LGBT+ History Month 2026
We’ve already made it to February, and with it we hit LGBT+ History Month here in the UK. The creation of Schools OUT, LGBT+ History Month was first celebrated in 2005, following the repeal of Section 28 in 2003. It is intended to highlight the incredible things LGBT+ people have achieved throughout history, across all areas of life.
This year’s theme is Science and Innovation, selected given the impact that science and innovation has on our daily lives. In an age where technology is rapidly changing how we work and communicate, and we look for new ways to solve global challenges and health issues, innovation is everywhere. Innovation is especially important in the gaming industry which stands at the intersection of technology and creativity. Diverse teams are essential for the development of solutions which benefit everyone, but as Schools OUT highlights, we might often struggle to name LGBT+ scientists and innovators, which this month hopes to start to address.
But alongside celebrating LGBTQ+ people, it is important to highlight the harm that the community has historically faced as a result of the ways in which science has been explored and misapplied in the past, such as through the medicalisation and pathologisation of LGBTQ+ identities. We are also continuing to see backlash to the LGBTQ+ community and challenges to the progress made, both here in the UK and globally.
Even for progress made, I know I still find it hard to believe just how recent some of the changes have been in relative terms, despite having been at school during the period that Section 28 was in force. To see when some of these key changes took place, we have shared links to a couple of different timelines of key dates for LGBTQ+ history in the UK; you can check them out in the resources section below.
So let’s take the month to reflect on where we have been and where we still have to go. Our history is still being written; let’s be a part of making the future a better and more inclusive place, for all of us.
For more information, follow any of the links below, get in touch with us at leadership@outmaking.games, or join us over on our Discord - we’d love to hear from you!
Jasmin Fox - Out Making Games
Resources
Schools OUT/ LGBT+ History Month - https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/
English Heritage English LGBTQ+ timeline - https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/lgbtq-history/timeline/
Stonewall Key Dates for LGBTQ+ Equality - https://www.stonewall.org.uk/resources/key-dates-lesbian-gay-bi-and-trans-equality
