February marks Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans + History Month
This annual event celebrates a different theme each year to represent LGBT+ issues and this year “Politics in Art” has been chosen.
2022 sees the 50th anniversary of the very first Pride March in the UK in 1972. A popular slogan of the early Gay Rights Movement (the idea of the ‘LGBT’ community was some way off) of the time was “the personal is political”, and art is probably the most individual of pastimes. There is always a National Curriculum link to the theme every year, so it was logical to choose Art for 2022.
There are five chosen artists - one each to represent the L,G,B,T and ‘+’ of the community- who used their talents for “political” ends, or expressed their orientation through their work and they represent LGBT+ History Month’s Five Faces for 2022. Keith Haring‘s dancing figures are a perfect example as they were used to draw attention to the growing AIDS crisis of the early 1980s. Doris Brabham Hatt and Fiore de Henriquez both fought against fascism in the 1930s. Jean-Michel Basquiat began as a graffiti artist and Mark Aguhar‘s life “and mere existence was an act of confronting white hegemony”.
Finally, as this year’s anniversary is one on a continuing and often winding journey towards full equality, which has suffered many setbacks while still moving forwards, we took ‘the arc is long’ as our tagline, from Dr Martin Luther King Jnr’s quote “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice”.
Whilst both LGBT+ History Month and Pride Marches are often a time of celebration for people from the LGBT+ communities, some individuals may find this a particularly difficult time, for many reasons. For example, not being ‘out’ to family and friends, or workplaces, or fear of targeting and greater resentment (because nationally the subjects are being highlighted) or, maybe overall sadness for not being a part of celebrations. For Samaritans, at this time, there may be an increase in callers from the LGBT+ communities looking to talk. So, especially now, we can all be more aware of our friends, family and neighbours who may be struggling a little and offer a focused ‘ear’ for the LGBT+ community.
Gloucestershire Pride 2022 will be arriving again this year - on Saturday 10th September 2022, once again in Gloucester Park. We look forward to seeing you again there.