers Hall.

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/lgbt-history-month-founder-excited-2012-event

Gay Star News
27 January 2012

British LGBT sporting achievements immortalised in timeline

Gay Games Ambassador and champion powerlifter Chris Morgan has launched a Timeline of LGBT Sport for LGBT History Month 2012.

The six time British champion and six time Gay Games gold medalist in powerlifiting has compiled a comprehensive timeline of the achievements of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender sportspeople in Britain dating from 1976 to present day.

The timeline, designed by Jonathan Harbourne, covers everything from the Goslings Swimming Club being founded in 1976 through to the formation of the Gay Football Supporters Network in 1989 as well as the first UK Gay Sports Festival in 2000 and the coming out of renowned sports personalities such as cricketer Steven Davies and rugby star Ben Cohen.

Chris Morgan told Gay Star News: 'The timeline is a good way to show people how far we've come in the sports community.'

The timeline acts as an educational resource and can also be updated by members of the public, making it a living document of LGBT sporting achievements.

Looking back on the achievements of LGBT sport over the decades, Morgan continues: 'In the year 2000 a lot of gay sports clubs came together for the first UK Gay Sports Festival, it really helped to push gay sport to a new level. Quite a few people have come out since then, the backdrop for UK sport has changed quite a lot in recent years.'

'One of the most defining moments was when leading gay sportspeople were invited to Downing Street where they launched UK charter against homophobia and transphobia in sport.'

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/british-lgbt-sporting-achievements-immortalised-timeline

Bent Magazine
2 December 2011

LGBT History Project launch

The LGBT History Project has launched a new wikimedia web site that is devoted to British LGB & Trans history.…

http://mag.bent.com/2011/12/lgbt-history-project-launch/

Gay Star News
23 November 2011

New gay history wiki wants your memories

LGBT History Project launches wikimedia memory site

By Tris Reid-Smith

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/new-gay-history-wiki-wants-your-memories

DIVA Magazine
29 November 2011

LGBT HISTORY PROJECT LAUNCHES AT LONDON’S OVAL

The LGBT History Project was launched at London's Kia Oval Cricket Ground, yesterday.

Peter Lloyd

Using Wikipedia's own software,users were invited to log on and enter stories, memories and knowledge of British LGB&T life. Suggested topics include arts, sport, business, health, press, people and pubs and clubs. This new site has already attracted entries about crime, politics and legislation, as well as one contributor specialising in bisexual culture, and another in South London's gay groups. The site aims to records social memories of our day, the nations changing attitudes to same-same relationships and notable people in history that LGB and Trans people can draw upon as role models.

One fascinating article is about "The Ladies of Llangollen", two noble women who lived together as a married couple and dressed as men in 1780s Wales. They became so famous they were visited by the Duke of Welling, Josiah Wedgwood, William Wordsworth, Shelly, Byron and Walter Scott to name but a few. They were also painted by famous artists of their day. One portrait hangs in the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff and their house in Plas Newydd is open to the public.

The site is looking for people from all over the country to record what they remember and know of their experience. Founder, Jonathan Harbourne said "it's great that attitudes towards homosexuality are becoming more acceptable in many places in Britain. In another 10 or 20 years, I don't want people to forget the struggle and the fight that won us our equalities and freedoms. But I don't want it to be all doom-and-gloom either - as a perceived minority we not only stood out against injustice, but often shone out, we often led the way in music and clubs, we celebrated our differences with the word 'Pride' becoming synonymous with being LGB&T, and we stuck together during the health crisis we faced raising millions of pounds. "This makes our culture creative, generous and supportive. My aim is that this site becomes an history "time capsule", a resource to people and academics in years to come." Open days at libraries and academic institutions are being planned for LGBT History Month, February 2012. These interactive workshops will introduce people to doing research and examining 'primary sources', and how to write articles for the wiki. People are also encouraged to record their coming out stories - the reactions of friends and families. The new wikimedia web site is devoted to British LGB & Trans history: www.LGBThistoryUK.org

