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Pride month

Pride Month 2023

Here you can find details of all the events, activities and initiatives taking place as part of Pride Month at Queen Mary this June.

All are open to our staff and students to mark this important month, so please join us!

Recordings of some of the events that took place during Pride Month are now available. Please take a look below.

You can find details of Resources & Support available on our dedicated page.

Lunch and Learn: The LGBTQIA+ initialism & evolution of the Pride flag

An intersex inclusive Progress Pride flag on a blue background, overlaid with a white Queen Mary crown logoDate: Friday 30th June

Time: 12.00pm – 1.00pm

Location: Online via MS Teams

This event has now taken place - you can watch the recording online.

Join us during Pride Month to find out more about the meaning of the LGBTQIA+ initialism and the history behind the evolution of the Pride flag.

This Lunch and Learn will be delivered by Eleanor McDavis, EDI Manager for LGBTQIA+ and Disability Inclusion and Darren Hunwicks, EDI Officer for LGBTQIA+ and Disability Inclusion.

Inaugural Lecture of Professor Chloe Orkin

Photograph of Chloe Orkin with text reading

Date: Wednesday 14th June

Time: 5.30pm – 7.30pm

Location: Perrin Lecture Theatre, Blizard Building, Whitechapel Campus, London, E1 2AT

This event has now taken place. If you are a staff member or student you can watch the recording online via QMplus Media.

Professor Chloe Orkin is a Professor of Infection and Inequities at Queen Mary, a Consultant Physician at Barts Health NHS Trust and directs the SHARE Collaborative.

Professor Orkin will be giving her inaugural Professorial lecture, which is open to the public and will be understandable to a non-medical audience. Professor Orkin’s inaugural lecture was delayed four years due to COVID-19 and this will be a chance to reflect on her research, professional contributions and identity as a doctor, academic and leader from the LGBTQ+ community who came out as a junior doctor.

Professor Orkin will be talking about the history of HIV during her career, mpox and discussing structural barriers and inequities from both a personal and a systems perspective. She will focus on HIV, which particularly affects the gay community, and will touch on episodes of homophobia she has experienced and navigated.

Peopling the Palaces Festival 2023

A logo of a pink background with a hand holding a cup with a star on itThe Peopling The Palaces Festival returns between Saturday 3rd - Sunday 11th June 2023, with a diverse programme of live art, film, installations, workshops, conversation and more, many of which include LGBTQIA+ themes and content.

Take a look at the full programme to find out more on the festival website.

Some selected events are highlighted below:

Sunday Night Special at the Pinter: A Culinary Cabaret of Works-in-Progress

Sunday 4th June, 7.00pm - Naz Simsek, a young queer Drama alumni is curating a night of works in progress.

Mad Hearts Festival: Queering Boundaries

Friday 9th June - Saturday 10th JuneA two day conference on creative arts and mental health.

Nando Messias in TransMission: Sissy TV

Saturday 10th June, 6.00pm - Nando Messias invites you into their Narnian closet, a trans archive of exquisite ephemera, poignant stories and bodily wonders.

Lunch and Learn: A conversation on diversity: students and teachers view on LGBTQ+ language materials

White text on a blue background reading 'A Conversation on Diversity - Students and Teachers view on LGBTQ+ language materials' 'Dr David Rodríguez-Velasco' d.rodriguez-velasco@qmul.ac.ukDate: Tuesday 20th June

Time: 12.00pm – 1.00pm

Location: Laws Building 308d and online via MS Teams 

This event has now taken place. You can watch the recording online.

Universities and publishers have made significant progress in recent years to further equality for the LGBTQ+ community. Nonetheless, their representation in language materials is still very scarce and limited to specific topics (e.g., human rights, homophobia and transphobia, health problems, among others) or to a specific moment in time (e.g., Pride Month).

To address the inequalities faced by LGBTQ+ students, it is important not only to know their point of view, but also their educators. This workshop seeks to further assess, on the one hand, students and teachers experience regarding levels of LGBTQ+ inclusivity at their university, in general, and in their course materials in particular. On the other hand, it also aims to understand how teachers can develop course materials that include LGBTQ+ representation in their modules.

Bio: 

I am Dr David Rodriguez-Velasco, Lecturer in Spanish Language and Culture in the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film. My qualifications include a bachelor's degree in Translation and Interpreting Studies from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, a master's degree in Spanish Language Teaching from Universidad Nebrija and a PhD in Applied Linguistics focused on Intercultural Pragmatics, also from Universidad Nebrija.

Before joining Queen Mary in 2023, I have held posts in Higher Education in China, at Heilongjiang International University, and in the United Kingdom, at Royal Holloway University of London, at Queen’s University Belfast and at the University of East Anglia. I also collaborate as a master's dissertation supervisor at Universidad Nebrija.

Outside academia, I have contributed to language testing and student placement by working with the Instituto Cervantes where I was a member of the examination board of the DELE exams in Norwich 2017 and Beijing 2018.

