Diversity Digest

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at King's College London

Pride 2023 Reflections

July 19, 2023 /

It’s been a pretty fabulous summer here at King’s, with members of our university community celebrating all things LGBTQ+ for Pride Month throughout June & July. Jake Orros an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Project Officer here at King’s shares some of the highlights of one very busy pride month for King’s.

In a snapshot Proudly King’s once again marched in the Pride in London parade and joined fellow London universities at the London Trans+ Pride march. Our faculties got involved with the celebrations, with the Faculty of Natural Mathematical & Engineering Sciences hosting an ‘LGBTQ+ in STEM’ event and Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Science staff and students came together for a pride inspired picnic. Members of the EDI team volunteered behind the scenes at Pride in London, brushing shoulders with LGBTQ+ icons. And together with colleagues in student services and corporate communications, the EDI team brought you a ‘what pride means to me’ blog series.

Volunteering at Pride in London

Pride events across the world including London’s are only possible because of the amazing people who give up their time and volunteer to help run these events. Over 1000 volunteers supported Pride in London this year, including our very own Lorraine Kelly, Director of Organizational Development & Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, and myself.  This year’s Pride in London theme was ‘Never March Alone: Championing Trans Allyship’.

Lorraine Kelly (right) with Trafalgar Square volunteers

Lorraine was part of the brilliant stages team, working behind the scenes to pull off a brilliant show on the Trafalgar Square stage. Lorraine brushed shoulders with stars including Beverly Knight, Adam Lambert, Rita Ora who all preformed on what is affectionately known behind the scenes as T Square.

In Lorraine’s own words – “I had the great pleasure of volunteering at pride at Trafalgar Square it was an amazing experience, the vibe was positive and inclusive – if you haven’t done it before I would def recommend that you get involved”.

Lorraine (second from right) volunteering at the Trafalgar Square stage before opening to the public.

I was also there volunteering on the day, I had the brilliant job of being an Event Manager and being part of the core team planning and delivering the Pride Family & Youth Area at St Giles-in-the-Fields Church. We delivered the space in partnership with Lego and The Scouts who ran pride themed activities for young people and their families. We had our biggest attendance to the space ever with approximately 7,000 visitors throughout the day which was phenomenal and it was brilliant to see members of the King’s community drop in with their families too! I am so proud of what we achieved on the day, the 6 months of planning paid off and was so worth it – I loved seeing the beaming smiles of the young people and their families as they enjoyed the LGBTQ+ inspired activities from The Scouts & Lego and performances from LGBTQ+ artists on our stage.

Jake in a purple pride manager tshirt stood back to back with another pride volunteer

Jake (right) volunteering in the Pride Family & Youth Area

I couldn’t agree with Lorraine more, volunteering at pride was a brilliant experience and it is such a great way to meet new people, to feel a part of something special and to have a real positive impact. So why not join the team and volunteer at a pride event next year!

What Pride Means to Me? Blog Series

Throughout pride month we shared what pride means to members of our King’s Community. Emily Coutts interviewed 5 brilliant staff and students from across King’s about why pride month is important to them. Emily spoke to: Taj – a Global Health & Social Medicine student, Jo – who Head of Mental Health & Counselling Outreach & Training, Rosanna – a Student Content Manager and James & Andrew – both Faculty Wellbeing Advisors.

We asked Emily to sum up her experience of working on this inspiring pride month project – “It was a pleasure to interview these fantastic people about what Pride means to them. Although their experiences and identities vary hugely, I was struck that they’re all motivated by a desire to make life better for other LGBTQ+ people, and to support those experiencing oppression. It’s great to know that I’m surrounded by such thoughtful and passionate colleagues at King’s.”

You can find the blogs on our Diversity Digest site here.

Proudly King’s

Kirsty McLaren, Communications & Community Co-Chair of Proudly King’s reflects on how our LGBTQ+ staff network marked pride month…

This year marked a transformative moment for Pride at King’s College London.

