Celebrating International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Press Office
Thomas Wiffen (KBS), Deputy Chair of the LGBT+ Staff Network with Deacon Joy Everingham, LGBT+ Staff Network member

Students and staff at the University joined forces to celebrate International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) on 17 May.

A number of events were organised at the Canterbury and Medway campuses to mark the occasion.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender plus (LGBT+) Staff Network and Student Society at Kent Union hosted a stall on the Canterbury campus providing advice on support. There was also a 90-minute session to set the wider context for trans* identities – on how sex, gender and sexual orientation interact.

Staff were also given a ‘pronoun challenge’, where they were challenged to use non-gendered pronouns for the day. Anyone slipping up was asked to contribute 10p, with proceeds going to the trans* youth support charity Mermaids UK.

At the Medway campus staff and students were invited to wear colourful clothing and donate to the METRO charity supporting LGBTQ+ young people in Medway.

As part of its continuing commitment to the LGBT+ community, the University is sponsoring Canterbury Pride 2017 on 10 June.