Respect Magazine - March 2017

Respect Feb/March 2017. Issue 9

magazine

Kate O’Donnell

stars at 1 Angel Square Plus

Nick Crofts on being LGBT in politics Iris International Film Prize Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2017 and much more...

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Welcome to Respect, the magazine for one of the UK’s most LGBT+ friendly retailers, the Co-op.

A word from Respect Magazine’s editors, Ben Brosnan and Amelia Cargo

A very warm welcome to the latest edition of Respect Magazine. Feels very late in the day to wish you a Happy New Year, and Christmas feels like a distant memory now!

Lots has happened since the last edition, we held our first ever Respect short film night in partnership with Iris, the International film prize and we welcomed trans star Kate O’Donnell to 1 Angel Square for an evening of Kate Unplugged - more about both on the pages ahead.

We are extremely pleased that Co-op was awarded 31st most LGBT+ inclusive employer in this year’s Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and are absolutely thrilled that our Respect LGBT+ network has also been recognised as a highly commended employee network.

In February we marked LGBT History Month with blogs and videos published on Co-op’s social media channels featuring Co-op colleagues and LGBT+ leaders in the business. Great to have their involvement and for them to share their stories.

The new year also saw thousands of gay and bisexual men who were found guilty of decades-old ‘sexual offences’ in England and Wales be pardoned and posthumously pardoned. Whilst the term ‘pardoned’ is problematic, and convictions should have been quashed, this is a victory for equality and our LGBT+ community.

CONTENTS 3 Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2017 5 Introducing Iris Prize 6 Iris Prize film reviews 8 Kate O’Donnell: Unplugged at 1 Angel Square 9 LGBT Foundation Research & Bicon 10 Nick Crofts on working

with Co-op and being LGBT in politics

11 David Collingwood interview

Cover photo: Kate O’Donnell © Lee Baxter

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The Co-op has been named the 31st most LGBT-inclusive employer in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2017. Respect, our LGBT+ colleague network, was also recognised with a highly commended network award.

This year was the most competitive ever with 439 public and private sector organisations entering the index. To be placed in the top 100, businesses have to show true commitment to LGBT+ inclusion in a wide range of areas - from training and senior sponsorship, to colleague networks and community engagement.

Pippa Wicks, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, comments: “It’s fantastic to see one of our Ways of Being – Be yourself, always – truly brought to life and recognised externally.

Equality is one of our founding values, so it’s great we’ve once again been recognised for commitment to LGBT+ inclusion.”

Adrian Shooter, Resourcing & Diversity Director, added: “I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved at the Co-op, it’s a true example of succeeding together. The Respect network, Diversity team and businesses understand that championing the LGBT+ community creates a more inclusive and positive place to work as well as being a much better way of doing business.”

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Earlier this year we held our first Respect short film night, launching our partnership with Iris. Berwyn Rowlands is one of the organisers of Iris Prize, the world’s largest LGBT short film prize.

Berwyn is a Welsh Internationalist who has 30 years’ experience in film and events with a significant track record of turning artistic and strategic vision into reality.

In 2006 he established the Iris Prize – at £30,000 it continues to be the world’s largest LGBT short film prize; it’s presented annually during the Iris Film Festival in Cardiff, Wales (UK). Eight short films have been produced to date with the Iris Prize. ‘Burger’ and ‘Followers’ were selected out of 8200 entries for the 2014 and 2015 Sundance Film Festival. The Iris Prize was recognised by The Queen at a reception for the British Film Industry in 2013.

In 2016 the festival celebrated its 10th anniversary and was officially recognised by BAFTA as an “A” list festival and one of the top 50 film festivals in the world by Movie Maker Magazine for the second year running.

In 1997 aged 31 Berwyn was appointed the Chief Executive of Sgrîn Cymru Wales in which capacity he established Ffresh, the Student Moving Image Festival of Wales, the Wales Screen Commission, and the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales (in partnership with the National Library of Wales).

Berwyn has produced content which has been broadcast on BBC, ITV and S4C including Llety Piod (UK) starring Bill Nighy, Colonial Gods (US/UK Co-production) and Boys Village (German/UK Co-production).

