LGBT History Month is being marked in Oakham by the flying of the pride flag to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.  

There have been complaints by Oakham residents on social media about the flying of the rainbow flag outside of pride month, showing a lack of awareness of understanding locally about the importance of LGBTQ+ History Month for other people within the community. 

This is the first year Oakham Town Council have flown the flag for LGBTQ+ History Month. 

Every year since 2005, February has marked LGBT History Month, an annual marker of the abolishment of Section 28 which overturned the ban on schools and local authorities discussing homosexuality. LGBT History Month focusses on raising awareness of the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people past and present, as well as promoting diversity, equality and better education about LGBTQ+ issues. 

In a statement by the founders, Schools OUT UK, "From BC to AD, LGBT+ people have existed. Over the last 20 years, since the first LGBT+ History Month in 2005, we have highlighted the incredible things LGBT+ people in all our diversity have achieved throughout history in all areas of life."