Welcome to the May 2019 edition of the
Staff Pride Network newsletter
Dear Members
We have been busy since our last newsletter and hopefully you’ve kept an eye on our emails, come to our events and enjoyed wearing our SPN-designed rainbow lanyards. Our members survey attracted lots of responses, love and suggestions for which we’re incredibly grateful – report below. Would you believe £9000 has been spent by a range of UoE departments/Schools on 7000 rainbow lanyards? To measure this impact, two MSc students conducted rainbow lanyard research and will present their fascinating results at an upcoming event, details TBC.
From SPN volunteers attending conferences by the UK Higher Education Network of LGBT+ Staff Networks (see Derek’s article) to hosting Edinburgh’s private, public & third sector LGBT+ staff networks’ committee members at our leaders’ breakfast, in partnership with Waverley Care, and arranging for the bi and trans flags to fly over Old College for the first ever times, we have been working with the University, with the PrideSoc student network, with our outgoing executive champion Jane Norman, to learn from others and extend our reach.
A huge thank you to our outgoing newsletter editor Jerrard and a warm welcome to the new newsletter team Caroline and Luís. Other recent additions to the SPN team include Tracy (Events), Justine (Twitter), with Katie, Edgar and Paul forming our new Research Team. If you are inspired by our activities and events, we’d love your help.
Please put up our new posters in your building to increase visibility. Colleagues still don’t know we exist and it’s only with your help that we can get the message out to all 15,000 of us that there is support here, people who believe in equality, diversity and inclusion. In these times where transphobia is constantly in the media, we need more than ever to support each other. Join us at Pride Edinburgh if you are able, LGBT+ colleagues and allies, and show your support.
Best wishes
Jonathan MacBride
Co-chair, Staff Pride Network |
