Update

Welcome to the LGBT Staff Network Update Pages.

Please click the links below for previous issues, or scroll down for the latest one:

5th April 2012
17th February 2012
24th January 2012
19th December 2011
25th November 2011
7th October 2011
27th June 2011
16th May 2011
25th March 2011
4th March 2011
18th February 2011
4th February 2011
14 January 2011 - Our first Issue!

Here you will find all of our previous issues of the full FLAG Magazine.

FLAG Magazine issue 8 - Summer Special 2010
FLAG Magazine issue 7 - Summer 2010
FLAG Magazine issue 6 - Spring 2010
FLAG Magazine issue 5 - Winter 2009/10
FLAG Magazine issue 4 - Autumn 2009
FLAG Magazine issue 3 - Summer Special
FLAG Magazine issue 2 - Summer 2009
FLAG Magazine issue 1 - Spring 2009
FLAG Magazine - Induction Issue

Interview Transcripts from featured articles in FLAG.

Full interview transcript with Martin Hall, Vice-Chancellor

Full interview transcript with Alistair Alcock, Head of the School of Law

Thursday 5th April

Next Network Meeting

The next LGBT Network meeting will be on Wednesday 18 April at 1pm, venue TBC. Please put it in your diaries!

LGBT History Month

Following the very successful launch of LGBT History Month on 2 February at MediaCity, we held a storytelling workshop with Michelle Green, and Ben Light gave his inaugural professorial lecture. There was also a pub quiz in Bar Yours, and Transgender Equality Training delivered by TREC.

We would love to see more people at future events, and hope to run some joint social events with Salford Staff Women’s Action Network and with the BBC’s LGBT Network in the near future.

IDAHO

The next event in our calendar is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on 17 May 2012. The focus of this day is to look at the struggle against homophobia and transphobia around the world. This year, we want to repeat an activity that we first ran several years ago, when we produced a map showing what the status of LGBT rights is in every country in the world. We will be putting this on display in Maxwell and University House and asking students and staff members from those countries to contribute by filling in postcards with any comments about how queer sexualities and gender identities are seen in their countries. We’d like the outcomes from this activities to feed into the Sexuality and Faith conference which will be taking place at Salford in the summer.

If you’d like to help or contribute to this activity, please let us know.

Gay by degree and Stonewall WEI

Stonewall produces a student guide to universities, based on the information available about support available to LGB students available on each universities’ website. We want to see the University of Salford score highly, so we’ve made sure that all the support available to LGBT students is available on our website at http://www.advice.salford.ac.uk/lgbt ready for the assessment on 30 March 2012. Many thanks to Arron Pile for co-ordinating this.

We’re also starting to prepare the university’s Stonewall 2013 submission, which is due for the end of August 2012. If you carry out any LGBT-related activities for staff or students, please let someone on the LGBT Network Committee know so that we can make sure they’re included in the Stonewall submission!

Social activities

The next book club meeting will take place on Thursday 3rd May, and the next book is "When God Was A Rabbit" by Sarah Winman.

External events and notices

If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment to contribute to the Government’s consultation on the extension of marriage to same-sex partners. You can access a copy of the full consultation document and send in your views by completing a simple, online survey on the Home Office website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/equal-civil-marriage
The consultation will run for 13 weeks until the 14 June 2012. The Government will then be looking to issue a response in the autumn.
Please help in any way that you can by re-tweeting this information, updating your facebook pages and of course by good old fashioned talking to people. And of course don’t forget to fill out the consultation yourself!

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Friday 17th February

The next LGBT History Month event will be a pub quiz in Bar Yours at 5pm tonight- please come along and join in!

LGBT History Month

LGBT History Month continues. We had a very successful launch on 2 February at MediaCity, with panel consisting of Jon Amaechi, Sarah Williams of the Rugby Football League, Paralympian Claire Harvey, and Chris Noble MBE of the Sheffield Eagles discussing sport, sexuality and the media. On Tuesday 7th February, we held a storytelling workshop with Michelle Green, and Ben Light gave his inaugural professorial lecture.

Events to come

The Lesbian & Gay Foundation Pub Quiz
Friday 17th February, 5.30pm-7pm, Bar Yours

To celebrate LGBT History Month, the LGF will be touring the region to test your knowledge on all things LGBT. From sport & entertainment to politics and history, see how much you know about the achievements and contributions made by leading LGBT figures.

Transgender Equality Training delivered by TREC
Thursday 21st February, 2pm-4pm, Derwent Room, University House

TREC’s training sessions have been developed to increase awareness and understanding of the trans diversity strand. Participants are introduced to key topics pertaining to trans people and their identities, communities and lives. The sessions provide best practice guidance and legal information through a visual/oral presentation, group exercises and real-life scenarios.

Unfortunately, the evening with Manchester Lesbian and Gay Chorus on 29th February has had to be cancelled: we hope to hold another event with the choir later in the year. More details to follow!

