It’s 1st February today so Ed Davey has written an article on the Lib Dem website in which he highlights this year’s theme, science and innovation and looks at the Lib Dems’ strong record in advancing the cause of LGBT+ rights.

He said:

This LGBT+ History Month we celebrate the contributions of LGBT+ people throughout history, reflect on the struggles they have faced and reaffirm our determination to make progress on equality.

LGBT+ people have always existed. From artists, activists and athletes to scientists, innovators and pioneers, they have helped shape our country and our world, even when their sexuality and stories were erased. This year’s theme, Science and Innovation, highlights the vital contributions LGBT+ people have made to fields from healthcare and engineering to environmental science and technology and reminds us that diverse voices have driven progress for everyone.

From Barbara Burford, a medical researcher who established NHS equality and diversity guidelines to Alan Turing, a mathematician who conceived modern computing and played a crucial part in the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, to Robert Boyle, a founder of modern chemistry and the modern scientific method, history is littered with the contributions of LGBT+ scientists. However, this month also calls for honesty. For too long, science has been misused to pathologise and marginalise LGBT+ identities, causing real harm. Still today, many LGBT+ people face discrimination in healthcare, education, housing and employment, as well as being victims of hate crime and hostility. No one should be made to feel unsafe, invisible or lesser simply because of who they are.

The Liberal Democrats have a proud legacy of leading the fight for LGBTQ+ equality. From repealing Section 28 – the Conservatives’ law which prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality” by local authorities – thanks to a clause moved by Ed Davey, to Lynne Featherstone’s tireless efforts to legalise same-sex marriage, and the former Liberal Democrat MP John Leech securing pardons for those unjustly criminalised for their sexuality, our party has always stood on the right side of history. That same commitment drives us today.

The Liberal Democrats believe that everyone should be free to live authentically, without fear or prejudice. That is why, through our policy Free To Be Who You Are, we remain committed to banning all forms of conversion practices, strengthening protections against discrimination and hate crime, improving access to inclusive healthcare, and delivering a new LGBTQ+ Action Plan to drive progress across government. Because everyone deserves full and equal access to healthcare, education, workplaces, and the protections and freedoms every citizen enjoys.

This LGBT+ History Month, we honour the trailblazers who came before, celebrate the contributions of LGBT+ people today, and stand with the next generation as they push for a fairer, more inclusive future. Our message is unwavering: you belong, your history matters, and we will continue fighting for a country where everyone is truly free to be who they are.

I don’t know very much about the five scientists featured on the LGBT History Month, website so I will do my best to find out more. They are:

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 botanist 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.

These months are really important to help us learn lessons from history to stop us making the same mistakes again. Society has nothing to gain from demonising a group of people for being who they are.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social