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Explore LGBT+ History through the Library

This month is LGBT+ History Month with the aim of increasing the visibility of the lives, history and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people. This month is an opportunity for us to re-examine histories we thought we knew and share new understandings of LGBT+ history and culture. 

We have created a list of resources and collections available through the Library that will help you to explore LGBT+ History in more detail and from a wide range of perspectives and experiences.

LGBT Magazine Archive

The archives of magazines serving LGBT+ communities are of importance for research into LGBT history, being the sources for the documentation of gay cultures, lives, and events.

Through consulting these publications, the history and evolution of aspects of LGBT history and culture, including legal contexts, health, lifestyle, politics, social attitudes, activism, gay rights, and arts/literature can be traced. The archives of 26 magazines are included in LGBT Magazine Archive, including many of the influential publications of this type.

LGBT Thought and Culture

The LGBT Thought and Culture collection includes books, periodicals, and archival materials documenting LGBT political, social and cultural movements throughout the twentieth century and into the present day.

The collection illuminates the lives of lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender individuals and the community with content including:

• selections from The National Archives in Kew
• materials collected by activist and publisher Tracy Baim from the mid-1980s through the mid-2000s
• the Magnus Hirschfeld and Harry Benjamin collections from the Kinsey Institute
• periodicals such as En la Vida and BLACKlines
• select rare works from notable LGBT publishers including Alyson Books and Cleis Press as well as mainstream trade and university publishers.

LGBTQ+ Science Fiction

To celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month Dr Phoenix Alexander, the University’s Science Fiction Collections Librarian, has written a blog to outline the history of LGBTQ+ themes in the genre.

The University of Liverpool Library's Special Collections and Archives houses the largest catalogued collection of science fiction in Europe, encompassing over 35,000 books and 2,500 periodicals, as well as the archives of some of the major science fiction writers of the twentieth century. Join us on a tour through the LGBTQIA+ history of science fiction, showcasing just a handful of items from the stacks.

For more resources about LGBT+ History, including blogs, film and TV recommendations, personal experiences and more, visit the University LGBT+ History Month hub.