For more information on any of these events, please go to http://www.equality.salford.ac.uk/page/lgbt_2012

Volunteering opportunities with LGF

The Lesbian and Gay Foundation are looking for
1. Volunteer Befrienders who can support and mentor isolated lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in the Greater Manchester area. The service is designed to provide a safe environment to people who are suffering from low confidence and who could benefit from having one to one support.Weekly or fortnightly for up to 2 hours at a time.Closing date: 16/3/12.
2. Group work volunteers to help plan & facilitate a support group for new & existing service users. Hours: Two sessions per month totalling 6 hours. Closing date 9/4/2012.

For more info & to apply go to: http://www.careers.salford.ac.uk/page/vacancies, log-in, click on 'main menu' on the left, click on 'search vacancies', type 'Lesbian gay Foundation' and search. The Lesbian & Gay Foundation is a North West based charity situated in Manchester city centre. It offers sexual health and wellbeing services to lesbian, gay and bisexual people and runs a variety of campaigns against homophobia and prejudice.

Social activities

SSWAN (Salford Staff Woman's Action Network) have asked us whether we would like to organise some joint social events.

Dry Ice at Contact Theatre: http://contactmcr.com/whats-on/1060-fs2012-dry-ice/

Bryony Kimmings' 7 Day Drunk at Contact Theatre: http://contactmcr.com/whats-on/1034-fs2012-bryony-kimmings-7-day-drunk/

Laughing Cows comedy night: http://www.laughingcowscomedy.co.uk/

Want to comment on any of these suggestions, or suggest something else? Please get in touch!

External events and notices

A Closer Look: LGBT Month (Ideal for ages 14+)
Every Monday throughout February, 2.15pm.
Meet at the Tour Point in the foyer.
Join us for a 20 minute walk and talk around the Main Exhibition Space to find out more about the hidden histories of LGBT communities in periods of war and peacekeeping. Including the stories of Albrecht Becker, Alan Turing, Patrick Lister-Todd and Jo Kirk.

Greater Manchester Police Authority consultation.
As part of our ongoing consultation work, Greater Manchester Police Authority is consulting with diverse groups of people across Greater Manchester about policing priorities and confidence in the police. The remit is to consult with LGBT communities via a questionnaire that only takes a few minutes to complete, which enables to the police to ensure that the voices of LGBT people are heard and their views taken into account when setting the Policing Priorities for next year. The link is as follows: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LGBT_Policing_Priorities

New Committee members

Since our last newsletter, Arron Pile has been confirmed as Co-Chair of the LGBT Committee, along with Holly Cruise.

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Tuesday 24th January

Stonewall Top 100 Employers

We’re delighted to have made it into the Stonewall Top 100 Employers for the second year running – and to have improved from 60 to 21! The Stonewall Workplace Equality Index is specifically designed to encourage continuous improvement: if we’d just done the same thing as last year, we would have slipped down. So we’re really delighted to have improved our placing.

For 2012’s submission (in August), we’d like to improve our connection with our membership. So if you’ve got anything you’d like us to be doing more of, or any comments or information about homophobia at the University of Salford, please get in touch. We want to hear more from you!

LGBT History Month

Launch Event – LGBT in Sports Media
Thursday 2nd February, 6.15pm-8.30pm
University of Salford MediaCityUK Campus
Join leading figures from the world of sport, media and journalism to discuss the representation of LGBT issues in contemporary sports journalism.
The event will be preceded by Take Action: Make Schools Safer, a workshop for teachers aimed at helping schools challenge homophobic bullying, support all their young people and promote understanding across communities.

On The Fringes
Storytelling Workshop led by Michelle Green
Tuesday 7th February, 12pm-2pm, Bronte Room.
A unique opportunity to explore untold stories with a focus on the experience of being on the fringe of mainstream LGBT discourse. Waterstones will be in attendance to cover all of your book buying needs!

Professorial Inaugural Lecture: Contemporary Digital Media, Gender and Sexuality
Professor Ben Light
Tuesday, 7 February, Room 2.36 from 6.30pm at MediaCityUK.
Professor Ben Light invites you to attend his Professorial Inaugural Lecture.

The Lesbian & Gay Foundation Pub Quiz
Friday 17th February, 5.30pm-7pm, Bar Yours
To celebrate LGBT History Month, the LGF will be touring the region to test your knowledge on all things LGBT. From sport & entertainment to politics and history, see how much you know about the achievements and contributions made by leading LGBT figures.

Transgender Equality Training delivered by TREC
Thursday 21st February, 2pm-4pm, Derwent Room
TREC’s training sessions have been developed to increase awareness and understanding of the trans diversity strand. Participants are introduced to key topics pertaining to trans people and their identities, communities and lives. The sessions provide best practice guidance and legal information through a visual/oral presentation, group exercises and real-life scenarios.

Manchester Lesbian & Gay Chorus
Wednesday 29th February, 7.30pm, Peel Hall
Celebrate the close of our LGBT History Month celebrations with a unique performance by the Manchester Lesbian & Gay Chorus. Manchester Lesbian & Gay Chorus exists to give people from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community in and around Greater Manchester the opportunity to make music in a friendly, safe environment. The choir has toured internationally and won the Silver Medal in the 2009 World OutGames in Copenhagen.

