Social
Events
We aim to provide a social space for LGBT+ members of staff to be able to connect with each other. To facilitate this, we host a number of social events across our campuses. This has included Drag Karaoke with Yshee Black, Coffee Mornings, and in 2023, we hosted a Pride Gala Dinner to celebrate the University’s success in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.
Fundraising
Each year we chose a charity partnership to fundraise for, in the past this has included akt, Switchboard, Medway Gender and Sexual Diversity Centre, and Gendered Intelligence. We have fundraised for these brilliant LGBT+ charities through a number of different iniatives such as, a sponsored walk, a charity drag quiz, and a raffle.
Spill the Tea
Spill the Tea is the University’s LGBT+ focused podcast which aims to explore the degrees of equity, equality of opportunity and oppression experienced by the LGBT+ community. Through in-depth interviews, listeners will be able to grasp a more nuanced view of the varied lives of people within the community.
The most recent episode featured Dan Harry, talks about his journey as one of the faces on the UK's first queer dating show, I Kissed a Boy, to actively participating in groundbreaking HIV vaccine trials.
Educate
Events
Similarly to our social events, we also host a number of educational events that explore LGBT+ identities and culture. Ranging from exploring the rich and fabulous history of drag, to trying to learn more the impact of Operation Spanner, the legal case in which gay and bisexual men were imprisoned for their part in consensual BDSM practice.
Each year we also welcome a number of guest speakers to deliver guest lectures, such as trans advocate, Jessica Lynn, and Lesbian stand-up, writer, an actress, a singer-songwriter, oral historian and an academic, Clare Summerskill.
Training
We have partnered with the LGBT Foundation to deliver a number of training each year to support LGBT+ staff and allys to develop their education on LGBT+ identities. This includes: Trans and Non-Binary Inclusion, Bisexuality Awareness, and Intersectionality in Practice.
Allyship
At the University of Greenwich, we appreicate the part that Allyship plays in the mission of a world free from LGBT+ discrimination. As such, we encourage all members of staff regardless of sexuality or gender identity to engage with the LGBT+ Staff Community.
The university has also recently relaunched the Bystander Intervention and Allyship Against Discrimination training course. The training will introduce staff to principles of bystander intervention and allyship against discrimination and is designed and written by staff members at Greenwich, then voiced by actors and filmed professionally.
Policy
The LGBT+ Staff community also work closely with our People Directorate to help inform and influence on policy development which may impact LGBT+ individuals. This has included the People Directorate being invited to LGBT+ Staff Community meetings to present their work on policy development, and receive feedback from the wider community.
The co-chairs of the LGBT+ Staff Community also sit on the university's EDI Board which oversees all EDI work across the institution.
Stonewall
The University of Greenwich is proud to be part of Stonewall’s Diversity Champion programme.
In 2023, the university retained its Gold rating and is now ranked 2nd in Higher Education and 20th overall in the UK Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers List. The ranking provides the definitive benchmarking tool for employers to measure their progress on lesbian, gay, bi and trans inclusion in the workplace.
Employers are assessed on a range of key areas including employment policy and practice and the rating also reflects the results of anonymised staff surveys.
This is a fantastic achievement for our whole university community. In Greenwich we have a really clear commitment to inclusion and to ensuring that our university is a welcoming place for everyone. This is embedded in our Strategy 2030 and reflected in our values. It’s wonderful to have this external endorsement of our environment. This success is a reflection of the commitment and the work undertaken by so many people across the entire university.
- Jane Harrington
