Vicky Iglikowski-Broad

Diverse Histories Records Specialist at The National Archives

Articles by Vicky

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'Can we be counted too?' Recognising LGBTQ+ lives in the 1991 census

Until 2021, the census did not ask for information about sexuality. One letter in our collection gives a personal perspective on why this data was needed.
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The queer Victorian origins of the word 'camp'

Did you know that the word ‘camp’ was used by members of the LGBTQ+ community as early as 1868?
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A queer working-class haven: Lady Malcolm’s Servants Balls

Lady Malcolm’s elaborate Servants’ Balls allowed queer, working-class staff to forge a unique space for themselves. But these events became plagued by scandal.
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‘Not acceptable’: Gay Switchboard’s attempts to become a charity

LGBT+ Switchboard is one of the oldest telephone helplines supporting queer communities in the UK. Its journey to register as a charity was not easy.
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Section 28: impact, fightback and repeal

What was the everyday reality for LGBTQ+ people in the 80s and 90s living under the infamous Section 28, and how was it eventually repealed?
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The origins of Section 28

Section 28 of the 1988 Local Government Act negatively affected LGBTQ+ lives for decades. How did such a seismic piece of legislation come about?