Join us for the Lesbian History Day Inaugural Launch in collaboration with the RSA LGBTQIA+ Network.

Our history has been forgotten, erased and written out. On 10th September, we write it back in.

Lesbian lives have shaped this country's culture, its politics and its fight for liberation, yet the record keeps losing them. Names go missing from the archive. Stories get told about us instead of by us. Lesbian History Day exists to change that, and this is where it begins.

Join us at RSA House for the inaugural launch of Lesbian History Day, hosted in collaboration with the RSA LGBTQIA+ Network. This is a night of remembering, of celebrating, and of organising for what comes next.

Why the RSA, and why this matters

In 1866, it was the RSA that started putting commemorative plaques on London's buildings, the scheme that became the blue plaques we walk past every day. It was the RSA that decided, at that moment, that a life could be worth marking in public. Look along those walls now and count the lesbians. That gap is not an accident, and it is exactly the work Lesbian History Day exists to do.

The RSA has been a home for uncomfortable, necessary ideas since 1754, from campaigning against child labour to convening people who wanted to change the country and had no other room to do it in. It describes itself today as a global network of changemakers, built on curiosity, creativity and courage. Lesbian history asks for all three.

The RSA LGBTQIA+ Network brings that heritage to bear on our present, opening the doors of RSA House to a community whose story has too often been kept outside them. Launching Lesbian History Day in a building designed in 1774, in a city that has spent centuries deciding whose past gets remembered, is the point.

What to expect

The evening opens with Marie-Hélène Tyack, founder of Lesbian History Day, officially 6th September, on why this day matters now and what she hopes it will become.

A panel discussion follows, bringing together voices from activism, archiving, education and the arts, on how lesbian history has been kept alive, who has been left out of it, and what it takes to make sure the next generation inherits a fuller story.

Afterwards, stay for drinks and networking with the people building this movement alongside you.

Speakers

Emeritus Professor Sue Sanders, co-chair of the charity Schools OUT UK and co-founder of LGBT+ History Month in 2004, a campaigner who has spent decades putting our history into classrooms.

Elizabeth Lovatt, author of Thank You for Calling the Lesbian Line, a book drawn from the logbooks of a helpline that quietly held a community together.

Tash Koster Thomas, our RSA network resident host, ED&I consultant and speaker.

Eva Echo, the trailblazing, award winning activist whose campaigning has reshaped conversations on trans rights and healthcare in the UK.

Hosted by Saski, a well-respected LGBTQ+ inclusion and diversity consultant, and official Pride and events host.

The details

Date: Thursday 10 September 2026

Doors: 6.30pm

Event: 7pm to 8.30pm

Networking: from 8.30pm

Venue: The Prince Philip Room, RSA House, 8 John Adam Street, London, WC2N 6EZ

Nearest stations: Charing Cross, Embankment

Can't get to London? We are running a hybrid option so you can join us live from wherever you are. Select the online ticket at checkout and we will send you the link before the event.

Capacity in the room is limited, so if you want to be there in person, book early.

Who this is for

Everyone. Lesbians, our wider LGBTQIA+ community, historians, teachers, students, allies, and anyone who believes a history worth having is a history that includes all of us. RSA Fellows are warmly invited, and you do not need to be a Fellow to attend.

"Lesbian History Day is not just about remembering the past. It's about acknowledging the courage and resilience of those who paved the way for future generations. It's a day to celebrate our community's strength and diversity, and to inspire continued progress and acceptance."

Marie-Hélène Tyack, founder of Lesbian History Day

Book your place now. Bring someone with you.

This event is also supported by LINK

In person events

To help us run events smoothly, please book in advance so we can manage capacity. And if your plans change, please cancel your booking. Our events fill quickly and your place could make someone else's day.

Everyone should be able to take part in our events fully. If you have any accessibility requirements, let us know via your Eventbrite registration and we'll take care of the rest.

By registering, you've agreed to receive event communications and to your name, organisation and title being shared with the host and other attendees to support networking. Please note that photography and filming may take place for archival and promotional purposes. To opt out of either, email [email protected].

The information you provide is used to manage the event and record attendance. To find out more about how we use your data, please see our Privacy Policy.

Please note that registration closes two hours before the event begins.

Online events

Help us create a safe, welcoming and enjoyable experience for everyone. Please read the following before attending. So, we can run events smoothly as possible, please book in advance so we can manage capacity. And if your plans change, please cancel your booking. Our events fill quickly and your place could make someone else's day.

All events must be booked in advance. Please register using your full name and the email address linked to your Zoom account. If you have any accessibility requirements, let us know when you register so we can support your participation. You'll need an authenticated Zoom account to join. Once approved, your joining link will arrive no later than two hours before the event. Registration closes 72 hours before the event begins.

By registering, you've agreed to receive event communications and to your name, organisation and title being shared with the host and other attendees to support networking. Please note that photography and filming may take place for archival and promotional purposes. To opt out of either, email [email protected].

Joining as a guest? You'll need to be sponsored by a Fellow. If you haven't already provided your sponsor's details, let us know using the email above.

Our events are spaces where everyone is welcome to think, question and contribute freely. We ask all attendees to treat one another with respect. Harassment, discrimination and disruptive behaviour will not be tolerated, and staff may remove anyone who affects that environment. By attending, you agree to uphold these standards. If something concerns you during the event, please speak to the host.

For more information about how we use your data, please see our Privacy Policy.