The British Museum has opened a major new exhibition highlighting LGBTQ histories, experiences and lives.
The exhibition explores the theme by examining a series of objects from its vast collection – from every corner of the world – and covering ancient civilisations to the present day.
The ways same-sex desire, love and gender diversity have been expressed culturally has varied significantly throughout history, and across the globe. From prominent figures of the classical world like the Roman emperor Hadrian and his lover Antinous to modern-day drag queens in Japan, this show presents stories that have often been overlooked or underrepresented.
This year marks 50 years since the Sexual Offences Act was passed, a law that partially decriminalised homosexuality in England and Wales. This landmark moment in the movement for equality is charted in the display with campaign badges that show how the push for equality has changed over time. Coins, prints and small sculptures represent past, recent, and ongoing expressions of same-sex desire, love and identity.
A trail featuring objects in the permanent galleries that relate to LGBTQ histories will also accompany the show.
