Pride Month

Spectrum will be marching at Pride in London for the first time on Saturday 6 July 2019. In the lead up, help us celebrate Pride Month by coming along to a Spectrum event this June. See 'Pride Month events' below for the full programme.

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia

17 May is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia or IDAHOBIT. It is a day where we are encouraged to recognise the inequalities and ignorance that still remains in our society. The date of May 17th was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.

LSE is proud to support this vital day and we hope that together, we can work towards an inclusive society where all can feel safe and proud of who they are. Spectrum invites you to share your message of support with us over on Twitter.

On IDAHOBIT it is important to stand in solidarity with our LGBT+ colleagues and ensure that all are made to feel safe and valued in the workplace. Let’s continue to work on promoting a more equal and fair society for all.

Professor Dilly Fung, LSE Pro-Director for Education

Visit the LSE Review of Books Blog, to see which 10 LGBT+ books Spectrum members recommend to move, engage and inspire - what would you add?

Stonewall top 100 2019

LSE has been recognised in Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers list for the first time, highlighting us as one of the best employers for lesbian, gay, bi and trans staff. In 2019 LSE have been ranked 92 out of over 400 institutions, following years of steady progress up the rankings. Find out more.

Spectrum holds open meetings once a month. There is an agenda but it's also an informal space to get together and chat. All staff are welcome to attend. To receive more information in advance, sign up to our mailing list.

• Thursday 11 July, 12.45-1.30pm, NAB.8.01

LSE Pride Month events - June and July 2019

Pride march t-shirt design competition
Deadline Friday 14 June
In addition to marching, we need something to wear on the day! We’re running a School-wide t-shirt design competition until 14 June for our Pride t-shirts. We’re looking for something visually striking, which includes the Spectrum name somewhere, and which could be used again in future years. Please submit as an A4 PDF, in CMYK & good resolution (300dpi) to spectrum@lse.ac.uk. The winner will receive a £20 Amazon voucher and a free t-shirt.

Pride Month yoga
Friday 28 June, 1-2pm, Faith Centre
This session is open to all LSE students and staff, identifying as queer or allies. 
Cost: £5
Dimitris' classes follow the Ashtanga yoga system where deep breathing is synchronised with physical postures. It is suitable to all physical abilities including complete beginners. Before attending, email Dimitris on lseyoga@lse.ac.uk for further information.

Show your Pride group photo
Thursday 4 July
Time and venue TBC
All staff and students are invited to join a group photo in support of Pride 2019. Wear your rainbow lanyard or collect one there.

March at Pride in London
Saturday 6 July
Spectrum is marching in Pride for the first time and you're invited to take part. Please register your intention to march with us by Friday 14 June - link coming soon. If places are full please join the waiting list. We will get back to everyone on or after Friday 14 June.

Email spectrum@lse.ac.uk if you are interested in volunteering at an event, or would like to promote your event here.

Proposal for ‘Spectrum Seminars’

We are considering the creation of a new public seminar series, to take place once a term at LSE. Our motivations are listed below.

We are circulating this information now in order to gather feedback from all LSE researchers (including postgraduate, postdoctoral and permanent staff) as to their:

• Willingness to contribute a paper to such a series
• Interest in attending
• Any feedback they might want to give about the proposal.

If you are an LSE based researcher building on queer analyses (broadly construed), or addressing subjects that have a particular significance in light of queer lives, please write to Dr Dominic Berry, who will collate this feedback on behalf of Spectrum: d.j.berry@lse.ac.uk. It would be greatly appreciated if you could respond by Friday 28 June 2019.

Motivations

Spectrum recognises the central role that research staff and students play in the life of the university. We also regularly receive notice of interest in queer scholarship from students, and a more general appetite for deeper engagement with and exploration of gender and sexuality incorporating queer themes/analyses. At the same time, there are few obvious platforms available to LSE researchers working in this space. Spectrum therefore intends to make one.

The goals of such a seminar series include:

• Giving greater visibility to the work of, and work concerning, LGBT+ people from a broad range of disciplinary perspectives.
• Engaging publics and the wider student body in cutting edge research underway at LSE.
• Building stronger links between LSE research staff and the Spectrum network.
• Increasing possibility for interdisciplinary research, activities, events, and actions that would be of considerable value to the Spectrum network.

If you are currently engaged in research that could be featured in such a series, and if you would potentially be interested in contributing a paper or presentation, then please write to us as soon as possible. Likewise any feedback would be very valuable.

This initiative is supported by Professor Julia Black (Director of Innovation) and Professor Simon Hix (Pro-Director of Research).

Feedback to Dr Dominic Berry by Friday 28 June 2019.