“Only by speaking out can we create lasting change.” DaShanne Stokes

Welcome back.

We thought we would take a break in August. With holiday commitments, life at work was a little quiet. We spent the time making plans and preparing for the new academic year. Whilst there are lots of ideas, I think it’s fair to say that some still need finalising and even agreement. Still we are determined to exploit all possibilities. So where do we start.

Actually, with something that I hadn’t planned for. I received an invitation to attend a round table discussion on Trans equality hosted by Pinsent Masons in Birmingham. The discussion was led by Rachel Reese from Global Butterflies.  Rachel shared her own story, the “three bumps in her career”, which led to her setting up Global Butterflies. Her organisation helps companies create trans inclusive working environments for both employees and customers. She highlighted the importance of training senior leaders, HR and customer facing staff. She also talked about the valuable role that Allies can play, and symbols, including rainbow lanyards, stickers and flags. She described them as “beacons of hope”. Her words made me realise how much more work is still to be done to be fully trans inclusive.

Actually, this week has a distinctive focus on LGBT+, as we will be attending Pride in Gloucestershire on Saturday 8^th September. We’ll be there with students from our LGBT+ Student Society who support the event every year alongside the university. The event is a little later this year. I’m sure that many of you know, June is Pride month. Do you know why, or how it came about though?

The Stonewall Riots of 1969 in the US are seen as the beginning of the modern gay rights movement. On the morning of 28^th June 1969, New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. Police raids were routine, but this was the first time the community resisted and fought back. According to “elite daily”, a regional conference of LGBT activists was held that November in Philadelphia. They voted in favour of replacing the Annual Reminder demonstrations with an annual event to mark the riots. The day was called Christopher Street Liberation Day, named after the street that the Stonewall Inn is on, and would be celebrated in New York. The conference hoped though that other cities would organise events to commemorate the riots. In 1970 gay pride marches and events were held in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. They continued to grow every year thereafter. By 1984, Pride celebrations were established in many major US cities as well as around the world.

The first official gay pride rally in the UK was held in London on 1^st July 1972. The date was chosen as it was the nearest Saturday to the anniversary of the Stonewall riots of 1969. The first marches though had taken place in November 1970 with 150 men walking through Highbury Fields in North London.

Whilst Pride should be a celebration of progress in the LGBT+ community, I think it is important to remember its origins. As Rachel’s words reminded me, there is still more work to do.

But if you have some time on Saturday, why don’t you come and celebrate Pride with us in Gloucester Park.

If you are unable to attend, you can keep up with the festivities by following us on Twitter @UoGEquality or @prideinglos