LGBT History Project Presentations
| Would you like Jonathan Harbourne to speak to your organisation, workplace group, or community about the LGBT History Project? See How to request a talk below, or email [[1]]. Talks are free of charge and available online or in person. |
The LGBT History Project is available to give talks to organisations, workplace networks, community groups, universities, schools, and cultural institutions. Talks are an opportunity to hear about the project, discover what is already documented on the wiki, and find out how your organisation – or the people in it – can get involved as editors or collaborators.
Talks are free of charge. We ask only that you share details of the project with your audience afterwards.
What a talk involves
A typical talk runs for 20–45 minutes followed by questions. The length and format are flexible and can be agreed in advance. Talks are available:
- Online (Zoom, Teams, or your preferred platform)
- In person in London, or elsewhere by arrangement
Talks work well as:
- A lunchtime event or staff briefing
- An after-work session for an employee network or community group
- A guest slot at a conference, away day, or AGM
- Part of an academic module or lecture programme
- A school or college history session (see below)
Who we have spoken to
We are building a programme of talks to a wide range of organisations. Groups we are keen to reach include:
- LGBTQ+ organisations – Stonewall, LGBT Foundation, Opening Doors London, regional Pride networks and community centres
- Workplace LGBT+ networks – Interbank LGBT, Capgemini Pride, BNY Mellon LGBTQ+ network, and equivalents across law, media, and technology
- Universities and colleges – history departments, LGBTQ+ research centres, student unions and societies
- Archives, libraries and museums – institutions with collections relevant to LGBT history
- Schools – for age-appropriate sessions on local and national LGBT history (subject to a safeguarding framework; see below)
- Diversity Role Models – a key partner for school-based work; their safeguarding framework and school relationships make them an ideal route into under-18 audiences
If your organisation has already hosted a talk, you are listed in the Organisations we have visited section below.
Topics available
Talks can be tailored to your audience and their interests. Available topics include:
The LGBT History Project: an overview
An introduction to lgbthistoryuk.org – what it is, how it works, what it covers, how it is used, and why it matters. Suitable for any audience with no prior knowledge of the project.
Suitable for: all groups. Length: 20–30 minutes.
LGBT history in the UK: highlights from the wiki
A tour through some of the most significant and surprising material in the archive – people, places, campaigns, and stories that shaped LGBT life in Britain. Can be tailored to a specific theme (sport, politics, arts, medicine, law) or a specific region.
Suitable for: general audiences, community groups, workplace networks. Length: 30–45 minutes.
How to contribute: becoming an editor
A practical introduction to wiki editing, aimed at people who want to get involved. Covers what the project looks for, how to apply for an account, and how to write and edit articles. Can be combined with the overview talk.
Suitable for: groups where you expect participants to want to contribute. Length: 20–30 minutes.
LGBT history for schools and colleges
An age-appropriate session on LGBT history in the UK, linked to curriculum themes in history, citizenship, and PSHE. Content is adapted to the year group and focus area requested.
The LGBT History Project is working in partnership with Diversity Role Models for all school-based work. Diversity Role Models specialise in delivering LGBTQ+ inclusion workshops in schools across the UK and provide the safeguarding framework, school relationships and trained facilitators that make this work possible. School sessions will typically be delivered jointly, combining their facilitation expertise with the project's historical content.
Suitable for: secondary schools (Key Stage 3 and above) and further education colleges. Length: 45–60 minutes.
| Schools and under-18s: All school sessions are delivered in partnership with Diversity Role Models and subject to their safeguarding framework. Please mention in your request if the audience will include under-18s and we will connect you with the Diversity Role Models team. |
Collaborating with the LGBT History Project
A session for institutions – archives, libraries, museums, universities – interested in a formal collaboration: contributing content, linking collections, or supporting the editing community. Includes a discussion of what a partnership might look like in practice.
Suitable for: cultural and academic institutions. Length: 30–45 minutes.
How to request a talk
To request a talk, email [[2]] with the following information:
- Your name and organisation
- Type of group – e.g. staff network, student society, community group, school class
- Approximate number of attendees
- Preferred topic (or say if you would like advice on which topic suits your group)
- Preferred format – online or in person
- Preferred date(s) or time of year – or if you are flexible, say so
- Any particular interests or themes you would like the talk to focus on
- Whether the audience includes under-18s
We will aim to respond within five working days. Where demand is high, we will prioritise groups that have not been reached before and audiences outside London.
What happens next
Once a date is agreed, we will send you:
- A short description of the talk for you to share with your audience in advance
- A poster or social media graphic (on request)
- Joining details or travel arrangements as appropriate
- After the talk: a follow-up email with links to the wiki and information on how attendees can get involved
After the talk
We ask organisations to:
- Share the wiki address (lgbthistoryuk.org) with attendees after the event
- Encourage anyone interested in editing to apply for an account via Become an Editor
- Tag us on social media if you post about the talk (links on the Social Media page)
If your organisation would like to go further – for example by becoming a formal partner or by supporting the project in other ways – please mention this in your follow-up email.
Organisations we have visited
This section will be updated as the talks programme develops.
| Organisation | Type | Date | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| (first talk to be confirmed) |
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a fee?
- No. Talks are free of charge. We do not charge for travel within London; for in-person talks outside London, we may ask for travel costs to be covered.
- Can we record the talk?
- Please ask in advance. We are happy for talks to be recorded for internal use. Public posting of recordings needs prior agreement.
- Can you speak at an in-person event outside London?
- Yes, by arrangement. Please mention this when you get in touch and we will discuss what is possible.
- We are a small group – is a talk still appropriate?
- Absolutely. We are as happy to talk to a group of five as a group of five hundred.
- Can the talk be combined with an editing workshop?
- Yes. For groups where participants want to get hands-on with the wiki, we can arrange a combined talk and editing session. This typically needs 90 minutes and participants will need a device with internet access.
- Our organisation works with schools. Can you come into a school?
- Yes, subject to safeguarding arrangements being in place. Please include details of the school and year group when you get in touch.
Related pages
- Editors Club – the monthly meeting for editors
- Become an Editor – how to apply for an editor account
- Editorial Policy
- LGBT History Speakers Programme – public talks series