OUTing the Past Festival returns to The Higgins Bedford as part of LGBT+ History Month

As part of LGBT+ History Month, The Higgins Bedford is once again hosting the OUTing the Past Festival on Saturday (February 20).

Inspired by this year’s theme Body, Mind and Spirit, a range of speakers will share the hidden histories and stories of the LGBT+ community.

But this year - due to the lockdown - it will be a Virtual OUTing the Past Festival.

The day begins with a presentation by Dr Abtin Sadeghi exploring the health issues that have been important to the LGBT+ community throughout the history of the NHS.

Then, Ju Gosling will be sharing the work of Regard, a national organisation that represents people with disabilities in the LGBT+ community, including the role of social care and the effects of hate crime.

Afterwards, Veronica MacKenzie will give an insight into the lives of Black and Asian LGBT+ people, their role in several key movements that shaped LGBT+ history, and the importance of unity and queer spaces.

During the afternoon there will be a film Q&A session with critically acclaimed performer, author, playwright, singer and musician, Rose Collis.

Her film, The Boy and The Bear, portrays the personal and political journey taken by a lesbian and her closest gay male friend against a backdrop of the early Gay Pride marches, the London gay scene of the 1970s and the early days of the Aids epidemic. A link to view the film will be available on The Higgins Bedford website.

There will be a whole host of other events during the OUTing the Past Festival which runs from 10:30am until 4pm on Saturday and is free to join in on zoom. There is no need to book in advance for this event as the zoom link will be posted on The Higgins Bedford website closer to the time here