Hello everyone!
I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe!
I’ll be the first to say that I don’t think anyone was ever really expecting us 11 months down the line to still be in lockdown, practicing social distancing, and still seeing the impact of Covid-19 hitting the headlines. Especially if you’re someone that has been living in Leicester, I want to just take an extra minute to show my complete appreciation to you all, because it really has been just non-stop for us in the city!
Its Monday February 1st (which is just SO satisfying to me – the entire month is the perfect calendar!!), which marks the start of LGBTQ+ History Month! It’s in February to coincide with the 2003 abolition of?Section 28, which stated that local authorities were not allowed to “intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality”.
In the history of DMU, we commemorate Pride History Month, as both a celebration of how far we’ve come, but also as a reminder of how much more there is to go. This year’s theme is inclusion, and I’m sure you’ll find various events across the calendar that should hopefully pique your interest. We’ll be looking at LGBTQ+ History from an academic perspective via talks and panels, and we’ll also be focusing in on the body, mind and spirit via our prideful and mindful sessions throughout!
It’s so weird to think, that the last event we led on in person was Pride History Month 2020 – just on the cusp of the UK still operating as ‘usual’. But hey, it was definitely a way to unknowingly end the academic year with style! We had RuPaul's Drag Race UK star, Vinegar Strokes, amongst many other phenomenal drag artists give us the show of the lifetime, we had Laura and I (Diya) attempt to make the biggest rainbow candyfloss possible, and we had hundreds of pride things to give away!!
?? Remember this? ??
And look, I’m not going to sit here and pretend that everything is all the same and we’ll continue as usual, because it isn’t. BUT what I can say to you in complete confidence, is that despite the horrendous year we’ve had, there is absolutely a light at the end of the tunnel, and we’re all going to get through this together!
Your Executive and Liberation Officers are working around the clock, to ensure you, as students are as supported as possible. If there’s anything at all we can do to help you, please feel free to get in touch with any of us. But, as we wait for this all to be over and done with, in the meantime I urge you all to not be so hard on yourselves, rest and relax up, and come join us for some light hearted fun online!
Your LGBTQ+ Officer, Tom, wants you know, ‘I know we’re celebrating differently this year, but I don’t think anything could break the spirits of our community or our pride. I hope everybody has a fun and safe Pride, and I can’t wait to see our events in action!’
And what better a note to end this on!
Sending much love (and pride!) your way,
Diya & Tom ??
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