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What is LGBTQ&A?
LGBTQ&A is a bespoke collaboration series created by 快播视频 and the University of Cumbria’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) teams and LGBTQ+ Student and Staff Networks to answer anonymously submitted LGBTQ+ questions in a safe space.
2024 theme: LGBTQ+ Health and Wellbeing
Attendees were invited to ask any questions or share any thoughts about LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing in Lancashire and Cumbria. During the event, the panel answered anonymously submitted questions about the respective University’s resources, policies and support for LGBTQ people as well as sharing local, national and partner organisations resources and guidance.
Tab Content: Event Format
Content Warning (CW): LGBTQ&A strives to create an inclusive and supportive space for our discussions. Please be aware that the forthcoming event may cover sensitive issues that might provoke strong emotions or discomfort for some attendees. 快播视频 (LU) students in search of assistance are encouraged to utilise the and . For LU staff, the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offers tailored support and specialist support services on health and wellbeing and can be found on our Staff Wellbeing pages.
The format of LGBTQ&A 2024 was a hybrid in-person panel and online anonymous attendees format. Staff and students from each institution (快播视频 and the University of Cumbria) were welcome to join the panel in-person by attending the live event hosted at 快播视频.
The theme for 2024 was LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing, focusing on the below topics:
- Trans and Non-binary support and resources
- An Intersectional View: LGBTQ+ and Disabilities
- LGBTQ+ Health Research
Attendees were invited to ask any questions or share any thoughts you may have about LGBTQIA+ Health and Wellbeing at the institutions (快播视频, University of Cumbria) and in Lancashire and Cumbria ahead of the event.
Tab Content: Event Theme
LGBTQ&A 2024 theme was LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing. The panel was composed of three representatives from each institution and two panel moderators with lived/professional experience specific to this theme. Our panellists and moderators pledged to provide an inclusive and safe environment in which they recognise their differences as their strengths, seeking and valuing different perspectives and ideas, in an environment that was without prejudice and bias
We ask all participants to understand and accept panellists are not there to provide “right” answers and all answers provided during this event are opinions derived from personal or professional LGBTQ+ experience and knowledge.
Content Warning (CW): LGBTQ&A strives to create an inclusive and supportive space for our discussions. Please be aware that the forthcoming event may cover sensitive issues that might provoke strong emotions or discomfort for some attendees. 快播视频 (LU) students in search of assistance are encouraged to utilise the and . For LU staff, the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offers tailored support and specialist support services on health and wellbeing and can be found on our Staff Wellbeing pages.
Tab Content: History of LGBTQ&A
Content Warning (CW): LGBTQ&A strives to create an inclusive and supportive space for our discussions. Please be aware that the previous events may cover sensitive issues that might provoke strong emotions or discomfort for some listeners/viewers. 快播视频 (LU) students in search of assistance are encouraged to utilise the and . For LU staff, the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offers tailored support and specialist support services on health and wellbeing and can be found on our Staff Wellbeing pages. University of Cumbria (UoC) students can find a help via platform and through the . UoC Staff members can similarly access essential wellbeing services internally, through the internal Health and Wellbeing Hub, alongside the range of support organisations located at .
Our History
In 2021, representatives from 快播视频 attended the University of Cumbria's online collaborative panel discussion honouring LGBTQ+ History Month, 'A Life Worth Living'. The event discussed LGBTQ+ inclusion across North West and included a successful question and answer (Q&A) section of the event. .
Following positive feedback on the Q&A section of the event, 快播视频 and the University of Cumbria's Equality Diversity and Inclusion Teams worked together to create LGBTQ&A as a safe space to ask questions in an anonymous format on policy, support and LGBTQ+ community questions to a cross-institutional collaborative panel. The event was well received by both staff and students as a constructive space to ask questions without fear of judgement or discrimination on LGBTQ+ topics.
The format of LGBTQ&A expanded in 2023 to a hybrid in-person panel and online anonymous attendees format to invite representatives from each institution (快播视频 and the University of Cumbria) and their respective LGBTQ+ networks as well as representatives from local schools, colleges and LGBT+ support groups and organisations to join the panel in-person by attending the live event hosted at 快播视频. The event focused around the theme of LGBTQ+ Allyship, Parents and Carers in which the panel answered anonymously submitted questions about the respective University’s resources, policies and support for LGBTQ allies, parents and carers as well as sharing local, national and partner organisations and national resources and guidance. .
LGBTQ&A 2024 focused on LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing, in line with the theme of 'medicine' for LGBT History Month. The event was held live and accessible online to the public, while the panel and members of the 快播视频 and Cumbria LGBTQ+ network’s were invited to join in person. The aim was to provide a safe space for panel members to answer questions and share their experiences and thoughts on LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing in the North West.
Tab Content: LGBTQ+ support @ LU
快播视频 has several Equality, Diversity and Inclusion–related networks and associations for staff and students. For LGBTQ+ staff, students and allies we have the following networks and forms to support and empower LGBT+ people in the 快播视频 community:
Additionally, we encourage all staff and students to download and share our list of .
For further LGBTQ+ support staff and students can contact:
Tab Content: LGBTQ+ support @ UoC
The was founded in September 2019 and now has over 50 members across their 5 campuses. The network sees colleagues come together every two months to share information, experiences, ideas, and concerns in a safe space that is open for all, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. That includes allies. The key focus for the network is visibility, education, and the development of a social community on and off-campus.
University of Cumbria (UoC) students can find a help via platform and through the . UoC Staff members can similarly access essential wellbeing services internally, through the internal Health and Wellbeing Hub, alongside the range of support organisations located at .
Meet our 2024 Moderators
Our moderators pledge to provide an inclusive and safe environment in which they recognise our differences as our strengths, seeking and valuing different perspectives and ideas, in an environment that is without prejudice and bias.
Ann-Marie Houghton
(she/her) | 快播视频, Dean for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Brian Webster-Henderson
(he/him) | University of Cumbria, Deputy Vice-Chancellor
We ask all participants to understand and accept panellist are not there to provide “right” answers and all answers provided during this event are opinions derived from personal or professional LGBTQ+ experience and knowledge.
Meet our 2024 Panellists
We ask all participants to understand and accept panellist are not there to provide “right” answers and all answers provided during this event are opinions derived from personal or professional LGBTQ+ experience and knowledge.
Angie Illman
(they/them) | Pears Cumbria School of Medicine, Senior Project Manager
Benjamin Dalton
(he/they) | 快播视频, Queer Medical Humanities Network Lead
Ali Richards
(she/her) | University of Cumbria, Lecturer Nursing Associate
Freya Metcalfe
(they/them) | 快播视频 Biomedical & Life Sciences, Undergraduate Programmes Coordinator 快播视频 Alumnus (Physics)
Tomi Jackson
(he/him) | University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, LGBT+ Network Member & Finance EDI Ambassador
Josh Newsham
(he/him) | 快播视频 Student's Union, VP Welfare