As part of our EDI Calendar, we are pleased to recognise LGBT+ Pride Month throughout June. Pride is an annual event which recognises and celebrates all those with a minoritised sexuality and/or gender identity. It takes place in June to commemorate the Stonewall riots of 1969, which played a pivotal role in advancing LGBT+ rights.
In May, we marked International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. We reflected on our pride in being awarded a position in Stonewall's Top 100 Employers list in recognition of the support we have in place for LGBT+ colleagues and students. However, we also reflected on the issues we face in our University community and the wider world. It was recently announced that the UK has dropped to 17th position in the ILGA Europe 2023 Rainbow Map, representing the current state of LGBT+ rights in different countries, from 1st in 2015.
In recognition of LGBT+ Pride Month, we have created a Pride logo that includes the colours of the Progress flag. This flag represents the LGBT+ community and you may spot the Progress flag flying above our Founder's Building on our Egham campus throughout June. As well as the traditional rainbow colours, this flag contains a chevron in white, pink and light blue, to forefront trans people, and brown and black, to forefront LGBT+ Black and global majority people, as two of the most marginalised groups within the community.
We are also holding a free online event open to all students, staff and the public called 'Fabulous Nights: A conversation with madison moore for LGBT+ Pride Month' on Thursday 27 June from 3-4pm.
Our LGBT+ Staff Network, the Black and Global Majority Network and the School of Performing and Digital Arts have collaborated to host this conversation with madison moore (any/all pronouns). As queer club performance comes under attack from the far right in the United States, the iridescence of queer nightlife provides an important example of what it means to live otherwise. This conversation articulates the lasting significance of fabulousness and queer nightlife as poetic methods of living in and through the five-alarm fire of everyday life. You can find out more and book your free ticket on Eventbrite.
Happy Pride!