Celebrating LGBT STEM Day and Leeds Pride
Following the success of the LGBT STEM Day, join the Faculty of Engineering in #BuildingEquality at this year’s Leeds Pride.
The Parkinson Building lit up in rainbow colours to promote a previous LGBT event
Celebrating LGBT STEM Day and Leeds Pride
Following the success of the LGBT STEM Day, join the Faculty of Engineering in #BuildingEquality at this year’s Leeds Pride.
The University celebrated the first International Day of LGBT+ people in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) with a lunchtime panel event, which included contributions from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans community of students and staff from all STEM faculties and the LGBT staff network.
The sharing of experiences and the opportunity to network with other LGBT colleagues helped attendees realise there is an active LGBT community at Leeds.
Professor Peter Jimack, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, said: “We received very positive feedback from attendees, who found the open and honest discussion helped raise awareness of LGBT identities and issues and they enjoyed the breadth of presentations that ranged from personal staff experiences of being LGBT in the workplace and wider Leeds community, to post-graduates presenting their research.”
Through Q&A sessions and feedback, key themes emerged for future activity to support LGBT staff and students. As a result, the Equality Policy Unit, STEM faculties, the LGBT staff network and Leeds University Union (LUU) are working together to look at next steps, such as increasing the visibility of the LGBT community within STEM and across the University.
Taking steps towards that, the Faculty of Engineering is working with other organisations to help promote LGBT visibility in the construction sector under the banner #BuildingEquality, as part of this year’s Leeds Pride.
Leeds Pride is Yorkshire’s biggest celebration of LGBT life and will take place on Sunday 5 August 2018.
In support of, and showing commitment towards, celebrating diversity, the University will fly the rainbow flag during Leeds Pride weekend and light the Parkinson Building in rainbow colours. LUU will also be participating by walking in the parade.
Coinciding with this is Leeds Civic Trust and Leeds LGBT+ Hubs’ Rainbow Plaques Trail for 2018. A series of temporary plaques placed throughout the city will mark and celebrate people, places and events that have shaped Leeds’ LGBT history and heritage.
The University will have its own plaque, after being nominated for holding the first dedicated conference for trans people – Transvestism and Transsexualism in Modern Society. This was organised in 1974 by the Beaumont Society, a national self-help body run by, and for, the transgender community, iand attended by more than 100 academics.
If you are interested in joining the parade as part of the #BuildingEquality initiative, register to join through DLA Piper, which is also hosting brunch before the main parade.
For further information please contact the Equality Policy Unit
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