Those in the North East can learn more about the LGBTQ+ community from the comfort of their living rooms, thanks to the work of a leading charity.
Northern Pride, which organises the annual Pride celebration in Newcastle, has revealed a packed schedule of virtual events to stream throughout February, as part of its LGBTQ+ History Month celebrations.
And the programme, which is sponsored by Newcastle’s Eldon Square, has something for all ages, including children’s entertainment, DJ sets, and discussions on current events.
The event kicks off on Sunday (7 February) with storytime with children’s educators Pop’n’Olly, followed by a conversation around the importance of teaching LGBTQ+ history in schools.
The following weekend, singer-songwriter MXYM will be one of the artists performing live on 13 February, where they will also share their LGBTQ+ icons and how they have influenced their music.
A panel of teachers will discuss the impact of the now-repealed Section 28 and how LGBTQ+ history is taught on the current curriculum on 19 February and a date is still to be announced for an interview with Dom, of film project My Generation, about the history of the Gender Recognition Act and the continuing fight for equality for the trans community.
On 23 February, viewers can join a panel discussion looking at the contributions of LGBTQ+ key workers serving in the Armed Forces and emergency services, then, music fans will have another chance to listen to their favourite tracks with a live DJ set from the Northern Pride Festival favourite Michael Maddison on 26 February.
Northern Pride will also be exploring key moments in LGBTQ+ history, ranging from the AIDS crisis in the 1980s to the more recent Black Trans Lives Matter march in London last year.
Ste Dunn, Director of Northern Pride, hopes the virtual events will be the start of a wider conversation lasting longer than just one month.
“LGBTQ+ History Month is not only a fantastic opportunity to look back at the great activists who fought for their rights in the past, but also a time to look forward at the battles the community still has to overcome,” he said.
“We’ve got some excellent performers and speakers lined up over the month and we are looking forward to having some really positive discussions on a range of important topics.”
Andrew Bradley, general manager at Eldon Square said: “We are delighted to continue to support the fantastic work that Northern Pride does and hope to help share and raise awareness of the wonderful educational resources and content they have put together for LGBTQ+ History Month.
“We are committed to working with partners to make a meaningful difference and build long-term relationships to help deliver positive change in our local community.”
The events will be streamed live on:
- Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/northernprideuk/
- YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1M4HvEYg-1Vsf_m2aZ-P5Q
Audio listeners can also tune into the Insight podcast at the website for Northern Pride’s digital magazine www.insight.lgbt.
For more information visit www.northern-pride.com or search northernprideuk on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
