Birkbeck celebrates Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender History Month
A range of events are taking place to mark national LGBT History Month
A programme of events, including a film screening about transgender issues and a seminar about homophobia, is taking place at Birkbeck to mark LGBT History Month. The activities are part of celebrations held across the UK every February to recognise the lives and achievements of the LGBT community.
Birkbeck Pride – a group of LGBT students and alumni – and Birkbeck Gender and Sexuality (BiGS) – a forum for innovative interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange in gender and sexuality studies – have worked together to organise the events at the College.
Daniel Monk, Reader in Law at Birkbeck and Director of BiGS, said: “We are delighted to be hosting these events to raise the profile of the LGBT community, and to explore some of the issues and prejudices faced by this group. In particular, the film screening of ‘Tomboy’ will vividly portray the complexities of gender and identity and in particular the ways in which they impact on young people.”
Lisa Blanco, President of Birkbeck Pride, added: “We're proud to be involved in this year’s events and hope students will join us to celebrate the diversity of Birkbeck’s LGBT community.”
The events taking place at Birkbeck are:
LGBT Quiz Night – Birkbeck Pride
Tuesday 5 February 8.30pm - 10.30pm
Room B35, Birkbeck, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1E 7HX
Think you know your L from your G, to B and T? Test your knowledge about our community’s history and win some fabulous prizes. £2 entry fee per person – all proceeds to a local LGBT charity.
All welcome, no booking required
Floating in a Most Peculiar Way: “Angels in America”, David Bowie, Toneelgroep Amsterdam – BiGS Seminar
Wednesday 20 February 12.30pm - 2pm
Room B30, Birkbeck, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX
Speaker: Dr Denis Flannery (University of Leeds)
Toneelgroep Amsterdam’s production of Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes” (1991-92) was first performed in 2008 and has been a regular part of their repertory ever since. This talk explores the relationships of support, mutual excavation and surprise between this production of Kushner’s plays by Holland’s leading theatre company and David Bowie's music.
More information
‘Tomboy’ (Céline Sciamma, 2011) Joint Birkbeck Pride and Birkbeck Gender and Sexuality (BiGS) Film Screening and Reception
Friday 22 February 6pm - 10.30pm
Room B02/B33, Birkbeck, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX
This film focuses on the significance of gender identity in social interaction from an early age, the difficulties of being transgender and young, and how Mikhael navigates these in the background of childhood play and love.
More information
Free, all welcome, booking required
LGBT Bake Sale – Birkbeck Pride
Tuesday 26 February 6.30pm
Outside Birkbeck, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX
A delicious range of muffins, cookies, and cakes will be on sale. Fill your empty stomach on the way to/ from your evening lecture. If you wish to contribute some baked goods please contact Birkbeck Pride: bsulgbt@gmail.com .
All proceeds to a local LGBT charity.
The International Relations of Homophobia
Wednesday 27 February 12.00pm - 2pm
Lunchtime School of Law Research Seminar
Room 153, 1st Floor, Birkbeck, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX
Speaker: Dr Rahul Rao (School of Oriental and African Studies)
This paper argues that institutionalised homophobia has always been an international phenomenon. Taking Uganda as an example, it demonstrates that the production of culture under the sign of ‘Ugandan homophobia’ has always been a transnational process.
More information
Free, all welcome, no booking required