Update: Gay By Degree result; joint cinema trip; potential social at Monroe’s

University one of six to get full marks in Stonewall’s Gay By Degree 2015!

We have been named one of six universities in the country to get top marks in Stonewall’s Gay By Degree 2015, which measures the university against ten criteria solely based on evidence publicly available on our website.

We have received significant media coverage, including:

• an interview with Amy Lynch on BBC Radio York (about forty minutes in);
• articles in the Guardian, the Independent, PinkNews, York Press and One&Other

For more information, see the Stonewall press release and the news article on our website.

Joint cinema trip with University of York

I included an item in the last update about an LGBT film at City Screen. We are now going to go with the University of York as a joint social. Adrian Lee, from the University of York, said:

City Screen are showing Lilting, on one night only, Tuesday 30 September at 18:15. It is the story of the relationship that develops between a gay man’s grieving mother and his widowed partner, across cultural and linguistic barriers.

Starring Ben Whishaw (Q from Skyfall) and Pei-pei Cheng (Jade Fox from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), the film has had some great reviews.

Guests are welcome and we’ll probably have a drink at The Riverside Cafe-Bar (City Screen’s bar) before or after. If you are interested in coming along, contact Andy. For more information about the film, see the synopsis below or visit the City Screen event page.

When his lover Kai (Andrew Leung) dies unexpectedly, Richard (Whishaw, SKYFALL) and Junn, Kai’s Chinese-Cambodian mother (Cheng, CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON), share their grief in this touching study of affection built on denial.

Feeling abandoned in a drab retirement home, Junn is also hampered by her lack of English. This makes communication tricky for Richard – who must also disguise the fact that her son was gay – although it prompts some comic interludes with the resident lothario (Bowles) and a translator (Morven Christie, Twenty Twelve).

Despite these obstacles, Junn’s instinctive hostility towards Richard gradually evaporates, thanks largely to his obvious concern for her. Made on a tiny budget, Cambodian expat Hong Khaou’s debut feature is suffused with subtlety, and boasts especially magnetic performances by its two leads.

Potential social at Monroe’s

Monroe’s on Gillygate are keen to accommodate York St John University members. They have suggested a quiz or a film night, but would probably be open to whatever would be of interest. One possibility is a quiz as a joint social with the University of York (staff and possibly postgraduates), which had been in development earlier in the year.

If you are interested in a social and if you have any specific ideas, contact Andy.

Free gay history walk with new LGBT group

A new group has been set up called York LGBT Social Group. They are holding their first event on Sunday 26 October at 19:00. The event will be a free gay history walk and will start at Museum Gardens.

For more information, contact Jake Furby (jake_furby@hotmail.com or 07935 200 575).

York LGBT History Month open meeting

York LGBT History Month are holding an open meeting on Tuesday 4 November to share what everyone is planning for York LGBT History Month 2015 and find out about how the overall campaign is developing. The event will take place at 17:00 in PH/011.

For more information, see the Facebook event or contact Andy (andy@yorklgbthistory.org.uk).