For more information on any of these events, please go to http://www.equality.salford.ac.uk/page/lgbt_2012

Survey: Coping with Homophobia

Michael Cornish, a postgraduate student studying for a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, is conducting some research into the impact of homophobia on psychological well-being. He is looking specifically at how individual attitudes and beliefs about homosexuality can impact upon well-being following some form of victimisation or discrimination based on sexual orientation. This research has full ethical approval from the University of Hertfordshire ethics committee

If you would like to contribute to Michael’s research by completing a survey, please go to:

http://sdu-surveys.herts.ac.uk/copingwithhomophobia

New Committee members

Matthew Stephenson and Mark Adams have stepped down as Secretary and Male Co-Chair respectively. Mary Macfarlane (formerly the Bi Officer) has taken over as Secretary, and Arron Pile is now Acting Co-Chair as well as Welfare Officer. Holly Cruise remains Female Co-Chair, Chris Beadsmoore is Web Officer, Jamie Angus is Trans Officer and Jonathan Guildford is Finance Officer.

So we need a few more people: the position of Bi Officer is still open, and so is Social Secretary, and either Welfare Officer or Male Co-Chair. If you’re interested in being part of the network committee, please get in touch!

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Monday 19th December - Happy Christmas!

Just a quick note from everyone on the LGBT Staff Network Committee to say have a great Christmas and a very merry New Year.

We will be back in January with full details of the programme for LGBT History Month, we are hoping to have a couple of social events that appeal to all members and the Network book group will start up again. We will also hear if we have managed to make it into the Stonewall WEI for the second year!

Looking back it has been a very productive year. We made it into the stonewall WEI back in January, we hosted the northern launch of LGBT History month and provided a series of events around campus, even including the odd celebrity!

We have hosted the “Let’s Get Better Together” event with staff networks across the country and as always, we had a visible presence at Pride to cement our links with the community. We contributed to world AIDS day during diversity week and while we have not had a Christmas Party this year, we have certainly had reason to celebrate.

With some of the committee moving on, to leave the University or to concentrate on their substantive roles, it has also been a sad year. We would specifically like to thank Mark and Matt for their support. With the transformation programme affecting so many, we are grateful for all the support we have received from members across the University.

As always, if anyone wants to get involved, please email us on lgbt@salford.ac.uk or contact us through Facebook, we can always use a hand!

Holly (deck the halls with boughs of), Aaron, Jamie, Jono, Mary and Chris

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Friday 25th November - Diversity Week Special

Diversity Week

It’s nearly time for Diversity Week 2011 and there will be a wide range of events to celebrate the staff networks, with each network getting a day.

World AIDS Day
As with every year the LGBT network will be 1st December, World AIDS Day, and in the evening we will be putting on a coach to take people from outside Maxwell Building to the vigil in Sackville Park. The coach will leave at 6pm, so please start gathering outside Maxwell at 5.45pm. Details of the vigil:

Manchester's annual World Aids Day event takes place in front of The Beacon of Hope which has been central to Manchester's HIV remembrance for the last decade and we would like to encourage people to leave their thoughts and tributes to those affected by HIV near the Beacon. The Manchester World Aids Day partnership will be providing cards and pens for leaving personal messages to celebrate the lives of those we have lost to the virus and those who are living with HIV today. The Manchester Lesbian and Gay Chorus will be performing at the vigil and throughout the evening at Taurus.

If you think you would interested in coming on the coach please let Holly know (h.cruise@salford.ac.uk) so she have a rough idea of numbers. Thank you.

Queer Spaces in the History of Greater Manchester
There will also be a talk about queer spaces in the history of Greater Manchester, led by Clare Tebbutt, a PhD student at the University of Manchester. Clare will be presenting her research on some of the less well-known LGBT venues of the past, from pubs, to theatres, to a temperance hall and beyond, and inviting workshop participants to contribute their own experiences and memories. This will take place in the International Life Centre in University House, 12.30pm to 1.30pm.

Cake Sale!
If you can’t make the vigil or the talk then we would also like to invite you to join us in the foyer of University House between 10.30am and 2pm for a Cake Sale, raising money for George House Trust http://www.ght.org.uk/. If you want to take part by baking cakes then please get in touch with Holly, h.cruise@salford.ac.uk and we will add your contributions!

Hope to see you at one (or all) of these events and please look at the program for the whole week here

Book Group
After a break, we hope to revive the book group after Christmas. Anyone is welcome to attend.
Traditionally we have met on a Tuesday at 5.30pm, but if you are interested in joining the group, please let me know which days are suitable for you and we may change the day to accommodate more people.
As normal we will be meeting in the Kings Arms on Bloom Street which is the road on the left at the crossroads by Salford Central rail station, but please check the website for the next meeting.

