A very Happy UK LGBT+ History Month 2026!
This year we're celebrating 'Science and Innovation' and highlighting the lives of five inspirational LGBT+ people in those fields:
- Barbara Burford, a medical researcher who established NHS equality and diversity guidelines.
- Charles Beyer, a locomotive engineer and a founding member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.
- Elke Mackenzie, a lichenologist who researched lichens in Antarctica.
- Jemma Redmond, a biotechnologist who developed 3D bioprinters to create tissues and organs.
- Robert Boyle, a founder of modern chemistry and of the modern scientific method.
Find out more about them on our website and by following our Instagram
Over the past 50+ years Schools OUT have worked to #educateOUTprejudice and #usualise LGBT+ lives, creating learning environments where all LGBT+ people feel safe, seen, and supported. This is why, following the repeal of Section 28, we founded UK LGBT+ History Month to be a dedicated space to celebrate our rich and diverse history, herstory, theirstory.
Claiming our past
Celebrating our present
Creating our future
#LGBTQIA
#LGBTplusHM
#ScienceAndInnovation
🎉 It’s International Volunteer Day, and we’re sending a huge THANK YOU to our amazing Role Models - the heart of Diversity Role Models. 💛
Every time you step into a classroom and share your story, you’re changing lives. You’re helping young people feel seen, heard, and valued. You’re creating a safer, more inclusive future - one conversation at a time.
To every Role Model past and present: you inspire us. And if you’re looking for a way to make a real difference, we’d love to have you join us.
📢 Want to become a Role Model? Tap the link in our bio to learn more and get involved!
#InternationalVolunteerDay #ThankYouVolunteers #RoleModels #DiversityRoleModels #LGBTQInSchools #MakeADifference #VolunteerWithUs
🏳️⚧️ It’s Trans Awareness Week - a time to uplift, honour, and stand in solidarity with the Trans+ community.
At Diversity Role Models, we know that visibility and education are powerful tools in the fight against transphobia. That’s why we work in schools to share real Trans+ stories, challenge harmful stereotypes, and create safer spaces where Trans+ youth can thrive.
This week - and every week - we commit to listening, learning, and advocating for a world where every Trans+ person is treated with dignity, respect, and love. 💙💖🤍
#TransAwarenessWeek #TransYouthMatter #TransRightsAreHumanRights #DiversityRoleModels #RepresentationMatters #LGBTQInSchools
It’s Anti-Bullying Week and at Diversity Role Models we know that inclusive or discriminatory behaviour begins at a young age, often in the classroom.
For many young people, school is the first place they become aware of those who are deemed “different” to them and for too many LGBTQ+ young people, it remains a place of fear:
❗Recent research found that around 50% of young LGBTQ+ people are bullied in UK schools for simply being who they are.
➡️ Our own evaluation shows the situation is getting worse, not better: in 2023/24, 26% of young people felt that LGBTQ+ people would feel comfortable coming out in their school. This plummeted to just 18% in 2024/25.
Bullying has a devastating, long-term impact on mental health, attendance, attainment, and even future career prospects. We cannot afford to let the next generation be held back by discrimination.
👍 The good news is that we know that our work in schools makes a huge difference by creating more inclusive learning environments and, in long term, by helping to create kinder, more compassionate adults who embrace difference, rather than fear it.
This Anti-Bullying Week, join us in creating genuinely safe and inclusive school environments.
❓ What can you do?
🎤 Share this post to raise awareness of the urgent need for anti-bullying work.
❤️ If your company or business cares about young people being bullied for who they are in schools partner with us to help fund our work. Young people in schools today will be the workforce of tomorrow and relatively small contributions can make a big difference.
🫰Please support our fundraising appeal. Link in our bio.
Let’s turn the tide and make every school a place where everyone feels safe, respected, and ready to learn.
#AntiBullyingWeek #MakeADifference #DiversityandInclusion #LGBTQplus #Education #SchoolSafety #DiversityRoleModels
"I always come away from the schools where I've been talking to pupils and staff with a renewed sense of hope."
Here from our wonderful Role Model, Pauline, on why she volunteers and shares her story in schools. We are so grateful to our Role Models for the part they play in creating more accepting and inclusive schools.
But they can't do it alone, your donations help us to reach schools across the country that can't pay for our work.
Donate to our Urgent Appeal through the link in our bio
Thank you to everyone that has donated so far - we have over £30,000 in contributions to our campaign and we couldn't be more grateful
#InclusiveEducation #UrgentAppeal #DiversityInSchools #EndBullying
Calling all teachers 📣 Join us this Anti-Bullying Week for an interactive webinar exploring how you can use personal stories to unlock the Power for Good in your classroom.