Amidst the standard festivities associated with Pride in London, King’s took steps to address some pressing challenges faced by queer students in higher education. For the first time ever, Proudly King’s marched shoulder to shoulder with Pride Power, a group of students on our flagship widening participation programme, K+.

Without support, reaching university is a challenge for anyone from a widening participation background. Thriving while you’re there is even harder. Some students face further barriers because of immutable parts of their identity. LGBTQ+ students experience more bullying, poorer mental health, and higher rates of estrangement. They are less likely to feel they belong at university. This leads to many LGBTQ+ students dropping out of university and those who stick it out until graduation often leave with a lower degree classification.  The Widening Participation team created Pride Power to address these issues.

A group from Pride Power holding placards at Pride in London march

Pride Power at Pride in London

What makes Pride Power stand out is its tangible efforts in fostering an environment where these students find belonging. Its essence lies in its relentless efforts to create an environment of acceptance and love. Many of its members, for instance, haven’t come out at home. Yet, with Pride Power by their side, they confidently joined us at Pride in London. Thanks to generous donations from our Departments and Faculties, they had group T-Shirts and could express themselves with their own banners. Making the banners was a beautiful way for them to increase their bond, sharing their experiences of being queer in school and at home. One student described it as “the best experience of [their] entire life.”

As for Proudly King’s, we kicked off the Pride season with a pre-pride party hosted on campus. It was an authentic expression of our community, with speeches and craft tables to write messages of hope for the future generations. These were sent to the Pride Power students ahead of their march. The event marked our return to Pride in London in the spirit of pride as a protest: less about grand gestures and more about genuine connection, setting the stage for the subsequent march.

Collage of images at Proudly's pre pride party,

Proudly Pre-Pride Party

Our Pride Planning Committee’s relentless efforts and the generous donations culminated in a remarkable parade float on the morning of Pride in London. Both Proudly King’s and Pride Power’s branding was on full display, with a DJ truck that played Cher’s hits repeatedly, much to the crowd’s delight. Our Senior Sponsor the Rev’d Dr Ellen Clark-King showcased her unwavering allyship by joining us on the truck right after surgery. Also, among us was the KCLSU LGBTQ+ Network President, Taj Donville-Outerbridge, a double recipient at the 2023 Queer Student Awards.

“Joining [the march] and hearing from [the committee] and feeling like the weight of the world was taken off my shoulders – well that was SOMETHING” – Suz from the School of Politics and Economics on her first ever Pride parade.

King's staff wearing navy blue Proudly King's branded tshirts posing for a group photo

Proudly at the Pride in London Parade

7 days later, Proudly King’s marched once again in London Trans+ Pride, an event that is a response to the injustices that trans, intersex, gender nonconforming, and non-binary people face daily, all over the world. Though June is long-gone, our Pride season at King’s will stretch all the way through to September when we’ll be attending London Bi+ Pride. And in August we’ll be teaming up with the KCL Race Equality Network to attend UK Black Pride, the world’s largest celebration for African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American and Caribbean-heritage LGBTQ+ people.

We’re looking forward to the next academic year when we can expand efforts to make King’s a better place for LGBTQ+ people. Our Proudly King’s committee is expanding, and our Pride Power group will grow even more. To see more pictures from Pride in London and Trans Pride, sign up to our mailing list, or even apply to become a committee member just visit www.proudlykings.com

Love, Always.

Kirsty on behalf of Proudly King

Join the Proudly King's Committee Poster featuring a montage of photos

Join the Proudly King’s Committee

Pride Picnic

Our colleagues in the dentistry faculty hosted a pride picnic with over 50 staff and students attending. There were some incredibly tasty pride themed cakes, including a huge rainbow inspired sponge cake created by a talented member of FoDOCS staff.

A large wedge of pride themes layer cake held up against a window with views of South London in the background.

Pride themed layer cake

The decorate your own gingerbread person activity base was buzzing with activity, with people queuing to decorate their own edible LGBTQ+ gingerbread icons. The event served as an important opportunity to further develop a sense of meaningful community within the faculty and enabled all those present to take time out from busy work and study schedules to learn more about LGBTQ+ inclusion and meet other members of the community & allies.