For information on our previous books and upcoming dates, please go to our website: http://www.equality.salford.ac.uk/page/book_group

Barriers to Advancement II
Just to let you know there have been some changes of dates for the Barriers to Advancement II sessions. The new dates are as follows:

Monday 28 November 2011, 5.30pm-7pm, Theme: Making it Personal
Monday 19 December 2011, 5.30pm-7pm, Theme: Socio-economic Challenges

If you are already signed up for one please check you can make the new date. If you haven’t signed up for one please take a look at the new dates and if you can make any of them please let me know (h.cruise@salford.ac.uk), there are still places available for the LGBT Network.

A Beautiful Thing
A beautiful thing is currently showing at the royal exchange theatre, a stage production based on the 1996 film.
Adapted by the film author, it has been running since the beginning of November to rave reviews in local and national press.

If you have a spare evening free, it is definitely worth going to see this touching and witty play. Watch out for a surprise towards the end of the show, I’ll not give the game away by telling you any more here.

For tickets, please book from here

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Friday 7th October

Update is Back!
After taking the summer off, we are back. If you have any news or issues for the University’s LGBT Staff network please email me on lgbt@salford.ac.uk
Update will be published on a regular basis about once a month.

Inaugural Lecture for Prof Jamie Angus
Jamie Angus, the Network’s very own Trans Officer will be giving this year’s first Inaugural Lecture next Thursday.

Go on! Surprise me! is the challenge being set by Jamie when she takes to the stage in Lady Hale building at 6.15pm. In her lecture, Professor Angus will ask how a television programme, film set or entire orchestra can be condensed so that it can be viewed, enjoyed and then simply put in your pocket. She will show how this can be achieved and will describe, in a non-mathematical way, with many diverse demonstrations, the principles behind these essential coding methods. If you would like to register to attend this event, please click here https://supporters.salford.ac.uk/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=693

Network AGM, Wed 29 October
Just to let you know that the Network AGM will be taking place on Wednesday 19 October after work at a venue outside the University. Formal notice will be issued next week but this is a reminder for you to get it in your diary.

Barriers to Advancement II
Just to let you know there have been some changes of dates for the Barriers to Advancement II sessions. The new dates are as follows:

Monday 10 October 2011, 5.30pm-7pm, Theme: Bullying and Harassment
Wednesday 2 November 2011, 5.30pm-7pm, Theme: Generational Changes
Monday 28 November 2011, 5.30pm-7pm, Theme: Making it Personal
Monday 19 December 2011, 5.30pm-7pm, Theme: Socio-economic Challenges

Do you want to be on TV?
From Dan Lewis, documentary maker for Shine TV
Shine, a TV production company in Manchester is planning to make an entertaining yet serious documentary series which follows the real people behind LGBT categories and their lives. Our intention is to present Manchester’s young LGBT community to a mainstream audience and look at the issues that these young people face on a day-to-day basis (not just relating to sexuality – but also relationships, social lives, studies, family life, etc.). We’re hoping to meet with people who may like to take part over the next week or so. If anyone is interested please get in touch: my phone number is 0161 233 2124 and I can also be reached by email on Daniel.Lewis@shine.tv

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Monday 27 June 2011

Let's Get Better Together
There are still a few places left at the “Let’s Get Better Together”; Event in the Clifford Whitworth Conference Centre, Friday July 1st, 9.30am - 3.30pm.To celebrate our successes in this year’s Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, the University of Salford and Liverpool John Moores University are jointly hosting a one day event aimed at sharing good practice within the H.E & F.E sector. The event is proving highly popular with senior managers and LGBT staff working in the sector across the UK judging by the number registered, but we have a few spaces available if anyone is still interested in attending. In the morning there will be keynote speakers and a panel style debate hosted Martin Hall, VC of Salford and Michael Brown, VC of LJMU; other speakers will include Paul Martin OBE, CEO of the Lesbian and Gay Foundation and Nichola Wood, co-author of the recent report “Experience of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Staff and Students in Higher Education” This will be followed by lunch and afternoon workshop sessions. The first workshop will explore the LGBT Student Experience and how we ensure that out LGBT students learn in a positive, healthy environment, facilitated jointly by Student Life and the National Union of Students. The second workshop will cover the Internationalisation agenda and how it affect our LGBT staff and students, hosted by Stonewall. The final workshop, facilitated by the Directors of Staff Development at LJMU and Salford will investigate setting up LGBT staff mentoring schemes. The day will finish with a reception sponsored by Barefoot Wines and a trip down to the New Oxford pub, off Chapel Street, hosted by the LGBT Staff Network for any event participants that may be staying in Manchester for the weekend. Even if you cannot make it to the event, it would be great if network members could be at the New Oxford at 4pm next Friday to show other network members from around the UK how great we are! For more information please see http://staff.salford.ac.uk/news/details/2328 LGBT Staff Network pull for equality! Network members entered the Tug of War competition for the second year running at the VC’s Thank You Event. Having done so well at the event last year, The LGBT Staff Network entered the Tug of War competition at the VC’s Thank You Event on Friday 10th June. With new personalized Network T shirts, and ridiculously flamboyant GBT Co-Chair Mark Adams using a 10ft rainbow flag as a cape to get the crowd cheering, we were a sure fire bet to win the whole thing after being so tantalizingly close last year! Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be our year this year as we drew up against Estates in the first round, and despite a spirited effort were unfortunately defeated by the strongest team there on the day. We took solace in the fact that we were beaten by the eventual winners, and that we once again struck a blow against stereotyping and got the biggest cheer from the crowd. Who’s in for next year?!

