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Celebrating International Non Binary People’s Day and Non Binary Awareness Week

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The 8th July marks the beginning of 2024’s Non Binary Awareness Week, a week celebrating and raising awareness of all things Non Binary.

This week culminates in the 14th July which is International Non Binary People’s Day. This day has been celebrated since 2012 when non binary blogger Katje van Loon wrote a post addressing a need for a day that celebrated those that do not fit within the gender binary and suggesting that the 14th July would serve as a good date for this, being that it falls between International Women’s Day and International Men’s Day.



New Pronoun Badges Available Across Campuses

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We are pleased to announce that pronoun badges are now available on both our Central and Holyrood campuses! This initiative aims to foster an inclusive environment, particularly supporting LGBTQ+ and trans* inclusivity within our community.

Where to Find the Badges:

  • Central Campus:
    • Main Library (Ground Floor Helpdesk)
    • Centre for Research Collections (Sixth Floor)
  • Holyrood Campus:
    • Campus Reception (Old Nursery Building)
  • Argyle House:
    • Currently holding a box of pronoun badges which will circulate to different site libraries starting mid-July.

Badge Options:

  • She/Her
  • He/Him
  • They/Them

Why Pronoun Badges?

Using pronoun badges is a simple yet impactful way to promote gender inclusivity. Whether through badges, email signatures, or casual conversations, stating your pronouns helps create a more respectful and understanding community. This practice is particularly significant for the inclusion of trans* individuals, who often face challenges around misgendering and lack of recognition.

Acknowledgements

A heartfelt thank you to Nel Coleman and Lena Wånggren for their efforts in organizing this initiative. Their commitment to fostering an inclusive environment is truly commendable.

Let’s embrace this opportunity to make our campuses more welcoming and inclusive for everyone.

Feel free to pick up your badge and wear it with pride!



Pride Events 2024

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Here we will try to list all the events happening for Pride in and around the University (please check back for updates):

May

  1. Staff Pride Network BioQuarter Coffee & Cake Social
  2. Staff Pride Network Central Coffee & Cake

June

  1. Poetry Workshop
  2. Staff Pride Network Evening Social
  3. Little France Pride March and Information FairLittle France Pride 14th June 2pm
    1. Poster: Little France Pride
    2. Date: 14th June 2024
    3. Time: March at 14:00, Information Fair from 13:30 to 15:30
    4. Details:
      • Wellness Walk: Undertaken by the staff and students of Little France to celebrate the LGBTI+ community.
      • Information Fair: Held in the Chancellor’s Building.
      • Free Smoothie: Available for participants (limited availability).
      • Meeting Point: In front of Chancellor’s Building.
  4. Staff Pride Network Holyrood Coffee & Cake
    • Date: 18th June 2024
    • Time: 13:00 – 14:00 BST
    • Details: Coffee and cake social event at Holyrood organized by the Staff Pride Network. This event will run every third Tuesday of the month.
    • Link: Staff Pride Network Holyrood Coffee & Cake
  5. Staff Pride Network Kings Buildings Coffee & Cake
  6. Queer Ceilidh
    • Date: 20th June 2024
    • Details: An exciting event organized for Postgrad and PhD students to celebrate and engage with the LGBT+ community. Hosted by the Edinburgh University Students’ Association.
    • Link: The Queer Student Ceilidh
  7. Edinburgh Pride March and Festival
    • Date: 22nd June 2024
    • Time: Meet from 11:00 AM
    • Meeting Point: Levels Cafe on Holyrood Road
    • Details: We’ll meet at Levels cafe on Holyrood Road from 11:00 AM, then walk down to Holyrood Parliament for midday. Wear your SPN t-shirts and join us in the march. We have a limited supply of free SPN t-shirts available on a first come basis at Levels from 11:00 AM. After the march, we will have a chillout space available in the Informatics Forum. Contact details for access will be sent out the day before if you don’t enter with us after the march.
    • Additional Info: For the complete route, visit the Edinburgh Pride Official Website.
  8. Pride Service at BSTM Church
    • Date: 23rd June 2024
    • Time: 10:30 AM
    • Location: Broughton St Mary’s (BSTM) Parish Church and Comunity Hub
    • Details: A Pride Service celebrating and blessing all our wonderful diversity. The service includes a reading from Genesis, a prayer from Baltic Pride, and an inclusive form of the Lord’s Prayer.
    • Link: BSTM Church
  9. BioQuarter Pride Month Showcase & Coffee & Cake Social
    • Date: 25th June 2024
    • Time: Seminar from 12:30 to 13:40 BST, followed by Coffee & Cake Social at 13:40 BST
    • Location: Usher Seminar One, The Usher Building, Edinburgh BioQuarter
    • Details: An afternoon of talks on LGBT+ history and sociology, followed by an informal social in the Usher 1898 Cafe.
    • Speakers:
      • Andrew Gardiner, Senior Lecturer, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
      • Chase Ledin, Lecturer, Usher Institute
      • Bethany Parsons, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Corporate Services Group

