Out on Campus Issue 2

Issue 2, Mar/Apr 2012

COLIN GENTRY GOT ATTITUDE

Goodbye Vicki & Alan Hello candidates 15 years of Spice Take back your campus Student Pride

Welcome to this issue, we hope that you enjoy reading it and if you have any feedback or suggestions we would love to hear from you.

We have been busy this month making connections with LGBT societies in both the UK and the USA so look out for an online American version of Out on Campus soon.

The NUS LGBT election is coming up, we have the manifestos for two candidates in this issue. We wish them both well and look forward to having a good relationship with whomever is elected.

We will be attending the many upcoming conferences, so if you see us please say hi.

Lastly, visit our website to find out how to get your society funded.

Thanks to all our editors/contributors who have, once again, done a fantastic job writing for us and hello to the 40+ new contributors who we welcome on board and look forward to working with.

Visit Out on Campus online Read articles from this and past issues Leave feedback and comments Submit articles Check out the contributors

Special thanks to Dean who has coped amazingly with everything thrown at him.

Much of what we have achieved since December would have been made all the harder but for him.

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Coffee with Colin After bumping into Attitude’s resident fitness expert and successful journalist Colin Gentry (or Gary Bradshaw as his friends like to call him) at a show back in October, he kindly agreed to an interview for Out on Campus.

We chatted over a coffee in a Soho café to talk about his experiences as a writer, his lifestyle, the gym and the best bits of his career.

by Tom Kirby

What do you most enjoy about your job and what is the most rewarding aspect?

Well, being freelance, the best thing is the creative freedom and the lack of routine. I can do what I want when I want - I’m my own boss. I’ve learnt over time that I don’t do well with authority so I’d much rather have the control. I like being busy and being motivated because I’m making myself rather than because someone is telling me what to do.

The most rewarding part is starting a debate over something that you’ve written - seeing and receiving people’s comments and arguments about an issue you’ve written

about. For instance, I had to write an article for Valentine’s day debating whether or not romance is dead. I was slightly cynical at the time but I wanted to write it positively for other people and we had letters from readers saying that it had helped them.

How would you describe a usual working day or part of your daily routine?

As I’ve become more interested in fitness I tend to fit work around the gym rather than the other way around. Sometimes you can be quite quiet and be a bit lazy but other times you really have to blitz it – I’m always fielding through e-mails and deadlines will pop up out of nowhere so you have to be on your toes. It can be quite random but that’s why I like it, you never know what you’ll be doing.

Do you have any funny or interesting stories from your career?

(Laughs) I’ve definitely done a few bad interviews. I had to interview Justin Bieber, that was awful. He had nothing to say and the interview lasted three minutes but felt like half an hour! The other day actually I wrote a piece and I credited a website as .com instead of .co.uk and it turned out that the .com version was a hardcore porn website - so that was a bit embarrassing!

Have you always wanted to be a writer and journalist? What did you aspire to when you were younger?

To an extent - it’s not a surprise to anyone that I did turn out to be!

When I was a kid I wrote stories and wanted to be an author but then I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I worked in PR for a bit and a friend of mine was a freelance journalist and I thought ‘that’s amazing I want to do it’. So one day I quit my job, and the next day I was a journalist.

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Kiss Kiss Bang Bang There are films in the careers of most actors, writers and directors careers that are labelled as ‘career defining’ and ‘career saving’. Shane Black’s dark comedy noir ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ (2005) hailed his return from self-imposed exile and re-launched the career of a certain Robert Downey Jr. Over the next five years, Downey Jr. was box office gold, headlining two successful franchises in Marvel’s superhero series ‘Iron Man’ (a complete surprise that hauled in $585 million in 2008) and ‘Sherlock Holmes’. He has balanced serious work like Joe Wright’s ‘The Soloist’ and comedy ever since, with an Oscar nominated turn as an egotistical Australian actor who ‘blacks up’ in Ben Stiller’s comedy ‘Tropic Thunder’ a highlight.

But not many people are aware that the comeback started with Shane Black’s hidden gem. Jon Favreau, the director

by Daley James Francis

of both ‘Iron Man’ movies, said that he always saw Downey’s weathered charisma as a perfect fit for billionaire weapons tycoon Tony Stark, and he fought the studios to get them to agree to his casting.

Shane Black was himself a little worried when the two male leads for his comeback film were two of the most unpredictable actors in Hollywood – the other being Val Kilmer.

But with a beautifully witty, brutal and hilarious script, Kilmer and Downey Jr. on career-best form and one of the greatest roles for a modern female actress in the form of Harmony Lane (played magnificently by Michelle Monaghan) everything fell into place.

The film opened in just 8 screens in America in October 2005 – which is criminal, considering that Shane Black created ‘Lethal Weapon’, a franchise that has generated over $500 million

Tomboy Tomboy is the 2011 queer-themed French language film from Céline Sciamma, the director and writer of the 2008 film, Water Lilies. However, Tomboy’s 10-year old main character Laure, tenderly portrayed by Zoé Héran, faces a personal battle with gender as opposed to that of sexuality as in Water Lilies. The film received critical acclaim last year, winning many awards including the Audience Award at the San Francisco Frameline Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

After moving to a new apartment in a suburb of Paris with her father, heavily pregnant mother and wonderfully mischievous little sister, Jeanne, the film follows Laure as she ventures out in search of new friends. The first face she sees is that of potential love interest, Lisa, to whom she introduces herself to as a boy named Michaël.

Instantly captivated, Lisa introduces Michaël to the other neighbourhood boys forcing them to include the sandyhaired newcomer in their games. What follows is a truly enchanting tale of the innocence of childhood and a desire to be accepted for who you are and not who you feel you should be. Set against 4

dollars in revenue and his name was at the forefront of the action genre in the 80’s and 90’s. It made its money back by the skin of its teeth, but this film is the byword for quality over quantity.

Black is a master of set-pieces (Lethal Weapon, Last Boy Scout, and The Long Kiss Goodnight) and dialogue, but what is underrated about his writing is how he blends the two together without sacrificing character or story development. Every action has consequences. Michael Bay should take note.

By the end of Black’s films you have fallen in love with whoever has been fortunate enough to survive, mainly because the majority of his characters have to go through hell to get there.

Watch this film, preferably with people who love great performances, great dialogue, and seeing inventive ways of shooting people and blowing stuff up.

You’ll be quoting it for years to come.

by Nat Wood the back drop of endless hot summer days, the whole film is littered with beautifully poignant scenes including the fashioning of a fake bulge for a swimming trip, and secret squatting in the woods while the other boys pee proudly upright.

The life Michaël has created for himself is soon jeopardised when little Jeanne wants in on the daily adventures, however, in his younger sibling he finds a willing accomplice and the pair share the secret. As the new school year fast approaches and a fight within the group causes a neighbour to pay a visit to Laure’s mother, the truth is inevitably revealed. Laure’s eventual “outing” is cruel in a way that only kids can be with the final blow (Michaël’s trousers being pulled down) being dealt by the one he trusted most, Lisa, hurt from the ridicule she has also received. Don’t be put off though, the film is ultimately uplifting when the story returns to its beginning with a slightly remorseful Lisa asking, for the second time: “What’s your name?”.

The simplistic cinematography reflects the freedom of the group of children outoncampus.org

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that the film is centred on with the French sun almost melting from the screen. By the end of the film you’ll be filled with a sense of nostalgia and a wish to return to a time when everything seemed simpler and before opinions were marred with prejudices.

Worth watching when you’re feeling at odds with the world.

Tomboy (2011), directed by Céline Sciamma, is distributed in the UK by Peccadillo Pictures, Certificate U.

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Continued from page 3 Wow, that’s quite brave to wake up one day and decide to change your career...

Well, to be a journalist you don’t necessarily have to have a qualification – anyone can do it, and I’ve proved that. But it was an educated risk, that seems to have paid off!

Did you have an idol growing up?

I didn’t really have one if I’m honest!

It sounds a bit stupid but I probably was influenced Carrie from Sex and the City. My friend calls me Gary Bradshaw sometimes!

I should’ve probably guessed that answer! And what has been your inspiration for some of your writing?

I’ve often come back to things from the past that I always wanted to write about. I’ve noticed that a lot of fitness magazines are aimed at guys who are either obsessed with fitness or over-weight and there’s not much out there for the skinny guy, and I was that guy. It’s just as hard if not harder to gain weight as to lose it so I try and write for that kind of person. It’s clichéd but I try and show that if I can do it, anyone can!

What did it feel like to walk past a magazine stand seeing yourself on the cover of Attitude?

To be honest it still hasn’t really sunk in! It’s very surreal, I love it but it’s mad.

And your friends...did they all know or just find out in the newsagents!

My friends in Australia and in California used to send me picture

messages so it was weird knowing that it was seen so far across the world. And one was totally surprised to spot me on the cover!

How does it feel to be a role model for men’s fitness?

I’ve had messages from readers saying that they want my body and I just think ‘really?’ – I guess we all have our own perceptions of ourselves and want to look like someone else but it’s all relative.

What used to get you motivated to work out?

Before I started working out, it sounds a bit sad but I guess I wanted to be more attractive to other people and that was a big motivation. Then it became more about health, I wanted to have a healthy body and lifestyle. The best thing was when somebody first noticed and made a comment - to realise I’d actually made a big change was a great feeling.

Do you have a song that gets you going in the gym?

Oh God, hide the iPod! That’s a tricky question - I’m all about popremixes and hard-house dancy music so I’m sure I’ve got a bit of Katy Perry somewhere.

Is there anything you still really want to do in your career?

The career path I’m on is very fresh but I’d quite like to write a book in the future and I’m working on setting up my own personal training business too. I can’t really predict where things are going. If you’d have said to me last year I’d be a fitness writer for Attitude, even now it’s hilarious and a few years ago I wouldn’t have believed you!

And where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

I still want to be doing personal training and fitness writing – I’d maybe like to be a bit more wellknown in either or both, a bit more established but we’ll see. Maybe I’ll even be married who knows!

Do you have one rule that you live your life by?

Work to live not live to work - that was the mantra I had when I was in PR. Life is too short to be doing something you don’t like. People are too scared to leave their jobs but if they actually do then they’re so relieved. I would personally always choose happiness rather than money.

And finally, do you have any advice for young people who might aspire to be a writer or journalist?

Well, I’d say that to have done a course relating to journalism isn’t absolutely necessary - you can be a successful journalist without it.

