Update: LGBT Staff Network birthday party; two public lectures

LGBT Staff Network birthday party

The LGBT Staff Network is only a year old and already getting 10/10! To celebrate, we are holding an event which will look back at the successes of the Network, establish its future direction, and also discuss the intersections of faith, gender identity and sexuality. In addition, we will elect the Steering Group for the next year.

The event will take place at 12:00 on Tuesday 14 October in SK/128, and will include lunch. See below for the full agenda. If you’re interested in coming along, contact Andy.

¹ Including a discussion around the role of the chaplaincy, facilitated by Jenni Howard, a volunteer leading on LGBT matters at the Chaplaincy.

² Including:

• taking forward the themes of coming out to students and international work and study;
• developmental work;
• meetings and events;
• any other area on which to focus over the next year;
• electing a new Steering Group, including amendments to add a social secretary or events coordinator and the Head of Human Resources as an ex officio member.

Homosexuality: From toleration to acceptance

Peter Tatchell is to deliver the annual Morrell Memorial Address on Toleration at the University of York at 18:15 on Tuesday 28 October. The organisers say:

Peter will take a critical look at the 1957 Wolfenden Report and 1967 Sexual Offences Act as examples of the era of disapproving tolerance and then examine the transition to the current majority acceptance of same-sex relations.

For more information and to book a ticket, see the event page.

Belarusian LGBTQ movements\initiatives: within the bounds of oppression and irrecognition

Katsiaryna Borsuk, Executive Director of LGBT Human Rights Project “GayBelarus” and Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York, is to deliver a lecture on LGBTQ movements and initiatives in Belarus, as part of the Learning from Human Rights Defenders series. This will take place at the University of York at 13:30 on Friday 31 October. The organisers say:

Katsiaryna Borsuk will describe the specifics of the development of LGBTQ movements in Belarus from the beginning of the 90s until now. She will discuss the discriminative and homophobic attitudes of Belarussian society and the authoritarian state towards LGBTQ people and activists.

She will specifically focus on cases of harassment and violence towards LGBTQ people and activists in Belarus over the past 6 years, and analyse briefly the approaches and strategies of LGBT rights promotion in the country.

For more information, see the event page.