The LGBT+ Society is teaming up with VP Voice, Luana Vasconcelos, and the Students’ Union, to raise awareness for LGBT History Month. This year, we are focusing on the LGBTQ+ experience within specific groups in the umbrella, highlighting LGBTQ+ authors, LGBTQ Activism, and the history of LGBTQ+ people in UK.​

To bring this project to life, we have also teamed up with the Library to showcase authors and books we feel are the best suited to enlighten you on the importance of this message. ​

In the following blog, we also have students sharing a small statement talking on their experiences in the LGBT community, in support of this project. ​

ALASTAIR’S EXPERIENCE

“I first realised I was gay when I was in year 11, but up until 6th form, I never really felt comfortable addressing it with anyone or expressing it openly. If I was ever asked, I would always deny it. It was only when I went to university, and decided to go to and try to make friends with people in the LGBT society, that I really felt like I could express myself honestly. University played a big part in me coming to terms with my sexuality, and through it, I was able to accept myself, and eventually even tell my parents.”​

HENRY’S EXPERIENCE

“So I’ve identified as gay and asexual for a while now, and since then I’ve never felt more comfortable just being myself.​

But understanding everything about myself hasn’t been easy. When I first came out as gay at 15, my school forced me into a situation where I either had to tell my parents I was gay or they would, due to a safeguarding issue. Luckily, my parents were very accepting, but it was still very scary.​

Then, coming to terms with being asexual. I was 17 / 18. At first labelled myself as ‘gray ace’, which is like the gray area between hypersexual and asexual. People, or friends even, would often make remarks which undermined and erased how I felt. Eventually, I chose to label myself outwardly as just ‘asexual’ to stop this. I figured if I chose a clearer label people wouldn’t treat me like someone who just ‘doesn’t understand their own experience’.​

There are people out there who try to put queer identities into a box, and it does make it hard. But I’ve learnt that if I don’t let myself be myself I haven’t learnt anything.’’

LIZZIE’S EXPERIENCE​

“I have had an interesting experience trying to work out my sexuality, I have identified with a lot of different sexualities since secondary school, from realising I wasn’t straight so assuming I must be gay to thinking ‘well if I feel the same thing about both genders then I must be Bi’ to realising I was Aro Ace at the start of uni. So I was comfortably AroAce until I got a Boyfriend and suddenly Aromantic and Asexual didn’t work anymore so I started doing a lot of research into Grey-Ace or Demi-Sexual, and honestly I’m still not sure.​

Through my time with the LGBT+ society at the uni I have become much more comfortable with not knowing, I’m not 100% sure exactly what my sexuality is I am definitely on the Ace end of the spectrum.​

But at the end of the day, that’s not the important bit, what’s important is that I’m comfortable and I’m around people that support me and I have been really lucky to have found that, and to be able to keep that sense of community going for others”​

BERIN’S EXPERIENCE

“I am a bisexual mess with dyslexia, ADHD, and chronic anxiety. I feel I have been through hell and back to get to a sustainable position where I can live my life and be happy just doing that. Isn’t that what we all want, to be happy and have our needs met sustainably. Unfortunately we live in a world that doesn’t care much for basic needs like health and sustainability.​

If there is one thing I could tell humanity it would be this: addressing your feelings are a basic need, embrace your messy humanity and don’t be afraid to reflect on your own feelings and your own life. Your emotions are probably trying to tell you something important and ignoring them or only looking at them superficially doesn’t address why that feeling arose in the first place. ​

Not engaging with your life and your perspective will only make life more miserable for you and everyone else. But it takes time and work and it will likely uncover some difficult and uncomfortable truths about you and the world. But once you’ve done that, you can change the world.”​

ANDREW’S EXPERIENCE​

“Being a bisexual person without really being around all that many queer people before I started university was somewhat challenging as it was difficult for me to really be in a group of people who I could relate to. However, since joining the LGBTQ+ society I have really found a group that I felt I truly belonged in. I believe that it is important that queer people have the opportunity to meet and be around other queer people. This is what helps us to be ourselves when we often find ourselves in spaces where we feel like we don’t fit in.​”