Gingerbread people people decorated with icing and little sugar coated stars.

Gingerbread Icons

King’s Libraries – Must Watch List

Throughout the month staff from across King’s Libraries & Collections team shared their suggestions of must watch LGBTQ+ inspired content.

You can explore all of their suggestions on the King’s Libraries Twitter & Instagram pages, where you will find an eclectic mix of documentaries, short films and thought provoking features, all curated to expand your knowledge of queer history and theory.

All the suggested content is available to watch for staff and students via the Library’s Kanopy subscription here.

My experience at London Trans Pride

Alex an undergraduate Management and Modern Languages student and a summer intern with the Student Content Management team attended London Trans Pride.

You can read all about Alex’s experience of attending the event here.

Want to Learn more about Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at King’s College London?

Ten things you can do to ensure your workshops are inclusive

July 10, 2023 /

If you are organising a workshop at King’s, on campus or elsewhere, take note of these ten tips to ensure your diverse audience can participate fully. While inviting participants to request adjustments is welcoming, not everyone feels confident or comfortable to do so. So, here’s some tips, co-created by members of the Access King’s network, to help you create an event that’s welcoming for all. 

  1. Share information in advance, including details of the venue, contact information, and any access features (e.g. step-free access, hearing loop available etc). You could also signpost to more information such as an AccessAble guide, if there is one. 
  2. Share contact information for questions, adjustments, and companion tickets (if available).  
  3. Be explicit that attendees (neurodivergent folk especially) are welcome to make themselves comfortable, move around, fidget, stim etc.  
  4. Provide an overview of the session and an agenda in advance, with any preparatory work required of attendees clearly indicated, and indicative timings. Clearly state the expectations of attendees, as well as any rules of engagement. This is particularly helpful if it clarifies unstructured or social expectations (“15 minutes’ informal mingling to start”, “finish time is 4pm but conversations may continue after this point”, “we may continue the breakout room discussions if these are fruitful”, “People are welcome to come and go” or, “People are expected to stay for the duration of the session.” etc.). 
  5. Schedule sufficient breaks and let attendees know when they will be. 
  6. At the start of the event, check the lighting in the room e.g. are fluorescent lights needed, is daylight adequate? 
  7. Incorporate multisensory learning. Engage participants through diverse sensory experiences by using visuals, interactive activities, demonstrations, sensory-friendly spaces/activities in the workshop and group discussions to cater to different learning styles. 
  8. Use clear and concise language. Ensure that the language used during the workshop is clear, concise, and free from unnecessary jargon or complex terminology, making it accessible and understandable to all participants. 
  9. Allow time for participants to engage, respond to questions, or write answers or contributions. 
  10. Feedback questions to include targeted questions, for example: 

10.a. Did you feel that the workshop materials and activities were accessible and accommodating to individuals with diverse abilities and disabilities? Please provide specific examples or suggestions for improvement. 

10.b. How well did the workshop incorporate the principles of universal design and accessibility? Were there any missed opportunities or areas where improvements could be made in terms of disability inclusion? 

10.c. Were the communication channels and formats provided during the workshop helpful in facilitating your understanding and engagement? If not, what alternative methods would you suggest to improve accessibility for neuro-diverse participants? etc. 

For more information about disability and neurodiversity inclusion, visit the Disability Inclusion Hub and the Neurodiversity Toolkit. 

There is also some guidance available on the Content Editors Hub for delivering accessible face-to-face sessions. 

Want to Learn more about Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at King’s College London?

What Pride Means to Me: Taj

June 30, 2023 /

This Pride Month, we are talking to LGBTQ+ members of the King’s College London community to find out what Pride means to them. If you would like to share what Pride means to you, please email the team at diversity@kcl.ac.uk. 

Taj Donville-Outerbridge is studying for a BSc in Global Health & Social Medicine. He’s President of KCLSU’s LGBT+ Society, and recently won Role Model of the Year and Queer of the Year at the 2023 UK Queer Student awards. Taj is pansexual.

