LGBT+ History Month 2025

In 2024 we joined up with friends and partners from across Dundee and beyond to celebrate LGBT+ History Month. We hosted Dundee Pride in the public premier of a short film on mental health, welcomed a historian who we had met online during Covid, and collaborated with the Race Equality Charter team with a shared PowerPoint Party.

Read on to discover more about each of our events in detail.

Virtual Exhibition: Queering the Collection

Saturday 1 February 2025 - Friday 28 February 2025

Queer theory emerged in the early 1990s and can have various meanings. Overall it is associated with the study of the language and categories we use outside of heterosexual and gender binary norms.

In museums a queer lens can challenge the assumptions we might initially make about an artefact or artwork and involves looking for clues to LGBTQIA+ experiences in the historical items on display.

This online exhibition presents just a few of the objects discussed during the event.

Cruising for Another Picture

Saturday 1 February 2025 - Friday 28 February 2025

The exhibition will be held in the DJCAD Back Alley Gallery, off the Cantina. The easiest way to access the space is through the lane by the Cooper Gallery. The What3Words code is skipped.stirs.shirtless.

Photographer John Post is studying for a PhD at the University of Ulster. His research explores how gay men use photography and dating apps, cruising through life. This is his first solo exhibition, which we are delighted to be hosting as a part of LGBT+ History Month here on campus.

LGBT+ History Month exhibition in the University Library

Saturday 1 February 2025 - Friday 28 February 2025

As a part of LGBT+ History Month for February, the Main Library are hosting an exhibition of LGBT+ books in their main reception area. Visit to see what exciting content they have on display.

The Application of Anti-Oppressive Practice

Thursday 6 February 2025

Dr Alys Einion is currently employed as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Health Sciences, and is the lead for Student Support. Her talk will focus on "The application of anti-oppressive practice" and will include an example of current good practice / research by her colleague Joe Tai, who is a researcher for the Include Age study. The project is led by Professor Judith Sixsmith, and it is currently underway, but is a clear example of applied inclusive research that focuses on anti-oppressive approaches.

Alys was previously Associate Professor of Midwifery at Swansea University, and Associate Professor and Lead Midwife for Education at City, University of London. Alys is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Practising Midwife Journal. Alys’ research interests include the History of Midwifery, inclusive practice, complementary therapies for fertility, pregnancy and birthing, and ethics and human rights in childbearing, with an emphasis on qualitative, narrative, decolonising and inclusive feminist methodologies. Alys is a PhD supervisor, and has previously supervised qualitative and mixed-methods projects with both clinical and theoretical/ethical foci. Alys is also a passionate educator in midwifery and nursing, and has created resources to support and develop inclusive and equitable educational experiences and research practices.

A prolific writer, Alys has authored more than 22 book chapters, and has authored, co-authored and co-edited four books. She has published more than 30 journal articles and currently also provides developmental editing support to academics and authors on their own writing journeys.

PowerPoint Party

Friday 7 February 2025

How many legs should a dragon have? What does the extended Caribbean family of twerking look like? What are the similarities and differences between a bear, a wolf, and an otter?

These are all things we've found out about in our previous PowerPoint parties. The concept is simple, based on the idea that anything can be interesting for 3-5 minutes when presented as a PowerPoint. Do you have an idea, or an interesting factoid? Is there a weird fact you have to share? Or is there a rant or unpopular opinion you'd like to get off your chest? Any of these can work well as a PowerPoint party.

Our Myriad LGBTQI+ Lives

Wednesday 12 February 2025

We have always been part of Scottish history, and we continue to make Scottish history:

•  from the 6th century man-loving priest Findchän to the unnamed trans or intersex person (‘skartht’) whose very existence was supposedly a portent of James II’s death (1460)
• via the ‘female sodomites’ Elspeth Faulds and Margaret Armour (1625), the ‘lesbian schoolmistresses’ Jane Pirie and Marianne Woods (1810) and the gender fluid paganist William Sharpe/Fiona Macleod (d. 1905)
• to the fight for repeal of ‘Section 28’ (2000), for marriage rights (2014) and for respect for trans autonomy (ongoing) and infinitely more.

Labyrinth Walk

Wednesday 12 February 2025

The labyrinth is a monthly, free, place to relax – be yourself – and catch up with yourself. In the Chaplaincy we lay out a canvas full size replica of the famous 13th Century labyrinth from Chartres Cathedral, to walk in candlelight to gentle music. It’s for any faith and none – spiritual to atheist welcome. Also we’re totally LGBT+ friendly and all from the community are invited – you won’t be alone!

Real-Time Suicide Prediction in LGBTQ+ Youth

Wednesday 19 February 2025

In this seminar, Dr. Kirsty Clark will discuss Project SPIRiT (Suicide Prediction in Real-Time), a smartphone-based research study focused on LGBTQ+ youth aged 13-24 in the southeastern United States. In Project SPIRiT, participants completed three surveys per day for 28 consecutive days to capture real-time data on minority stress exposure and suicidal ideation in everyday life. Dr. Clark will detail the multi-phase development of Project SPIRiT, which incorporated community member feedback from LGBTQ+ youth, their parents, and experts. She will also present feasibility and acceptability data from 50 LGBTQ+ youth participants and share key lessons learned for researchers, clinicians, students, and community members interested in suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ youth.