Manchester Pride
It’s nearly that time of year again! Manchester Pride is rapidly approaching us, and were are once again planning on participating in the parade and the Expo with our partners from Salford City Council, Salix Homes, and Salford Youth Services. As usual, we are looking for volunteers to join us in the parade, or staff the Expo stall. We are pleased to be able to offer our members a free Pride ticket if they help out on the stall, but unfortunately are no longer able to offer tickets to participants in the parade. The theme chosen by the young people this year is Alice In Wonderland, so any budding Mad Hatters or Cheshire Cats, please come along!

LGBT Network Book Group meets tomorrow
We are reading Annabel by Kathleen Winter. This is the compelling and moving story of a child born as both a girl and a boy, growing up in the Canadian wilderness. Born into the remote coast of Labrador: a baby is born with both male and female sex organs. The parents decide the best thing is surgery and the child is raised as a boy named Wayne. But the masculine outdoor ways of the men in Labrador is not the life for Wayne and as he approaches adulthood, the woman inside him begins to cry out. The changes that follow are momentous not just for him, but for the adults that have guarded his secret. This book was the Woman’s Hour book of the week and is available to listen to on the BBC website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011zm1d As normal we will be meeting in the Kings Arms on Bloom Street which is the road on the left at the crossroads by Salford Central rail station. We’ll be in the Snug, so look out for us!

Free Event in Salford: Out With It, 6 July
Out With It is am event which will include reminiscences recounted from the book Tales from Out in the City coupled with music, poetry and photographic portraits. ;It takes place on Wednesday 6 July in Islington Mill Cafe Space, James Street, Salford. ;The performance commences at 7.30pm ;and there is a cafe until 8pm and a bar till lateOut in the City is a friendly social and support group for over 50s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Manchester. ;They meet every Thursday for various activities such as day trips, meals, art projects and walks and they also have a monthly reading group.For more information, see the website: http://www.outinthecity05.webs.com/

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Monday 16th May

Tomorrow is International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO)
The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) is celebrated every May 17. IDAHO aims to coordinate international events to call respect for lesbians and gays and trans people worldwide. Unlike LGBT Pride Days which emphasise pride in one's sexuality and refusal to be ashamed of it, IDAHO exists to provoke action to end homophobia, and is observed across the globe and highlights that homophobia is something which is still present in today’s world and should be tackled. May 17 was chosen as the day of the event because homosexuality was removed from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 17, 1990

What’s happening at Salford?
The University of Salford will be celebrating International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on 17 May by flying the rainbow flag at the Mary Seacole building and displaying the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) banner on Maxwell Hall.

Exhibition in University House
Other activities taking place at the University include an exhibition which will be available for viewing in University House from 17 May until 20 May 2011. ;Put together by the members of the University’s LGBT Staff Network, the exhibition features a wide range of experiences of people from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities around the world.

Lecture on Wednesday night
A seminar will be held on Wednesday 18 May, from 4pm until 6pm, looking into the policing of sex between men from 1850-1971.It will take place in Room 409, Crescent House, and will consider aspects of the social/political historical process by which the notion of ‘homosexuality’ and ‘heterosexuality’ gained intellectual and public currency. Historical and new, as yet unpublished, evidence will be discussed. The talk will be hosted by Jeff Evans, a Salford graduate currently studying for a PhD at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Student event
The LGBT Student Society is also hosting an IDAHO picnic outside University House from 1-4pm on Tuesday 17 May. Designed to welcome students back after their Easter break as well as offer a break from exams, it is also an opportunity to talk about potential future activities and campaigns or just have an informal chat! Some food will be provided, but please bring along any picnic items that you would like to share.

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Friday 25th March

LGBT Staff Network committee member features in 100 Salford Women exhibition
SSWAN (the Salford Staff Woman’s Action Network) celebrated the 100th Anniversary on National Woman’s Day on 8th March with a groundbreaking exhibition in the Chapman Gallery that was publicly displayed for two weeks.;The exhibition entitled 100 Salford Women profiled 100 female employees who had been nominated by their colleagues for making a difference at the University. Amongst their number was Jamie Angus, our Trans Officer. Congratulations Jamie! Also, congratulations to SSWAN for putting on such a landmark event for the University community!From Mark one of our Network Chairs

Stonewall Committee plan for 2012
After successfully breaking into the Stonewall Working Equality Index Top 100 for 2011, the University of Salford’s Stonewall Committee, which includes Network members Mark Adams (GBT Co-Chair), Arron Pile (Welfare Officer), and Matt Stephenson (Secretary), has begun meeting re: the 2012 submission. At the initial meeting, areas for improvement have been identified and allocated as actions to specific members. The committee, chaired by Tracy Hulme from HR and including key members of staff involved in equality, are not sitting on their laurels and intend to consolidate (or dare we say improve?!) the University’s position within the Top 100.