This FREE event will explore how storytelling can be used to embed empathy, challenge stereotypes and foster inclusive values.
Sign up through the link in our bio!
We will analyse:
- The research, teaching strategies and impact of personal stories in the classroom
- An example of a story that fosters the Power for Good from one of our volunteer Role Models
- A range of free resources and tools that participants can take back to their settings
At the end of the session, participants will:
- Feel: Inspired by examples of how storytelling has been used in a range of settings and the impact it has had on school culture.
- Know: The power of storytelling and its role in preventing prejudice-based bullying and how this can be used for different age groups.
- Do: Utilise a range of free resources including videos of our Role Models sharing their stories, animated videos, lesson plans, resource packs and book lists in their settings.
The webinar is FREE but if you’re able to donate to our Urgent Appeal (link in bio) you can be part of ensuring we continue having a positive impact in schools like yours. You can also donate by selecting us as your chosen donation at checkout.
Make sure to share this with your teacher friends!
Please sign up through the link in our bio using our organisation email address to allow us to help track participants. #PowerForGood #AntiBullyingWeek #InclusiveEducation #DiversityRoleModels #WebinarEvent
It was great to catch up with Tom from the @rainbowlottery today. Our CEO is drawing the numbers next weekend so please buy tickets before it’s too late.
Buying tickets to the Rainbow Lottery helps to fund our life-changing workshops preventing homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in schools and ALSO gives you the chance to win money and amazing prizes. 💰🤑
Buy tickets and donate to us here /support/diversity-role-models
💜🖤🤍 It’s Ace Week - and we’re proud to celebrate and uplift the asexual community!
Asexuality is real, valid, and beautifully diverse - but it’s still too often misunderstood or erased. That’s why visibility matters.
At Diversity Role Models, we include asexual voices in our workshops, helping young people understand that there’s no one way to be you - and every identity deserves respect and representation.
To all our ace students, educators, and role models: we see you, we support you, and we celebrate you. 💫
#AceWeek #AsexualAwarenessWeek #AceVisibility #DiversityRoleModels #RepresentationMatters #LGBTQInSchools
👭✨ It’s International Lesbian Day - a powerful reminder that visibility saves lives.
Today, and every day, we celebrate lesbian role models who break barriers, challenge stereotypes, and show young people that being yourself is something to be proud of.
At Diversity Role Models, we make sure lesbian voices are heard and valued in our workshops - because when young people see themselves represented, they thrive.
Here’s to love, to pride, and to being unapologetically visible. 💗
#LesbianVisibilityDay #LGBTQInSchools #RepresentationMatters #DiversityRoleModels #VisibilitySavesLives #PrideEveryDay
Tune in to Soho Radio on Thursday, 9 October, at 11 am, where Clare Lynch and I will be co-hosting the National Coming Out Day show. Guests are:
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Damian Barr
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Saba Ali
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Alex Feis-Bryce (CEO, Diversity Role Models)
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Carl Hopgood
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Fox Fisher
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National Coming Out Day is on Saturday, 11 October. The radio show has inspirational guests, with powerful stories and messages, ahead of Saturday.
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@mrdamianbarr
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@sabacelebritypa
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@diversityrm
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@carlhopgood
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@thefoxfisher
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@clarelynchred
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@sohoradio
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#NationalComingOutDay
URGENT FUNDRAISING APPEAL UPDATE
We need 100 people to donate £100 to help us raise our next £10,000 to continue to fund our life-changing anti-bullying workshops in schools.
We have been overwhelmed by the incredible support we have received so far during this appeal. And we need 100 of you to help us continue to give the young people we work with hope. As we head back into schools again, it shows us how powerful the work we do is. Your donation helps to continue that hope.
95% of primary pupils will respect people who are different to them more after our workshops.
💬 "I know how to support LGBTQ+ people and make them feel more comfortable"
💬"I'm gay too and your story made me feel very accepted knowing that there is community out there that would support you!"
PLEASE donate whatever you can on our Just Giving page through the link in our bio so we can share our anti-bullying workshops with as many young people as possible this academic year.
THANK YOU! ❤️
#DRMUrgentAppeal #MakeADifference #PreventBullying #EndLGBTQPlusBullying #EmbraceDifferenceEndBullying #Respect #Empathy #Inclusion #DiversityRoleModels
