In a bid to improve diversity, the British Museum will be adding five priceless LGBT+ artefacts to its collection.
The pieces, which will be permanently displayed at the museum, include a “nine-bob note” from the 2008 nightclub event ‘Gay Shame Goes Macho’. The ‘mock’ note features the famous London gangster Ronnie Kray in place of the queen, and is a play on the phrase “queer as a nine-bob note”.
Other pieces which will be added include a Greek coin showing the poet Sappho from Lesbos, a Roman lamp depicting lesbian sex, and Japanese prints dating from 1600 to 1900 featuring the androgynous “wakashu” people who were desired by both men and women.
Speaking to Gay Times, Stuart Frost, head of interpretation and volunteers at the British Museum, said: “We’re really pleased to be putting these five objects on permanent display as part of our ongoing efforts to better represent the full range of stories and identities that can be found in LGBT+ history.
