Each year the LGBT Student Officer and the LGBT group run a series of campaigns under the aim of creating change on campus and in the local community for anyone that defines as LGBT. This year we are running two campaigns.
Raising Awareness
The first campaign is to raise awareness of what LGBT stands for and the issues that the LGBT community face. Worryingly too many people do not even know what LGBT stands for and it is our aim to change this, as in a modern inclusive society this is ridiculous.
This can be done organically through the creation of a large and sociable LGBT group and this is what we are trying to do. But we also aim to raise awareness through running a series of events, the focus of this is LGBT History Month in February. We are putting on a month of events which are going to be open to the public, that will highlight the changes that still need to happen to LGBT rights and how far LGBT civil rights have come in the last decade. These events will include debates, lectures and film screenings to name a few.
'Freedom from Harassment'
The other campaign for the year is 'freedom from harassment' which works to combat harassment of the LGBT community whilst out in bars and clubs throughout Reading. We will be introducing a Code of Conduct that we hope establishments will sign up to setting a standard that they should adhere to when treating LGBT people.
The campaign is going to be backed by a series of different prominent local organisations, national gay organisations and many others. Once people have signed up to the agreement they will be clearly displayed in our media and prominently on this blog. The venue will also be displaying the 'freedom from harassment' logo if they have agreed to the code and have set high standards of care towards the LGBT community.
More details will follow in the near future.
