LGBTQIA+ History Month 2025
Event
LGBTQIA+ History Month
Saturday 1 February, 2025 – Friday 28 February, 20259:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Dive into a month of empowerment and celebration at this year's LGBTQIA+ History Month events!
As of today, it is still illegal to be LGBTQIA+ in 64 countries. And even though that's not the case here in the UK, LGBTQIA+ people experience hate crimes almost daily because of their sexuality and/or gender. This is why awareness months like this are so important; to remember those before us, and respect and learn about the queer community now.
We have a programme of free events running throughout February, to highlight the support available to members of the Bath Spa community, and provide opportunities to further build that sense of community across LGBTQIA+ individuals and our allies, at Bath Spa University and within Bath.
Paint and Sip
Monday 17 February, 5pm-7pm, SU (The Studio)
Join us for a vibrant paint and sip this LGBTQ+ History Month. Unleash your creativity by painting your favourite LGBTQ+ icon. Enjoy welcome drinks to kick off the evening, followed by soft drinks and nibbles throughout the event.
LGBTQ+ Quiz Night
Tuesday 18 February, 8pm, SU Bar
Test your knowledge and celebrate LGBTQ+ History and culture with our quiz night. £1.50 to enter. Open to staff and students.
Drag Bingo
Thursday 20 February 7pm, SU Bar
Get ready for a fabulous night at Drag Bingo! Join us for an entertaining evening filled with laughter, games and a stunning performance.
Staff and students welcome.
'Activism and Social Change': a workshop with Laura Clarke
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED
Laura Clarke (she/they) is an award-winning sex educator and LGBTQIA+ specialist. In this session, they'll be speaking on the this year's theme in a 90 minute workshop on 'Activism and Social change' and their new book.
She delivers RSE to young people and queer-inclusivity training to professionals.
Laura is also a consultant and a writer — their first book, on bisexuality, is due to be published in 2025 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Laura holds an MA in Gender Studies.
Staff and students welcome.
Political Panel
Wednesday 26 February, 12.30pm, Online
For LGBT+ History Month, our theme is politics, and we’re hosting a panel to explore how the UK political system impacts LGBT+ people and how they can advocate for their rights.
Our panel will feature representatives from Bath and North East Somerset Council, Hackney Council, Make Votes Matter, and Bristol Trans Pride.
We’ll discuss getting involved in activism, standing as a candidate, and the importance of inclusive policies and voting reforms.
Join us for an insightful conversation on political engagement and representation within the UK system!
Staff and students welcome.
And I heard that there's a special place - Breaking the Boundaries in Neuroqueer LGBTQ-activism
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
Wednesday 26 February, 4pm Locksbrook LR.207
Since "falling arse-backwards" into his career as an activist, Jorik has found community in the most unexpected places. Through his job as an actually autistic mentor for autistic university students and running the Autistic Wellbeing Group (aka AutWell) at Bath Spa University, he landed himself is a position as community elder. Not surprising since, according to some metrics, autistic life expectancy can be as low as 38. Jorik will turn 38 this year. No, he doesn't look it.
This year, Jorik's first book, Breaking the Boundaries will be published. A guide to being a lived-experience mentor, Breaking the Barriers challenges the norms about autistic communities, emphasising the need to normalise radical empathy, values-driven motivation and self-advocacy. In celebration of LGBTQ-history month, Jorik will be telling some his favourite stories from the book, answer some questions and lift queer spirits in exterminationist times. Because shared joy in the face of oppression is an act of resistance. Let's resist.
Jorik Mol (he/him/they) is an activist, writer, educator and community organiser. He runs the QND Writers' Network for neuroqueer writers, runs workshops, panels and speaks at conferences. Jorik also writes autistic fiction and neurodivergent non-fiction, keeps a regular blog, is an activist for disabled and LGBTQIA+ liberation and lives with his equally autistic husband-to-be, several dozen plushies and several hundred books in Bath, UK. Find him online at: jorikmol.com
Jorik's second book Feeling Fast and Slow, on autistic love, alexithymia and the problematic history of empathy to be published by Hachette/Jessica Kingsley in Q3 2025.
Breaking the Boundaries is published by Lived Places Publishing Ltd, based in Boston, Massachusetts (USA), so Jorik looks forward to his first book ban under the Trump administration.
Staff and students welcome.
Film Night: Pride (2014)
Thursday 27 February, 6pm, Viewing Theatre, Newton Park CM.G53
Come and watch Pride! Released in 2014 and starring Andrew Scott, it's a comedy drama based on the true story of lesbian and gay activists who raised money to helped families affected by the British miners' strike in 1984. An uplifting coming of age film that explored intersectionality and solidarity.
Staff and students welcome.