University Celebrates LGBT History Month With Free Online Talks

LGBT History Month is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements.

The talks have been organised by the Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences at the University.

Claire Buckerfield, Faculty Public Engagement Co-ordinator at the University, said: "LGBT+ History Month is a chance to look back at LGBT+ History as well as raising awareness of issues, events and concerns that face the LGBT+ community today.

"This year the University is running a number of LGBTQ+ events, provocations and talks which will be available for all students, staff and the public to attend for FREE online."

The first talk will be held on Friday 5th February 2021 between 4.00 pm and 5.00 pm. I'll Cover You: Performing Angel in Rent, will feature Alex Thomas-Smith, WIll Wilhelm and Layton Williams - all of whom have performed as Angel in recent productions of Rent in Manchester, Chicago and on the UK tour. The musical follows a group of friends grappling with addiction, eviction, sexual identity, parents, materialism and the yearning to leave a meaningful legacy.

The panel of actors will be hosted by Dr James Lovelock, a musical theatre academic with a background in improvising and creating musical theatre, and will look at how the role of Angel can be interpreted in different ways according to emerging gender and sexual identities in the 21st century.

On Friday 12 February 2021 between 4.00 pm and 5.00 pm, James will also host an online talk, Some Other Me: Bisexual and pansexual representation in theatre, with writers and performers, Arun Blair-Mangat (& Juliet), Callum Heinrich (Mamma Mia) and Beth Hinton-Lever (West Side Story). The talk will cover queer representation in film and television, with bisexual and pansexual characters beginning to appear in shows such as Doctor Who and Schitt's Creek.

James will discuss the actors' experiences as bisexual and pansexual writers and performers in the theatre industry, focusing on how theatre can expand its range of queer representation in future productions.

The free talks are open to everyone and can be booked through Eventbrite as follows - Some Other Me and I'll Cover You. A full list of events is available here: https://www.wlv.ac.uk/schools-and-institutes/faculty-of-arts-business-and-social-sciences/wolverhampton-school-of-art/lgbt-history-month-2021/.

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