{"id":16726,"date":"2023-02-03T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-03T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/?p=16726"},"modified":"2023-01-31T10:51:42","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T10:51:42","slug":"welcome-to-february","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/welcome-to-february\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome to February"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Did January fly by for anyone else or was that just me? The beginning of the year disappeared so quickly that we\u2019re already into Valentine\u2019s season, complete with every shop being decked out in red hearts and pink streamers. Personally, I recommend a red-themed Valentine\u2019s party for those of you wanting to celebrate, or a Secret Santa rip-off titled Secret Valentine\u2019s, in which every ends up with a card and gift regardless of their relationship status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This month, however, is also significant in another way. February is, at least for the UK (and Hungary), LGBT History Month. An annual event founded originally in 1994, LGBT History Month has occurred yearly in the UK since 2005, intending to raise awareness and combat prejudice against the LGBTQ+ community. It also celebrates the achievements of the community, as well as their diversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the yearly tagline of \u201cClaiming our past. Celebrating our present. Creating our future\u201d, LGBT History Month aims to target the community as a whole, but also the curriculum of students in primary and secondary age groups, providing resource packs<\/a> with lesson plans and activities across multiple years. The month also has a yearly theme, working its way through the various subjects to give the month guidance. For 2023, that\u2019s \u201cArt: Behind the Lens\u201d, focusing on LGBTQ+ contributions to cinema and film from behind the camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That means we\u2019re not talking about actors, but instead the vast array of roles that happen to create cinema: directors, screen writers, animators, costume designers, lighting directors, musicians, choreographers and more. As their statement<\/a> says, \u201cAt a time when LGBT+ lives are in the media we also encourage you to look \u2018Behind the Lens\u2019 and listen to LGBT+ peoples\u2019 lived experiences\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the month, we intend to showcase some LGBTQ+ art, potentially straying a little from the theme. As well as LGBTQ+ movie recommendations \u2013 focused on LGBTQ+ figures of history \u2013 we\u2019ll also be pulling together books and poetry on the blog that can give us all a deeper understanding of the lived experience of LGBTQ+ people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll also be sharing a series of influential LGBTQ+ figures, past and present in a range of subjects across our Instagram, Twitter and Facebook so you can gain bitesized pieces of information about the LGBTQ+ people who have shaped our world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, on campus, there\u2019s a whole host of events to celebrate the month<\/a>. Here\u2019s a list I\u2019ve curated just for you \u2013 don\u2019t be fooled by some of them being hosted by the student LGBTQIA+ Society! They\u2019re all open to staff and students:<\/p>\n\n\n\n