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LGBT+ conference
Photos by Jess Hurd
IN November, more than 300 LGBT+ members gathered in person for the first time since 2019 at the NEU LGBT+ educators’ conference in Bristol.
The conference theme – defending our communities – was chosen by the LGBT+ organising forum to honour our collective histories and reflect the ongoing challenging climate for LGBT+ inclusion in education.
Welcoming delegates to the conference, LGBT+ executive seat holder Kacey de Groot said: “The collective LGBT+ community is very used to having to defend itself. This year has seen a clear escalation in overt and public attacks, both on the LGBT+ community as a whole and on the trans community.”
Kacey went on to discuss anti-LGBT+ media and political attacks, such as the onslaught against Drag Queen Story Hour UK whose founder told conference about becoming the target of unrelenting social media harassment, “just for reading stories to children”.
A keynote panel continued the discussion on how intersectional feminism is key to challenging anti-LGBT+ rhetoric. Dr Natacha Kennedy, campaigner and academic, highlighted the importance of organising across trade unions to fight “highly transphobic ‘guidance’ for schools”, and queer Muslim activist and speaker Maryam Din spoke about the value of representation and visibility. Delegates also heard from NEU president Louise Atkinson, and Sue Sanders, co-chair of Schools OUT UK and founder of LGBT+ History Month.
Delegates attended workshops on a range of topics including unconscious bias, nonbinary inclusion and Black LGBT+ history.
Dan Lill, chair of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union’s LGBT+ advisory committee, shared his experience of trade union solidarity.
Vanessa Nelson led the workshop Setting up shop: a guide to starting and maintaining a pride club in education. “My first experience of LGBT+ conference in 2019 gave me the confidence to come out at work,” she said. “I’m now actively involved in my district and the LGBT+ organising forum. It’s great to see this conference sparking action in members: some have launched their own pride clubs – connection and support are key.”
Saturday night saw the highly anticipated LGBT+ educators’ awards hosted by Drag Race UK star, activist and former teacher Divina de Campo. Conference celebrated the outstanding lifetime achievement of Michael Dance, who has spent his career campaigning relentlessly for the rights of LGBT+ educators and students.
Most inspiring individual award winner Katie Reynolds acknowledged all efforts to work towards LGBT+ inclusion. “Every poster in a classroom, every badge on a lanyard is instrumental,” they said. “Humans are complex and intersectional, and solidarity is a powerful force: we have more power together than the sum of our power alone.”
By Vanessa Nelson, member of the LGBT+ organising forum, and Katie Reynolds, member of the disabled LGBT+ network
