Celebrating LGBT+ Lives
Explore the wide range of LGBT+ experiences in these highlights from the National Library of Scotland’s collections.
We were always here
LGBT+ themes can be found in stories throughout history. The Library collections reflect these themes through items that were created hundreds of years apart, showing common threads that still resonate with LGBT+ voices and experiences today.
Stonewall 69-79 stickers (1969/1979) by Bob OrrNational Library of Scotland
Collecting the unexpected
Many of the Library's collections contain unexpected items, such as these stickers from the ten-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. These items (known as ephemera) create a full and vibrant picture of past events, and the people who attended them.
'Female Footboy' Broadside (1820/1825) by Printed by R. ReynoldsNational Library of Scotland
Sensational stories
However, LGBT+ people have not always been allowed to tell their own stories. When viewing these items, it's important to ask who the author was and what message they were trying to convey. How do we find the real people behind the headlines?
NLS staff member in Reading Room (2022)National Library of Scotland
Finding real voices in the archives
Archival collections allow us to read about the lives of historic figures in their own words. The letters of Joan Eardley (1921-1963) to Audrey, Lady Walker (1910-1996) are full of love and humour, easily relatable to modern-day readers.
Modern/General collections (2022)National Library of Scotland
What's on your shelves?
As a Legal Deposit library, the Library is entitled to receive a copy of everything published in the UK. This means you're more than likely to find your favourite authors in our collections, both digital and physical. The representation of LGBT+ authors are no exception.
Easter Road Press (2022) by Easter Road PressNational Library of Scotland
Celebrating local voices
LGBT+ creators have often produced works outside of traditional publishing. To this end, the Library also collects independently published materials, such as zines and pamphlets from Edinburgh-based Easter Road Press.
Page from an edition of the Maitland Quarto (1920) by Scottish Text SocietyNational Library of Scotland
Scots Sappho
Poem 49 of the Maitland Quarto is one of the earliest examples of female homoerotic poetry in Europe. It's believed to have been written by Marie Maitland (c.1550-1596). It went largely unsung until recent research by Ashley Douglas – what other works wait to be explored?
Harriet Hosmer (1885/1890)National Library of Scotland
Artists and patrons
The Library holds over 100 letters from Harriet Hosmer (1830-1908), the first professional female sculptor, to her patron and romantic partner for over twenty years, the Scottish art collector and philanthropist Louisa, Lady Ashburton (1827-1903).
Edwin Morgan and His Poetry (2022)National Library of Scotland
"Love rules. Love laughs. Love marches."
Edwin Morgan (1920-2010), Scotland's Makar (national poet) came out as gay when he was 70, and advocated for LGBT+ rights in Scotland in his later life. However, many of his love poems were ambiguous about gender, in order to avoid legal issues and be universally relatable.
Lavender Menace Eye PosterNational Library of Scotland
Building community
The papers of Bob Orr contain valuable insights into LGBT+ history and community in Scotland from the 1970s-1990s. The materials range from the business documents of bookshops Lavender Menace and West & Wilde, to event posters, fliers, and notes from early LGBT+ Rights groups.
Coming Out still (1983)National Library of Scotland
Coming out
The documentary 'Coming Out' was made in 1983, and looks at Scottish attitudes towards homosexuality, as well as the lives of LGBT+ people at the time. Nearly 40 years on, how has Scotland changed?
Glasgow Pride march (1996) by Jim Mearns (b.1959)National Library of Scotland
Glasgow's Pride
Glasgow’s first Pride march took place in June 1996. The collections of Jim Mearns (b.1959) include photographs, flyers, and other ephemera from this historic day, as well as other materials related to LGBT+ liberation.
Photographs-Glasgow Pride (1995/1996) by Jim MearnsNational Library of Scotland
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride is not just political – it's personal. Seeing ephemeral items like photographs reminds us that these are real people with hopes and dreams, not mythical figures. How will we be remembered, and what will we leave behind?