School of Mathematical Sciences and School of Physical and Chemical Sciences: LGBTQIA+ Coffee Morning

Friday 30th June, 10.00am-11.00am

An LGBTQIA+ coffee morning for PhD students and staff will take place on Friday 30th June at 10.00am in the Maths common room. This is a joint event between the School of Mathematical Sciences (SMS) and the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences (SPCS), with the aim being to share experiences, have a chat and get to meet each other.

If you are interested in attending from another school please contact Alex Fink and we will try to accommodate.

Queen Mary Library Services LGBTQIA+ collection

A photograph of a set of portable library shelves containing a variety of LGBTQIA+ themed booksLibrary Services celebrate LGBTQIA+ literature in all its forms throughout the year and Pride Month is no exception.

At Mile End Library you will find a LGBTQIA+ Collection; why not pop along in June to get inspired?

You can find out more about books available throughout the library collection with LGBTQIA+ themes that have been highlighted in these two reading lists:

A LGBTQIA+ Reading List : 101 titles from the Queen Mary Library Collection

and

100-ish more LGBTQIA+ books from the Queen Mary UoL's Library Collection

Pride Month Pop-up stands around our campuses

Photo of a selection of Queen Mary pronoun badges and rainbow lanyardsHave a chat with colleagues and members of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team and collect a rainbow lanyard and pronoun badge, to signify your commitment to providing a safe and comfortable environment for all of our LGBTQIA+ staff and students.

Dates and locations across Queen Mary campuses will be added throughout the month. Check back soon for more details!

Dept W

Date: Wednesday 14th June

Time: 11.00am-1.00pm

Location: Dept W, building entrance

Whitechapel 

Date: Wednesday 21st June

Time: 11.30am-1.30pm

Location: Blizard building, in the main space by the stairs going down to the labs

Mile End

Date: Thursday 29th June

Time: 10.30am-12.30pm

Location: Mile End Library, located in the foyer

Flying of the Progress Pride Flag across our campuses

Photo of the intersex inclusive Progress Pride flag flying outside The People's Palace on the Mile End CampusDuring June the intersex-inclusive Progress Pride flags will be flying across our campuses at Queen Mary.

Find out more about the evolving design of the Pride flag, including the intersex-inclusive Progress Pride iteration.

 

 

QMOut LGBTQIA+ Staff Network

QMOut is Queen Mary's LGBTQIA+ Staff Network and is for staff at Queen Mary University of London who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Non-binary, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (Ace) or those who identify with other marginalised sexual orientations and / or gender identities. The network is also open to allies of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Pride Month is a great time to join, connect with colleagues and find out more about the activities of the network.

Employee Assistance Programme - New Pride Month content for staff

A red circle with blue text underneath a crescent shape, reading Workplace OptionsQueen Mary’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is provided by Workplace Options, and is a free, confidential service that provides a wide range of support for staff around help balancing work, family and personal life.

For Pride Month an online pre-recorded seminar 'Pride Month 2023: Workplace Diversity and Belonging' will be released to the Employee Assistance Programme website on 1st June. The seminar will be available for quite some time after, so you can choose a time and day to view that works best for you.

Participants will benefit by:

  • Understanding how exclusion affects people who identify as LGBTQIA+
  • Exploring the positive impacts of LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace
  • Cultivating a sense of belongingness in the community
  • Encouraging a zero-tolerance environment by reducing discrimination and harassment of LGBTQIA+ communities
  • Becoming an ally to support and include LGBTQIA+ people in the community and the workplace

Employees can find details of how to log-in and access the webinar by visiting the HR Employee Assistance Programme webpages.

Queen Mary Bystander

A logo showing five vertical stripes representing the five D's that can be used to challenge unacceptable behaviourQueen Mary Bystander is e-learning that staff can find on QMplus. It will help you become a colleague who is equipped and confident to challenge unacceptable behaviour, encouraging inclusivity and collegiality in everything we do.

Building on the e-learning, there is also a workshop to explore some more complex scenarios and discuss them with small groups. If you are a staff member, to book a place, first complete the e-learning and then search on the CPD booking system for course code PD230b (your place may be cancelled if you book before completing the e-learning).

Please note: Queen Mary Bystander is an on-going e-learning offer available to Queen Mary staff. It is being promoted as part of Pride Month to support Queen Mary's work to create an inclusive environment for our LGBTQA+ staff and students.

Looking for external Pride events?

Find out more about LGBTQIA+ events taking place across the city. Please note the listing of an external event is not an endorsement by Queen Mary.

Pride in London: The Pride in London parade will be held on Saturday 1st July 2023

London Trans+ Pride: London Trans+ Pride will take place on Saturday 8th July 2023 from 1pm

UK Black Pride: UK Black Pride returns to celebrate its 18th year of bringing the community together. Once again taking place in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the annual event will take place on Sunday 20th August 2023

Bi Pride UK 2023: Saturday 2nd September 2023. Bi-Pride will be holding their event at Queen Mary Venues in The People's Palace on Mile End Campus

 

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