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Among projects for radio, he produced Wales: Land of Film for BBC Radio 2. He is regularly asked to talk about film and gay rights on TV and radio. He has also served on film award juries and speaks on both programming and event production at universities, conferences and festivals having contributed to the European Short Film Symposium, Cork, Kashish Film Festival, Mumbai, Gaze Film Festival, Dublin, OUFEST, LA and the International Film Festival Summit, New York.

Iris’s aim is simply to get as many people as possible to see and experience LGBT stories. It is also an opportunity to look at what they’ve achieved and possibly more importantly what they should be doing over the next 10 years.

Iris is famous (if that’s the right word) for offering the world’s largest LGBT short film prize. Thanks to the continued funding by The Michael Bishop Foundation the winner gets £30,000 cash to make a new short film. 35 shorts compete annually for the prize, 25 are nominations from partners located in 19 countries, the rest come from a growing pot of open submissions.

Iris has produced 8 short films to date with the winning film makers, with some like ‘Burger’ going on to screen and win awards at mainstream film festivals like Sundance.

Iris also has a dedicated award recognizing local British talent. Sponsored by Pinewood Studios Group the winner gets £20,000 of post-production sound work on their next project at Pinewood.

But what next? Over the coming years Iris will be looking to work with partners like the Co-op’s Respect LGBT+ Network to help us share our stories with even more people. The joint screenings with Respect in Manchester should become regular events.

Who knows Iris on the Move a mini 2-day Iris festival could one day visit Manchester?

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Iris Prize film reviews Skallamann

Review by Ben Brosnan

Aban & Khorshid Review by Neil Moffatt

Ben Brosnan works in our Digital team and is the Vice Chair of Respect.

Neil Moffatt works in our Format team in Manchester and is a member of the Respect steering group.

Skallamann is a Norwegian musical comedy about a teenage boy coming home to tell his parents that he made out with a skallamann (bald guy).

The UK has some of the most advanced LGBT+ rights legislation in the world and we are lucky to live here; it’s important that we remember that. There are currently around 70 countries where homosexuality is still illegal and a handful where it’s punishable by death, one of which is Iran where Aban and Korshid is set.

His dad seems okay with this revelation although it causes much pain for his mother, who yells “you couldn’t just’ve picked someone with hair”! The way he tells his parents of his dalliance with a bald man is as though he is coming out of the first time.

Our proud skallamann snogger, threatened with possible social ostracism breaks into song, proudly exclaiming his new found love, singing and dancing across his snow covered Norwegian neighbourhood, being joined by many passersby, flashmob style.

We finally meet said skallamann, a tall, handsome and indeed bald man, who agrees to see the besotted teenager again.

You can take what you will from Skallamann and it works on lots of different levels. With its catchy tune and cute story, you can’t help but smile when watching, it is so much fun and actually quite thought provoking.

It’s a clever statement on blind love, being yourself, being brave and bold and loving whoever you want.

On face value, his mother’s initial distress points the absurdity of social expectations which can be applied across many different situations. In the face of adversity our young teenager is proudly telling the world to be yourself and make your own choices.

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Based on a true story, the film takes you on an intimate journey of two forbidden lovers who are committed to death by hanging simply for being who they were.

This film hit me hard as the portrayal of the everyday is so beautiful. The film magnifies the normality of the intimacy and deep passion between two people in such a comfortably relaxed and loving setting – it is done so well that it almost doesn’t even register that it’s two men, which of course is the way it should be.

It’s only when the film becomes violent and dark, and the outcome is more obvious, that the fear grips you and you realise the desperate situation these two people are in.

My personal take away from the film was to embrace the freedoms we have in the United Kingdom and to never take them for granted. It hasn’t always been this way and there’s still a long way to go until we achieve full equality. Now I am on my own journey to help promote the visibility of the Respect network within the workplace and beyond. Small changes make big differences. Keep an eye, and an ear, open for some great future events that will educate and stimulate your own personal beliefs.

