OK, so I just want to open with – SHEFFIELD, I LOVE YOU! (And not just because it’s Valentine’s month). As many of you will know, February is LGBT History Month – and last year it was a biggie, marking the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality.
To commemorate this important milestone, Sheffield hosted an event for every day of the month. This year, however, we’ve gone even further and as I write there are currently 116 confirmed LGBT events taking place around the city in February (that I know of anyway). Whether you want to party ‘til dawn, attend an academic history or art event, catch a film or just grab a coffee and meet some likeminded folk, we’ve got something for everyone. Please note that I can’t fit each one into this column, but I will be tweeting the full list from @heatherpaterson so take a nosey there to get the full lowdown.
Kicking off the month on Feb 1, Sheffield Students Union will be taken over for the day (and night) for the opening ceremony serving up a full day of performance and activities followed by a launch party hosted by Proud and an afterparty at Reflex for those of you who want to keep going into the small hours. Both universities will be hosting a variety of events through the month (most also open to non-students), and following the opening event Sheffield University will also be presenting a week of themed craft and chat sessions; for those wanting to learn more about local LGBT history head to the Sheffield LGBT history panel on 13th or the exhibition and TED talk on 19th.
Over at Hallam, test your knowledge at the LGBT History Month Quiz or choose from a range of talks and guest lectures including ‘Friends of Edward Carpenter’, Eleanor Formby’s ‘Exploring LGBT Spaces and Communities’ and ‘Fear, Outrage, Love and Hope: Protecting LGBT+ rights in Africa and the Middle East’. On Feb 6, Mott MacDonald join forces with Stonewall for their Peer learning forum, ‘Fostering LGBT+ inclusive workplaces across the UK’, and St Marks in Broomhill will be hosting ‘Pride and Joy: Being a lesbian, gay, bi or trans parent today’ on Feb 17th and an Open Communion event on Feb 14th for LGBTQ+ Christians. Last but by no means least, SAYiT will be hosting a full day conference ‘Developing Future LGBT+ Leaders’ for anyone out there currently, or interested in, working with young people.
If you want less talk and more action, then join Sheffield Action for Trans Health and other local LGBT+ organisations and individuals who will be heading to HMP Doncaster on the 11th to protest the mistreatment and multiple deaths of trans prisoners. Wrap up warm and bring torches, lights and sparklers. Bring your loudest voice and anything to make noise with – loudspeakers, amplifiers, drums, tambourines, horns, guitars, triangles, kazoos, pots and pans, party poppers… be creative!
For the film buffs out there, we have a wealth of LGBT screenings throughout the month. Cineworld have a special VIP screening of my favourite film – Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – taking place on the 5th. There will be two chances to catch Britain on Film: LGBT Britain, with showings taking place at Walkley Community Centre and Central Library on the 10th and 21st respectively. Central Library will also be screening The Persistence of Gender Inequality on the 20th, and the much-loved Pride will be playing at Millennium Gallery on 25th.
There will be multiple LGBT films throughout the month at Showroom (check their website for full listings) and you can join us afterwards on Feb 9th for ‘Non-Conformist Thrust’, where I’ll be DJing (expect anything from the Ramones to Destiny’s Child and everything in-between, all depending on levels of cider consumption!). Love may be well in the air at OMG’s Traffic Light Party on Feb 21 and the Typical Queers Valentines Mixer at The Audacious Art Experiment on the 17th.
And finally, end the month with a laugh as CBB BOT’s Stephen Bailey takes to the stage at Leadmill on the 28th with his stand-up show ‘Can’t Think Straight’.
It’s going to be busy! Have a good one, and until next time, love and glitter…
Top Picks
Sheffield University
Thu 1 Feb: Opening Ceremony & Proud
Mon 5 Feb – Fri 9 Feb: Crafts & Chats
Tue 13 Feb: Sheffield LGBT History Panel
Mon 19 Feb: Archives Exhibition / TED Talk
lgbtsu.weebly.com
Hallam University
Thu 8 Feb: LGBT History Month Quiz
Tue 13 Feb: Friends of Edward Carpenter
Wed 14 Feb: Exploring LGBT Spaces and Communities
Wed 28 Feb: Fear, Outrage, Love and Hope: Protecting LGBT+ rights in Africa and the Middle East
www.shu.ac.uk
Sheffield Libraries
Britain on Film: LGBT Britain
Sat 10 Feb: Walkley Community Centre
Wed 21 Feb: Sheffield Central Library
Tue 20 Feb: The Persistence of Gender Inequality – Screening
www.facebook.com/pg/shefflibraries
Millennium Gallery
Mon 19 Feb: Edward Carpenter
Sun 25 Feb: Pride screening and Q&A
www.museums-sheffield.org.uk
St Mark’s, Broomhill and Broomhall
Sun 4 Feb: Open Sheffield Open Communion
Sat 17 Feb: Pride and Joy: Being a lesbian, gay, bi or trans parent today
www.facebook.com
Cineworld
Mon 5 Feb: Priscilla Queen of the Desert VIP showing
www.cineworld.co.uk
Mott MacDonald, Arundel Gate
Tue 6 Feb: Peer learning forum: Fostering LGBT+ inclusive workplaces across the UK
www.mottmac.com
Showroom Cinema
Fri 9 Feb: Non-Conformist Thrust
www.showroom.org.uk
HMP Doncaster
Sun 11 Feb: No More Trans Deaths: Noise Demo
sheffieldact4transhealth.wordpress.com
OMG, West Street
Wed 14 Feb: Traffic Light Party
www.omgclubs.com
The Audacious Art Experiment
Sat 17 Feb: Typical Queers Valentines Mixer
www.facebook.com/qweenofswordssheffield
SAYiT, Scotia Works
Mon 26 Feb: Developing Future LGBT+ Leaders Conference
www.sayouthtrust.org.uk
Leadmill
Wed 28 Feb: Stephen Bailey: Can’t Think Straight
www.leadmill.co.uk