      Pride-Month-Showcase-Landscape-Usher

    • Link: Staff Pride Network BioQuarter Coffee & Cake Social
  10. Staff Pride Network Central Coffee & Cake
  11. Staff Pride Network Trans and Non-Binary Meetup

July

  • Staff Pride Network Evening Social

Is there any other information or events you’d like to include? Please get in touch StaffPrideNetwork@ed.ac.uk



SPN Committee Response – Trans & non-binary liberation officer resignation

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The Staff Pride Network Committee would like to first express our thanks to Robyn Woof for all her work in the role of trans & non-binary liberation officer, we have always valued her contributions to addressing transphobia on campus and in devising ways to better support our trans & non-binary staff and students. We respect her decision to resign as trans & non-binary liberation officer considering the ongoing institutional transphobia at the University of Edinburgh. Her resignation represents a significant loss to the University community and should serve as a reminder of the chilling effects of transphobia with respect to freedom of expression and participation. We wish her the best for her continuing studies and activism in Edinburgh and beyond. 

News article: THE STUDENT: Trans and Non-Binary Liberation Officer Robyn Woof resigns in protest of transphobia at university



SPN Committee statement regarding the appointment of Simon Fanshawe to Rector of the University of Edinburgh

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The Staff Pride Network Committee had a blog here expressing their disappointment and worry about the appointment of the new Rector and the processes that led to this, but the University has required us to remove the blog due to their perception that drawing attention to Simon Fanshawe’s publicly available views on trans people (and our opinions on their potential effects) may run counter to the university’s Dignity and Respect policy. We look forward to an equally robust discussion about whether Fanshawe’s views and actions as Rector are in line with the same Dignity and Respect policy. 

A reminder that we are available on Instagram and Twitter/X as @UoEStaffPride.

University Alumni have also started this petition calling for Simon to be removed as rector which you can sign

Edinburgh University Students Association Sabbatical Officers have also released a statement on this matter

The SPN committee does not condone harassment or the targeting of any individual person. If you independently wish to make comment on this matter, we suggest you to contact the relevant area in the University’s senior management, or organisations who have authored any open letter, and not any individuals named in this response.



In solidarity with our trans & non-binary members

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CW: transphobia, anti-trans violence

Dear network members,

 

We wanted to reach out in solidarity with our trans & non-binary members this morning to acknowledge the harmful impacts of the actions of the Prime Minister and other parliamentarians yesterday. Rishi Sunak’s hateful, transphobic comments are despicable. Once again witnessing political point scoring in the UK Parliament at the expense of trans people, made even more despicable and callous as the fact that murdered teenager Brianna Ghey’s mother was visiting parliament at the time, will have hit many of us hard.

 

But we shouldn’t need the presence of a grieving mother, nor another dead trans person, to make change. Our political opposition shouldn’t only call out transphobia when it suits them, and then continue to harm the rights and freedoms of trans people in this country and abroad.

 

It has, however, been pleasing to see support from people, particularly cis people who might be speaking out for the first time, across the country in response to this interaction in parliament. We also take this moment to acknowledge the people that have called out this hate speech, and who make continuing efforts to stand with trans people in the daily challenges faced in this country.