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THE BEAT OF GAY UK

LONDON MANCHESTER BRIGHTON BIRMINGHAM GLASGOW PORTSMOUTH CAMBRIDGE ON DAB DIGITAL RADIO AND AT GAYDIO.CO.UK 7

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Kate O’Donnell: Unplugged

By Dominic Abraham-Newman On behalf of a joint event with the Co-op and Sodexo, I jumped at the chance to review Kate O’Donnell’s ‘Unplugged’ performance at 1 Angel Square.

From the moment Kate walked on stage to an audience of about 70 people my first thought was, how can she be 52?! Wow, that girl looks good!

Kate took us through the decades, travelling from the 70s to present day in a bold, interesting and superbly put together show.

She brought her own and life’s struggles of the trans community to life, ripping off the flesh and touching the bones in such a heart wrenching but warm way through the power of music and laughter.

“If you didn’t know what love and friendship is – You do now!”

Kate O’Donnell is an awardwinning transgender performer, activist, theatre and cabaret maker. She is the Artistic Director of Trans Creative, a newly formed trans creative, trans positive, trans led theatre company based in Manchester supported with 3 years worth of funding by Arts Council England’s Elevate Fund.

Kate’s creates entertaining, political performances, which celebrate theatricality and exude pride and strength in being a transgender woman.

Kate will be playing the role of Feste in Jo Davies Twelfth Night at The Royal Exchange this Spring.

For someone like me who had a hard childhood being brought up by an ignorant and old fashioned father, you could see through her eyes into her soul and understand what a strong woman she is, I only wish I had the balls to be so open and honest!

I didn’t know I could laugh and cry so much at the same time in one night, I am still smiling and will most definitely be attending her show “Big Girls Blouse” as I just want more!

Thanks Kate! #standbyyourtrans #PrindeinCoop #BigGirlsBlouse

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What do the stats say?

What does it mean to be BME and LGBT in Manchester?

Greater Manchester is one of the biggest and most diverse urban areas in the country. According to the most recent census, non-white groups make up around a third of the city’s population and it also has a reputation of being of one of the most gay-friendly places in the UK. While there are some notable examples, the experiences of BME LGB people in the city has never been fully explored. The LGBT Foundation, together with Manchester City Council, have compiled and added to existing research to get a more comprehensive picture of what’s going on.

In addition to the research they also held focus groups with social and support groups: Rainbow Noir (a group for queer people of colour); Imaan (a group for LGBT Muslims) and the Lesbian Immigration Support Group.

The report revealed that local service providers need to be better trained on the needs of LGBT people with multiple identities.

Other recommendations include exploring opportunities to challenge racism in the LGBT community, improvements to demographic monitoring and further research to identify the needs of other groups, including the trans community and asylum seekers.

The full report is available here.

• A study conducted with gay and bisexual Asian men found that 75% of respondents were not out about their sexual orientation to family, 72% were not out at work and 40% were not out to their friends.

• LGBT people from a minority

ethnic background may often feel apart from, rather than a part of both their LGBT and ethnic communities, leading to isolation, low esteem, and confusion over identity.

• 26% of BME lesbian and bisexual women deliberately harmed themselves in the last year compared to 1 in 5 lesbian and bisexual women in general and compared to 0.4 per cent of the general population.

• 76% of BME gay and bisexual boys have thought about taking their own life compared to 56% of white gay and bisexual boys.

• 53% of BME gay and bisexual men and 50% of gay and bisexual men took drugs in the last year compared to 12% of men in general.

BICON

BiCon is a three-day annual convention and/or conference, and the biggest UK gathering of hundreds of bisexuals, their friends, partners and anyone with a positive interest in bisexuality.

It has aspects of both a convention (with dressing up, socialising, fun sessions, dancing and board games) and a conference (with more serious workshop sessions about anything and everything, from activism to board gaming and sci-fi to being bi in the workplace), as well as several safe spaces for various groups of attendees.

BiCon moves around different towns and cities in the UK each year, with passes available on a sliding scale dependent on income, in an effort to be as accessible to all as it possibly can be. We also have the Equality Fund, which can help meet the costs for attendees who need an extra hand for whatever reason.

2017’s event will be held at Leeds Beckett university, Headingley Campus on the 10–13 August 2017.

