Watch: Hannah Bardell on the importance of LGBT History Month

This week I was fortunate enough to get a backstage pass at the Scottish Parliament, to grab a sneak peek of the Queer Champions exhibition, and to catch up with MP Hannah Bardell to chat around LGBT History Month, coming out, and all things queer.

Hannah is the MP for Livingston, and Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Trade and Investment). She hit the headlines recently for rapping in the House of Commons, and came out just a couple of years ago at the age of 34.

Arriving at the Parliament with my lovely Mum and Dad, we whizzed through security and waited for my friend, editor of Holyrood magazine, Mandy. I met Mandy many years ago when I used to wax her bikini line (don’t worry, I am trained!) and it was great to see her again, albeit in very different circumstances. Mandy signed us in as the exhibition in the parliament was in the MSP area.

Once in, we headed straight over to the exhibition and found the artist Ajamu in residence. The exhibition is small, but perfectly formed, with 20 portraits being commissioned for LGBT History Month. It was a real pleasure and honour to be pictured alongside such well-loved individuals from across Scotland, including singer Horse, politician Alyn Smith and founder of Pink Saltire, Stuart Duffy.

Then it was photo op time with the pictures, with Hannah taking some, ahem, interesting selfies which she shared on Twitter. My Mum then decided it was a good idea to whip out some pictures of me to show Ajamu – oh the cringe factor! I then recorded a quick interview with Hannah which you can watch above.

The exhibition will be open to the public from Monday 12^th February until 2^nd March at the University of the West of Scotland, with the launch party on Thursday 15 -  Queer Champions exhibition launch tickets

After that it will be moving to Rose and Grants in Trongate, Glasgow from 5^th March until 31th May.

For more information about the exhibition and the work that Outspoken Arts do, check them out at http://outspokenarts.org/

Lisa Charlwood-Green is the Founder and Director of The WOW Network