As this month is Pride month and this weekend it will be Global Pride, what better time to kick off the series of posts we will be running about the LGBTQ+ experience at university than with a look at how you engage with the LGBTQ+ community from your very own home.
Queer spirit, let’s hear it!
Yes, the pandemic may have stopped physical Pride events from taking place this month, but it certainly hasn’t stopped the spirit.
University LGBTQ+ societies have still been active hosting virtual events, sharing resources and fun ways to engage with the community.
City’s own LGBTQ+ society and staff network will be creating a rainbow ‘virtual’ pride photo to bring people together in spirit if not in person; the University of Kent’s LGBTQ+ society has been showcasing queer icons and Birmingham City University’s LGBT society have hosted a zoom crafting session to get creative for their virtual pride events.
There are also lots of other organisations doing fun things and sharing LGBTQ+ resources that you can engage with.
Our top picks to celebrate Pride are:
Pride Inside
This year Amnesty International, UK Black Pride, Gendered Intelligence, Stonewall and ParaPride will be bringing Pride celebrations inside with an online series of gigs, comedy shows, panel discussions, and arts-based events.
It will take place from Sunday 28th June to Sunday 5th July – you can find out more here.
The #QueerAF podcast
National Student Pride commissions young LGBT+ students, graduates and emerging producers to tell their queer stories. You can listen for free here every week to hear empowering stories about mental health, body positivity, being beyond the binary, arts and culture and more.
Global Pride
Join on Saturday 27th June for a 24 hour stream of speeches, performances and Pride content. Find out where you can watch here.
Leeds Virtual LGBT+ Literature Festival
From 31st July to 2nd August, Leeds LGBT+ Literature Festival will host a virtual readings, talks, interviews and other online content by LGBT+ writers, poets, activists and more. Find out more on their Facebook page.
Check back on our blog for more LGBTQI+ posts which will explore how you can engage with others in the community whilst at university, support networks you can access, how students have found the university experience and how you can make the most of your own university experience.
