Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
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Why Pride remains as important as ever
Ahead of Leeds Pride on Sunday 7 August, Senior Lecturer Dr Ian Lamond and Leeds Beckett Students’ Union Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Coordinator Ro Sewell offer thoughts and reflections on the event’s lasting relevance and importance.
On Sunday 7 August, students and members of staff that are part of the LBGTQIA+ community and community allies will be joining the first Leeds Pride parade in three years. But is Pride still relevant? Haven’t we reached a point where LGBTQIA+ rights and freedoms have been won and Pride is now little more than an excuse to party in the streets?
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion play an important part in our lives as members of the Leeds Beckett community, and whilst there is still work to be done in embedding and extending the freedoms we have, we are, in many respects, in a position of privilege. So, this year, the fiftieth anniversary of the first Pride in the UK, let us take the opportunity to reflect on some the issues still facing the LGBTQIA+ community.
DID YOU KNOW:
- Half of LGBTIQ+ people had experienced depression and three in five had experienced anxiety
- Almost half of trans people had thought about taking their life
(Stonewall)
In the UK
Hard-won rights of LGBTQIA+ people are again under threat. In the digital age we are facing new challenges that threaten to weaken the foundations on which we are building a safer future for all, including increasing homophobic and transphobic comments on social media, and members of the community constantly fighting for basic respect, particularly those in the trans community, with culture wars and the government excluding trans people from the recent ban on conversion therapy.
Violent crimes against LGBTQIA+ people are also on the increase, and many hate crimes and hate incidents go unreported. Stonewall estimate over 80% of hate crimes and hate incidents against LGBTQIA+ people go unreported.
Research by AdvanceHE into the Higher Education sector in the UK has suggested that LGBTQIA+ students may experience higher rates of non-continuation in studies, have specific needs around mental health support, and may face higher rates of harassment.
A report on the national student experience conducted by Dig-In, published earlier this year, found 37% have experienced verbal harassment, with 92% of students suggesting that LGBTQIA+ history should be incorporated within the curriculum.
Mental health and well-being are also a critical concern when it comes to the LGBTQIA+ community. According to an NHS report released in July 2021, adults in the LGB community had a significantly lower average score than heterosexual adults, with women in the community scoring lowest overall. The same report found 16% of LGBTQIA+ adults suffered with long-term mental health problems, compared to 6% in heterosexual adults.
LGBTIQ+ people aged 18 to 24 have attempted to end their life
Around the world
Effective from the 1st of July this year, the US state of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill (more commonly referred to as the 'don't say gay' bill) prohibits any discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity at any level where the parent considers that it is done “in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate” to the child – encouraging parents to bring legal action forward on schools they feel violate this principle. There are echoes here of Section 28 of the UK’s Local Government act (only fully repealed in England in 2003), and the Russian government ban on LGBTQIA+ propaganda.
Did you know:
- 70 countries around the world criminalise same-sex relationships where the death penalty for same-sex relationships is either ‘allowed’, or evidence of its existence occurs, in 11 of these countries.
- In more than half the world, LGBT+ people may not be protected from discrimination by workplace law.
- Most governments deny trans people the right to legally change their name and gender from those that were assigned to them at birth.
- A quarter of the world’s population believes that being LGBT+ should be a crime.
Taken from ILGA World (2020)
This is why we, as staff and student members of the LGBTQIA+ community and community allies, still think Pride is important. It demonstrates a sense of belonging alongside visible allyship. It provides an opportunity to feel seen and represented in the organisation, rather than hiding behind closed doors.
It is a manifestation of a commitment to continuous progress in hard-won freedoms and solidarity with those who fight to gain and/or regain freedoms lost. Work must go on around LGBTQAI+ acceptance and inclusion in our communities and we must demonstrate respect for each other.
We must be especially mindful of those in the community who are disproportionately affected by intersectional discrimination, such as people of colour, the Global Majority, disabled communities, and more. Pride, whilst it may mean different things to different people, is a celebration but it is also a protest.
If you are LGBT+ you are more likely to experience mental health difficulties due to homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, stigma and discrimination, difficult experiences of coming out, social isolation, exclusion and rejection.
How you can get involved in our LGBTQIA+ activities at Leeds Beckett
University staff can join the Rainbow Rose Forum; The network acts as a staff/student voice on sexual orientation and gender identity issues within our university’s community. You can find more information here.
If you are a student who identifies as LGBTQIA+ and would like to share your experiences and work to further inclusion in the university, you can join the Student Union LGBT+ Students’ Community. You can find more information and join the community here.
If you are a student looking for a social group, you might be interested in the Student Union Equals Society (LGBTQ*). Equals Society are a fun, supportive and inclusive environment for LGBTQIA+ students to be themselves. They pride themselves selves on being able to help students find friends and make their university life that little bit better. For more information and to join the society click here.