Just be open to writing about lots of different subjects with lots of different tones and styles but at the same time if you have a niche that you can make your own then that’s a brilliant direction to go in, make yourself indispensable. Work experience is really important as well as your portfolio.

Modest, charming and friendly, Colin proves a whiz at interviews on either side of the table. Keep a look out for his monthly fitness section and other articles in Attitude magazine. twitter.com/colingentry www.colingentry.com

Is there someone you’d like to interview?

Get in touch, info@outoncampus.org 5

Vicki Baars and Alan Bailey: Thank You and Goodbye I’m Vicki Baars and I’m the LGBT Officer Women’s place at the National Union of Students.

Being an elected part time paid officer at NUS is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. From leading hundreds of students on demonstrations against fees and cuts in post 16 education, to having an influential voice around a table when it comes to setting the agenda on tackling LGBT phobia, this has been a once in a lifetime opportunity. There really is never a dull moment.

I wasn’t born or raised a queer activist and I certainly haven’t always been a politician.

You can read more about my journey on my officer blog at nusconnect.co.uk.

Attending my first LGBT conference back in summer 2007 at Birmingham Guild of Students’ gave me the opportunity to share, understand and learn about the experiences of my LGBT peers. The door was opened for me to understand the injustices felt by LGBT students, realise barriers I’d faced and discover the definite need for this change.

Each day I fight for a future in which LGBT people have equal access to education and can study without fear or discrimination or perceived discrimination. Thankfully I’m also surrounded by 100’s of students striving for the same ideals and there really is nothing more rewarding than watching them one by one as they join the fight. Our National Conference for me and many others is a life changing event. Hopefully you’ll be inspired and make friends for life, I know I have! If you can’t make it to conference from the 30th March - 1st of April, don’t fret, you can make so much impact on your campuses. A small about of work goes a long way and we have plenty of resources and advice on how you can go about doing that. My role in the LGBT campaign comes to an end in June and I’ll be ever so sad to leave my extended family and more on to pastures new. To all those who made it possible, supporting me every step of the way.

Thank you you’ll never know how much it has meant. In pride Vicki Baars x

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I’m Alan Bailey and I’m the LGBT Officer Open place for the National Union of students.

7 years ago I was in Salford University as a fresher and I nervously walked up to the LGBT society’s stall at the welcome week fair.

It turned out to be one the best decisions I ever made and by the end of the year I was running the society and had become the LGBT representative for the Students’ Union and then eventually a fair few years after, ended up being NUS LGBT Officer Open Place.

Now I’m coming to the end of my time in the student movement and my final term as LGBT Officer will end in June. After almost 8 years of being involved in the student movement it’s great to see so many new activists being created as more and more students get involved with NUS LGBT. I hope after I leave NUS that I still have the opportunity to continue to fight for LGBT liberation as it’s a passion I never want to give up.

Having the post as one of NUS LGBT Officers has been brilliant and there have been some fantastic moments; speaking at the vigil against hate crime in London, training students in Romania, the huge protests against tuition fees and what seems like countless others.

I hope that both me and Vicki have done enough to ensure that whoever our successors are that they will inherit a strong campaign which they can take a lead of and improve yet further. And to all the people who will be involved in the campaign after I’ve gone, be they officers, committee members or individual students I wish you the best of luck.

A big thank you to everyone who has supported me voted for me and above all people who encouraged me to get involved.

And to all of you involved in your LGBT groups, if you see someone nervously coming up to join your group, then make sure you talk to them and try to get them involved, as you never know; you might be talking to a potential future NUS LGBT Officer.

Five minutes with NUS Scotland LGBT officer Nathan Sparling You have been involved in student politics for a considerable time now what was it that made you pick up the baton?

I’ve been involved in Student Politics since I was a class rep at the University of Dundee. I wanted to do something because I realised there was so many injustices in the education sector - I wanted to be part of the team that would fight to change that.

What have been your major achievements as Nus Scotland LGBT officer?

As the NUS Scotland LGBT Officer, I’ve been able to secure a consultation on Same-Sex Marriage which turned out to be the biggest ever public consultation in Scotland - I was so proud of the work that students across Scotland had achieved! I’ve also been involved in developing a strategic hate-crime reduction plan on our campuses, and I’ve been on campuses around Scotland supporting LGBT societies and the creation of 5 new LGBT societies this year alone!

What do you think are the major challenges that face LGBT students at the moment and the student movement as a whole ?

Hate Crime on our campuses still seems to be a massive issue, although the statistics may be skewed slightly because we’ve made it easier to report hate crime. No matter what, hate crime shouldn’t be tolerated and I want to make hate crime a priority for NUS over the next year.

You developed the NUS Mental health tool kit, how prevalent do you think mental health issues are among the student population?

Mental Health Issues are so common in the student population, and even more so in the LGBT Student population. It comes down to the stigma attached to ‘getting help’ and we need to work with the Welfare Zone of NUS to keep up the momentum of national campaigns on mental health and promoting positive mental health.

Some thing we hear a lot of is that the NUS LGBT is full of angry people who would protest about any, what would you say to these people?

I am open to protesting where protesting can have a real effect, whether that effect be media coverage, Government change or societal change. I do think, however, that we need to explore all options to ensure that our course of action wins for students in the end.

Many LGBT societies are very popular at the start of the year but as time goes by less and less people engage with them, what do you think societies can do to be more engaging?

This year I’ve been so proud of the work that LGBT societies have been doing to keep themselves engaging with students on campuses. There is no ‘one size fits all’ model for LGBT societies, events or even representation on our campuses, but I do believe NUS has a place to empower students through engaging national campaigns, great training and a brilliant conference.

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Liberate Yourself

by Joe White Liberation campaigns have progressed rapidly over the last decade, with LGBT rights at an all time high – since 2001 the age of consent has been reduced in line with heterosexuals, civil partnerships have come in, the lifetime blood ban overturned, right to change legal gender as well as homophobia and transphobia being classed as hate crimes. In a new look campaign, Hannah Paterson from the University of Manchester has launched an online initiative. ‘Liberate Yourself’ is an online advice centre where anyone can post their experiences or ask questions about any of the liberation areas, including LGBTQ. Joe White met with Hannah to discuss the website and talk LGBT liberation.

So Hannah tell me about Liberate Yourself Well, it’s an online interactive website and safe space. People can interact with it but the content is vetted and checked so people can submit knowing it’s a safe space. People can feel empowered to put their own stories online anonymously or by personally by emailing me.

Why did you decide to start the website?

The overarching aim is to decrease stigma and ignorance by understanding others experiences – most people’s viewpoints will be founded in the media if they’ve not been exposed to a certain group before. For example, there

are posts on the use of language like “you’re so gay” and it just highlights the perspectives people can take. I’ve been involved with the liberation campaigns exploring similar issues and challenging views to make people more empathetic.

How has the response to the website been?

It’s been fabulous! Some days we get 1,500 hits and we’ve had 45 personal stories in all areas of liberation – the way the website has been designed encourages a range of questions and Sophie Koonin [website designer] has done a fabulous job at linking it to social media and making it as interactive as possible. I think the response has also been strong because we get people who identify with the questions to answer them, so a transgender person will answer a trans issue because it’s more engaging and personal – we could answer them ourselves by using a search engine but its a much more positive experience doing it this way and a lot more moving.

You’ve been involved in liberation campaigns for several years now, what do you think the successes have been over the last 10 years?

I started getting involved with liberation campaigns at university and there was the LGBT campaign against the blood ban [since been changed from life ban to 1 year]. You can see from afar such inspirational people that you can always remember as those who push petitions, run awareness events and just being.

That is something to be so proud of both locally [in Manchester] and nationally.

The Manchester campaigns collective have been able to mobilise quickly in

response to multiple issues such as gender neutral toilets, articles in the student paper and issues arising in the Students’ Union. Nationally, the NUS is doing great in regards to fees and cuts and there is a good campaigning body for liberation campaigns.

Do you have a message for our readers for LGBT History Month 2012?

Always talk about any problems and apply pressure. If we are all sat quietly, we are all still suffering. Get together and fight it!

Liberate Yourself can be found online at www.liberateyourself.co.uk

Society funding opportunities Visit our website to find out how to get a grant outoncampus.org for your society 8

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Swimming against the current

by Michelle Williams

It is said that everyone has at least one good story to tell. I’m a 32-year-old father of three and my story starts today as I introduce my true identity, Michelle, to my wife, my family and my life...

March 2012. I am 32 years old and for most of my life have led a relatively unremarkable life, just going with the flow and letting the current of society carry me along. My dad had left when I was about five, leaving Mum to bring my older brothers, twin sister and I up and to be honest, all things considered she did a pretty good job. However, as I grew up I realised I was different and started to feel more strongly over time that I wanted to be a girl. I could not have known at such a young age that I had Gender Dysphoria and had no idea how to deal with it.

Eventually of course my mum and siblings found out and to say they handled it badly was an understatement (with the exception of my sister who told me she loved me know matter what). My mum tried every shaming tactic you could think of to stop this ‘dirty behaviour’ from threatening to taking pictures of me as a girl and showing them to my friends to threatening to drag me through the streets in err.. well drag, so everyone could see. Thankfully she never carried out these threats but do you think it worked? Hell no! Oddly enough I don’t speak to her anymore. And such was my life; I grew up, married a girl and had kids.

Anyway put the violin away, fast forward to about 2 years ago. This is when my life began to change, in more ways than one.

After 2 years of being unemployed I decided to go back to college and start a new career. I had always found previous jobs unfulfilling and repetitive and realised

that if I were ever going to change careers now was my chance. I decided to study Psychology, Sociology and Law. I have had a deep interest in human behaviour for a long time so it seemed to make sense to choose the ‘ologies’.

But this presented new challenges for me, new fears including how I would manage my time with the family, what we would do for money and whether or not I could actually succeed. However, my biggest fear of all being a ‘mature’ student (I use that term loosely because I can be quite childish) I would be unable to fit in to a culture made mostly of teenagers. There was a clear generation gap and I was unsure how to deal with the issue. Should I tell them from the start or keep it to myself and let them find out for themselves?

The answer came in my first Psych lesson with the inevitable ice-breaking exercise.