Find out more about BiCon here.

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Respect caught up with Co-op’s Members’ Council President Nick Crofts on working with the Co-op, working for MP, Steven Twigg, and being an openly bi man in politics Why did you start working with Co-op?

What drew me in was the commitment to being a different sort of organisation, an ethical organisation, one that is owned by its members, that is not a PLC, and one that tries to live its values.

When I had the opportunity to stand for election, back in 2009 now, not long after the merger with United, there was a constitutional review that took place at that time, there were lots of vacancies on committees and a friend recommended I join.

It’s a bit cult-like co-operation, in the nicest way, and I found myself quite quickly drawn in and I’m moving into my 8th year as an elected member now and I’m hugely passionate about our society.

You work for Steven Twigg, who in 1997 was the first openly gay MP… Steven wasn’t the first openly gay Member of Parliament - he was the first out and gay candidate to be elected as a member of parliament. There were others who came out after becoming an MP. Steven has always been a champion of diversity and equality; I know that’s something he’s tremendously proud of.

And actually, he’s more famous for defeating Portillo, in that iconic TV moment back in 1997 than he is for being the first openly gay candidate, and I think that’s the right way round. The gay bit is the foot note! It’s like being famous for being the first left handed MP rather than for what you’ve achieved.

Do you think an LGBT MP can offer something or extra?

When you are elected to a role like that, you have to prioritise what interests, areas, themes and campaigns you want to be involved in, because there are so many different things, beyond your day to day role as a constituency MP. One of the things Steven has been at the forefront of, in UK campaigning terms, is LGBT rights, particularly LGBT 10

rights in the developing world. The Labour government from 1997 to 2010 did extraordinary things when it came to equality, particularly for LGBT+ people and more broadly the rest of the world is taking a long time to catch up.

You’re an out bisexual man…

I used to be gay and then I fell in love with a woman! I think there can be comfort for some people in being one thing or another. But I was the type of gay person that is still attracted to women. It took me the emotional connection - falling in love with one of my female friends, a gay woman as it happens, we fell in love and had a 2.5 year relationship. It was transformational for me as I used to be gay, at least so I thought, and it took that emotional connection for me to get clever and I have this sneaking suspicion, at the margins, everybody is bisexual.

Do you think that LGBT politicians are treated differently?

The Labour party is a good place to be gay or bi.

I haven’t detected any difference, in terms of the internal workings of the Labour Party or the opportunities I’ve had as a result of me being LGBT. I haven’t detected that at all.

I’m a Councillor in Liverpool, I have 10,000 constituents and there are a broad range of views and for some people they are in a much more traditional opinion and are not comfortable with some aspects of modern life. I suppose the thing about being bisexual or gay, it doesn’t have to be broadcast. So you can chose not to announce the fact that you are LGBT if you so wish.

I have personally never been in a situation that made me wish I’d not come out, or that they didn’t know. I don’t care if people know or don’t know, I am just me, and in certain circumstances I have a big personality, but the bi bit is only a small part. I’m right handed, I have brown hair and brown eyes and I’ve been in relationships with men and with women. So what?

Favourite: TV show - West Wing - President Bartlett is the fictional president of my dreams!

Film - Groundhog Day - it’s a modern day Christmas Carol, I love Bill Murray Book - Sicaro Trilogy - Robert Harris, a modern day re telling about the life of Sicaro, the first non noble to be elected to the most senior office Cocktail - Gin and slimline tonic Couldn’t you live without - My iPhone!

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David Collingwood is one of our senior champions for Consumer Services.

He’s the Head of Operations for the West and Central Division within Funeralcare, working with a team of around 820 colleagues.

We sat down with him to talk about Funeralcare’s research with Stonewall, why his colleagues make him proud and what Pride means to him.

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m currently Head of Operations for the West and Central Division in Funeralcare – our Division carries out around a fifth of all the funerals we do in Coop Funeralcare. I’ve been involved in the funeral industry since I was a boy and have worked for the Co-op for nearly 30 years now, so I’m what they call a ‘lifer’. I’m married to Rose and we live in the North West. In my spare time, I enjoy gardening and can often be found at my allotment. I’m also a bit of a petrol head and have a runabout in the garage at home that lets me travel at non funeral speeds on sunny weekends.

