Tracing Queer Pasts, Imagining Queer Futures

Explore LGBTQIA+ histories this Pride Month through the archives at Cultural Collections & Galleries.

Hosted by LGBTQ+ Project Intern Leyao Ling, this online event invites you to reflect on and reimagine the telling of Queer histories. Using archival examples, Leyao will trace LGBTQIA+ histories represented in our collections. We'll reflect on themes such as LGBTQIA+ activism, changing terminology, and intersectionality.

We will also invite you to think about what might be missing from the archives. Whose stories are easy to find, and whose are harder to see? Together, we will consider how archival materials can help us build richer Queer stories. What role can archives play in strengthening Queer visibility, and empowering LGBTQIA+ communities?

Our annual LGBTQ+ Internships have been running since 2021. During the event, Leyao will introduce you to the work undertaken in their internship project. They aim to raise the visibility of Queer narratives within Cultural Collections.

This session is open to everyone as part of Pride Month, whether you identify as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community or as an ally. It aims to celebrate the culture and visibility of LGBTQIA+ people. It invites participants to reflect critically on Queer pasts and imagine Queer futures.

Access Information

Getting Here

• This event is taking place online via Microsoft Teams. Registered attendees will be emailed a joining link the day before the event. 

Sensory

• Attendee cameras and microphones will be switched off during the event.

• The event will include a presentation featuring a slideshow showing different images of archival material.

In the Room

• This event is taking place online via Microsoft Teams. 

• There will be the option to enable live captions during the event.

What to Expect

• The event will begin with an introduction from archivist Holly Smith, followed by a presentation from intern Leyao Ling. 

• You will be invited to share your responses or thoughts about archival examples using an online platform. You will receive information about how to do this during the event. Sharing your responses is optional. 

• You will be able to ask questions during the event using a Q&A function in Microsoft Teams.

• If you need a screen break during the event, or to leave for any reason, you will be welcome to do so. 

If you have any other questions, please email us at gallery@leeds.ac.uk and we'll be happy to help.