LGBTQ+ History Month at Loughborough College

February is LGBTQ+ History Month in the UK. This year's theme celebrates talent in the film industry; creating stories which reflect the experiences of those living through historical moments. From the partial lifting of the ban on homosexual relationships in 1967, the Gender Regconition Act and recognising of Civil Partnerships in 2004, and later the Equality Act of 2010 and equal marriage in 2014; The LGBTQ+ community have seen these huge societal shifts across the 20th and 21st centuries and have been a prominent cultural presence in the move toward a tolerant and accepting space for all. If you would like to see just a few of these stories in the form of shorts, documentaries, and more; you can see them here at the InTo film website, delivered in partnership with the British Film Institute. 

We recommend Tom Daley's film released last year on the legality of homosexuality in Commonwealth countries, which discusses persecution faced by LGBTQ+ Athletes around the world. Over the last year, we've seen LGBTQ+ British athletes succeed; Dame Kelly Holmes and Jake Daniels bravely came out, and the Lionesses won the Euros 2022 (seven of whom are proudly LGBTQ+) showing that identity should not impede excellence or inclusion in sport. Here at the college, we aim to provide a nurturing environment that encourages people to be the best they can be in the most authentic way; regardless of identity. This starts with our FREDIE values and extends to specific sessions for young people to safely discuss anything that may be on their minds.

Our 1-1 sessions for LGBTQ+ learners are either 25 minutes or 50 minutes in length, are completely confidential, and are either in person at Loughborough College or online via Teams. They are facilitated by Lisa Vine, whose pronouns are she/her and who has eight years of experience supporting LGBTQ+ children, adolescents and adults. To date, Lisa has worked with over 400 LGBTQ+ people through 1-1 sessions. These sessions give LGBTQ+ learners and those questioning their gender identity and/or sexuality a safe space to talk and share, as much or as little as they want to or are ready for. They are a space where LGBTQ+ learners will be guaranteed an active listening ear, positive body language and validation for who they are, what they are feeling and how they are feeling it. LGBTQ+ learners are also offered advice and guidance relating to their identity, perhaps around disclosure, transitioning gender and navigating relationships, to give just a few examples. Learners can access these services by emailing Lisa directly at lisa@lisavine.com. The official website for LGBTQ+ History Month also has free resources for both staff and learners, enabling the month to be integrated into lessons and classrooms.