This February, CityLibrary is looking at LGBTQ+ stories past and present. Learning and listening to the tales about those who came before us are equally as important as it shows how much progress has been made in certain areas and how precarious and short earned the rights and acceptance of being a LGBTQI+ individual can be. There are plenty of resources that can be used to inform you on these subjects.
Read
Find one of our book displays at our Law, Business, and Northampton Square Libraries. See some of the recommendations from our library staff and find titles to draw you in and entice and take you on a journey with a story that is different to your own. Whether you want to pick up a memoir, a historical novel, contemporary literature or a deep dive non-fiction title; find something for everyone.
On Libby, explore our permanent LGBTQ+ collection. There are audiobooks and e-books in every genre whether you want to listen the stunning poetry collection by songwriter Arlo Parks, read a cute manga about a baker, explore Nigeria’s lesbian culture with Under the Udala Tree, or the beautifully written and moving memoir by Amrou Al-Kadhi about growing up gay and Muslim.
Another great resource to explore is the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion collection.
Watch
Kanopy is the streaming service that has so many options of videos to watch: documentaries, classic films, b-movie hits, and recent releases. Some good recommendations for LGBTQ+ History Month include Beautiful Darling which explores the life of Candy Darling (friend and muse of Andy Warhol), and the Elton John biopic Rocketman starring Taron Egerton. There are so many more options, so start exploring today!
For those who want to watch something slightly different, find filmed theatre performances on Digital Theatre Plus and the National Theatre Collection. On Digital Theatre Plus, get lost in the story of first love in Jonathan Harvey’s Beautiful Things or sing along with the cast of Kinky Boots. Spend time with the National Theatre and the character ensemble piece Angels In America or watch the iconic Deep Blue Sea written by Terrence Rattigan, which is said to be veiled way of telling about his secret relationship with actor Kenny Morgan and the aftermath of it ending.