 

We encourage those of you who are not trans/non-binary to check in with your trans & non-binary friends & colleagues today. The repeated attacks on this community will be taking its toll. Be patient, remember people process trauma in their own way. If you want to reach out to the network please get in touch. There are also other resources available in the area through LGBT Health & Wellbeing, both their helpline: https://www.lgbthealth.org.uk/services-support/lgbt-helpline-scotland/ and specific trans support: https://www.lgbthealth.org.uk/services-support/trans/

 

We also acknowledge that these forms of support are not the only thing we need to do as a community to continue addressing this form of hate. The SPN will continue to work for trans equality & trans liberation tirelessly, and we welcome the contribution of ideas to help in this regard.

 

In solidarity,

Alex & Katie

Alex Morzeria-Davis (they/them) and Katie Nicoll Baines (she/her)

Co-Chairs, Staff Pride Network for LGBT+ Colleagues & Allies

Why pronouns matter

 

Staff Pride Network logo featuring 4 hearts with trans flag detailing


LGBT+ History Month Events – February 2024

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Join us in celebrating LGBT+ History Month with a series of engaging events across the University of Edinburgh. This year, we’re focusing on the theme of Medicine and the contributions of the LGBT+ community to science, culture, and society. Here’s what’s happening:

SPN- history month calendar 2024   

Highlighted Event

LGBT+ History in Science and Microscopy Evening with SPN-LGBT+Bio [Register HERE]

  • When: Wednesday, 21 February 2024, 6-7.30pm
  • Where: Ashworth 80, Biology Teaching Laboratories, Ashworth Laboratories, Kings Buildings
  • Details: A special celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month focusing on queer scientists’ contributions. Enjoy talks and hands-on experience with advanced microscopy technology. An evening of discovery and creativity awaits!

Academic and Community Events

Film Screening: “Framing Agnes” 

  • When: Wednesday, 14 February, 4pm (Film starts at 4:15pm)
  • Where: Screening Room, 50 George Square
  • Details: An award-winning documentary exploring discussions between trans clients and Dr. Harold Garfinkel at UCLA in the 1950s and 1960s. Open to all staff and students. Please register in advance. BYO cinema snacks!
  • Please register to attend

LGBTQ+ History Month Celebration by the Chaplaincy

BioQuarter Pride Committee Seminar: Our History in Medicine

  • When: Monday, 26 February, 3:30-5pm
  • Where: Seminar room 1.04, Niche cafe, Institute for Regeneration & Repair, Edinburgh BioQuarter
  • Details: Afternoon of flash talks, coffee, and cake celebrating our history in medicine. Open to research, teaching, clinical, and professional services staff.

Trans Inclusive Educational Spaces Register HERE

  • When: Mon, 26 Feb 2024 16:00 – 17:30 GMT
  • Where: The MacLaren Stuart Room, Old College, The University of Edinburgh
  • Details: Educator Jo Brassington joins us to host this workshop that will explore steps that can be taken to making PPLS an LGBT+ inclusive space. (Note: open to all UoE).

HCA School LGBTQ+ History Month guest lecture Register HERE.

  • When: Wednesday, 28 February 2024, 4-5.30pm
  • Where: Lecture Theatre 1, Appleton Tower
  • Details: Emeritus Professor of Cultural History and Sexuality Studies at the University of Manchester Laura Doan will give a lecture entitled, “Designs on Nature: Reinventing the Unnatural.” A reception will follow.

Recovering LGBTQ+ Student Voices at the University of Edinburgh: An Archival Project Register HERE

  • When: 28 February 2024 17:30 – 19:30
  • Where: Ground Floor Foyer, Chrystal MacMillan Building
  • Details: Join us for a roundtable discussion that will launch an archival project by the LGBTQ+ Liberation Campaign and the Centre for Research Collections. The project will highlight LGBTQ+ student voices at the University of Edinburgh (1968-present). At the roundtable, students and archivists working on the project, as well as academic researchers will to reflect on the importance of archival work for the LGBTQ+ community and questions of silence in the archive and oral history. The roundtable itself will be preceded by a small reception hosted by GENDER.ED. All are welcome!

Staff Pride Network (SPN) Socials and Feel Good Walks

Join us for a series of enriching walks and social gatherings this February, organized by the Staff Pride Network in celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month. These events are designed to offer a welcoming space for mental, social, and physical wellbeing, through open dialogues and shared experiences.

