‘AS A HUMANIST I BELIEVE IN FREEDOM AND EQUALITY FOR EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR SEXUALITY OR GENDER IDENTITY.’

ANDREW COPSON LGBT History Month takes place every February, organised by SCHOOLS UT UK. It’s a Andrew Copson is the Chief chance to celebrate the lives and achievements Executive of the British Humanist of , , bisexual and trans people Association and President of the from our past and present. This year’s theme is ‘Religion, Belief and Philosophy’. At International Humanist and Ethical we’re proud to work with lots of inspirational Union. Humanist organisations LGBT people of faith in our work to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Here campaign for a world without are some of their stories. prejudice and discrimination. That You can find more resources and information at: means recognising the dignity of all www.stonewall.org.uk/lgbthistorymonth individuals and ensuring lesbian, www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk gay, bisexual, and trans people enjoy the same equal rights as everyone else.

Registered in England and : Stonewall Equality Ltd, Tower Building, York Road, London SE1 7NX. Registration no 02412299 - VAT no 862 9064 05 - Reg Charity no 1101255 ‘I’M PROUD TO BE BOTH CHRISTIAN AND LGBT.’

DR KARL RUTLIDGE LGBT History Month takes place every February, organised by SCHOOLS UT UK. It’s a Karl Rutlidge is a bisexual chance to celebrate the lives and achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people trans man who is also from our past and present. This year’s theme is ‘Religion, Belief and Philosophy’. At Stonewall a Christian. He lives in we’re proud to work with lots of inspirational Birmingham and is currently LGBT people of faith in our work to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Here training to be a Minister in are some of their stories. the Methodist Church, which You can find more resources and information at: www.stonewall.org.uk/lgbthistorymonth means he writes essays and www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk helps out in a local church. He also plays pool (badly) and drinks lots of coffee.

Registered in England and Wales: Stonewall Equality Ltd, Tower Building, York Road, London SE1 7NX. Registration no 02412299 - VAT no 862 9064 05 - Reg Charity no 1101255 ‘I’M GAY. I’M CHRISTIAN. YOU CAN BE BOTH.’

KIERAN BOHAN LGBT History Month takes place every February, organised by SCHOOLS UT UK. It’s a Kieran Bohan has worked with chance to celebrate the lives and achievements lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people from our past and present. This year’s theme is young people in Liverpool for 10 ‘Religion, Belief and Philosophy’. At Stonewall years. He is a member of Changing we’re proud to work with lots of inspirational LGBT people of faith in our work to challenge Attitude, which supports the full homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Here inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual are some of their stories. and people in the You can find more resources and information at: www.stonewall.org.uk/lgbthistorymonth Anglican Church. Kieran and his www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk partner were the first same-sex couple to register a civil partnership in a place of worship in the UK.

Registered in England and Wales: Stonewall Equality Ltd, Tower Building, York Road, London SE1 7NX. Registration no 02412299 - VAT no 862 9064 05 - Reg Charity no 1101255 ‘TO MY SIKH LGBT FRIENDS AND FAMILY, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. KEEP BEING YOU.’

MANJINDER SINGH SIDHU LGBT History Month takes place every February, organised by SCHOOLS UT UK. It’s a Manjinder Singh Sidhu is an chance to celebrate the lives and achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people international human rights from our past and present. This year’s theme is spiritual activist, author and ‘Religion, Belief and Philosophy’. At Stonewall we’re proud to work with lots of inspirational speaker, who is passionate LGBT people of faith in our work to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Here about equality and helping are some of their stories. others. He produces video You can find more resources and information at: www.stonewall.org.uk/lgbthistorymonth blogs to help other LGBT South www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk Asians and offers life coaching to empower individuals to make change happen.

Registered in England and Wales: Stonewall Equality Ltd, Tower Building, York Road, London SE1 7NX. Registration no 02412299 - VAT no 862 9064 05 - Reg Charity no 1101255 ‘HINDUISM TEACHES US TO FIND PEACE AND TO TAKE CARE OF ALL FORMS OF LIFE. MY SOUL IS NEITHER MAN NOR WOMAN.’

RESHMA JOHAR LGBT History Month takes place every February, organised by SCHOOLS UT UK. It’s a Reshma was born in the UK and raised chance to celebrate the lives and achievements in a Indian household. She lived with her of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people parents, grandparents and sister and had from our past and present. This year’s theme is ‘Religion, Belief and Philosophy’. At Stonewall a large extended family. Growing up they we’re proud to work with lots of inspirational celebrated Hindu festivals and Gujarati LGBT people of faith in our work to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Here culture together such as Diwali, Holi, and are some of their stories.

Raksha Bandhan. She spent most of life You can find more resources and information at: living through separate boxes - religion, www.stonewall.org.uk/lgbthistorymonth family and sexuality. She only became www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk confident about her sexuality when she learnt more about her religion and because of her grandma’s acceptance.

Registered in England and Wales: Stonewall Equality Ltd, Tower Building, York Road, London SE1 7NX. Registration no 02412299 - VAT no 862 9064 05 - Reg Charity no 1101255 ‘I’M A WOMAN, A CATHOLIC, AN INDIAN AND A MEMBER OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY.’

LGBT History Month takes place every February, RUBY ALMEIDA organised by SCHOOLS UT UK. It’s a chance to celebrate the lives and achievements Ruby Almeida is a lecturer and of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people a campaigner for LGBT equality. from our past and present. This year’s theme is ‘Religion, Belief and Philosophy’. At Stonewall She was born in Rajasthan in we’re proud to work with lots of inspirational India and moved to England when LGBT people of faith in our work to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Here she was 11. She is the Chair of are some of their stories. QUEST, a pastoral support group You can find more resources and information at: www.stonewall.org.uk/lgbthistorymonth for LGBT Catholics. She asks www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk people to take and accept her as a whole and not just for one aspect of her identity.

Registered in England and Wales: Stonewall Equality Ltd, Tower Building, York Road, London SE1 7NX. Registration no 02412299 - VAT no 862 9064 05 - Reg Charity no 1101255 ‘IT’S PERFECTLY OK TO BE TRANS AND A PERSON OF FAITH. DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THE OPPOSITE. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!’

SURAT-SHAAN KNAN LGBT History Month takes place every February, organised by SCHOOLS UT UK. It’s a Surat-Shaan Knan is a Jewish trans man. chance to celebrate the lives and achievements He spent most of his young years in the of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people from our past and present. This year’s theme is Mediterranean, and now lives in London. ‘Religion, Belief and Philosophy’. At Stonewall He is an international speaker, writer we’re proud to work with lots of inspirational LGBT people of faith in our work to challenge and campaigner. He feels he’s never homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Here quite fi tted neatly into ‘those little gender are some of their stories. boxes of female and male’. He’s also an You can fi nd more resources and information at: www.stonewall.org.uk/lgbthistorymonth active member of the Liberal Jewish www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk community, working for UK charity Liberal Judaism, and feels blessed to be part of a welcoming and inclusive faith community.

Registered in England and Wales: Stonewall Equality Ltd, Tower Building, York Road, London SE1 7NX. Registration no 02412299 - VAT no 862 9064 05 - Reg Charity no 1101255. Photo credit AJAMU.