Why are you proud to work for Co-op?

That’s an easy one, our colleagues make me so proud.

Our Funeral Directors Funeral Arrangers and Funeral Service Operatives and all our team always go the extra mile to help our clients, often outside of work time, and I think that’s so special. They understand that it’s a privilege to be asked to look after the funeral arrangements of someone who has died and that there are no second chances. We have to get the detail right first time. You represent the business 24/7 regardless of if you are at work or are involved locally in your community. What they do every day is the definition of being Co-op.

The Grow Funeralcare plan, part of the Winning 10, is underway now. Can you tell us a bit more about it?

Funeralcare is the biggest funeral director in the UK, which is great, but we know we can do more. Grow Funeralcare is a plan that will make us the market leader in both the at-need (funeral services) and pre-need (funeral planning) sectors. It’ll also look at how we can work with our Legal Services business to better serve the needs of our clients.

I met with a couple of LGBT colleagues in one of our funeral homes before Pride. They told me that they had a gay client who was initially afraid of the reaction he 11

would get from the funeral home team.

Why do you think that is?

The funeral industry is generally seen as being a bit oldfashioned so I can understand why that person would have felt that way. We pride ourselves on treating each client with respect, no matter who they are or where they come from.

We are also proud to celebrate difference, both in terms of our colleague base and the funerals we organise.

Each person is an individual with a life that was lived and our funerals really do celebrate that. We recently did a Star Wars funeral, for example. You can personalise the funeral in any way you want – even the coffin or casket can come with practically any picture or design you like.

A couple of years ago, Funeralcare and Stonewall did some ground-breaking research on older LGB people’s attitudes to later life planning, could you tell us a bit more about that?

In 2014 Funeralcare and Stonewall did some groundbreaking research on older LGB people’s attitudes to later life planning. Some of the results were really quite shocking : around one in four people said they were worried that they would be treated poorly, a quarter thought they would face barriers when arranging a funeral and a third anticipated barriers when it came to financial planning.

There were also quite a high number of people who were unsure what their rights were. It’s really important that people educate themselves as it’ll help make a difficult time that little bit easier. Taking out a Pre-paid Funeral can also take the stress out of it; it’s an easy way to plan ahead whilst protecting your loved ones from any uncertainty they might have when the time comes.

We get so much positive engagement from Funeralcare colleagues, probably more so than any other business.

Does that surprise you?

It doesn’t surprise me at all. Our people are naturally interested in supporting people and communities, including the LGBT+ community. Getting involved in things like Pride is how we show that to the wider world.

Talking of Pride, you’ve been involved in Manchester Pride in the past. What does it mean to you?

I have indeed, I supported with organising the Funeralcare stand at last year’s Manchester Pride and have also marched in the Parade before (in a top hat and frock coat, I might add!)

Pride fits with my philosophy of treating everyone fairly, regardless of who they are and where they come from.

Community is so important to what we do and we need to show each community that we support them and are there for them.

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CoopRespectLGBT respectlgbt@coop.co.uk

Co-op Colleague Employee Assistance Programme

Need information, support or just someone to talk to?

The Co-op Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is here to support all Co-op colleagues, anytime.

It’s a totally confidential and independent service provided by the market leading Validium Group - all paid for by the Co-op, so there’s no charge.

Practical information, guidance and counselling is available 24/7 to help with a wide range of personal and work-related issues.

Here are just some examples: - You are the victim of homophobic, biphobic or transphobic bullying at work, or know someone who is - You want advice on coming out to family, friends or colleagues

By phone Talk in confidence with a professional counsellor or specialist, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year: From a UK landline: 0800 970 1030 From a mobile: 0330 332 9996 Online

- You are at risk of redundancy

For online information and guidance, join vClub at validium.com/login.

- Someone in your family is ill and you want to know how best to support them

Use the following details to access the site and then create your own personal account.

- You are not happy with your GP and want to know how to complain

Details of the Validium username and password can be found on the intranet.

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