NEWS Sir Ian McKellen launches UK gay history month February 08, 2007 Sir Ian McKellen Story by UK Gay News LONDON — Box office star Sir Ian McKellen took to the stage at the Drill Hall theatre in London at the weekend as a guest speaker at the launch of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans History Month. Now in its third year, the month has quickly become a major event in both the LGBT and education worlds. Sir Ian praised the conference for its strong panel and dynamic audience – a diverse range of teachers, artists, academics and activists all committed to the cause of LGBT equality in education. The speakers’ panel consisted of Judy Moorhouse (NUT president and GTC chair), Dr. Steve Wharton (UCU joint president), and Mark Chater (QCA curriculum adviser). A Q&A session with Robert Beattie of the DfES followed. The atmosphere buzzed as Mz. Fontaine, the UK’s first out lesbian rapper, performed songs throughout the conference. She is shortly to embark on a tour of America. The conference had major input this year from LGBT youth, showing that it is grounded in the feedback and opinions of the constituent groups it seeks to help. The Trans youth group Sci:dentity, Lik:T (lesbians in performance), the Albert Kennedy Trust and an audience of enthusiastic and bright young people joined forces with LGBT heroes such as Ian McKellen, Mz. Fontaine, and Persia West. “The conference just gets better every year,” commented Sue Sanders, the co-chair of Schools Out, the group that organizes LGBT History Month. “The young people – in the audience and on the stage – were awesome and inspiring,” she said. “We were honored that Sir Ian could join us, and it was so sweet of him to stay and chat to everyone afterwards.” – Issued by Gay Link Content Related stories Ian McKellen Sprinkles a Little Stardust