LGBTQ+
KNOW YOUR HISTORY It’s February, which means it’s one of the queerest times of the year as we head into LGBT History month – and Sheffield does not disappoint! After a difficult couple of years in the world of events, we are back with a bang this month. For those of you who may still be a little cautious heading out – or simply enjoy being able to attend events from the comfort of your own sofa – we still have plenty of online events available as well. All through February you can view Alexis Gregory’s critically acclaimed production Riot Act. Direct from the West End and touring the UK, this online ‘reimagining’ has been created using interviews with a Stonewall survivor, a radical drag artist and an AIDS activist. If you’re after some local history check out the Steel City Queer History screening (Wed 9 Feb), which includes historic characters, lost venues, personal reminiscences and a unicorn! The film will be followed by a Q&A session with Suzie and Sandra from SCQH about the project. There are more offerings from Sheffield Libraries with New Queer Kidlit for the New Year (Sat 12 Feb) – as Liz Chapman (Sheffield Libraries) and Zoey Dixon (Lambeth Libraries) bring you their top queer kidlit recommendations for 2022. Outrageous: The Story of Section 28 with Paul Baker (Thu 17 Feb]) tells the full story of Section 28: the background to the Act, how the press fanned the flames what politicians said during debates, how protestors fought back, and its eventual legacy. Central Library will also be hosting an in-person LGBTQ+ Book Group (Wed 23 Feb) where you can share your favourite LGBTQ+ reads and find out about some of the new titles in their collections. For those of you into musical theatre, Dr James Lovelock is joined by Liam Gartland, Ameena Hamid and Matt Powell for Telling Queer Stories: Producing New Musical Theatre with LGBTQ* Characters (Fri 4 Feb) to discuss how we can create the infrastructure for new musicals in which LGBTQ* characters can thrive. The Society of Genealogists offers a one-hour online Zoom talk with author Gill Rossini in Same Sex Love, 1700–1957: History and Research Sources for Family Historians (Sat 19 Feb). In this talk she will discuss the challenges of same sex historical research, offer guidance on how to approach and interpret those sources and, using many fascinating examples, will highlight what can be done to bring vividly to life these often elusive ancestors. Last but by no means least in this month’s history 78 | WWW.EXPOSEDMAGAZINE.CO.UK