Taj at the Queer Student Awards holding two trophies featuring a big Q on each. Taj is wearing a plum velvet 2 piece outfit, a medal around his neck and stylish sunglasses.

Taj at the Queer Student Awards

Moving beyond stereotypes

I grew up in Bermuda. While being gay is technically legal there, the Caribbean can be a difficult and dangerous environment for LGBTQ+ people.

I’ve always been out and accepted by my family but I experienced pressure from within the LGBTQ+ community to conform. As a gay, Black man, you’re expected to either be straight-acting and closeted, or very feminine and creative.

I love science and am an academic at heart: I don’t fit neatly into either stereotype. It took time to accept that I could embrace all sides of myself.

Same problems, different island

Homophobia intersects with many different types of prejudice, and that’s as true in the UK as it is in the Caribbean. Media figures are often caricatures of gay Black men – RuPaul would be a good example – while Black role models in professional fields are very heteronormative.

Back home, everyone highlighted my gayness, whereas now I’m in the UK they tend to see my race. I’m often the only Black person in LGBTQ+ spaces. Everywhere I go, there’s a barrier to truly belonging.

That’s why I created ‘Tea Time with Taj’ through KCLSU. The intersectional needs of queer people of colour are often overlooked in race or sexuality-based societies, so we meet to chat, drink tea and build a sense of community.

What Pride means to me

Queer joy is wonderful but ultimately Pride is a protest. It’s important we don’t let it slide into a performative corporate gesture.

The LGBTQ+ community needs to stop fighting over small things. We need to become aware of other groups’ needs and global issues. An ex-boyfriend of mine was murdered in Grenada earlier this year, victim of a homophobic hate crime. Injustice like that should remind us how much work still needs to be done.

At King’s, I want to set an example for all students who feel marginalised, or caught in the intersections between marginalised groups. University can be difficult if you’re trans, and perhaps even more difficult if you’re Black, trans and disabled.

Pride is our opportunity to advocate for others.

Get involved & make a difference this Pride Month
  • Join our LGBTQ+ staff network Proudly King’s or attend one of their events here.
  • Check out our Pride student news article which is full of useful links here.
  • Pride Month Step-Out challenge! Join Proudly King’s & King’s Sport in a 28, 06,69 step challenge in June and July to commemorate LGBTQ+ Pride Month and summer activities whilst keeping active. Sign up on the King’s Move app from 12th June here!
Want to Learn more about Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at King’s College London?

What Pride Means to Me: Jo

June 29, 2023 /

This Pride Month, we are talking to LGBTQ+ members of the King’s College London community to find out what Pride means to them. If you would like to share what Pride means to you, please email the team at diversity@kcl.ac.uk. 

Jo Levy is Head of Mental Health & Counselling Outreach & Training at King’s. Jo is genderqueer and uses they/them pronouns. They live in London with their partner, Bev, and are supported at Pride by Flossie, their sister’s Cockapoo.  

Jo standing with Bev.

A day of joy and safety 

The significance of Pride has shifted over time. I’m showing my age here, but 30 years ago we partied against a backdrop of overt homophobia. I lost friends to HIV and hate crime was common. Section 28, the UK law which banned the ‘promotion of homosexuality’ in schools or in public institutions, was still in place. It was only revoked in 2003. 

At Pride back then, my friends and I would get together and celebrate our independence and freedom. We were as present and exuberant as possible. It was our way of sharing that awareness with the world: it’s not a crime to be yourself. 

 

Holding others’ rights in mind 

Pride in 2023 is partly about celebrating the freedoms we’ve won. Compared with 30 years ago, it’s easier to be out and open at work, with your family and in the wider community. 

But we’re also fighting a backlash. Globally, there are many countries where LGBTQ+ people are imprisoned or killed simply for being themselves. There is also a lot of dangerous rhetoric closer to home, perhaps particularly around trans rights. 