Click the link to see the full article http://www.divamag.co.uk/category/news/lgbt-history-project-launches-at-london's-oval-(1).aspx

Gay Games Blog
26 November 2011

Sports connection for UK LGBT History Project wiki

Click the link to see the full article http://gaygamesblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/sports-connection-for-uk-lgbt-history.html

Queer UK
26 November 2011

The LGBT History Project was launched yesterday at the prelaunch event for LGBT History Month at the Kia Oval Cricket Ground. The new wikimedia web site is devoted to British LGB & Trans history: www.LGBThistoryUK.org

Using Wikipedia's own software, everyone is invited to log on and enter stories, memories and knowledge of British LGB&T life. Suggested topics include arts, sport, business, health, press, people and pubs and clubs. This new site has already attracted entries about crime, politics and legislation, as well as one contributor specialising in bisexual culture, and another in South London's gay groups. The site aims to records social memories of our day, the nations changing attitudes to same-same relationships and notable people in history that LGB and Trans people can draw upon as role models.

One fascinating article is about "The Ladies of Llangollen", two noblewomen who lived together as a married couple and dressed as men in 1780s Wales. They became so famous they were visited by the Duke of Wellington, Josiah Wedgwood, William Wordsworth, Shelly, Byron and Walter Scott to name but a few. They were also painted by famous artists of their day. One portrait hangs in the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff and their house in Plas Newydd is open to the public.

The site is looking for people from all over the country to record what they remember and know of their experience. Founder, Jonathan Harbourne said "it's great that attitudes towards homosexuality are becoming more acceptable in many places in Britain. In another 10 or 20 years, I don't want people to forget the struggle and the fight that won us our equalities and freedoms. But I don't want it to be all doom-and-gloom either – as a perceived minority we not only stood out against injustice, but often shone out, we often led the way in music and clubs, we celebrated our differences with the word 'Pride' becoming synonymous with being LGB&T, and we stuck together during the health crisis we faced raising millions of pounds. This makes our culture creative, generous and supportive. My aim is that this site becomes an history "time capsule", a resource to people and academics in years to come."

"If you've never edited or created pages on Wikipedia, this is an excellent opportunity to experiment, with a more liberal approach than the strict Wikipedia guidelines."

Open days at libraries and academic institutions are being planned for LGBT History Month, February 2012. These interactive workshops will introduce people to doing research and examining 'primary sources', and how to write articles for the wiki. People are also encouraged to record their coming out stories – the reactions of friends and families.

It's easy to start contributing, join by logging on, then search for a subject, if the subject doesn't exist, a link invites you to create the page. Use the correct spelling and upper-and-lower case letters when searching, because this may become the title of the official page.

Jonathan has been the founder of several projects and groups, including The London Raider's softball club (the largest softball club in the world), London Gay Bikers, a 250-strong motorcycle club ("London Gay Bikers" on Facebook), and he now chairs the bid for London to host the Gay Games/OutGames in 2018.

Click the link to see the full article http://www.queeruk.net/news/community/lgbt-history-project-launch

Gscene
7 July 2013

The UK LGBT History Project was launched two years ago last month. In that time its online encyclopaedia has expanded to include over 1700 articles, documenting the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people in the UK from Julius Caesar to the present day.

It was founded by Jonathan Harbourne in conjunction with London 2018, the bid to bring the 2018 Gay Games to London. Another main contributor has been Ross Burgess, Executive Committee member of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality.

The Project is based on the same software as Wikipedia, and uses a similar approach, except that it focuses exclusively on LGBT life in the UK, and includes articles on a very large number of subjects that would never be considered ‘notable’ enough for inclusion in Wikipedia, for instance the many gay and lesbian groups around the country that have flourished for a while and then disappeared. There’s an article for every county, city, and large town in the United Kingdom, plus an increasing number of smaller towns and local government districts.

Click the link to see the full article http://gscene.com/uk-lgbt-history-project/