Huge thanks to Love Sewing editor Hannah for letting me write about one of my favourite things to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month!
Here’s a little exerpt.
LGBT+ History Month is an annual celebration of the lives of LGBT+ people of the past. It is celebrated every February in the UK, with each year’s celebration having its own unique theme. LGBT+ people have a long history of making incredible contributions to the UK. From King James VI of Scotland and I of England, whose romantic feelings for men are well-documented, to the Ladies of Llangollen, whose home became a cultural hotspot in Regency society, to Justin Fashanu, who broke boundaries as the first professional footballer to publicly share that he was gay – there is no shortage of fascinating and inspiring stories to be found if you know where to look.
However, those stories have often been missing from the history books, which could give the impression that LGBT+ people have only come along in recent years. Those who identify as LGBT+ might struggle to find historical figures they relate to, leading them to feel isolated and uncertain about their future. The truth is that LGBT+ people have always been here, in every society and time period around the world.
One of the elements of identity which we have the most evidence of in the historical record is clothing. From ancient sculptures to mediaeval legal documents, clues to the ways we have dressed throughout the centuries can be fascinating to study.
Find the full article in Love Sewing Issue 131, which is available now in supermarkets and newsagents across the UK, as well as online via CraftWorld.com and on your phone via the PocketMags and Readly apps.
Kate Heppell 