Can you read? Well why not join the book group?
Does anyone fancy trying the book group? ;If so come along to our next meeting on Tuesday. We’re a friendly bunch and won’t bite and the best bit is we always give newcomers the opportunity to decide the book we will be reading next. ;We have read some weird and wonderful stuff and its all recommended by members of the group and has covered fantasy, mystery, comedy, biography and even a play over the last year. Although it is nominally an LGBT group we’re happy to welcome all types irrespective of orientation, gender etc. Our next meeting is at 17.30 on Tuesday 29 March and we are reading “How Not to Grow Up: A Coming of Age Memoir. Sort of.” by Richard Herring. For those of you of a gadgetty disposition, this book is available for Kindles and other book readers! As normal we will be meeting in the Kings Arms on Bloom Street which is the road on the left at the crossroads by Salford Central rail station. We’ll be in the Snug, so look out for us!

Social Event on 15 April!
Some of us will be going for a drink after work on Friday 15 April and then into town. Why not join us. Not only is it someone’s birthday but it’s also weekend and pay day and now that the nights are a bit lighter nothing seems nicer than a civilised drink with friends on a warm spring evening! Hope you can join us in the New Oxford which is on Bexley Square. If you walk down Chapel street towards town, its on your left set back from the road by the magistrates court. The postcode is M3 6DE so you can Google it. The next few drinkies are: 20th May.

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Friday 4th March

“They Want To Know What?” - The Importance of the Salford Staff Survey
By now, you will have received an email about the University-wide Our People Our Views survey, and you will be asked to share some personal information about you including disclosing your sexuality. You may be happy to do so, but we recognise that some staff may be reluctant to disclose what they think of as private information. Please be assured that the survey is completely anonymous, and as a result of the previous survey, further research on the experience of LGBT staff and how to engage and support us was commissioned. If you have not filled in your survey already, please ensure that, to help the University better represent our LGBT staff, you disclose your sexuality.

Thanks to all involved in LGBT History month
Those of us who worked hard to get the events for LGBT History Month are taking a breather and thinking, that’s it for another 11 months! The month has been a great success and has brought our work and Salford a great deal of positive publicity. The events were well received (especially the Line Dancing!!) and the attendees very pleased. To all of those who helped organize any of the events, thank you. To those who attended the events, thank you and even if you only put up your little LGBT Flag up, thank you!. We have also received thanks from the Vice Chancellor, the Student’s Union and the NUT so give yourselves a well deserved pat on the back!

Next Book Group meeting
After the success of the last week’s Book Group meeting (which came with sponsorship, wine and nibbles as well as an excellent book!), we are now back to normal but that doesn’t mean that we can’t plug the next meeting!! Our next meeting is at 17.30 on Tuesday 29 March and we are reading “How Not to Grow Up: A Coming of Age Memoir. Sort of.” by Richard Herring. For those of you of a gadgetty disposition, this book is available for Kindles and other book readers! As normal we will be meeting in the Kings Arms on Bloom Street which is the road on the left at the crossroads by Salford Central rail station. We’ll be in the Snug, so look out for us!

Social Event on 18 March!
Some of us will be going for a drink after work on Friday 18 March. We will be celebrating the fact that it is the weekend, that we’ve just been paid and that spring is here!!!

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Friday 18th February

Salford voted 3rd best University!
The University of Salford has voted into the top three in the category of Best University in the PinkPaper.com Awards 2011! ;This continues the University’s success last year coning second behind Cardiff which made Salford the best University in England according to Pink Paper readers in 2010.For more information: http://www.pinkpaper.com/winners/

February is LGBT History month
LGBT History Month Celebrations A Great Success So Far! We’re halfway through our LGBT History Month celebrations at the University of Salford and have seen some great events so far! We’ve screened A Love To Hide (a film about a gay couple who attempt to protect a Jewish woman from the Nazi concentration camps), had the Manchester Prairie Dogs lead a line dancing session at Bar Yours, and in association with the Staff Faith Forum hosted a very successful event called ‘God Only Knows’ encouraging discussion and storytelling about faith and sexuality. Forthcoming events are a open meeting of the Network’s book group, a guest lecture entitled The Conceptual Tyranny of Homosexuality by Jeff Evans of LGBT History Month, and a very special performance by Pink Triangle Theatre Company.

Pink Triangle Theatre: SHOW ONE
Formed in 2010 by a small group of talented Actors & LGBT community members, Pink Triangle Theatre creates and performs shows with powerful messages aimed at tackling homophobia, bigotry and intolerance. As a finale for our season of events to celebrate LGBT History Month, The University of Salford’s LGBT Staff Network is proud to present a performance of ‘SHOW ONE!’, Pink Triangle’s monologue based, powerful and punchy stage show. The performance will be followed by a discussion session, and refreshments will be provided.

