Stonewall's Education Champions Conference

Seeing as this blog is all about what we're up to, I thought it might be an idea to update on what I've been doing.

On wednesday I attended a short conference in Gloucestershire about Stonewall's Education Champions Programme, designed to help tackle the issue of homophobia in schools. It was a launch of this program in Gloucestershire City Council and I attended as a representative of the Bristol Youth Select Committee. The first section outlined the statistics of homophobic bullying in schools and how teachers respond to that, what the program can do for pupils and teachers, and finished with a Q&A section. After a short break the film 'Milk' was shown. This told the story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to state office in California.

It was a good opportunity to see what this program was about, and highlighted some key factors about discrimination and homophobia in school. I think this especially important now, as we have recently gained a prejudiced and discriminatory party in the European Parliament. Giving teachers and pupils the help to fight this can only be good.

http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schoolsnet/index.cfm?articleid=92517

There is also an amazing film I saw the other day called 'A Classroom Divided' about a teacher who did a two day lesson in discrimination (mostly racism) in her school in the 1960's.
It's one of the most interesting and scary things I've ever seen. The entire thing is here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6189991712636113875&ei=VhM0SsXgAYz4-Aai08ykCQ&q=a+classroom+divided

Colby

EU Election Results 2009

It is a sad day for Britain today, specifically for the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber. It was announced yesterday that the BNP had gained 2 seats in European Parliament. One in each of the districts mentioned above.

And so we wake up today to be represented by Nick Griffin and the BNP. I would personally like to say that they do NOT represent me, or many of the North West or Yorkshire and the Humber, due to voter apathy, political disengagement and such.
In the North West we are now represented by BNP chairman Nick Griffin, they gained 8% of the vote, with a poor 32% turnout.
There were only a few thousand votes between the BNP and the Greens, In Liverpool their figure were lower, with them only gaining 6.4%. Overall the number of votes for the BNP across the North-West declined on the 2004 number, but the collapse of the labour vote and increasing apathy has allowed them to win.

There are many protests happening across the country today, Liverpool Town Hall and Manchester Piccadilly Gardens at 17:30.
It is important to show solidarity now and not to blame each other or ourselves for this, it was always going to be a long shot. We will not go away and we must commit ourselves more than ever to fighting the ignorance which causes people to turn to such a vile ideology.
We will rethink our tactics and build our networks, but we will be back and we will stop them.

I would also like to personally commend Hope not Hate, Unite against Fascism, Liverpool Students Against Racism and Fascism, Not In My Name - LGBT Against Fascism, and all other groups dedicated to the anti-BNP cause.

In the infamous words of Friedrick Nietsche
"Those who forget the Past, are doomed to repeat it"

Poggy
x

Weeks & Williams

All,

Just to make you aware, the NUS LGBT Trans Reps [Job Share], Harri Weeks and Frank Williams also blog at http://nuslgbttrans.blogspot.com/.

This link will appear in our 'Blogs We Read' Section, also.

...and yeah, I realise how much we have copied them. Ah well.

Poggy
x

Calling all Black LGBT Students!

Good Evening all,

It is reasonably evident that on a whole, Black LGBT is massively underrepresented. Have a think about it; try and name 10 famous Black LGBT of whom you know.

As an initial way of raising awareness about Black LGBT, we would like any of YOUR stories to blog on this website. We would like anything from coming out within a black community, to dealing with the attitude towards homosexuality/bisexuality/transexuality, or even hate crimes against you.

Simply email us at murrayandcrook@gmail.com (you can emit your name if you so wish), and tell us your story.

I want to personality make it clear and emphasise that ‘Black’ covers any self defining Black, Asian, African, or Caribbean person.

Thanks,

Poggy
x

Patrick 'Poggy' Murray, NUS LGBT Cmte Black Students Rep [elect]

Hey, I’m Poggy, I’m the other half of the Job-Share Black Students’ Rep position on the National Union of Students LGBT Campaign Committee for 2009-2010.

I’m at the University of Liverpool studying Aerospace Engineering with pilot studies, and have just finished my first year. I have been on the University of Liverpool Guild of Students LGBT Committee for the year, and have fulfilled the positions of Bisexual Welfare Rep and Secretary. I have been a very active member of this, being involved in most activities, socials and LGBT related causes, including Pride Week, Trans Awareness Day/Week and other events we put on.

When I first heard of the Conference from members of our Committee who had gone on previous years, I could not wait to go. After an election within LGoS LGBT, I was elected as one of the delegates. Before going to University, I was much like my Job-share, Colby. I did not expect myself to become involved so much in student activism, and especially not at an NUS level.