We had to say 3 things about ourselves one of which had to be a lie. Bingo! All I had to do was make up a convincing lie, my age and another random fact and see who believed me. Much to my delight most of the group thought I was older but only about 19 or 20! I’m not usually vain but my head swelled I don’t mind saying. It did wonders for my confidence too as they asked about my family and reasons for going to college. I discovered fairly quickly that I fitted in well to college life and was able to develop some strong friendships.

It was during my first year when I realised just how much the world has changed since I left school. I was amazed by how much more intelligent my fellow students were, how open, diverse and confident in their own identities they were. Although I feel it was always inevitable I would eventually transition to living as female, this in part inspired me to start to deal with the issue once and for all.

I decided to speak to my college counsellor and start the process of undoing the knots in my head. This was a difficult step for me to take since being rejected by my closest family members I have always found it hard to trust anyone outside of the transgender community. However, I don’t regret and in talking to her it really helped me to understand the effect my upbringing has had on my life and how I see myself and others.

Fast forward again to the present and things have really snowballed for me now,

I have been to my GP and waiting to be properly assessed, the first step on an epic journey. I have been signposted to a local organisation for specialist counselling and advice and have essentially come out of the closet to my wife, although deep down we both already knew. Although I think in the end she really did try to understand, it is too much for her to deal with and she decided she cannot live with who I am becoming. It is exam season, I’m about to sit some of the most important exams of my life. My marriage is disintegrating before me and my life is falling apart.

They say it’s like a bereavement for those who are close to a transsexual and that how I feel, dead inside. But then I suppose you have to die in order to be reborn. I face a future of new fear, more uncertainty I now have to come out to all of my peers who, for the last year and a half have known me as male and although I have gained a certain amount of acceptance the generation gap has led to me being slightly marginalised. My thought is that I will only be outcast further at a time when I need as much support and inclusion as possible.

My biggest fear however, is losing my children. My ex-wife will undoubtedly try to protect the children from the hardship that will ensue. I know she will try to stop me from seeing them I know I can never be a father to them now, but I do know that in today’s diverse society I can still be a good parent. “It is what is best for the kids” will be the theme but what she really means is “It’s what’s easiest for me” so she doesn’t have to deal with any of it.

I know I am doing the right thing. There are times when I wish I had done this sooner but then I would not have three of the most amazing children, but then I would say that! It is the right time for me to transition. I am fearful of the future, petrified in fact. I have had a few people tell me how brave I am and I guess true courage is not fearlessness but standing steadfast, facing those fears head on.

So in the great river of life, it takes a lot of strength and determination to swim against the current… time to see how far upstream I can get!

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Archbishop of York condemns gay marriage

Stuck between two worlds

The Archbishop of York has voiced his opposition to gay marriage weeks before a government debate on the issue.

by Farhan Patel

by Jordan Brough

Dr John Sentamu told The Daily Telegraph that it is not the state’s right to redefine marriage and that to do so would be dictator-like. He said that although bishops did not oppose Labour’s introduction of civil partnerships in 2005, marriage should only be between a man and a woman.

The Archbishop emphasised that it was not the role of the government to change social structures that had been in place for centuries and that to do so would mean overruling the Bible.

“We’ve seen dictators do it in different contexts, and I don’t want to redefine very clear social structures that have been in existence for a long time.

“If you genuinely would like the registration of civil partnerships to happen in a more general way, most people will say they can see the drift,” he said. “But if you begin to call those [civil partnerships] marriage, you’re trying to change the English language.”

He added, “It’s almost like somebody telling you that the Church, whose job is to worship God [should be] an arm of the Armed Forces. They must take arms and fight. You’re completely changing tradition.”

However, he made clear that the church did not wish to criticise, patronise or condemn same-sex couples and that the debate was purely about the proposed change in terminology. The church has in the past accepted civil partnerships as a way of recognising the legal rights of same-sex couples, but has staunchly opposed any suggestions that marriage and civil partnerships are essentially the same.

The comments, which were struck 10

down by gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, come weeks ahead of the government consultation on gay marriage in March.Tatchell said: “Archbishop Sentamu is a religious authoritarian who wants to impose his personal opposition to same-sex marriage on the rest of society.

“It is not a Christian value to demand legal discrimination against gay couples and to treat them as inferior, secondclass citizens with fewer rights.”

Dr Sentamu went on to predict that the government will face the same national backlash it did when a cap on benefits was proposed in January and predicted rebellion “from across the benches”.

The government has received in excess of 50,000 responses to its consultation on the issue. Party leaders from all sides have announced they will back same-sex marriage and several Scottish opposition party leaders have signed the Equality Network’s Equal Marriage Pledge. Tom French, of the Equality Network, said: “We are delighted that leading politicians from across the political spectrum have united for equal marriage.”

However, the Church of Scotland has expressed concern that the government is proceeding too hastily with the issue and the current debate is “patchy, underdeveloped and exclusive of both ordinary people and the religious community.”

Outraged student supporters of gay marriage from the University of York’s LGBT group demonstrated outside York Minster on 1 February. Tim Ellis, president of the University of York Students’ Union, wrote a letter to the Archbishop describing his views as “deeply distressing” and “archaic”.

“Whilst the Archbishop may say that it is not the place of the government to define what marriage is, I would argue that it is the state’s responsibility to ensure that all UK citizens can enjoy equal rights regardless of their sexual orientation.”

One student from Teesside University’s LGBT group said: “Traditions have to outoncampus.org

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change to adapt to modern attitudes.

Slavery is another centuries-old tradition but he probably would not want to bring that back.”

Leeds Metropolitan University student Alexander Campion said: “Holy books are full of lifestyle demands by historic diktats which are routinely ignored by even the most devout followers of religion. Gay marriage shouldn’t be an exception. Leviticus says we shouldn’t shave. Should we believe he [Sentamu] abides by that teaching?”

Homosexuality continues to be a divisive issue with within the church.

Both Sentamu and the archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, expressed dismay at the wedding of gay ministers Revd Peter Cowell and The Revd Dr David Lord in 2008.

The church allowed the union on the condition that the pair abstained from sex.

Archbishop Sentamu has been outspoken on several other controversial family issues in the past, most notably his opposition to the government decision to allow IVF treatment to single women which, he said, “would formalise the situation where the need for the ultimate male role model – that of the father – is removed in entirety.”

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Do you feel like are stuck between two worlds? Do you clashing indenties? This book provides a great insight into some one that has been through exactly that.

JJ Marie is a woman from Midwest America however this has not always been the case. JJ Marie was born a male known as Joe Gufreda. As a young boy he played sports and wa a alterboy at the local church and went to school like many ordinary boys of his age. After his marriage to Jo Gufreda he became a devoted father to three children and also a grandmother. Yet a secret lurked in his life and it was constantly haunting him and after years of internal struggle and fighting with herself Jow finally realised her true identity as a female. JJ Marie now works in the business sector and one of the most sucessful transwomen in the world.

The book provides a great insight into the transitional period that Joe went through to become a person now known as JJ Marie Gufreda. The exceptional aspect of this book is that it can it can be related to by many people living a double life and a constant battle to be two people at once. In the house JJ was a woman and outside in the presence of family a friends she was Joe. This deeply affected everyday life for JJ and overcoming the hurdle of becoming a full time female was a hard yet rewarding life change.

Instead of being a book that provides a step by step guide on advice of how to tell people about your sexuality or how to live as the opposite sex in a clinical serioius way JJ appoaches the issue in a much more humourous manner.

She helps overcome simple issues in a effective manner with first-hand experience such as how to approach people and what to say. She proves that there is still a way for those who have faith to keep their faith firm and still be religious at the same time. On a personal prospective I can relate to this book more because as a Muslim who is also gay and and this book clearly shows that LGBT people can have faith and religion.

This book is highly recommended not just for people who are transexual or going through the phase of it but also for LGBTQ, it answers many questions for people who have been caught in a limbo between two identities.

Antisocial Networking

by Elizabeth Quinn The worldwide phenomenon that is social media has been weaving its way into our every day lives for years now, but the wave of online etiquette is has brought with it has taken us all by surprise.

Giving the World Wide Web and its users unmitigated access to every minuscule detail of our lives has become the norm, from religious and political views to a barrage of status updates and tweets detailing every waking moment of our day to day life. However, the drama that can be caused via this interactive world is shocking and unfortunately, very real.

As frivolous as this online addiction may sound to a social networking muggle, or those not ensnared in its ever tantalising claws, it is in fact a huge part of the world we now live in.

From the giants of the industry such as Facebook and Twitter, to blog sites like Tumblr and even the newer photo based platforms like Instagram, there is a whole host of online activity just waiting for us to become a part of.

These sites have been recognised as legitimate and useful ways of spreading information around the world in seconds, from bloggers at fashion shows to Facebook pages set up for every band, celebrity and organisation you can think of. However, it is often the personal accounts that see all of the confrontation.

Declining someone’s friend request on Facebook can cause all sorts of ‘real life’ problems. Trust me, the subsequent array of private messages and texts demanding to know why you hate them so much and what exactly they’ve done wrong is no fun to deal with, and enough to put you off social interaction for a long time.

So why have we let it drag so much of our lives into its tangled web of pokes, posts and private messages?

I’m afraid, my friends, we are a generation of social media addicts.

Unfortunately, we now have even more interactive fuel to feed our dirty

little habit, all of which is available at our very fingertips due to the other technological advance to take the world by storm - Smartphones.

It seems the instigators of this media movement such as Facebook and Twitter leave the most room for encountering confrontation. Every week now magazines and newspapers have headlines showcasing the latest celeb twitter war to take hold, and in some more severe and unbelievable cases people have even been grilled by police, refused entry to foreign countries and prosecuted due to a seemingly harmless tweet.

In my opinion, perhaps the worst culprit of the unintentional social suicide that can occur is undoubtedly Facebook. Most of this can be put down to a combination of awkward friend requests, the horror of being blocked and, of course, the infamous relationship status. The endless arguments and drama that can occur from something as simple as a slight change in your relationship status is unimaginable, and I am sure 99% of you reading this have experienced its wrath first hand. I have found myself staring at my iPhone in shock and horror over my boyfriend hiding his relationship status, and only after an extensive conversation with my best friend which consisted of her telling me it wasn’t because he was ashamed of me or flirting with other girls did I realise, I was in fact being a bit of a psycho.

Now don’t get me wrong, technology is amazing. From iPads in classrooms to pioneering breakthroughs in the medical sector, the possibilities of where we could be in a decade are endless. Social networking sites are equally amazing, perfect ways of keeping up with family and friends from around the world along with a whole host of other uses. My advice?