Pride is a great opportunity to look beyond our own small group. LGBTQ+ people shouldn’t hide in silos. We should be caring about one another and fighting for our rights as a collective. 

Flossie the dog is blond and fluffy, wearing a rainbow garland around its neck with a red bowtie. The dog is stood on a blue, green and yellow night sky cloth covered in stars.

Improving accessibility for LGBTQ+ students 

I’ve worked for King’s Counselling & Mental Health Service for nine years. We’ve always offered support to any student who’s struggling, but I think we’ve improved the way we promote our services to LGBTQ+ students in recent times. 

KCLSU has led the way in promoting inclusivity. Simple measures such as sharing pronouns on e-signatures and at the start of meetings help create a culture of allyship.  

Statistically, LGBTQ+ young people experience worse mental health than their peers, so we’re taking steps to cater for their needs. We partnered with Togetherall, the online counselling provider, to help support those who aren’t comfortable meeting face-to-face. We’ve also just launched Queer Identities, a therapeutic group for queer and questioning students. 

There’s always more that can be done. My hope is that by being out and open within the counselling service, I can help make it a more inclusive space for others. 

Get involved & make a difference this Pride Month
  • Join our LGBTQ+ staff network Proudly King’s or attend one of their events here.
  • Check out our Pride student news article which is full of useful links here.
  • Pride Month Step-Out challenge! Join Proudly King’s & King’s Sport in a 28, 06,69 step challenge in June and July to commemorate LGBTQ+ Pride Month and summer activities whilst keeping active. Sign up on the King’s Move app from 12th June here!
Want to Learn more about Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at King’s College London?

What Pride Means to Me: Rosanna

June 28, 2023 /

This Pride Month, we are talking to LGBTQ+ members of the King’s College London community to find out what Pride means to them. If you would like to share what Pride means to you, please email the team at diversity@kcl.ac.uk. 

Rosanna McNamara is a Student Content Manager within the Student Knowledge & Information Team. She has an MA (Distinction) from King’s in Christianity and the Arts, and is an active member of Proudly King’s, the staff LGBTQ+ network. You can check out her trans liberation embroidery on Etsy.

Rosanna spoke to us about asexuality.

A portrait of Rosanna McNamara. She is stood up wearing a black t-shirt. in the middle of the t-shirt is an illustrated mouth, neon blue lips, with trans rights written on the teeth.

Rosanna McNamara, a Student Content Manager within the Student Knowledge & Information Team.

I don’t know exactly what I am

Like many people, I did a lot of introspection during lockdown. I have a male partner, but I’ve never recognised myself in the ways that other straight people talk about relationships and desire. I did a lot of research, asked a lot of questions, and explored the possibility that I’m asexual.

Straight sexual attraction (known as allosexuality) is often conflated with ‘human nature’, especially in the media on shows like Love Island. For those of us who don’t experience the world that way, that framing feels very exclusionary.

In the current cultural climate, women can’t win: we’re shamed if we’re sexual and if we’re not.

A group of 4 people stood in a group against a sparkling wall under dim lighting. Rosanna is stood at the front of the group wearing a long blue floor length gown.

Asexuality is about attraction, not behaviour

My research has taught me that there are many different types of asexuality, which can be shorted to ‘ace’. The ace community encompasses people who don’t experience romantic attraction (aromantic) and those who don’t experience sexual attraction (asexual).

Many of us also exist in the grey area between feeling sexual and asexual, for example by identifying as demi-sexual, which is the experience of needing to know someone very well before experiencing sexual attraction to them.

These labels are fluid and people change them a lot. When I first started exploring asexuality I found labels liberating, but now I can find them restrictive: even within the ace community, there can be a tendency to force people into boxes.

I feel happiest describing myself as queer. For the past two years I’ve taken vogue dance classes at the Rainbow Nation Dance Academy, which is a queer-run company. I love it, and it feels like home.

A piece of purple fabric, covered in embroidery. There is a yellow shield, with 'being ACE is ACE' stitched into the middle, with a yellow golden star either side.

