LGBT+ History Month – A call for renewed solidarity

Exploring the theme of 'Activism and Social Change' this LGBT+ History Month

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With LGBT+ rights being challenged across the globe, LGBT+ History Month allows us the opportunity to reflect on the actions of those who came before us, to see how we can help to shape a fairer society for all. Here Joe Parry, Director of Communications and Engagement, explores HIV and LGBT+ activism and focuses on the need for solidarity for all marginalised people in the HIV response.

This year’s LGBT+ History Month theme, “Activism and Social Change,” couldn’t be more timely. The hard-won rights achieved by LGBT+ communities in recent decades are under threat, as governments around the world adopt less progressive stances toward marginalised groups. With many of these communities disproportionately affected by HIV, the potential impact on people living with or affected by HIV is deeply concerning.

As some seek to dismantle the progress of the past, this year’s theme offers an opportunity to reflect on the activism and solidarity of previous generations and the lessons they hold for us today.

In January 2025, US President Donald Trump enacted a series of executive orders that directly harm minoritised communities, both in America and internationally. Among the most alarming is a potential halt to the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a programme critical for supplying life-saving HIV medications to poorer countries.

In a statement , Beatriz Grinsztejn, President of the International AIDS Society, warned “This is a matter of life or death”. As HIV advocates, this news is shocking, but underlines the need for renewed solidarity with people living with HIV overseas.

Solidarity has always been a cornerstone of activism, and the history of HIV advocacy highlights its transformative power. In the early days of the pandemic, the power of people living with HIV advocating for themselves cannot be denied, but allies who were not living with HIV were central to raising awareness and driving change.

One remarkable example is the role of lesbians during the height of the HIV and AIDS crisis. Beyond offering care and comfort to gay men who were dying, some lesbian activists organised blood drives and ensured donations directly supported those in need. This extraordinary display of solidarity and direct action is a defining moment in LGBT+ history and a model for how we can support marginalised groups today. Though National AIDS Trust is based in the UK, we must always look at the HIV response as a global issue. HIV knows no borders, and neither should our efforts to combat stigma, inequality, and unjust policies.

Trump’s executive orders have also taken aim at trans people, who will soon not be able to serve in the military, and at other marginalised groups, through the ending of government employee diversity, equity and inclusion programmes. Not only do these orders seek to limit access to people from minoritised groups, but they also aim to sow divisions among different communities.

The focus of these measures on groups that have historically been discriminated against reveals an important truth: the liberation of these communities has the power to catalyse wider social change. Being able to live authentically, outside of the way that society has traditionally expected of you, has to me always represented freedom. Being able to have full autonomy of yourself, your body and your choices threatens to destabilise the status quo. The same can be said for the fight for women’s reproductive rights, for racial justice and for the rights of disabled people. This is a key reason those in power seek to curtail these freedoms.

From the early days of HIV advocacy to the ongoing struggles for LGBT+ rights, activists have always faced attempts to silence them — and they have always persisted. Today, as the rights of marginalised communities face renewed threats, we must follow their example and refuse to stay quiet. We owe it to those who came before us, and paved the way for us, to protect the progress they fought so hard to achieve.

Their activism serves as a call to action, urging us to stand in solidarity with all marginalised groups, to speak out against injustice, and to use our collective strength to create a fairer, more equitable society for all.