So much to do, so much to celebrate: books for LGBT+ history month 2025
Hannah
Approaching February and this year's LGBT+ History Month, we take courage from those who have led past struggles, celebrating their dedication. At the same time, we meet today's fights head=on, with clarity about the work ahead.
At the Lighthouse, this month brings two events that perfectly encpsulate these two aspects of LGBT+ history month.
On Tuesday February 4th, we'll be hosting the Edinburgh launch of award-winning writer and activist Ellen Jones' first book Outrage: Why the Fight for LGBTQ+ Equality Is Not Yet Won and What We Can Do About It. Many in queer communities are all too well aware of how visibility doesn't equate with rights. In her book, Ellen brilliantly lays out the current state of queer rights - and how we're clearly 'not there yet' - while offering the tools to have necessary conversations and move the struggle forward. Ellen will be in conversation with June Thomas, author of A Place of Our Own.
Tickets are HERE.
Later in the month, we invite you to celebrate the joy and chaos of coalitions. Jake Hall will be with us with their wonderful love letter to the pioneers of queer solidarity and coalition: Shoulder to Shoulder!
Tickets are HERE.
Below you'll find both these books, and other queer-history highlights loved by the Lighthouse team:
Linked Books

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- A Place of Our Own : Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women's Culture
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- June Thomas

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- Outrage : Why The Fight for LGBTQ+ Equality Is Not Yet Won And What We Can Do About It
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- Ellen jones

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- Shoulder to Shoulder : A Queer History of Solidarity, Coalition and Chaos
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- Jake Hall

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- The Loves of My Life : A Sex Memoir
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- White, Edmund

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- Long Live Queer Nightlife : How the Closing of Gay Bars Sparked a Revolution
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- Ghaziani, Amin

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- Revolutionary Acts : Love & Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain Click to enlarge Revolutionary Acts : Love & Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain
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- Jason Okundaye

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- Reeling in the Queers : Tales of Ireland’s LGBTQ Past
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- Kerrigan, Paraic

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- Drag : A British History : 23
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- Bloomfield, Jacob

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- Some Men In London: Queer Life, 1945-1959
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- Parker, Peter

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- Trans Hirstory in 99 Objects
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- Franz, David Evans, Linden, Christina, Vargas, Chris E.

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- Uneven : Nine Lives that Redefined Bisexuality
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- Mills, Sam

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- All the Violet Tiaras : Queering the Greek Myths
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- Menzies, Jean

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- OutWrite : The Speeches That Shaped LGBTQ Literary Culture
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- Enszer, Julie R., Gross, Elena

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- Cruising : An Intimate History of a Radical Pastime
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- Espinoza, Alex

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- The Pink Line : The World's Queer Frontiers
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- Gevisser, Mark