Being ACE is ACE embroidery

What does Pride mean to you?

Pride is a riot and a fight. Yes, it’s fun too, but ultimately it’s about people coming together to combat oppressive forces within our society.

I’m acutely aware of the ways I’m privileged: I’m white, cis and in a romantic relationship with a man. This year, I want to use my voice to fight for more marginalised members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I’m volunteering at London Trans+ Pride and working for better King’s representation at UK Black Pride through Proudly King’s.

Pride is about celebrating and protecting the great plurality of human experience. We should all be equal in our differences.

Learn more about asexuality:

My Etsy shop, where I also make queer art with donations to charity: RosannaMcNamara – Etsy UK

Get involved & make a difference this Pride Month
  • Join our LGBTQ+ staff network Proudly King’s or attend one of their events here.
  • Check out our Pride student news article which is full of useful links here.
  • Pride Month Step-Out challenge! Join Proudly King’s & King’s Sport in a 28, 06,69 step challenge in June and July to commemorate LGBTQ+ Pride Month and summer activities whilst keeping active. Sign up on the King’s Move app from 12th June here!

 

Want to Learn more about Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at King’s College London?

What Pride Means to Me: James

June 19, 2023 /

This Pride Month, we are talking to LGBTQ+ members of the King’s College London community to find out what Pride means to them. If you would like to share what Pride means to you, please email the team at diversity@kcl.ac.uk. 

James Falcon-Martini Hallett is a Faculty Wellbeing Advisor at King’s, and the team’s lead on LGBTQ+ student support. He’s currently studying for an MSc in Therapeutic Counselling. James is originally from the North-West of England and now lives in London with his husband, Mau.

 

James Hallett

I’ve always been a bit different

Who I am is always in flux. I tend to tell straight people I’m gay, and LGBTQ+ people that I’m queer: different words feel appropriate at different times.

I grew up in Lancashire, and I’m from a working-class, single-parent family. I came out early, when I was around 12 years old, but even before there was a sense that I was different: I’d be described as ‘soft’ or ‘sensitive’.

My close family were always supportive of me, particularly my mum, although a lot of my wider family cut off contact when I came out because of their religious beliefs.

I felt a lot of guilt and shame throughout my teenage years but finding my community really helped me to come to terms with who I am and embrace my identity.

 

Looking for a place to be me

I’ve lived in London for the past 10 years now and what drew me here is what keeps me here: I love how cosmopolitan it is!

Much like the LGBTQ+ community as a whole, we’re all these different people, with different experiences, sort of held together in the same space. There’s so much opportunity to connect and learn from other people.

I think it’s so important for LGBTQ+ folks to create a sense of community, because sadly we often grow up feeling quite alone, and it can be powerful to be together with others who share our experience.

 

What Pride means to me

To me, Pride is a celebration of possibility and potential; of all the various intersecting identities that create our community; of hoping for a future in which we’re free to just be ourselves.

Trans members of our community are particularly suffering at the hands of incredibly hateful and dangerous rhetoric at the moment, and I hope this Pride can be a protest, and an affirmation that our community won’t be divided.

In my role as a Faculty Wellbeing Advisor, I want all students to be able to access support when they’re struggling, but I’m aware there are sometimes additional barriers that can prevent LGBTQ+ students seeking help. I’ve experienced this first-hand and feel passionately about breaking these down in the work I do.

 

Get involved & make a difference this Pride Month
  • Join our LGBTQ+ staff network Proudly King’s or attend one of their events here.
  • Check out our Pride student news article which is full of useful links here.
  • Pride Month Step-Out challenge! Join Proudly King’s & King’s Sport in a 28, 06,69 step challenge in June and July to commemorate LGBTQ+ Pride Month and summer activities whilst keeping active. Sign up on the King’s Move app from 12th June here!

 

Want to Learn more about Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at King’s College London?

What Pride Means to Me: Andrew

June 14, 2023 /

This Pride Month, we are talking to LGBTQ+ members of the King’s College London community to find out what Pride means to them. If you would like to share what Pride means to you, please email the team at diversity@kcl.ac.uk. 