Enjoy them for all the awesome reasons that made us fall in love with them in the first place, and try not to get too caught up in the unnecessary drama they can throw up.

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The birds and the ...birds This article idea came to me when someone from a LGBT Society asked about donating sperm. Students may or may not be thinking about being a parent just yet, but hey, this is a student magazine and it’s a student that asked me about it. I want you to be aware of your rights as a possible parent. I even have an interview with a lesbian coming up as well, so yes you will actually be able to know what a same-sex parent thinks.

WOMEN There are two main ways that women can conceive: through a clinic and doing it themselves. When doing it through a clinic it can sometimes take the worry and stress out of the getting pregnant. I mean trying to get pregnant be you gay or straight is no easy task for some, but with a professional at hand who knows when and where to inject the semen it can really make the experience a little less stressful. I mean you don’t want to go through all that trouble of getting semen just for it to accidentally end up on the floor right!

What about those who do not want to use a clinic? Well there are two main ways a woman could get pregnant without the use of a clinic. The first would be to have sex with a man (no need to cringe, there is another way) the other way is by using a sperm donor and self-inseminating at home.

So who are the legal parents? If you conceive at home and you are in a civil partnership the mother and the partner are the legal parents. It does not matter if you know the donor, the mother and the partner are the legal parents of the child.

What if you are not in a civil partnership?

If this is true then the donor would be the

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by Adam Manhertz

legal parent (until the mother’s partner can apply to adopt the child.)

What made you to decide to have a child?

We wanted to start a family of our own.

MEN For men we are going to look at surrogacy.

There are two types of surrogacy: traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy.

Traditional surrogacy is the cheaper of the two as it does not necessarily need a clinic.

This is where one of the two men uses their sperm in order to get the woman pregnant.

When the woman gives birth she gives right of the child to the intended couple.

Gestational surrogacy is when the woman being used is not related to the child what so ever. Instead an embryo that is prepared in a clinic is used with the sperm of one of the intended parents and a donated egg is implanted into the surrogate mother.

Did you have second thoughts because the child will have two mothers instead of a mother and father?

No not at all, in this day and age people are more accepting and more gay couples are having babies.

But how do I choose a surrogate? Choosing a surrogate can be both a fun and stressful experience. Of course you are going to want to choose someone who you trust, but don’t forget that the surrogate has to be happy with the decision as well.

How do we conceive? You can either conceive through artificial insemination at home or through a clinic. You can also conceive through sexual intercourse however the law will not count this as a surrogacy and so it may be more difficult to secure parentship other the child.

So you have picked your surrogate, she has been pregnant and has had the baby, now what? By law the woman given birth to the child (be it her egg or not) is legally the mother until it has been changed by law. If the woman is married or in a civil partnership her partner will be the legal parent, even if he/she does not want to be.

To become a legal parent of the child and have full parental rights the surrogate and her partner will need to extinguish their rights. Parent orders (giving full rights to a child to someone that is not the birth parents) are made by the court. This is done with the consent of the surrogate mother and her partner. Once the order is granted a new birth certificate will be issued with the intended parent’s name on it.

Now it’s time to find out what Kerry’s experience of getting pregnant was like.

Kerry is 26 and married to a lovely woman known as Shell. outoncampus.org

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How did you decided who would be donating for you?

Our donor offered and we decided as he was intelligent, had similar features to both of us one way or another, is handsome and we knew we could trust him not to demand to become an actual father to our child at some point down the line and not to mention he is a dear friend so if the child ever have questions we could answer them instead of not knowing anything about the baby’s genetics.

Was it difficult to conceive?

No not at all, it was a turkey baster job and we were extremely lucky, we became pregnant on the 3rd attempt but we did use ovulation sticks to ensure we did it on the most fertile day of the month.

Were the doctors any different when they found out you’re a lesbian couple?

Initially they were surprised but treated us the same as any other couple, the nurses and midwives were lovely, they thought two mums would be great and was simply curious how we did it.

How was the legal side if things? Is the sperm donor part of the child’s life?

Not directly part of the child’s life but we call him “uncle,” the baby will grow up knowing who he is, every child should know where they come from. The legal side of things for us was very simple as we are married and was married before we fell pregnant both of us were able to be on the birth certificate.

Do you plan on having more children? If so will you be using the same sperm donor?

We do plan on having more babies, we have chosen to the same donor because we feel it would be nice for the children to be fully related. That way if they have questions we have the same answers for both and no potential issues because of different genetics.

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Kicking racism out of football

by Oliver Harcus

Of late there has been lots of scrutiny over racism in football. John Terry and Luis Suarez are at the centre of this, with even Manchester City player leaving social networking site Twitter over racial abuse sustained on it. This leaves a sour taste in the mouths of the FA and their ‘Lets Kick Racism Out of Football’ campaign which looked to have worked so positively, though this was fairly late put into practise.

Suarez, racially abused Patrice Evra, he was later found guilty at an Football Association disciplinary committee.

Suarez was then banned for eight games and fined £40,000. Terry has also been charged with using racist language, against Anton Ferdinand , to which he has been stripped of the England Captaincy over yet hasn’t gone in front of the FA’s disciplinary committee yet. Has football stepped back, or are these isolated incidents?

To answer this we need to look at the history of racism in football, In the 1980s, racism was prevalent in English football. Chelsea Player Canoville was abused by his own fans before making his debut, whilst Garth Crooks was a regular receiver of racism in his time at Tottenham Hotspurs from opposing team’s fans. In 1987 this culminated in John Barnes back heeling a banana off the pitch whilst playing for Liverpool, Everton’s fans were chanting ‘Everton are white’.

These were common occurrences and during the next ten years they were dramatically reduced.

During the 1990s with the Governments help the FA introduced measures at club level, supporter

level with organisations like ‘Kick Racism Out of Football’ this helped in the decline of Racism in the English game, eliminating a lot of racism from football though there are still incidents.

The next remarkable incident came in 2004 when an Ron Atkinson who was working for an English broadcaster was caught making a racist remark, when he thought his microphone was off, though not transmitted in England it was in other nations, Atkinson used of the words ‘lazy thick nigger’ whilst describing Marcel Desailly.

Appallingly Atkinson was not charged with anything, though he lost his job with ITV and the Guardian.

This can be seen to be a real turning point with charges being brought against many racists after this, with players and supporters being charged.

In 2011 comedian David Baddiel with backing of elite players, Frank Lampard, Ledley King and Kieran Gibbs launched another initiative to stop anti-Semitism in sport.

Yet, here we are with two players being charged with racism, the way in which the authorities are dealing with this is good, handing out long bands and big fines, this is isolated and is much better than previously.

The FA with the governments backing will continue with the education of this, and this will happen. I don’t believe they will eradicate racism, as they will never be able to eradicate homophobia, but they will be able to reduce that found in sports and particularly football. In 10 years’ time I would like to think that there will be little racism and homophobia in sport, but this will only happen with the education of today’s generation and those to come.

I hope this will be the beginning of the end for in-equality in sport and the abuse that comes with it.

Photo by Jimmy Baikovicius

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Volunteering Ciaran Weir For me volunteering is personal. I’ve always felt like I needed to help people.

After joining a youth advisory panel for Childline, I got to experience the issues other children and young people were facing. I began to quickly get more involved. I became a volunteer counsellor so I spoke to children and young people once a week who were in distress on the Childline helpline. People asked how I did it. How can some children even be suicidal? They’re children? The fact of the matter is everyone deals with things in their own way. The training I received for the helpline was breath taking; I still use it in everyday conversations. The training also focused on how you could keep your feelings separate from the callers.

I’ve moved from the helpline and I’m now in training for the new Childline schools service. Our aim is to get into every single primary school in the UK so we can raise awareness for children and young people about abuse and how they can protect themselves.

Volunteering has genuinely changed my life; it’s improved my outlook and given me so many opportunities to network, gain skills and experience I simply could not have gained anywhere else. I’ve spoken in front of hundreds of people, designed children’s rights packs, government campaigns and designed websites. In November I also attended the International Cyberspace conference with over 900 delegates from all around the world. Although I volunteer for many reasons, I believe it’s all too easy to focus on the negative things in the world; instead we have to make a stand and help others. The reality is we can’t go through life taking and not giving back.

In November I was also nominated for an award at Buckingham Palace for my contribution to Childline. Although I didn’t win, the very gesture of being nominated was breathtaking. My next adventure happens in April when I go to Nepal for 3 months to volunteer.

Volunteering will set you apart from the bunch in this crazy job market we face.

Now more than ever it is important to

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be unique in the job place. Volunteering enhances your skills, improves your job prospects and it also makes you feel better. I hope the following articles inspire you to volunteer for all the right reasons. Don’t just volunteer because it looks good, there are hundreds of organisations out there and I’m sure you’ll find or expand on a passion in one of those organisations. If you already volunteer keep up the amazing work. I hope you enjoy the following feature on what volunteering means to people. As world citizens it’s our duty.

For any more information or to generally have a chat: ciaran.weir@outoncampus. org or visit www.nspcc.org.uk then click Get Involved.

What Volunteering means to me William Stringer Volunteering is a word gilded in emotions and thoughts, for most people it’s aspirational, time consuming or maybe something ‘other people do’. I have to admit, I’m one of those ‘other people’, and I’m here to tell you a bit about my experience of volunteering (and, hopefully, get a few of you involved too!)

I have volunteered mainly for two charities; the conservation/heritage charity National Trust (famed for its grand houses, coasts and gardens), and the HIV and AIDS charity dance4life.

These may seem rather contrasting, but that’s a great aspect to volunteering you get to engage your passions - no matter how contrasting they may seem.

In my case this has included conservation and heritage education for the National Trust, and my role as a youth journalist for dance4life.

In the National Trust I got involved just over four years ago, volunteering in the period property of Springhill House, situated in the rural heart of Northern Ireland. After two years of voluntary experience they offered me the (paid hurrah!) role of Tour Guide at Springhill and for the past two years I have been actively involved in this capacity. So it outoncampus.org

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shows you never know what’s around the corner when you volunteer, and the doors it can open for you in terms of employment. By volunteering you are showing a commitment to the aims of that organisation, and it also allows you to exhibit and develop skills in, for example, customer communications (essential for most jobs!) and team work (essential for life!).

