LGBT History Month

Posted On: 01/03/19

For the first time ever, CRGS marked LGBT History Month during February with three linked assemblies, tutor time resources and information displays.

The theme of LGBT History Month 2019 was Peace, Activism and Reconciliation, and it marked 50 years since the Stonewall Riots in New York, a pivotal moment in LGBT+ rights and history.

A video about the Stonewall Riots featured in one of our tutor time activities while the assemblies covered a history of the development of LGBT rights in the UK, the importance of communities working together, such as the Welsh mining community and London-based gay rights activists that were the subject of the 2014 film Pride, and how to communicate effectively without using homophobic language.

A broad range of LGBT+ role models were displayed on posters in relevant subject areas around the school and all 20 featured on our Twitter feed during the month. Staff wore rainbow-coloured lanyards and we also held a non-uniform day, the proceeds from which our students decided to split between The MS Society and local LGBT+ support group, Outhouse East.

LGBT+ Society arranged for a guest speaker to talk to us about the importance of equality and inclusion in the global workplace. Speaking after his presentation, Andrew Sellers, a partner at Hiscox UK, told us: “I’m massively impressed with the progressive environment you are fostering. It’s the right thing to do and all the pupils will benefit from the inclusive approach.”

We had a huge amount of other positive feedback from across the school community during the month, which we are now using as a model for the broader equalities work that we will be developing over the next year. Our new Equalities Group’s weekly meetings are full of passionate students from across the year groups who have lots of ideas for how we can be a more equal community. We have already marked International Women’s Day, Women’s History Month and become an early supporter of King’s College London’s Gender Action scheme.