In our first edition of ‘What Pride Means to Me’ we speak to Andrew Hall. He is a qualified social worker who studied Psychology at the University of Birmingham. He’s a queer, cisgender man who is currently working as a Faculty Wellbeing Advisor in King’s Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine.

 

A portrait of Andrew Hall. He is wearing a tshirt with black and white stripes and has brown hair.

Andrew Hall

Being queer means having space to explore

I grew up in rural Wiltshire, which isn’t a very diverse place. It wasn’t until I was an undergraduate in Birmingham that I began to accept my sexuality wasn’t fixed or clear-cut. I was attracted to both men and women.

For a while, I identified as bisexual, but that word never felt like it expressed who I am. I experienced biphobia at university, from some straight people but also from some members of the LGBTQ+ community. At that time (2014), there seemed to be rigid expectations of how a ‘straight’ or ‘gay’ man should act, and I didn’t resonate with either stereotype.

That’s why I love the term queer. It allows me to be curious, exploring who I am rather than someone else putting my identity in a box.

 

What Pride means to me

I’m privileged in many ways: I’m white, cisgender, and my family accept and support me. Pride Month is an opportunity for me to stand united with other people across the LGBTQ+ community, including those who may not be as fortunate.

There’s a lot of fracturing over LGBTQ+ issues at the moment, within the movement and in wider society. I think that the othering of trans people comes in part from the same reductive impulse to put people into boxes that I experienced at university, and it’s critical to push back against that.

Pride helps bring different groups together. We’re strongest when we’re united, asserting our freedom to explore and be ourselves.

 

We’re all still learning

My advice to anyone who wants to support the LQBTQ+ community at King’s? Be open to improving your knowledge and learning from mistakes.

I’ve spent the last six months reading up about trans experiences because I felt, strongly, that I didn’t know enough about trans people’s struggles. If you’re interested, Shon Faye’s The Transgender Issue is a great place to start.

None of us are completely free from prejudice, and none of us get it right all the time. But we can stay curious and hold up our hands if and when we get something wrong – it all adds up.

 

Get involved & make a difference this Pride Month
  • Join our LGBTQ+ staff network Proudly King’s or attend one of their events here.
  • Check out our Pride student news article which is full of useful links here.
  • Pride Month Step-Out challenge! Join Proudly King’s & King’s Sport in a 28, 06,69 step challenge in June and July to commemorate LGBTQ+ Pride Month and summer activities whilst keeping active. Sign up on the King’s Move app from 12th June here!

 

Want to Learn more about Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at King’s College London?

Race Equality Wrap-Up – Term 2, 2022/23

June 12, 2023 /

Welcome to our second termly update on King’s race equality activity. Below you will find a snapshot of what is happening across King’s- please do reach out (by emailing diversity@kcl.ac.uk) if you have any questions or would like to get involved. We would also love to hear what you are doing in your area to tackle racism, as learning from each other and sharing best practice is key to becoming an anti-racist institution. 

You can read our wrap-up from term 1 here. 

B-MEntor 

King’s is part of the B-MEntor scheme, which is a cross-institutional mentoring programme for academic, research and professional services staff from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. This year King’s had 36 participants. 

Terminology 

Following on from the creation of a race equality allyship toolkit, we are currently developing guidance for race and ethnicity terminology. As well as being a response to demand, we also hope this will help people have sensitive conversations about race and racism.  

Success for Black Engineers 

King’s successfully applied for funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering for a cross-faculty programme called Success for Black Engineers. This programme comprises of outreach, mentoring, and other activities to increase the proportion of Black engineering students and to support Black students to achieve first class degrees. This project started in May 2022 led by Professor Kawal Rhode and the project team. Sophie Rust joined as the project’s Coordinator in February 2023, based in the EDI team but working closely with the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences (FoLSM) and the Department of Engineering (NMES). Students on the programme will be visiting Siemens Magnet Technology in April to get exposure to engineering in industry, as well as taking part in funded summer research placements at King’s. 

