Equality in the Green Sector by Manu Maunganidze

History, almost as a rule, doesn’t look at itself in terms of eras. Nor do the people who live in those eras tend to spend too much energy on what word best fits their generational situation. A young man or woman leaving the land in search of a better life in the city in late 18th century would not have considered him or herself to be a player in the big game of the Industrial Revolution. They very likely were unaware that King George III was even king. Only recently have we begun to self-define the times we live in. “Thatcherite Britain”, “Globalisation”, “The Anthropocene”, “The Age of Mass Extinction” etc. There is a sense that the more knowledge we have of how our planet and society work, the more valid it is to make grand statements about what time period we live in. The more control we have, perhaps.

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When actions speak louder than words, race in UK higher education.

Race and higher education hit a pivotal moment in 2018 as Black British student’s experiences made headlines across the UK. Mainstream and social media campaigns such as #MyRacistCampus reported Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) students’ everyday experiences of racism(s) on university campuses as users submitted their stories via Facebook and Twitter. The campaign supported prior … Continued

“Hair Apparent – A Voyage Around My Roots”

I grew up a mixed-race foster child in an all-White rural community in Yorkshire back in the 60s and 70s and being ‘high-visibility’ was something I had to learn how to handle alone. Not just my colour but my mass of tightly-curled hair also became a distinguishing feature; my White foster-mother struggled with it and … Continued

Care under the Rainbow Launch Event on IDAHOT Day 17th May 2019

Introducing a new learning resource for creating inclusive care home environments for older LGBT+ residents. Friday 17th May 2019 marks IDAHOT Day – International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. This is a significant day for a number of reasons. For LGBT+ groups and organisations it’s about recognising and speaking out against the violence and … Continued

“Your City, Your Voice”

For our March blog post Hannah Hier, former female Youth Mayor of Bristol, writes about her experiences championing the voices of young people in Bristol. Opportunities to shape diversity, inclusion and equality discourse are often hard to come by for young people, but through political involvement and groups, such as our Alphabets LGBTQ Youth Project, … Continued

Arrested for Cottaging: A 21st Century Experience

Most of us have heard of cottages: public toilets where men sought the company of other men. Some were unfortunate enough to be confronted by Police Officers who were in there with open smiles perhaps in order to invite attention and make an arrest. These were darker times for men who have sex with men … Continued

Annabel Grace, Screenwriter & Executive Producer, Writes about PTSD

PTSD – Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events. Someone with PTSD often relives the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks and may experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt. For many people, talking about mental health issues is still seen as a form of weakness and … Continued

Transforming Spaces by Aaron Barnes

Aaron Barnes, Associate, Diversity Trust I’ll start by saying that I personally LOVE a conference, especially a conference that covers gender and sexuality issues, and especially when topics focused on transgender issues are going to led by trans people. So you can imagine my excitement when I was invited to the 2018 ‘Transforming Spaces’ conference … Continued

‘Bivisibility’ By Joy M.A

Guest blogger Joy M.A writes about bivisibility, and the importance of intersectionality, when considering equality, diversity and inclusion. Having an identity that is part of multiple communities considered marginalised has been more of a driving force rather than a hurdle for me. It is true that the less privileged your identity may be, the higher … Continued