God Only Knows: Faith and Sexuality Forum
This was a joint event organised by the LGBT Staff Network and Staff Faith Forum for LGBT History Month, and was really interesting. ;We had four panellists - a former Catholic priest, an Anglican chaplain, a secular Jew and a Rabbi - and around 25 guests, and discussed coming out, homophobia in faith groups, anti-religion feeling in LGBT spaces, relationships to authority and the role of personal faith in our lives. It was a conversation you don’t get to hear very often, and we’d like to set up a similar events in the future.

Book Group meeting on 22 February
The Network has a successful book group that has been running for nearly four years. To celebrate LGBT History Month whose theme is sport, we reading The Front Runner by Patrica Nell Warren - a book that has been dubbed ‘the most celebrated gay love story of all time’. The meeting is at 17.30 on Tuesday 22 February in the crush area of the Clifford Whitworth Conference Suite. If you’re not sure where it is, its where you have lunch if you go to a training course in the library: rather than going into the library itself, turn left before the barriers. If you’ve never been to a book group before, and have always wanted too - now is your chance! It’s not too highbrow: all you need to do is turn up and chat about it! Refreshments will be provided for all attendees.

Update on recent LGBT Network Meeting
There was a meeting of the network on Wednesday and I’d like to thank those of you who came along. Most of the discussion centred around communications and engagement. You’ll be hearing more of this in the coming months but in the mean time, We also discussed our Business Plan which is being written as I type (not by me - as I’m typing this!) and if there’s anything you thing we should be doing please let us know so that we can make sure that we stick it in the Business Plan and if necessary get funding for it. The minutes will be posted on the website as soon as I manage to get them typed up.

Not Meeting in the pub tonight!
Tonight’s scheduled trip to the pub has been postponed to next week. With the Pink Triangle event coming up next week, we’re planning to go for drinks then. Hope you can join us in the New Oxford which is on Bexley Square. The next few drinkies are the 18th March, 15th April, 20th May.

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Friday 4 February 2011

February is LGBT History month!
University of Salford hosts successful Northern launch of LGBT History Month and has a packed month ahead! On the evening of 27th January, over 100 people attended the reception of the official Northern Launch of LGBT History Month hosted by the University at the Council Chambers in The Old Fire Station. The event included a keynote speech from John Amaechi followed by a panel Q&A discussion about diversity in sport focusing on the 2012 Olympics and the legacy for LGBT sport in the UK that was hosted by BBC Radio 5 Live’s Bob Ballard. Throughout the day, masterclasses in cricket, basketball, and rugby led by professional sportspeople were held for local school children. Following on from the success of the launch, we have a number of events planned throughout February to continue the celebration of LGBT History Month. Events include an open meeting of the Network’s book group (see below), a discussion on faith and homosexuality led by the University’s Faith Forum, a line dancing class led by the Manchester Prairie Dogs at Bar Yours, a guest lecture on conceptual tyranny, and lots more. For more information on the University’s activities during LGBT History Month, please go to the official website. The page will be updated regularly throughout the month, so keep checking for new activities to be added!

Flying the Flag for LGBT History Month
By the time that you read this, you should have received a flyer for the University’s LGBT History Month celebrations. The flyer includes instructions to convert it into a mini rainbow flag for your desk! If I missed any of you or you want a flag for a colleague who likes yours, please drop me an email on m.c.adams@salford.ac.uk and I’ll send you another one (or more!). This is an Arts Unit initiative and we would like as many people to take photos of their flags in situ and send them to Suzanne Smith in the Arts Unit, they are displayed here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uniofsalfordartsdevelopment/sets/72157625829037917

Thank you all so much for supporting LGBT History Month this year!

Update from the VC’s Consultation and Engagement Forum
The 9th meeting of the VC’s Engagement and Consultation Forum took place on the 11 January 2011. This is a meeting for representatives from all the of University staff networks, chaired by Martin Hall. We heard a progress report on the development of the new Equality and Diversity Action Plan and the Dignity At Work and Study policy; discussed the; Equality & Diversity Annual Statistical Reports for students and staff, and gave reports on our own staff network activities. I able to announce our inclusion in the Stonewall Top 100 Employers list, one of only five universities who made the list. The VC is very keen to see the forum produce concrete outcomes, and proposed that Equality and Diversity Action Plan be sent around to members of the Forum before the next meeting, so that it can be confirmed as policy as soon as possible. Click http://www.equality.salford.ac.uk/ECF here to find the minutes for each meeting of the Engagement and Consultation Forum. If you have any comments on any of the issues raised at the meetings, please feed them back to us. We want to make our contributions as representative of the membership as possible.

LGBT Network Meeting on 16 February
We will be meeting of the LGBT Network on Wednesday 16 February at 13.00 in Peel LG04. All are welcome.; If you have something you want to bring up, or just if you want to know what’s going on, do come along.; If you have anything for the agenda please let me know prior to the meeting.

