LGBTQ+ History Month: Paths forged, and paths forming.

Not only has February 2021 been LGBTQ+ History Month, but it also marks one year since the major outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Undoubtedly, this year has been a struggle to varying degrees for everybody, and we have certainly seen the impact of Covid-19, lockdown and restrictions on our Diverse Church communities.

The intersection of faith, sexuality and gender identity can mean that life for LGBTQ+ people of faith can be difficult, particularly where local faith communities, wider faith-based institutions, faith-based work places and families do not celebrate us. For many LGBTQ+ people of faith, isolation from support networks, or being locked down in challenging households has had a detrimental impact.

Therefore, within Diverse Church, we have been enjoying a range of activities together that can be accessed remotely, such as advent reflections, social events, lent reflections, collaborative events with other like-minded organisations and weekly group video calls to share space and do life together. For LGBTQ+ History Month, we have been noting a variety of people we want to honour and remember from the past, who have advocated for LGBTQ+ people to live and flourish equally, as well as recognising the beauty and struggle of the present, and holding hope for the future in the work there is left to do.

Within this post, you will see our DC reflections for LGBTQ+ History Month, within nine images and one video. May they move you, as they have done us.

(Title artwork by Harry from DC)