The Annual General Meeting of Birmingham LGBT will be held at Birmingham LGBT Centre, 151 Hurst Street, Birmingham B5 6EW on Wednesday 18 November at 6pm.
This felt particularly important at a time when we know that LGBTQ+ hate crime continues to happen on our doorstep. West Midlands Police recorded 721 LGBTQ+ hate crimes in Birmingham in 2022, 799 in 2023, 669 in 2024 and 634 in 2025. These figures need to be understood carefully, and they do not capture the full experience of hate or the incidents that go unreported, but they demonstrate that this is not simply something that belongs to the past.
Paul has written about how the flower’s name has historically been used as an insult against gay men, while its connection to the French penser, “to think,” gives it another meaning: reflection. His work turns sites of hatred into places where we stop, remember and think.
Having this work at the entrance of the Centre matters enormously. It means that every person who comes through our doors will encounter a visible reminder that queer history is part of Birmingham’s history. It reminds us that the streets around us have not always been, and are not yet, safe for everyone. But it also says something equally important: we are here, we remember, we resist, and we are continuing to build something for the future.
The Pansy Project has always used a very simple gesture, a single flower to create space for conversations about violence, memory, visibility and resistance. Now, that gesture has a permanent place at the Centre.
Our Rainbow Roundtable discussion events are back this October, with two sessions focusing around health screening.
Everyone knows about health screening tests, for such issues as breast, prostate and cervical cancer. But are you getting the information you need that is right for you? And what difficulties do you have attending screening sessions?
We want to learn more about how your experiences affect your health and wellbeing, and hear your ideas about what would make a difference for you.
We believe that people know what they need and what does and doesn’t work for them. We want to hear about both good and bad experiences, and work with people to develop solutions to help improve their lives. These could be anything from raising awareness and how people can help themselves, to developing new services or improving existing ones.
Refreshments are available and we can support you with travel costs if you wish.
Birmingham Literature Festival presents:
Tales of the Suburbs: LGBTQ+ Lives Behind Net Curtains with John Grindrod
Thursday 8th October, 6.30pm–7.30pm,
Birmingham Rep: The Studio
Tickets: £10/£8 (concs)
Book tickets here
Suburban England: a respectable enclave for the upwardly mobile replete with pebble-dashed walls, tightly cultivated lawns and two-point-four children; a place where heterosexuality is the ‘obviously’ dominant mode. But as social historian John Grindrod demonstrates, the real story of life behind the net curtains has always been one teeming with colour and queer narrative.
Drawing on extensive archive material and insightful oral history, Tales of the Suburbs colours an entire palette of LGBTQ+ suburban life and culture, centring the stories – along with the challenges and hard-earned joys – of those who have lived and loved in these curious, sometimes closeted, spaces.
In conversation with Chair of Birmingham LGBT, Dr Steve Ball.
A new ranking of cities throughout the world by how sexually liberated they are has just been published with Birmingham listed at number 17.
The adult entertainment portal Erobella released its Sexually Liberal City Index for the fifth time, and the results are fascinating. The study scored 41 cities on “the freedom to live, love and express sexuality.” Cities all over the world were ranked across 10 categories, including contraception use, the number of sex shops, how the city fares on gender recognition, anti-discrimination, and abortion access, as well as queer-centric metrics like how many gay bars and LGBTQ+ events there are.
The United States and other countries the world over may be overwhelmed by conservative ideology and attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, but there are still ways cities across the globe are fighting back and making sure that they are still as sexually free and welcoming to the queer community as possible.
Statement from Dr Steve Ball, Chair of Birmingham LGBT
Birmingham LGBT welcomes the apology we have received from the Acting Chief Constable of West Midlands Police.
We recognise this as an important acknowledgment and a meaningful step toward rebuilding trust between the police and our LGBTQ+ communities in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.
An apology matters because it validates the experiences of LGBTQ+ people who have felt let down, unheard, or unsafe. Words alone don’t undo harm, but they do open the door to accountability and change.
We welcome the commitment to do better and we look forward to working constructively with West Midlands Police to ensure this apology translates into action: fair treatment, inclusive training, and policies that protect and respect LGBTQ+ people every day.
Birmingham LGBT remains committed to supporting our community and holding all public services to the standards of dignity, safety, and equality we all deserve.
Come join us to learn and practice Voguing completely free. A space where you can freely explore, practice, learn, share, and develop your Voguing skills with other members. A space designed for people with or without experience.
We’ve created this space to build the foundation for the future of the Kiki scene in Birmingham, and we want to unite the community to make this a reality.
These sessions will be led by Eric Scutaro 007, a Voguing Trailblazer from Venezuela, who has been working in Birmingham for 6 years to establish the scene in our city. We’ll also have two special guests from the UK scene to lead some of the sessions.
Birmingham LGBT centre will be open and celebrating Birmingham Pride this year! We’ll be located outside of the Pride site on Hurst Street so no wristband needed, providing a free and sober community space over the festival weekend
Saturday 23rd May
12pm-2pm: Relaxed sober space with music refreshments
2pm-4pm: ‘Barbara Nice’s Open Mic’
Local legend and national treasure, Barbara is known for being a proper good laugh and a feel good welcoming host for ’Barbara Nice’s Open Mic’. All types of performers are welcome, from spoken word to comedy to singers… you name it we’ll say yes to it.
Book a slot: hello@blgbt.org or just turn up on the day!
4pm-6pm: Relaxed sober space with music and refreshments
Hosted by Barbara Nice
Mrs Barbara Nice is the comedy creation of Janice Connolly BEM. She is a star of Phoenix Nights and radio 2 Sitcom “Barbara Nice” and is also the Artistic Director of triple award winning Women and theatre. Based In Birmingham the company create new work alongside communities about stuff that matters .
Sunday 24th May
2pm-1.30pm: Relaxed sober space with music and refreshments
1.30pm-3pm: Community ‘Show & Tell’ hosted by Gareth Williams
Each community group will have a limited time to ‘pitch’ their group to the room. PLUS performances by Tristan Treble, Crip Ladywood & Eden Voss.
3pm-6pm: Relaxed sober space with music and refreshments
Hosted by Queer As Joke Gareth Williams
Charm? Check. Quips? Check. Moustache? Check. Up and coming Midlands Comic Gareth Williams is here to guide you through the troubles of an overweight, underprepared Millennial.
Tristan Treble
Heartthrob of Birmingham, Tristan Treble, has been performing for past 5 years and is known for his “outstanding vocals” [Birmingham Review – 2023] and undeniable charm.
Crip Ladywood
One of the UKs best known disabled Drag Kings, combining live vocals with camp comedy patter and heartfelt love for his craft and communities.
Eden Voss
“My name is Eden. I’m gay and autistic and I’m going to talk about it…” With his unfiltered and hilarious perspective on the world Eden fearlessly tackles taboo subjects finding the humour in the uncomfortable and the absurd.
We’re excited to unveil our brand new window graphics at the centre, just in time for Birmingham Pride weekend! Moving into our new building has taken time and these designs make our centre more visible and welcoming for our community.
If you’re in the area, make sure to stop by and take a look, we’d love to hear what you think.
Check out the rest of our website for the free services and events we can support you with.
