LGBTQ+ History Month: a time to value all

During LGBTQ+ History Month, we honour the solidarity and struggle of LGBTQ+ people and allies in making progress towards LGBTQ+ equality within the higher education sector and society.

There is still more to be done – from making bi and intersectional LGBTQ+ identities more visible, to overcoming resistance to trans and non-binary people’s rights.

Within my role at the University of Greenwich, I believe that ‘radical inclusion’ promotes an intersectional approach to equality and values everyone’s unique, individual identities and contributions.

While valuing individual identities, this approach encourages us to acknowledge what we have in common with one another. It inspires us to collaborate through our differences, and support one another in recognition of the ways in which liberation can benefit us all.

Through this perspective, universities can accelerate achieving equality for LGBTQ+ people and others. And as employers, educators, and creators of knowledge and innovation, universities can continue being a positive force for social change.

Since the beginning of the decriminalisation of homosexuality from 1967, more recent progress towards LGBTQ+ equality in the UK has included the lifting of the ban on LGBTQ+ people in the armed forces, the repeal of Section 28 (that prohibited ‘promoting homosexuality’ by local authorities and schools), and the legal recognition of civil partnership and marriage for same-sex couples.

Like other moves towards progressive social change, there is nothing ‘natural’ or ‘inevitable’ about these improvements – they were hard-won through collective effort and should never be taken for granted.

Sadly, this progress is also by no means certain, as demonstrated by current opposition to an unequivocal ban on conversion therapy in the UK, and the treatment of LGBTQ+ people globally.

University staff, students and alumni have often been at the forefront of action for LGBTQ+ equality through research, activism, and a combination of the two.

Universities have become more inclusive of LGBTQ+ people, but the need to overcome disadvantage and barriers to visible representation remains within higher education and elsewhere.

There are still few openly LGBTQ+ leaders, curricula remain narrow, and transphobia continues.

Exploring LGBTQ+ history and the experiences of LGBTQ+ staff, students and alumni reminds us of what has been achieved, what is at stake, and what more still needs to happen – particularly for trans, non-binary and intersectional LGBTQ+ identities.

Recent years have seen the racist murder of George Floyd and high-profile cases of gender-based violence. It is clear that we must address other systemic inequalities. To begin to do so, I believe that universities should adopt measures that foster a culture of ‘radical inclusion’.

Universities can understand, empower and celebrate their LGBTQ+ communities, as well as other communities, by:

• listening to and even researching experiences to identify further support
• introducing reverse mentoring and allyship development programmes
• raising the visibility of LGBTQ+ and other groups.

At the University of Greenwich, our Strategy 2030 refers to ‘education without boundaries’. It states we can achieve our ambitions because of, rather than despite, our backgrounds.

In doing so, universities will continue to play transformative roles as vehicles for social change in their communities, at all levels.

Jonathan Gascoigne is Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Programmes Manager at the University of Greenwich.