In the last year and a half my main volunteering focus has been with the HIV and AIDS charity dance4life. Dance4life uses dance, music and media to tackle the stigma associated with having HIV and AIDS as well as raising awareness in young people. My role within the organisation is as a journalist to their monthly newsletter, where I produce ‘explainers’ on issues such as ‘the gay blood ban’ and ‘patent pool’ which was threatening access to ARVs (AntiRetrovirals - essential to preventing HIV developing in AIDS). As much as I love researching for these articles, it is the experience and subsequence skills developed from working with dance4life that have been most exciting.

I have interviewed celebrities such as Patrick Wolf and DJ Neev as well as MP Emily Thornberry and even attended a conference with none other than the Rt. Hon. William Hague! Not bad for just a bit of volunteering, eh? The skills I have developed are far reaching with the ability to communicate information through text, video and audio essential in this world that has a huge media focus.

The old saying still stands, ‘what you put in, you get out’. So, go on, put a bit of effort in and use all those skills you’ve wanted to show the world; or maybe develop a new skill such as journalism (I hadn’t done any before!)

Volunteering shapes your outlook, develops employable skills and looks great on a CV, the only question there really is: Why aren’t you volunteering?

If you’d like to get involved with dance4life follow @dance4lifeuk on twitter, like our Facebook page or give our media guy Tom a buzz at: toms@ restlessdevelopment.org.

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Channel 4’s Drew-Ashlyn.

More than a blonde, more than labels.

by Drew-Ashlyn Cunningham

Do you know the saying “Blondes have more fun” I wish that was true but after the three days of hair dying damage I’m beginning to question that theory lol.

My name is Drew-Ashlyn. You probably recognise me from Channel 4’s documentary series My Transsexual Summer. Yes, that’s the one the bleach blonde, tanaholic skimpy clothed chick who was pretty much a loner who couldn’t get a job and almost had an orgasm after being offered a job as a waitress in a coffee shop ha-ha so glam!

Well since then I’ve become a member of the great makeup brand Illamasqua. The job is amazing and it also means I get to glam up everyday, so what more could a chick want?

This is probably a bunch of dribble drabble as you’re reading this thinking to yourself “Why did she get a page in this magazine?” Well I guess it’s my way of letting you in on my life. Getting a relationship

together and showing you the ins and outs, ups and downs of what it’s like to be transgendered, like “what outfit should I wear today?” or “does my hair look flat?” No seriously, it’s a way for you to understand that, just like you, I am normal as well.

It wasn’t always this easy. Before being approached about the Channel 4 series MTS I was pretty much a recluse. I never went out unless it was to go shopping to get all my look together to then work one or two nights a week in a dead dingy seedy club in a place we call shakey wakey here. It was awful I had no life. If I was dead it wouldn’t have made a difference because no-one new I existed. I wanted to take part in the show to change my life. I wanted to be able to get outta this hell hole and

not feel like I was on ground hog day everyday and to just feel like I was a part of something. A part of society.

I wanted to do the things you do everyday. Go to work, have lunch breaks, socialise but I couldn’t. Noone would let me. I was turned down job after job thinking it’s because I wasn’t any good when it simply just came down to the whole Trans label.

My life was a joke and I wanted to feel like I was alive again, like I was moving forward. And now I am. I feel like I’m on top of the world and given the chance to share it with everyone is an honour. So I hope you continue to get to know the real BLONDE and look past on the label I was born with.

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Live like a student

Eat Like a King h

wit

Coriander Burgers with Caramelised Red Onion Chutney (Serves 4, Makes 8 Burgers)

Here is a great recipe straight from the kitchen with head chef Brian Arnold. After minced beef has been cooked it can last in the fridge for about 3-4 days safely, it also freezes well so why not save a few for future meals. The caramelised red onion chutney also keeps for months in the fridge and tastes great with cheese so is well worth the investment (if you get time try a little of the chutney in a bacon and brie sandwich). There will be loads of spare chutney so keep some in the fridge and eat it whenever you need a quick meal.

Money savers and tips can be found (in brackets) throughout the recipe.

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Seb Hol

mes

u need o y t a h W For the Caramelised Red Onion Chutney: Red Onions / x 6, peeled and sliced Malt Vinegar / 200ml Balsamic Vinegar / 200ml (Red wine vinegar can be used as a substitute if you can get it cheaper) Redcurrant Jelly / 250ml Light Soft Brown Sugar / 300g Olive Oil/ 20ml (vegetable oil is cheaper)

We challenged Seb to cook healthily on £54 a week See how he does in our next issue

For the Coriander Burgers: Minced Beef / 1kg Egg Yolks / x2 Fresh Coriander / about 30g, chopped (1 handful) Butter / 150g, softened Olive Oil / 20ml (vegetable oil is cheaper) Salt and Pepper Worcester Sauce / 10 dashes (Not Compulsory) Dijon Mustard / 1 tbs (not compulsory) Burger Buns and a little salad if you like Equipment Needed Equipment Large Boiling Pan / x1 (large enough to fit the chutney ingredients in) Mixing Bowl / x1 Frying Pan / x1 (to colour the burgers) Spatula / x1 (to flip burgers) Wooden Spoon / x1 Chopping Board and Knife / x1 Oven tray / x1 (to finish the burgers off in the oven) Shaping Ring / x1 (if you do not have a shaping ring carefully cut a baked bean tin in half and use this to shape the burgers, it will work fine) outoncampus.org

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Firstly prepare and cook the red onion chutney: Peel and slice all the onions and place into 20ml of hot oil. Once coated turn the heat down and cook gently for about 20 minutes until the onions are dark and sticky.

Next add the sugar, vinegars and redcurrant jelly to the pan and stir well.

Continue to cook on a gentle heat for about an hour to an hour and a half (the chutney is ready when it has become thick and syrupy) Once hot remove from the pan into containers and allow to cool. The chutney still tastes great hot in a burger so give it a try.

Next make the burger mixture and shape into rings: In the mixing bowl add the minced beef, chopped coriander, egg yolks, olive oil, softened butter (about 20seconds in microwave), salt and pepper and if you have it the Worcester sauce and Dijon Mustard.

Next get stuck in with your hands and mix it all together. Continue to do this until the mixture is one solid mass and all ingredients are mixed evenly.

Still using your hands rip the mixture in half, and then in half again, then once again this will leave you with 8 portions that are roughly the same size.

Lastly stuff the baked bean tin rings full of these portions one at a time. Flatten the top down so that the minced beef takes the shape of the ring to look like burgers.

Recipe Finally cook the burgers and enjoy: Heat the 20ml of oil in a frying pan and then add the burgers. Allow to cook undisturbed on one side for 2 minutes then flip and do the same to the other side.

Next place the burgers onto an oven tray and place in the top of a hot oven preheated to 220 degrees. Leave for 20 minutes then enjoy (always ensure that the burgers are piping hot before serving, if in doubt return to the oven for 5 minutes).

To Serve Place the burger in the bun and coat with a generous portion of caramelised red onion chutney and enjoy - If you like add some slices of tomato and some lettuce leaves.

If you’re in a really indulgent mood add a slice of cheese and toast the burger bun before you serve it. You can also have it with chips if you have any in the freezer.

I hope you all enjoy the recipe.

Find more of my recipes, hints and tips on my website. As always, I would love to hear feedback and am happy to answer questions or requests. You can follow me on twitter @sebbyholmes and also follow Head Chef Brian Arnold on twitter @briancarnold

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Missoni With Spring fast approaching, March seems the perfect time to be steadily reacquainted with those heels, and excitedly looking into the future of colourful trends that are to befall us.

Therefore, I urge you all to pull out those imaginations, and let out an explosion of colour bursting, eye catching Fashion.

This issue will focus on the true kings of bright Fashion, and colourful trends- as I take you on an enthralling journey into the history of flawlessly bright Fashion trends. Yes readers, welcome to the age of Missoni and Gianni Versace.

The globally renowned fashion brand Missoni, was established in 1953 by husband and wife, Ottavio and Rosita Missoni. Since then it has taken the fashion empire by storm, earned appreciation for its use of unique patterns and bright colours, and has a collective revenue of over $60Million.

However, disregarding the brands history and success, I am going to discuss exactly what has influenced the Missoni family into creating such magnificent garments which in my opinion, are like none other- and also discuss other designs which have took inspiration from the incomparable Missoni empire.

Ottavio and Rosita Missoni.

“As Missoni, we have a big name but we are not a huge company, so there’s not much product around” It is true to say that amongst every great fashion design, there is always an even greater inspiration behind the collection.

The beginning and arrival of Missoni in the early-mid 50’s as a global fashion brand- came the unique and graceful inspired theme of bright colouring, funky patterns and crazy style that nobody had ever taken notice of before.

Folk Art was introduced to the world in the 1900’s, and was characterized by a naive style, whereby traditional rules of proportion and perspective were ignored, and a unique art was created.

Folk Art focused around the selftaught style, in which folk artists would create pictures that looked different to any other, which would use bright colours and unique patterns (viewed as naive), and concentrate on diversity,

by Mark Jackson individualization and difference. Folk Art expressed, and still does express a form of cultural identity by conveying shared community values and aesthetics. It also reflects traditional art forms of diverse community groups — ethnic tribes, religious depictions, occupational lifestyles, age and gender. However, although how beautifully unique folk art was, it was never acknowledged by fashion until Missoni.

“For me, Folk Art is a great influence amongst the world. It encourages diversity, beauty and individual style” – Ottavio Missoni.

After the early success that Missoni had within the fashion industry, the brand began to work with Biki Boutiques whom travelled to and from Paris and shared ideas and further inspirations, which Missoni soon transferred into their own Italian styles. This hereby not only incorporated the take of folk art by the Missoni family- but also took inspiration by how other people of Biki Boutiques viewed folk art to be. This venture was a huge success for the brand as the inspirational take on Folk Art was more widely experimented upon, and more breathe taking garments were produced. After impressing in the 1950’s, everybody knew that the success of Missoni would continue into the 60’s and beyond. Clearly, Ottavio Missoni was a man whose entire creative life had been inspired by the possibilities of colour. For him colour was a means of self-expression as legitimate as any of the great works of art that were, and will be on display in the museums and galleries of the world. In fact, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Dallas and also the Costumes Museum of Bath in England all house Missoni pieces, labelled textural pieces of wearable art.

