News

Birmingham Museums has acquired several pieces of costuming from Brummie comedian Joe Lycett for the city’s permanent collection. The donations include costumes worn by Lycett for award show red carpets, and in conjunction with his Late Night Lycett which was filmed in his home city and showed on Channel 4.

Eva Echo, a trans activist and changemaker known for her work with Birmingham Pride, Trans in the City and the Crown Prosecution service among many others, has announced that she will be standing in the upcoming local elections. Eva has joined the Green Party, led by Zack Polanksi and will standing in the local elections as one of the Green Party candidates for the Rowley ward, in Sandwell.

Members of the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) Association will be joining the Great Birmingham Run this weekend, and among them will be several LGBTQ+ ex-personnel.

Last year, plans were announced to transform the streets surrounding Hockley – an area already tied to the local LGBTQ+ community and its history – into an official LGBTQ+ district. Following in the footsteps of other cities including Manchester and Birmingham, which have officially recognised Gay Villages, Hockley is set to become Nottingham’s Rainbow Quarter. The charity behind the project have now revealed details and dates for the unveiling.

Labour councillor, David Barker, has called for a transgender clinic in Birmingham to improve access to healthcare and support, and to bring down waiting lists.

An undercover BBC investigation claims that legal advisors have been helping migrants ‘pose as gay’ to gain asylum in the UK. Micro Rainbow, the leading UK non-profit providing safe housing, integration and social inclusion support for LGBTQI refugees and asylum seekers, with housing in London, the North West and the West Midlands, has issued a statement responding to the BBC article which they say is “deeply misleading and risks harming those genuinely fleeing persecution.”

Staffordshire Police have become the 22nd police force in the UK to apologise for their history of persecuting LGBTQ+ people.

A new exhibition at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry depicts youth culture, capturing the “collapse of gender binaries" says photographer, Casey Orr

Content Warning: This article contains sensitive topics related to the impact of Section 28. The Section 28 Justice Coalition launched this month as a campaign group calling for a public inquiry into the impact of Section 28 on LGBTQ+ people. As part of their campaign, they have launched a petition calling for the public inquiry, as well as opening a letter writing campaign

A renewed appeal has been launched in the search for Montgomery (Monty) Lewis from Shropshire.

Redditch Pride, a free event which takes place in the town centre, is returning in 2026 on Saturday 6th June.

In a statement shared by Nottingham Pastel Project, a Trans Rights advocacy and lobbying non-profit, organisations across Nottingham have responded to an incident that took place at an event for International Women’s Day.

Plans have been confirmed for the future of LGBTQ+ youth support in Nottinghamshire. Under a new model, emotional health and wellbeing support delivered to LGBTQ+ children and young people across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire will no longer be provided through a single specialist.

A We Are Queer AF investigation has found that 58 libraries across the UK currently house harmful material targeting trans children and their families. In response, Warwickshire-based Trans+ activist, Demitri Rodriguez, has launched action to remove the book Leamington Spa.

Colton Hills Community School, Wolverhampton, has been recognised with The Rainbow Flag Award; a national quality assurance framework for schools and colleges, focussing on positive LGBTQ+ inclusion and visibility.

West Midlands Police have issued a statement regarding an incident on Kent Street, Birmingham...

The organisers of Warwickshire Pride have issued a statement, outlining changes that will be made to the event in 2026, after last year’s event experienced troubles on site that led to police attendance and subsequent arrests.

Story Time with Mama G is one of many shows coming to Leicester Comedy Festival this year.

Project 93, the Spode Museum, and local artist Olivia Azzopardi, have been collaborating with LGBTQ+ people in Stoke-on-Trent to create a new mosaic, which is due to be unveiled at Spode Museum this Sunday (15th February 2026).

National HIV Testing Week is an annual campaign, that runs from 9th – 15th February in 2026, encouraging and promoting regular HIV testing across England.