Keynes College, University of Kent presents the LGBT History Month Exhibition entitled “Staying Out” which will be open throughout February. Curated by Queer Art Projects, “Staying Out” provides a glimpse of the history of the LGBT movement in the UK with the theme of “LGBT in Lockdown”.  

LGBTQ History month has been celebrated since the 1994. One of the slogans, embraced by the LGBT movement was: “We’re Out and We’re Staying Out”. It expressed a defiance against being forced back into the closet, which was so recently abolished in the 70s.  

For many LGBTQ+ students, they balanced the anxiety caused by the global pandemic with university work, and there was the additional pressure of being away from their support networks, potentially being forced to live in a hostile environment, or having to pause or further delay treatment or medical processes for an unknown period.  

Often overlooked, the unseen impact of the lockdowns on the LGBTQ community have been shocking, with 80% (four in five) LGBTQ+ people said that the latest lockdown had negatively affected their mental health and 35% (one in three) of respondents reported feeling suicidal according to Lgbthero.  

Student support and Kent County Council funded this project as part of LGBT+ History Month. Artists were encouraged to reflect on what lockdown had done to them – both positive and negative.  

Becky Lamyman, A diversity and inclusivity officer at the University of Kent says: “There was a real appetite for people wanting to talk about what lockdown had done to them.   

This is where the exhibition came from”.  

“We have your student type party things, we have flags all over campus etc, we have the training and understanding. Here we have an opportunity to talk about some of the harder issues and really learn from them.”  

Anyone LGBTQ student who has been impacted by the lockdown or the exhibition is being offered a workshop on Monday 21st February by the University of Kent’s Diversity and inclusivity team.  

For more information regarding wellbeing and support visit: https://www.kent.ac.uk/student-support 

For more LGBTQ history month events visit: https://kentunion.co.uk/2021-2022/lgbtqhm 

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