Update: LGBT films; sexgen seminar; Steering Group minutes

LGBT films at City Screen

City Screen will be showing two LGBT films in the next few weeks:

1. This Thursday (22 May), in collaboration with York Pride, they will be screening Milk to mark Harvey Milk Day. For more information, see the synopsis below or visit the York Pride article, the York Pride Facebook event, the City Screen article or the City Screen event page.

In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be voted into major public office in America. His victory was not just a victory for gay rights; he forged coalitions across the political spectrum. From senior citizens to union workers, he changed the very nature of what it meant to be a fighter for human rights before his assassination in 1978. MILK charts the last eight years of Harvey Milk’s life. Penn is on superlative form in the title role giving a nuanced, understated performance that perfectly captures the man’s humanity and humility.



2. For at least a week, starting from Friday 6 June, they will be showing Concussion. Tickets will be on sale from Monday 2 June. For more information, see the synopsis below or visit the City Screen event page.

CONCUSSION is a sexy, provocative story about a woman who turns her fantasy life into reality – and then faces the consequences.

After wealthy 40-something Abby (Weigert, Deadwood) is hit on the head by her son’s baseball, she begins to yearn for something more than her banal suburban life. She buys a pied-à-terre in Manhattan, and her pent-up libido draws her into a double life as a high-class hooker for female clients. But as Abby’s decisions become increasingly reckless, we realise that she won’t be able to keep her secret for long.

Writer-director Passon’s accomplished debut features breakout performances by Weigert and Siff (Mad Men). A kind of feminised AMERICAN BEAUTY, its mix of sensuality and poignancy examines sexual discovery as a means of finding your true self.

sexgen Seminar 4: Transforming Citizenships?

sexgen is a “collaborative interdisciplinary network bringing together gender and sexuality based research centres around the North of England”. The fourth in a series of seminars, titled ‘Transforming Citizenships?’, will take place in the afternoon of Friday 30 May at Newcastle University. For more information, visit the event page.

Minutes of the LGBT Staff Network Steering Group

The minutes of the last Steering Group meeting have been uploaded to the LGBT Staff Network Moodle site.

Reminder: LGBT Staff Network meeting

The next meeting of the LGBT Staff Network is due to take place at 17:00 on Tuesday 27 May.

We will be discussing plans for York Pride 2014 (Saturday 21 June) and how to make the liberal nature of York St John University more explicit. Feel free to suggest further items for the agenda.

For more information, visit the meetings and events page or contact Andy.

Reminder: Campus North meeting

The next meeting of Campus North, the network of northern LGBT staff networks in higher education institutions, is to take place at Liverpool John Moores University on Friday 20 June. If you are interested in attending, contact Andy.