Anyone for Golf?
I've created an LGBT friendly Golf Society Facebook page with the idea of looking into forming a society to meet play golf and organise days out to play golf? I know there’s the Irons golf society down South but they only venture up to Mid Wales and there’s so many nice courses in the NW, North and North Wales For more information, click http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/home.php?sk=group_155545187825388&notif_t=group_r2j to go to our Facebook page.

Meeting in the pub 18 February
We try to meet once a month on a Friday to catch up at the New Oxford on the first Friday after the 15th and so we will be meeting on 18 February to have a few drinks relax after a hard week at work. We will be there from about 5pm onwards, come and join us. Partners and friends are welcome. We were thinking of going to a comedy club afterwards as well but if you have any other ideas, let us know. You can suggest events by going to the Facebook pages and joining in the discussion.

Book Group meeting on 22 February
The Network has a successful book group that has been running for nearly four years. To celebrate LGBT History Month whose theme is sport, we reading The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren - a book that has been dubbed ‘the most celebrated gay love story of all time’. The Front Runner is in print, and can be found on Amazon. The meeting is at 17.30 on Tuesday 22 February in the crush area of the Clifford Whitworth Conference Suite. If you’re not sure where it is, its where you have lunch if you go to a training course in the library: rather than going into the library itself, turn left before the barriers. If you’ve never been to a book group before, and have always wanted too - now is your chance! It’s not too highbrow: all you need to do is turn up and chat about it! Refreshments will be provided for all attendees.

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Friday 14 January 2011

Welcome to Update
From Mark and Holly, the chairs of the Network Hi, Welcome to the first edition of Update. We are keen to keep you as up to date with the work that is being done on your behalf and by the LGBT Staff Network and it’s impossible to publish an issue of FLAG every fortnight and so instead we are introducing this fortnightly newsletter. This will work alongside the existing communications channels we already have such as FLAG, as we have mentioned which will now become biannual publication, the website and our FaceBook and Twitter profiles. We are also looking for stories and information for Update so if you have something you want other Network members and supporters to know, personal news you want to share, interesting articles or even items for discussion, please drop us a line

Salford makes it into the Stonewall Top 100 employers
The University has achieved 60th place in the annual Stonewall Workplace Equality Index (WEI) which lists Britain's Top 100 employers for LGB staff. Salford is one of just five universities to make the list was ranked second of the HEIs on the WEI, which is based on a 25 question survey looking at policy, development, monitoring and other issues relevant to LGB Staff. Speaking personally, I am absolutely delighted that we have done so well and attained such a high ranking: we’d never even dreamed that we’d do as well as we did! In these uncertain times for HE, news of the University’s success in the WEI is a much needed morale boost. It highlights and rewards the hard work and dedication of those who worked on the submission as well as the admirable commitment to equality and diversity of the University management. Being successful in the WEI not only shows how strong our commitment to LGBT equality is, but how strong our commitment is to all equality strands. My heartfelt thanks goes to everyone who contributed to making this possible. To see the full list go to the Stonewall website: http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_work/4763.asp

February is LGBT History month
The University is proud to be hosting the official Northern launch of LGBT History Month (LGBT) 2011 on Thursday 27 January 2011. The launch day features an exciting programme of events aimed at kicking homophobia out of Britain’s schools and events planned include Sports Master classes, Professional Educators Sessions, a Sitting Volleyball Master class as well as an Evening Reception to celebrate the launch at which John Amaechi, the first first openly gay basketball player NBA player and who was born in Stockport, will be the keynote speaker

Hello to our new committee members
After the AGM, we have a new Female Chair, Bi Officer and Treasurer. Holly Cruise is the new Female (Lesbian, Bi & Trans) Chair, she works for the Study Skills team in Student Life. Holly is looking forward to helping build on the network’s previous success. She spends far too much money on going to gigs, and not enough on shoes. She has been known to get passionate about football.” Jonathon Guildford is the new Treasurer; he is a Research Grants and Contracts Administrator in the Research and Innovation Division, Jono is currently completing his Accountancy Technician qualification and he says that he’s looking forward to putting his new skills into practice. Jono is an endurance runner and he is the Club Secretary for Manchester Frontrunners, a LGBT running club. Mary MacFarlane is the new Bi Officer; she works in Careers and Employability, and lives in Salford with her girlfriend, where they obsess about floral wallpaper and buy retro furniture on Ebay. Mary is looking forward to getting more people involved with the network (particularly more women!) and hoping to contribute something to the university community.

Social event tonight
We will be meeting tonight informally to have a few drinks relax after a hard week at work.; We try to meet once a month on a Friday to catch up at the New Oxford on the first Friday after the 15th. We will be there from about 5pm onwards, come and join us. Partners and friends are welcome. The New Oxford is on Bexley Square, but if you walk down Chapel street towards town, its on your left set back from the road by the magistrates court. The postcode is M3 6DE so you can Google it. We will send a quick reminder in the updates, but apart from tonight, the next few meetings are the 18th February (including trip out to a comedy club afterwards - details to be confirmed), 18th March, 15th April, 20th May.

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