LGBT History Month began on February 1 and last weekend saw the second annual festival taking place at Newcastle’s Discovery Museum.
Newcastle and Sunderland have been chosen as the hub for this year’s event, which is the first for the North East.
CEO of Schools OUT UK Tony Fenwick said: “When we had the festival in Manchester last year where more than 1000 people turned up over the course of two days.
“The morning is a schools and families’ event with ideas to support parents and teachers who want to raise the visibility and awareness of LGBT people in education and the afternoon is aimed at the general public.”
The theme for this year’s festival and month was religion, belief and philosophy and was organised by Schools OUT UK.
Lecturer and Programme leader BA/BSc Social Sciences, Drew Dalton, said, he is excited about the event, as it is the first time there has been a Tyne and Wear Hub for LGBT History Month.
Mr Dalton said: “I have a burning passion to get LGBT history out in the public. Our history is a shared history and it is often forgotten, swept under the rug or whitewashed out of existence.
“It is not long past Holocaust Memorial Day where gay men, wearing the pink triangle, were brutally murdered in an act of genocide. It is vital we shout louder than ever about our history. Being LGBT is not a new thing, we have always been here and we have a history to share with the world.
“It is important that the North East gets a slice of the pie, as we have our own local LGBT history. We need this brought to the public attention and to take some of the spotlight away from the bigger cities like London and Manchester.
“Myself and a team of three volunteers have been key to arranging this and we have been generously supported by the University of Sunderland and local Trade Unions, to which we are very thankful.”
The aim of the month and the festival is to raise awareness of LGBT rights.
The event was free and took place at Discovery Museum, Blandford Square, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4JA.