The weekend of the Conference came, after a short journey ride from Liverpool to Nottingham, the other delegates and I registered. The first thing that I attended was delegate training, this gave a very good insight into what goes on, how it works, and the different roles people fulfil. Then we moved onto other things.

The Love Music, Hate Homophobia gig that night was intense, I thoroughly enjoyed it. After that some of the delegates and I explored the night life of the local area.

The next day brought workshops and more voting. The first workshop I attended was where I first met Colby, it was to do with Black LGBT in general, and brought an insight into how Black LGBT is extremely underrepresented.

The second one was more to do with sexual health, and how to promote it locally. I attended many a caucus that day, including Queer, Asexual, Bisexual and Black. I found them all motivating and insightful. It was great how people from all over the country could come together and bounce ideas of one another.

When Colby and I found out that there was a lack of interest in the position of Black Students’ representative, we decided to team together and nominate ourselves for the position. In all honestly, with the amount of lack of preparation on both our parts, we didn’t think we were going to do as well as we did. However, I am so appreciative of those who voted for us, and cannot wait to start working with the rest of the Committee, following in the rather large footsteps of our predecessor, Mas Naina.

I truly cannot wait to sink my teeth into representing Black LGBT Students to the best of my ability next year. Both Colby and I are exceptionally motivated, and would like to hear from any and all of you who have any questions about us, what we aspire to achieve, and/or ideas that you may have for the future. Contact us on the email address in our profile.

Colby Crook, NUS LGBT Cmte Black Students' Rep [elect]

Colby is one half of our Job-Share that's been elected as Black Students' Rep for 2009 - 2010.

He's an FE student, from the NUS LGBT Award-winning St Brendan's XIth Form College, and part of the large Trans caucus on committee.

Here is his blog about the LGBT Conference at which we were elected into this position.




"It never crossed my mind before I entered the NUS LGBT Conference that I would be a student activist, let alone a student, at the end of the college year. I went in with delegate card and no idea how anything worked, and came out with not just a place on the committee, but a new sense of hope, a boost of confidence and a bunch of new friends.


It all began in one of our Human Rights groups in St Brendan's College, where a small group of students began discussing LGBT rights and wondered where that fit into our college. A few of us questioned the fact there was no group to support us, even though we all wanted one. This was of particular importance to some of us who had faced homophobic and transphobic abuse in the past, and wanted somewhere in college where we felt we could discuss and support those kind of issues in a safe environment. The subject was brought up with our Student Liaison Officer, who then said we could have a group and although it couldn't be specifically for LGBT students, it could welcome us. It was a start.


From there I went on to become a Bristol Youth Select Committee member, where one of our city wide aims, which was voted in, is reducing LGBT bullying. This is a first for the city, and the BYSC and Bristol UK Youth Parliament have recognised this is an issue that needs to be addressed. It began to feel like things were changing, and I got a thirst to do more.
When I first found out about the NUS LGBT conference in college, it sounded really interesting, but I really didn't know much about it. (Although anything with LGBT or queer in the title usually gets my attention pretty quickly!) I put myself up for it and once the delegates were chosen, it was just a matter of waiting for a nice weekend in Nottingham.
Entering conference was rather daunting, most of what I can remember is trying to register unsuccessfully and missing delegate training- not a good start! But soon, after meeting Sarah (the new FE rep) and getting a bit of guidance it felt like I was right at home there. By the evening, I was absolutely shattered but still managed to get up and dance in the 'Love Music, Hate Homophobia' gig.


As the next day dawned, I couldn't wait to get my socks on and get moving. The first thing that really got me was the workshops. In the first workshop we were asked to name all the Black LGBT famous people we could. It was pretty shocking to find that when you really think about it, there aren't many at all. After that was the Trans 102 Workshop, and the monumental amount of things that were brought up to discuss got me thinking even more.
And so, when a vacancy for LGBT Black Students Rep came up, Poggy and I jumped at the opportunity. It gave us the chance to make a change to the things we feel very passionate about. To me, getting this position represents all I've had to fight for, and all that I will have to fight for in the future.


Before I started conference, I had almost given up on college. I was fully prepared to leave, get a job, and just try to survive. Yet I realised in conference that not only is this an amazing environment to grow, develop and learn in, but it's also opened doors to me that I could only dream about before. If I met that amount of amazing, inspirational people, and saw that amount of passion and fire in just that weekend, imagine what else there is to see and do."