Central Campus Walk

  • Date: Thursday, 1 February
  • Time: 11:15am to 11:45am
  • Meeting Point: Old College Quad
  • Details: A collaboration with Active Lives and the EUSA LGBTQ+ Campaign, aiming to build community and share space for meaningful engagement.

Evening Social at the Royal Dick Bar, Summerhall [Details HERE]

  • When: Friday, 2 February, 5:30-10pm
  • Details: Casual Friday evening social for LGBT+ colleagues, committee members, and allies. A great opportunity to unwind and meet new people.

Kings Buildings Walk

  • When: Friday, 9 February, 12:30-1:30pm
  • Meeting Point: Front of the Nucleus Building
  • Coordinator: David Radford, SPN Social & Events Officer
  • Details: In collaboration with the LGBTQ+ Campaign, this walk promotes an inclusive space for mental and social wellbeing, encouraging open and positive conversations.

Kings Buildings Coffee & Cake @ Nucleus Cafe [Details HERE]

  • When: Wednesday, 21 February, 1-2pm
  • Details: Drop in for coffee, cake, and conversation. Open to all LGBT+/ally staff and PhD students.

BioQuarter Coffee & Cake Social and Walk [Register HERE]

  • When: Thursday, 22 February, 12:30pm to 1:30pm
  • Where: Meet at the Niche Cafe, located within the BioQuarter
  • Details: This month’s informal Coffee and Cake social event, hosted by the BioQuarter Pride Committee in collaboration with the Staff Pride Network, begins with delightful refreshments followed by a leisurely walk. The gathering aims to create a friendly and inclusive environment for all participants. We alternate locations between the Jex-Blake Cafe and the Niche Cafe, offering variety and accessibility.

Special Note: While registration is not essential, it helps in planning for the cake. If feeling apprehensive, participants are encouraged to reach out via email (BioQuarter.Pride@ed.ac.uk) for any assistance or to arrange a meet-up before the event. Look for the table with rainbow flags 🌈 to find the group.

Central Coffee & Cake @ Bayes Cafe [Details HERE]

  • When: Wednesday, 28 February, 1-2pm
  • Details: Join us for coffee, cake, and meet the SPN committee members. Open to all LGBT+/ally staff and PhD students.

Active Lives Walks: For those interested in additional walking opportunities, please visit the University of Edinburgh’s Sport and Exercise page on Feel Good Walks.

Special Events

STUC LGBT+ Workers Committee – Recognising LGBT+ Discrimination in the Workplace: Online Event

  • When: Thursday, 15 February 2024, 18:00
  • Details: Hosted by the Scottish TUC LGBT+ Workers Committee, this online event discusses forms of LGBT+ discrimination in the workplace. Register here.

EUSA-CRC-GENDER.ED LGBTQ+ History Month Reception and Roundtable REGISTER

  • When: Wednesday, 28 February 2024, Reception 5.30-6.30pm, Roundtable 6.30-7.30pm
  • Where: Lecture Theatre 1, Appleton Tower
  • Details: The EUSA LGBTQ+ Liberation Campaign, the Centre for Research Collections and GENDER.ED are coming together to organise a reception and roundtable to launch an archival project on LGBTQ+ Student Voices at the University of Edinburgh.

IASH – Cutting Edges of the Decolonial: Thinking Anthropocentrism and Queerphobia from/in the Arab-majority World(s) REGISTER

  • When: Thursday, 29 February 2024, 17:30-18:30
  • Where: The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, 2 Hope Park Square, Edinburgh EH8 9NW
  • Details: IASH in partnership with Alwaleed Centre, GENDER.ED and RACE.ED present a talk by Dr Ali Kassem – Department of Sociology and Anthropology, National University of Singapore.

University of Edinburgh Students’ Association Events

  • Participation Art Event 1973: Provocation or Prophecy? on 13 February 17:30 Register here.
  • LGBTQ+ Histories, Health and Wellbeing Discovery Sessions on the 14 and 28 February.

For more information on any of the above events, please visit the Staff Pride Network Events page and keep an eye on university communications for any additional events or updates.