In the year of 1967 Missoni were producing knitwear as a global Fashion brand, and were producing clothing that challenged the traditional concepts, with the use of bold colours and patterns. The brands shared philosophy that women ought to dress freely and without concern for convention led the young

designers to experiment with colours in ways which were so radically different to what was then fashionable, that their knitwear was popular everywhere with every generation.

“My father’s great skill is his eye for detail he has when dealing with colour.

He is always inspired by the manner in which colours affect the mood and look of a painting, he has always taken to experimenting with colours, so his paintings have a signature all to their own. I think it’s the boldness of this signature, with its emphasis on blending very different patterns through colour, that inspires his knitwear” – Vittorio Missoni (eldest son).

THE INFLUENCE OF HENRI MATISSE Henri Matisse was a French artist, known for his use of bright colours and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor, but was known primarily as a painter.

Matisse is commonly regarded, along with Picasso and Marcel Duchamp, as one of the three artists who helped to define the revolutionary developments in the plastic arts in the opening decades of the 20th century, responsible for significant developments in painting and sculpture. Ottavio Missoni was known to be a huge fan of the Frenchman, and clearly shows how he has been inspired by the artist’s work within Missoni clothing.

Nowadays, Missoni has earned the respect and brand identity that it has deserved through creating great garments, and setting a unique trend.

Mainly I think it is safe to say that Missoni has taken influence from Folk Art and paintings by Matisse in creating its beautiful looks. Moreover, Missoni is now known for setting its own trends and is currently being a prime source of inspiration for modern day retailers in 2011 such as, Desigual. In my opinion, Desigual is a prime example of a modern day Fashion brand that has taken inspiration from unique and radical designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Ottavio Missoni. Therefore, if you wish to create that Missoni feel, but for far less- then clearly shopping with High street chain, Desigual is your answer.

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COMPETITION GET YOUR DESIGN PUBLISHED

Your creative ideas printed and sewn onto the new British Heritage Clothing Collection by Rupert & Buckley Deadline August 11th 2012 Visit the website for full details

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The Versace Story Gianni Versace will be forever remembered for his exaggerated extravagance, bold characteristics and the transferal of these mannerisms into his exciting, cutting-edge designs. As not only a designer, but an artist, Gianni succeeded in introducing the ‘new’ and breaking society’s rules, which would push the growth and progression of fashion in an entire new light.

Not just the man behind the development of an industry but of his own international fashion house, Gianni kick started the ongoing journey of the brand that the world has grown to both widely recognise and desire. From countless reinventions, an impressively talented family legacy and a high street collaboration, Versace is doing big things and the Spring/Summer 2012 Menswear collection is just a taste of what is yet to come.

Despite a fresh face behind the label, Donatella ensures the aura remains and each garment is in someway reminiscent of her brother’s flair and poise. The show can only be described as a catalogue of Gianni Versace’s life and culture, packed with signature pieces, huge statements and regular explosions of colour and print.

Popular 80s pieces have been pulled back out, spruced up and given a chic, contemporary edge. Old designs of blazers, shorts and leathers require a double-take before noticing the introduction of the buckle fastening, while additions to the Versace story such as double breasted suits and futuristic accessories show us that yeah, they have still got it!

It really is all about the combination and contrast between the old and new this season, and the adaptation of the latest trends to not only roll with the times, but to maintain that Versace stamp of sophistication. This is evident through the Spring/Summer 2012 Menswear collection which is heavily stocked with baroque influence.

As the label, famous for their daring style and nature of attire, appear to thrive amongst the current and particularly ornate and artistic trends, we are reminded of their great attention to detail and quality, and of course the strongest focus throughout their work: fun.

Head to toe fushia pink, cobalt blue and canary yellows gloss the catwalk as the Versace models lead the runway. The show, bursting with texture, luxurious fabrics and proportions that really should not work is far from the unexpected yet succeed in turning heads and dropping jaws. Nipped in waists, wide flares and high waisted details make for a diverse production, using those trademark features that we cannot deny we’d be disappointed to not witness.

Gladiator sandals worn in the past by Gianni himself, heavily patterned bathing suits and towel robes are a little like marmite, yet scream high fashion. However in true Versace style, the wild is balanced with a handful of more subtle features such as the deep V-neck, masculine silhouette and casual yet suave rolled-up sleeves.

Despite bringing absolutely no surprises and perfectly supplying us with our Versace fix, this season appears to be just slightly more laid back than previous collections.

Appropriately linking with the brand’s new and exciting

by Hannah Cameron

collaboration with high street retailer, H&M, the line works to suggest the relationship between the aspirational and the attainable.

As Donatella sends designs in front of the press and critics, we ourselves have been given the opportunity to get involved. The Men’s Spring Cruise collection, recently launched through H&M, features a great mix of wool, denim and silk as well as a wide selection of shape and frame. Despite following the more refined Versace approach, the high street line is extremely affordable and contains everything from casual to smart, accessories to luggage.

The H&M line makes use of the traditional maize pattern, similar to that featured in the first release late last year, however even this is hidden more so than in last year’s collection. Taking a completely new direction this season for the retail line, it appears Donatella may be looking to send the label down a new road. Or is this simply a ploy to show us we really cannot go without the brand’s vibrant and energetic characteristics?

All in all, it would seem a great idea to use a smidge of your money to get out to the high street and buy in some quality goods from H&M with a touch of Versace genius.

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We really value your opinions here at the magazine so if you have any comments or complaints about the music section please do not hesitate to send feedback.

If you think you could write for this section please do get in touch, we really value the contributions and we may invite you to join our team if you really have a talent for it!

Get in touch: music@outoncampus.org Simeon Scheuber, Music Editor

Album Review: Ed Sheeran +

By Kim Blunden I remember exactly where I was when I first heard Ed Sheeran. Surfing the net, I stumbled across a young man with a rare and original talent. Singer, rapper, beatboxer and loop-pedal specialist combined; I knew at that moment I had stumbled across something beautiful. A new talent was born. He was just so refreshing, a breath of fresh air; new, stylish, and unique. He continued to impress me with his free EP One Take, a collaboration of acoustically-recorded material, which quenched my parched musical soul. I was hooked to my new fix, I confess. I began to panic with my lack of Ed-related materialthree songs just wasn’t enough. Luckily (for my sanity), Ed soon developed what can only be described as a marvelous idea: he increased our limited supply of gingerygoodness, with the fitting title +. Can you imagine my excitement at his up-andcoming album? I found I wasn’t the only one who was half-crazed with anticipation, my fellow Ed-Team followers were in the

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same boat, a boat which was over-flowing with tear-inspired water.

As I downloaded the quickest selling digital début album in history, I was aware + contained two of the original tracks that were on One Take. What I loved about One Takewas its originality, you could really hear the raw and natural sound Ed embodies.

And the first thing I noticed was how different UNIsounded on +. Less natural, more forced, something wasn’t right.

Heart in mouth, I listened on. You Need Me I Don’t Need You was up next for scrutiny.

The One Takeversion really showed off Ed’s talent; his originality, his normality, the rapping, the use of the loop-pedal. Now, what was this on +? As predicted, the song has been over produced. Ed’s raw sound had been over-ridden by heavy drum beats and an R’n’B sound. Hugely disappointed, I began to critique the other songs. Drunk, the second track on the album after the adorable A-Team, I found average- but never the less, I liked it. I found myself bopping along to the catchy melodies and Ed’s loveable voice. A guitarist myself, I found the title Grade 8 irritating. “You’re strumming on my heart strings like you were a grade 8” was cheesy and annoying.

Despite my dislike of the title and metaphors, the song remains half-decent. outoncampus.org

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But could it have been better without the over-production? Perhaps. The City’s ythm is fast and sucks you in, which is fitting to its story. Little Bird is disappointing, it feels like a typical album-filler. The remainder of the album is slow, and only a mere few will get kudos with me. I’m a sucker for cheese, so Wake Me Upwas a winner. The story Ed tells is cute, loveable and, if I may be so synical - young. Plus the song consists of Ed’s voice and piano, none of this RnB and heavy drum background fillers. Small Bump is up next, an enchanting melody and a heart-sounding drum beat allows the beautiful story to truly grip you. Me and my partner had small lumps in our throat at the end of it. Lego houseand Kiss Meare cute songs; songs to listen to if you’re missing that certain someone- a real cheese-fest. Arguably the best song on the entire album is Give Me Love. It’s produced well, and begins with a gripping guitar sound, whilst Ed’s voice is tested from beginning to end. However, to my dismay the rest of the songs on + are really not worth buying. This, Autumn Leaves, Gold Rush, Sunburn, all seem to blend into one of the same. They are slow, too slow, and don’t have the edge that we love Ed for. Let’s hope his next album is better, and hope it’s true when they say an older ‘Ed makes a better one.

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Maybe SOPA isn’t so bad after all?

Album Review: Lana Del Ray Born to Die

By Lorcan McElwain

By Oliver Giles

SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) is the latest in a long line of bills proposed to the American government hoping to conquer the beast that is illegal downloading. It hopes to pass a law that would enable governments to shut down any website found streaming material to which they did not own the copyright.

The bill has been criticized for being too general and not understanding of the basic concept of how the Internet functions. It fails to see that the Internet’s ability to share information so widely and easily is one of its most positive features. A feature used by millions of artists both new and established to promote their music. SOPA is not a step forward, by any means, in the fight to stop online piracy. However, the bill can be seen in a positive light as it’s creating a dialogue about a very real problem. There once was a time when people would pay up to 25 Euros [about 20GBP, Ed] for one album (shocking, I know) and though the cost of an album helps pay everyone involved in the project, it did seem a steep price. One couldn’t help shaking the feeling that the businessmen at the top were taking advantage of people’s love and need for music. They charged unfair amounts so, yes, they could, pay for all the production costs, but also pocket a huge profit of the album sales for themselves and their companies. But hey, whoever said business was fair? Who could really blame them? They had the power and the control and knew that whatever price they set, people would pay it. Flash-forward to today and the music industry is in turmoil.

Every year sales are dropping and no one seems to be buying music anymore. A huge number of people download or stream music online and HMV, one of the top music retailers, is said to be on its last legs. It’s not hard to see why as people can easily log onto their computers and download twenty albums in an hour for free. Why bother going down to the shops and actually paying for one album? Well here’s the issue that people seem to overlook.

