Get your diaries at the ready as we continue our series highlighting the important dates on the EDI calendar to help you and your teams plan activities and events in 2024.
We’re looking here at significant dates and awareness days for the LGBTQ+ community here, but remember that the Empower Up list of important dates and events is constantly updated and can help you with month-by-month planning, as it covers the key dates associated with all groups and communities.
February – LGBTQ+ History Month
LGBT+ History Month is celebrated every February across the UK and was founded in 2004 by Schools OUT UK co-chairs, Paul Patrick & Professor Emeritus Sue Sanders. It was first celebrated in February 2005. The organisation explains that the month was created to:
- claim our past
- celebrate our present
- create our future
Every year Schools OUT sets a different theme for LGBT+ History Month and provides free resources for education settings, businesses, services and organisations to help them celebrate and ‘usualise’ LGBT+ lives in their full diversity.
LINK: https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk
March 31st – International Transgender Day of Visibility
Each year on March 31, the world observes Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) to raise awareness about transgender people. It is a day to celebrate the lives and contributions of trans people, while also drawing attention to the poverty, discrimination, and violence the community faces.
LINK: https://glaad.org/tdov/
April 7th – Gayming Awards 2024
Now in its fourth year, the Gayming Awards, the world’s only LGBTQ video game award show, returns in April 2024 where it’s making the jump across the US from New York City to its new home in Palm Springs.
LINK: https://gaymingmag.com/awards/
May 17th – International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia
As the name suggests, this day aims to co-ordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBTQ+ rights violations. The date of May 17th was chosen to commemorate the World Health Organisation’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental health disorder.
June – Pride Month
Pride Month takes place every year in June and is a celebration designed to recognise the influence of the LGBTQ+ community. Celebrating diversity and people’s right to live how they choose without discrimination, Pride Month promotes positivity and equal rights for all.
June 29th – Pride in London
One of the most famous and joyful celebrations in the capital.
https://prideinlondon.org/pride/
July 12th – Sparkle Weekend
The Sparkle Weekend is the world’s largest free-to-attend celebration of gender diversity, and a safe space for anyone who identifies as gender non-conforming, their families, friends, and allies. It takes place each year in Sackville Gardens, Manchester.
July 14th – International Non-Binary People’s Day
The date for International Non-Binary People’s Day was chosen for being midway between International Women’s Day and International Men’s Day. It is aimed at raising awareness of the issues facing non-binary people around the world.
September 16th-23rd – BiSexual Awareness Week/#BiWeek
Also known as #BoWeek, BeSexual Awareness Week is an annual celebration to promote cultural acceptance of the bisexual community.
LINK: https://glaad.org
September 23rd-29th – National Inclusion Week
Founded by Inclusive Employers, National Inclusion Week (NIW) is a week dedicated to celebrating inclusion and taking action to create inclusive workplaces.
LINK: https://www.inclusiveemployers.co.uk/national-inclusion-week/
October 11th – National Coming Out Day
This day, as the name suggests, is to support anyone ‘coming out of the closet’.
October 16th – International Pronouns Day
International Pronouns Day has been designed to encourage organisations to respect and educate about personal pronouns.
LINK: https://pronouns.org/day
November 13th-19th – Transgender Awareness Week
Transgender Awareness Week is a week when transgender people and their allies take action to bring attention to the trans community by educating the public about who transgender people are, sharing stories and experiences, and advancing advocacy around issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community.
LINK: https://glaad.org/transweek/
November 20th – Transgender Day of Remembrance
The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) is designed to commemorate all those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia.
LINK: https://glaad.org/tdor/
Out Making Games, the organisation that connects and empowers the LGBTQ+ community working in games, holds regular events, so be sure to keep an eye on its events page, too.
And to ensure that you’re on top of all the important dates in the EDI calendar, bookmark the Empower Up Events page here.
