February is almost upon us, and Bristol will once again have an extensive program events to mark LGBT History Month (yes, US readers, we celebrate it at a different time of year). The key event is the exhibition at the M-Shed, which has been occupying a great deal of my time over the past few months. If you need extra incentive to come, I note that the other exhibition they are hosting in February is all about chocolate.

Out Stories Bristol (well, Kim) has also arranged a program of external events. You can find a list of them all here. I’d like to draw your attention in particular to this one. The blurb for it is:

Michael Dillon was the first person in the world to undergo medical gender transition from female to male. Oxford educated, he trained as a doctor and played a key role developing the modern medical view of transsexuals. He also assisted with the UK’s first male-to-female gender surgery. Cheryl Morgan explains how the modern history of trans people began here in Bristol, and how two World Wars helped make this gender revolution possible.

Other LGBT groups around the city are also putting on events, and the City Council has produced a comprehensive list (PDF).

We didn’t quite have time to arrange the erection of a statue of Julie Burchill to mark her contribution to trans rights (she was born in Bristol), but perhaps we can manage that next year.