Albums aren’t made for free, not by a long shot. They’re actually pretty expensive when you look at the amount of people involved in the process. The problem with illegal downloading is it’s cutting off a huge source of income that in the past provided the money to finance all these important jobs like the promotion, production, sound engineering, manufacturing etc. Effectively, illegal downloading is making it harder for labels, independent labels especially, to produce the highest quality product for

If there’s anyone who understands the power of the Internet to inspire both love and loathing, it’s Lana Del Rey. After Del Rey’s music video for her single ‘Video Games’ went viral, it was almost impossible to visit any music website without seeing her face staring back at you, usually beneath a banner declaring her ‘the next big thing’.

Only days later the same websites were labelling her ‘fake’, ‘botoxed’ and ‘contrived’. Internet backlashes are not unusual but the scale and viciousness of the campaign against Del Rey was almost unheard of. It is into this fray that Del Rey has released her debut album, Born To Die. It would be impossible for any album to live up to the hype that has surrounded Del Rey; however, Born To Die still manages to prove the scathing cynics wrong.

The ambitious production of her famous single ‘Video Games’ is imitated throughout the album. Unfortunately, this leaves some tracks, including ‘Dark Paradise’ and ‘Million Dollar Man’, getting lost amidst the languid melodies and melancholy strings that fill the album. However, the fact that other tracks stand out proves their brilliance.

‘Summertime Sadness’ is a stroke of genius; the background snare drum rolls will have the track bouncing around your head long after the album has finished. ‘Diet Mountain Dew’ also offers far more than the sickly sweet title suggests, cleverly layering Del Rey’s sultry voice over a deceptively simple beat.

is the closest the album comes to vindicating the description of Del Rey as a modern-day ‘gangster Nancy Sinatra’, as Del Rey’s voice moves effortlessly between sweeping jazz vocals and R&B attitude.

The music industry’s obsessive search for the next big thing is incredibly damaging to up and coming musicians. It has left Del Rey, in all her doe-eyed beauty, as the proverbial deer in the headlights, thrust on to national television before her album had even hit the shelves. Although it is not perfect this album should be more than enough to ensure that Del Rey enjoys the long-term success that her unique brand of retro-pop deserves.

release because the money just isn’t there.

Not paying for music means the money to finance the development of new bands and artists, again, just is not there. If things continue the way they are, it could mean a bleak musical landscape of the future where the majority of music is major label released acts singing commercial, radio friendly songs whose sole purpose is to sell to the masses. Individual and forward thinking artists will get left behind. Labels would justifiably fear that the amount of money it would cost to develop and release their material would in the end, not be profitable and land them in debt. How sad would it be to live in a world where interesting artists who had something different and unique to say were stifled? A world where all we heard was generic soulless music created with a goal of making as much money as possible.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. I think the positive aspect of illegal downloading is that it’s placed the consumer in a position of power. We can now vchoose to pay a

reasonable price to support the artist, the label and everyone involved in a piece of music that has enriched our lives in some form. Or we can choose not to. One thing is for certain if we leave it to the governments, they will do whatever they can to ensure that the maximum profit can be made from our consumption of music. I, for one, don’t want to be in a situation again where I’m paying 20 Euros or more for a CD and even more for a DVD. People who care about music, particularly the future of music, need to come together and figure out a healthier way to appreciate, love and listen to music.

Our future could lie in online streaming subscriptions like Netflix or Spotify for example. The only thing that is certain is that illegally downloading music is not helping anyone in the long run, least of all ourselves.

Music is so important, without it our world would be a much more glum and somber place. It’s high time we all come together to support music, not destroy it.

The album opens with its eponymous single ‘Born To Die’, which shows Del Rey’s voice off to its huskily haunting best. The album’s second track, ‘Off to the Races’,

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Mu

sic

Adi Fallazie gives us th n a f r e p u s s l pice Gir S d n a ditor E b Su

Spice Girls stormed ry of the night the sa er niv an r iconic th 15 e lliwell donning he March marks th ards, with Geri Ha aw oduced it pr Br at e th th p at that a grou the stage d the astonishing to think 3r s e It’ th s. t es ou dr g ab Fla id Union gh the less sa ou th (al s ours m um ru alb nt With rece only three studio of media attention. nt fro and re ne fo e Ju th in t at er ll Jubilee conc better) are sti xt ce at the Queen’s ne an re rm fo rfo be d pe k En t ac es eb of a com set to hit the W r, ve re Fo at a th Viv l to ica up have been the Spice Girls mus at each of the girls wh at k loo a n ke year; I have ta interest. aintain the public may have helped m

SPORTY Melanie C, arguably the Spice Girl with the lowest profile, is the only member to have maintained a music career throughout. Now on her fifth album (three of which were released on her own record label Red Girl Records) Chisholm has proven herself as a successful solo artist, more so in other parts of Europe rather than the UK (where her latest album The Sea only grasped number 45).

Melanie’s single First Day Of My Life spent two years in the charts of different European countries and reached number 1 in three of them. Currently on tour in Europe including the UK, Melanie seems to have gathered a hardcore fan base. Having attended a gig of hers myself in December in Liverpool, I am happy to announce it was an utmost pleasurable experience. Recent news is that Melanie is currently recording with club scene producer Jodie Harsh; it would appear then that her next album might run in similar vein to that of her biggest hit I Turn To You.

SCARY The Scary one hasn’t had the easiest ride compared to the rest. Briefly changing from ‘B’ to a ‘G’ and then back again, Melanie has experienced rocky times in her personal life (including a DNA test to prove Eddie Murphy was the parent of her daughter - you couldn’t make it up). After bagging the first Spice solo number 1, Brown was quickly dropped after one album. A second album was later released via an independent label, LA State of Mind however did not chart and was panned by critics as “the worst album of the decade”. Finally finding true love, Melanie figured the best option was to show the world and created It’s A Scary World; a reality show based on her ‘scary’ life (oh no! What will her daughter Phoenix make of her misspelt Birthday cake, will she throw a hideous tantrum edge of your seat stuff). Current jobs include a position as a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor as well as releasing her own fitness computer games; it appears Mel’s life, just like her now infamous humorous parody is now indeed, proper bo’ I tell thee.

Photos: Sporty: Andreas Fink, Scary: Darkness Blackheart, the rest: Adi Fallazie 24

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he latest update and rumou rs regardin g the gi rls an d the

GINGER

ir m usic .

We all remember the day Geri left the Spice Girls. The memory is still harsh and cruel in my head; clutching my unofficial and questionable Geri doll, whilst spraying myself profusely with Spice branded Impulse; I believed that it was the end of reality itself. A year later however, I was in possession of Schizo-Phonic, Geri’s debut album, Chicoing my Latino and everything was forgiven. Three albums later and unfortunately time was up on Geri’s music career. This, in true fighting Ginger spirit, didn’t stopped Halliwell. To name but a few of her achievements; UN Goodwill Ambassador (yes…really) children’s book author, fashion designer and even an Oscar worthy walk on cameo on Sex and the City.

Add to that the imminent launch of her new Union Jack fashion range and the promise (or some would say threat) of a new solo album being released this year; it doesn’t appear Geri will be disappearing gingerly any time soon into the non-celebrity abyss.

BABY

After losing out to Geri in the chart battle of the century, Emma came eventually came out fighting with her number 1 single, What Took You So Long. Second album Free Me also faired well with sixties inspired ditty Maybe, however, just like Geri, by album 3, Emma lost steam and unlike Michael Jackson’s infamous balcony moment, this Baby was dropped. Emma took time off to have a two babies of her own but that didn’t stop her having a somewhat humorous cameo on Absolutely Fabulous and a judging slot presenting Dancing On Ice (to a frosty reception from critics). Emma now currently dedicates much of time to creating the musical as well as a regular Saturday afternoon slot on Heart FM.

POSH

After initial desperate attempts to gain musical notoriety, Victoria failed to gain that number 1 that would have completed the solo Spice rack. Quickly changing paths, the Posh one moved onto dVb; brand Beckham. Releasing perfume, jewellery and her own successful fashion label, all the while kicking out four children named after American boroughs, Shakespeare characters and well, Harper Seven (uses confused face). It’s interesting to note that despite being one of the lesser popular members of the Spice Girls during their heyday; Victoria Beckham gained an undeniably better response than the other members during the Return of the Spice Girls World Tour. Victoria however, appears all too happy to distance herself from the group, with recent denials of a comeback performance. Could the member that once started out with as many lines as Lee from Steps, now be the reason we may never have the pleasure of seeing the Fabulous Five return?

Watch this Spice.

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Finn McGoldrick Hi my name’s Finn, at last year’s conference you elected me to be your women’s rep on NUS LGBT committee.

This year I’m standing to be NUS LGBT Officer women’s place because I believe that this campaign needs a shake up if we are to meet the challenges faced by LGBT students. When I came out I was told by my parents to find somewhere else to live, I spent my time at school being harassed every day for being a ‘dyke’; I’ve been spat at shouted at chased all because I refuse to hide who I am to make everyone else feel comfortable. I know that every LGBT person will have their own story, you all have fought your own battles in your lives and this is the movement where we come together to fight for liberation and change those stories. I am standing because I want to make NUS LGBT an effective force for change; I know that we have the passion, commitment and talent to achieve liberation and make a positive difference so that the next generation of LGBT student’s will not share the same stories we do. Our officers work hard, but involvement is declining. We run more campaigns than ever but we’re not creating the campaigners to go along with them. There are more LGBT students than ever, but our movement has less influence than ever. If elected, my priority will be to empower members to run campaigns and to take back power in their institutions and in their communities. I want to make the campaign more locally focused and less centralized; I will work towards an LGBT society in every institution no matter what the size, or whether it is a higher or further education institute, by encouraging regional contacts and support networks.

I propose campaigning for an LGBT representative in every institution so that LGBT student’s always have a voice. I’ll also run practical campaigns that make a tangible difference in people’s lives; such as gender recognition on certificates so that student’s can change their gender in an institution as well as continuing to support School’s Out and Out in Sport. I want NUS LGBT to reconnect with student’s across the country and empower them to run the campaigns they want to and be the change they

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The National Union of Students LGBT Campaign is a self running part the National Union of Students to help liberate LGBT students.

The NUS LGBT conference is an opportunity for LGBT students activists from across the UK to come together to set the direction for the campaign for the year ahead, to attend workshops and hear speakers, and to network with other LGBT students.

want to see. If you vote for me I’ll bring activist training to you, delivering on campus training so no one has to miss out because of budgets. I’ll change the focus of our training making it less about telling you what campaign we think you should run, and more about empowering you and equipping to run the campaigns that you want. I want to give you a stake in your national campaign creating campaign toolkits that support you to run local actions as well as an activist hub that allows student’s to stay in touch, share best practice and support each other without a password to stop you getting in!

