LGBT+ History Month (UK)
Love Without Labels: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Relationships Past and Present
Labels play an important role in our lives. They help us attach value to objects and ideas and signal information to others. Think about the can of baked beans you pick up during your weekly shop: which one do you choose, and why? Perhaps a more interesting question is: Why do you ignore the other brands on the shelf?
February is LGBTQ+ History Month in the UK[1]. It commemorates the stories and experiences of LGBTQ+ communities. For people who have long felt sidelined from mainstream society, it offers a chance to mark, celebrate and speak openly about identity and history. This year, LGBTQ+ History Month focuses on contributions to science and innovation by LGBTQ+ people – recognising their contributions, even when society hasn’t always wanted to record or recognise that part of history.[2]
A significant moment in LGBTQ+ history is what is now known as the Stonewall Uprising in New York City, 1969 – others have called it the Stonewall riots. They were protests by members of a marginalised community that suffered repeated incidents of violent police harassment. The Stonewall uprising resulted in increased activism and organised advocacy for rights by what we now call the LGBTQ+ communities – and took place in the context of the civil rights movements in the USA.[3]
Considering LGBTQ+ History Month in the UK, there is a distinct historical context to consider. Homosexuality was decriminalised in England and Wales in 1967, but only for men aged 21 and over. In Scotland, decriminalisation did not occur until 1980, and in Northern Ireland until 1982.
For many years, homosexuality was also considered a medical condition. It was removed from being classified as a mental illness in 1973, but then reclassified as a “sexual orientation disturbance” until 1987. It was largely removed from the World Health Organisation’s publications in 1992.[4] It was not until 1994 that the age of consent for gay men was lowered to 18, followed by equalisation at 16 in 2000 for both same-sex and opposite-sex partners.[5]
Alan Turing, widely known as a key individual who helped crack Nazi codes during the Second World War and now appears on the £50 note – was a gay man when it was illegal to be so. In 1952, as a direct consequence of his sexuality, he was convicted of gross indecency. Subjected to chemical castration he was then barred from continuing the work that contributed to allied success in the war. An inquest concluded that he died by suicide in 1954. He received a posthumous royal pardon in 2013. [6] [7]
Changes in legislation do not immediately change society. As therapists, when working with people who identify as part of LGBTQ+ communities – or indeed those who don’t – we operate within an ethical framework that places clients at the heart of our work. This includes having an awareness of the social and historical contexts from which clients may come, including experiences of discrimination or marginalisation. A client may not wish to speak about their sexual orientation or gender identity but ignoring the wider environment they operate in risks failing to fully consider the person as a whole.
When working with clients, therapists will always want to explore previous relationships to gain an understanding of what has been happening. Labels will no doubt come into that conversation; they can be useful. They can also restrict conversation as well. Returning to the baked beans for a moment, our immediate thought is often that this familiar brand with its three-word catchphrase has great marketing – but there are other brands available. Questions I pose to clients include: how useful are labels in your life? And what does that stop you from considering?
LGBTQ+ people are not just a single thing. Their sexuality or gender doesn’t describe their entire existence. It might be an important part of their identity – for other people it may feel less important. Like other groups, the LGBTQ+ communities isn’t monolithic. Some people are religious; others are not. Some express themselves through colourful clothing, others do not.
Thinking about gender and sexuality are not exclusive to LGBTQ+ communities. Before training as a therapist, I volunteered at a helpline, where one lesson has remained with me – that our experiences exist on a spectrum. Some people are attracted exclusively to their own gender, others exclusively to a different gender, and between these points lies a broad range of difference.
Love Without Labels is an invitation to consider things from a different point of view. While labels are helpful to name and focus on specific experiences and histories, they also remind us that some relationships and identities have existed beyond what has been accepted as “normal” or “traditional”.
As an organisation that provides therapy, we aim to remain curious rather than categorical. By recognising the person behind the label, we create space for connection, dignity and understanding.
[1] https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/lgbt-history-month-2026/
[2] https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/lgbt-history-month-2026/
[3] https://www.stonewall.org.uk/news/stonewall-uprising-50-years-lgbt-history
[4] https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/hide-and-seek/201509/when-homosexuality-stopped-being-a-mental-disorder
[5] www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40743946
[6] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/royal-pardon-for-ww2-code-breaker-dr-alan-turing