LGBTQ+ people have always existed, whether they identified with the labels of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans or Queer or not. Historical terminology to describe sexual and gender identities has changed over time, with words like ‘homosexual’ being used in the 19th century, while ‘gay’ and ‘trans’ are more recent.

Histories of LGBTQ+ people have often been hidden or erased as attitudes towards romantic, sexual and gender identities have altered. Many of the famous figures who made London part of their life lived radical private lives outside the norms of the time. Some were persecuted, including Oscar Wilde and Anne Seymour Damer, and some, like James Baldwin, helped to challenge public perceptions.

The figures below led lives beyond the expectation of gender and sexuality whether publicly or privately. Aspects of each person’s specific identity are ambiguous and unknowable, but certainly worth celebrating. Highlighting LGBTQ+ figures in London’s history provides a broader and more accurate representation of societies and people.

Trans, working-class, disabled, Black, and ethnically diverse voices within Queer history are still less visible today, so more research is still needed to better understand these diverse LGBTQ histories. Find out more about our LGBTQ+ collections here: https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/history-and-heritage/london-metropolitan-archives/collections/lgbtq-collections