I am a proud feminist and I will always work to put the ‘F’ in LGBT, I’ll speak to every society about the importance of women’s representation, double the number of women specific motions brought to conference, tackle homophobia and transphobia in the women’s movement as well as sexism in the LGBT movement.

Bars giving offers to delegates: Cruz: Friday - £1 Entry, Saturday - Half price entry, Sunday - Free Axm: Free entry before 11pm and all night Sunday plus a free shot.

I will always fight cuts which disproportionally affect LGBT students, instituting a pledge from sabbatical officers stating that they will protect their LGBT budgets so that it isn’t our students who are hit the hardest. I have the experience of campaigning at a local level having been LGBT secretary (women’s place) at the University of Manchester, being on NUS LGBT committee has also showed me how our national movement needs to change and rebuild of we are to stay relevant. Vote Finn if you want to build this movement into one that speaks with you and not at you, that you feel proud to be a part of. Together we will reshape this movement into something that is going somewhere, into the movement we all need and deserve - If you are ready for a change vote Finn for NUS LGBT Officer (women’s place). outoncampus.org

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Vanilla: Free entry all weekend, £1 shooters and £1.50 drinks Taurus: 20% off food and happy hour all day Via: 20% off food 12pm - 8pm Tribeca: 20% off food, £2.50 on most drinks

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Who am I? I’m an international student from Bucharest, Romania, and I’ve been involved in the LGBTQ struggle ever since I was old enough to realise we had reasons to fight. I grew up in a country where the word ‘gay’ was an insult, fascism was rife and love was a reason to be afraid.

On my first Pride march in Romania, I chanted slogans about tolerance and equality while dodging rocks thrown by members of a neo-fascist organisation advocating ‘normality’. As we attend increasingly commercial, for-profit Pride marches, we must never forget that as long as homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are alive, our fight is not over, and our Pride is a protest. That’s why I’m standing to be your first international NUS LGBT Officer and I hope you’ll consider supporting me!

What have I done so far?

In my students’ union, I have passed

Stef Newton policy to support trans students, create gender neutral toilets and mandate student media officers to attend trans awareness workshops, co-ordinated an LGBT Volunteering Fair, launched the Out in Sport campaign, organised a fundraising ball for World AIDS Day and worked closely with the UCLU Women’s Forum on the root causes of discrimination.

Nationally, I have organised LGBT feeder marches for the 9 Nov student demo and Nov 30 Union demo, spoken out in the national press; including an article for Out on Campus on the importance of LGBT societies, campaigned against cuts to LGBT provisions, speaking at Occupy London, helped to organise the national student demo, stewarding on the day & delivering a speech to 10,000 students about LGBTQ issues & cuts. I was also heavily involved in Slutwalk London.

What will I do if elected?

Firstly, the effect of the Tories’ ideological assault on the public sector will last for a lifetime - cuts to a generation of young people and our aging population have never been more apparent, and the fight against the cuts is vital to our liberation.

I will ensure our campaign continues to take part in the broader movement, getting involved with the Coalition of Resistance and bringing liberation issues to the forefront of a united anti-cuts campaign if you elect me.

Second, getting LGBT societies involved in our campaigns and taking ownership of them is vital to our success. Balancing social and political aspects of LGBT societies can be difficult. I have the skills to support others in achieving this balance and developing LGBT societies to become inclusive, fun and liberating groups. If elected, I will get in touch with the hundreds of colleges and universities that don’t have LGBT societies, helping students to set up LGBT groups and deliver continued support in making them a success. I will also be up and down the UK visiting freshers’ fayres, attending your events and supporting your campaigns.

Third, I know that being a woman and LGBT can be difficult: cuts will affect

LGBT women disproportionately. I want to provide information on these issues to LGBT women students and give them the means to challenge it. One way of doing this is by inspiring women to inspire women leaders. If elected I will run an LGBT women-only training event that aims to inspire more LGBT women leaders, and I’ll lead an LGBT campaign that is feminist to the core despite gender. Sexism affects us all, and I believe women should lead this fight... but we want everyone to be marching with us!

Some of the issues I will focus on: The question of equal marriage is especially relevant at the present time, with the government consultation coming up. It’s one of the last legal wins we’re fighting for in the UK, and I will make sure the student voice is heard during this consultation.

The Donation Not Discrimination campaign is far from over, and we need to keep fighting. I will campaign for a blood donation policy based on actual risk.

There is not enough information out there on the issue of domestic violence in same sex relationships, and it’s up to us to raise awareness. I will work with organizations like Broken Rainbow and the NUS women’s campaign on this.

Love Without borders: NUS LGBT has, surprisingly, never been officially involved with an organization like Amnesty, and now is a great time to start!

I hope you’ll consider supporting me this year! If you have any questions, please get in touch: stefnewton@yahoo.co.uk

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Student Pride 2012 Brighton, 24-26th Feb 2012 Photos by Student Pride

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Downing Street supports National Student Pride 2012 David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg & Caroline Lucas support LGBT students Over 1,200 students from all over the UK descended on Brighton between the 24th and 26th February for the annual LGBT student festival, National Student Pride, now in its eigth successful year. The event kicked off on the Friday night at Charles Street and then the pre pride party at revenge night club.

Letters of support from Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy PM Nick Clegg, Leader of the opposition Ed Miliband and a video message from Brighton and Hove MP and Leader of the Green Party Caroline Lucas were played in the opening ceremony of the free daytime festival at Brighton Dome whilst Brighton and Hove Gay Mens Chorus performed and the Mayor officially opened the event.

Cameron said “As you gather in Brighton, I hope you will reflect on the role each of you can play in bringing about change in your communities.

‘Role models are hugely important when tackling homophobia – that’s why I was delighted when earlier this month the clubs in the Premiership signed up to the government’s Charter to Tackle Homophobia and Transphobia in Sport.

‘Homophobia can prevent people from realizing their dreams and we cannot allow prejudice to prevail. Everyone has a voice and collectively we must challenge unacceptable behaviour and attitudes.’

Homophobia in sport was a recurring theme throughout the event being discussed in the Question Time Debate in association with Attitude Magazine, where panellists included John Amaechi OBE, the first out NBA gay Basketball player and International cricketer Steven Davies. Attitude Editor Matthew Todd (Stonewall Editor of the Year) chaired the debate with BBC newscaster Jane Hill, actress Sophie Ward, Dan Gillespie Sells (Lead singer of The Feeling), James Wharton (a gay soldier who has worked with Stonewall in schools to combat homophobic bullying) and gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell completing the line up.

Other highlights in the free daytime festival included live music on the women’s stage, stalls from national charities and companies including Ernst & Young, AMEX and IBM, a Q&A from the cast of C4 hit show ‘My Transexual Summer’, a debate ‘Gay and Black and here to stay’ by asylum seekers

from movement for Justice and Benjamin Cohen (Channel 4 News & PinkNews) played & discussed his ‘It Gets Better video’ filmed

by Channel 4 to discuss the issue of faith and sexuality.

The evening entertainment kicked off with the Brighton Scene Tour around Brighton’s famed gay venues for games and socialising before going back to the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange for the club night with new girl band Stooshe, hotly tipped to be number one with their new single ft Travie McCoy, “Love me”. Chart topping indie-pop-electrohouse was provided by DJs James Barr (Capital FM), Alex Baker (Gaydar Radio and London’s Onyx), DJ Jonesy (Juice107.2 Radio Brighton) and lil’Alex (Wild Fruit, Brighton Pride dance tent).

Students didn’t stop there – they continued into the early hours at the official after party at Brighton’s Revenge nightclub and Bar Revenge until 8am!

National Student Pride was platinum sponsored for the second year running

by Ernst & Young with American Express and Accenture taking up Gold and Silver sponsorship packages.

Liz Bingham (Managing Partner for People, UK & Ireland at Ernst & Young) commented, “We are very proud to support National Student Pride for another year. At Ernst & Young we are passionate about enabling people to come together in an environment where they feel included and respected. National Student Pride enables LGBT students to do just that. We are committed to ensuring that all our people can succeed, regardless of their background. The differences that combine to make us who we are also give us the diverse ideas and outlooks that really make a competitive difference in today’s world”.

Pascal Guignard (Vice President at American Express and Executive sponsor of the UK Pride network) said, “National Student Pride brings together LGBT students from all over Britain who are making important decisions ever day on their future. As an employer committed to diversity in the work place, American Express is pleased to be supporting a cause that aims to help the student community to not only achieve their desired career goals, but help them find a supportive environment in which to work and succeed.” http://www.studentpride.co.uk

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Take Back Your Campus

Birmingham University, 15th Feb 2012 Photos by Dean Booth

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LGBT History Month

Kent LGBT Presents

by Chris Mattinson

Chris Mattinson comments on the progress being made by his University’s LGBT society

LGBT History Month is upon us - a long month of commemoration for the history of LGBT people, what we have achieved and how much the world has changed because of the actions of certain groups and individuals. So much has changed in recent years, and it is important that we celebrate the progressing world that we have shaped and continue to shape.

All around the country, there will be a huge variety of events taking place to commemorate LGBT History Month, the details of which can be found on the LGBT History Month website. On this site you can search for events in your area to see what’s going on near you and make sure that you don’t miss all of the exciting opportunities that await. So, take in this important month, celebrate with your friends and remember all of the amazing achievements that have been made by LGBT people across the world.

Kent LGBT Society has had a fantastic year so far, with two major events that have pushed the society into new realms of success. The first of these events was ‘Dead Famous’, a fancy dress Halloween-style club night where we all dressed up as famous people… but dead! The Attic (the top floor of our campus nightclub) was filled with eerie gravestones (bearing titles such as Joan Rivers’ Faces), Cobwebs and a red carpet to guide the dead to the bar! A wide variety of spooky costumes were donned, and over 300 people attended, almost hitting the capacity of The Attic!

The event was a massive success, and meant that our next event (called Once Upon A Time) was another brilliant night. The amount of people who chose to come to the events was more than double that of our membership, and has influenced a great many people to become fully-fledged members of the society, to fully reap the benefits. We’re thrilled with our success so far, and cannot wait to share more incredible events with our fellow students at The University of Kent.

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