Portsmouth Pride celebrates LGBT+ History Month

Look back on our series of posts on LGBTQ+ identities from the past and present with links to Portsmouth and the surrounding area. 

The campaign was the idea of copywriter Abi, with specially commissioned artwork by graphic designer Craig Maxwell. 

LGBT+ History Month is about claiming our past, celebrating our present, and creating our future, so the three week campaign covered these three aspects. While Abi researched and wrote original content for each week's topic, Craig created a series of accompanying colour pop graphics, with a different colour for each week. With a short quote accompanying each individual image, these really helped provide a visual stimulus for use on social media. 

"February is LGBT+ History month: a time for our community to claim our past, celebrate our present, and create our future.

We will look back over LGBT+ history and claim our past, remembering: the south coast activist who called herself the ‘oldest lesbian in Brighton’; the gay lover of King Charles I who was killed in Portsmouth; the bisexual Hampshire aristocrat whose imprisonment changed UK law; the black trans man whose gender was erased and who was diagnosed with delusional insanity; and the gender queer crossdresser who set sail from Portsmouth.

The following week we will celebrate our present LGBT+ community, showcasing: the lesbian comedian from a ‘proper Pompey geezer-ish family’; the gay pro wrestler in Southsea; the bisexual curate serving Portsmouth; the trans author and activist living in Southsea; and the pansexual and genderfluid model and presenter who went to school in Hampshire.

In the final week of February, we will stand together, in solidarity with those of all sexual and gender identities, to ask how we can create our future which is more liberating and joy-filled for every one of us.

Happy LGBT+ History Month! #LGBTplusHM #lgbtqpride #KeepPrideFree #Pride"

Each day of the first week covered an LGBT+ historical character with links to Portsmouth or the local area. Claiming our past saw posts on the Brighton lesbian activist Barbara Bell; Lord Buckingham, the gay lover of King James I who was murdered in Portsmouth; Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, the bisexual motor museum founder who was jailed; Paul Downing, a trans man in London; and Hannah Snell, a gender queer soldier and sailor who voyaged from Portsmouth.

Each day of the second week featured living LGBT+ people with links to the area. Celebrating our present saw posts on Pompey-born lesbian comedian Suzi Ruffell; gay pro-wrestler and Portsmouth resident Jensen Ryan; bisexual curate of Portsmouth Cathedral Reverend Hannah Barraclough; trans comedy creator, TikTok sensation and award-nominated author Lewis Hancox; and queer model, presenter and actress Cara Delevingne who went to school in Hampshire.

The final week saw a trio of posts about coming together as a strong LGBT+ community to make a difference. Creating our future featured posts on trustees talking about their hopes and dreams for Portsmouth Pride, before we asked our followers about their hopes and dreams for our future, and a post on Queer All Year.