The Racial Code- Tales of Resistance and Survival 

King’s recently hosted a launch event for Professor Nicola Rollock’s latest book. Chaired by Professor ‘Funmi Olonisakin, a panel of staff and students discussed what the book meant to them and shared their own experiences of racism. 

Diversifying the academic pipeline 

The proportion of academics from minoritised ethnic backgrounds, particularly those who are Black, decreases with seniority, however we know there is work to do at every stage of the pipeline. In order to encourage more Black students to enter academia, we are developing an academic mentoring scheme. We are very early in the planning process, however welcome expressions of interest from academics who would be interested in mentoring a student who is considering a career in academia, explore more here. 

Recruitment 

We were pleased to support the Entrepreneurship Institute (EI) to pilot an initiative to diversify their interview panel. The EI did a call out for volunteers from minoritised ethnic backgrounds to sit on a panel and support with shortlisting. We are now reviewing this approach and looking at how we can implement it in other areas across King’s.  

Microaggression Training 

The EDI team deliver microaggressions training, which is open to all staff at King’s. This training will support you: 

  • To be able to define bias and microaggressions. 
  • To give examples of bias and microaggressions in action. 
  • To be able to describe how biases are formed and the ways in which they manifest and impact people within the workplace and classroom. 
  • To examine your own biases and to consider strategies to respond to microaggressions. 

You can book onto a session via our Skills Forge page. So far we have had 156 signups out of a total of 200 spaces so be quick!  

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Help us to diversify academia

May 25, 2023 /

Did you know that less than 1% of professors at King’s are Black? 

King’s is committed to diversifying academia and supporting its students to achieve their career ambitions; however, we know there’s more to do. We are currently developing an initiative to support those from minoritisied ethnic groups at the start of the academic pipeline and need your input. 

 What? 

We are developing a mentoring scheme that would pair students from minoritised backgrounds with an academic at King’s. The aims of the scheme are to: 

  • Instill confidence in students from minoritised ethnic groups that academia is a place for them 
  • Help mitigate against the disadvantage that those without sector connections can face 
  • Serve as positive action at the beginning of the pipeline to, ultimately, increase the number of academics from minoritised ethnic backgrounds 

Who?

Mentees would be students from a minoritised ethnic group who would like to explore a career in academia (the exact level of study is yet to be decided) and mentors would be King’s academics from any ethnic group. 

How can I get involved? 

The scheme is currently being developed and so we would love your feedback to help shape the details.  

Students 

  • Fill out our survey here by the 19th June 2023 and/or sign up to attend an online focus group: 
  • Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught students: 1st June, 12-1pm, MS Teams 
  • Postgraduate Research students: 6th June, 12-1pm, MS Teams 

Academics 

If you have any questions please email jennifer.hastings@kcl.ac.uk 

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M.E. and me

May 17, 2023 /

ME Awareness Week takes place every May. ME or myalgic encephalomelitis which is also called chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long term condition which encompasses a wide range of symptoms. You can learn more about the condition by visiting the ME Association’s website here. Hannah, a member of the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team here at King’s has take the opportunity to share her own experience of ME.

Imagine one day getting ill, something that feels a bit like the flu. You rest, you drink your fluids, you take your paracetamol. But days, then weeks go by and you never get better.

May 8th – 15th marks ME/CFS awareness week: This disease affects around a quarter of a million people in the UK and I am one of them. This Easter marked 7 years since I first developed symptoms and began a rollercoaster of losing what felt like my entire self before starting to rebuild a new person.

It is often described as an invisible illness, both in terms of symptoms and our physical presence in the outside world. We look normal because you see us on our good days – the rest of the time we can’t leave the house. We seem functional because it is a fluctuating ‘boom/bust’ illness, and busts tend to happen in private.

The ME Association summarises ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) as “a complex, chronic medical condition affecting multiple body systems”. With a wide range of symptoms and severities, no two cases are fully alike, but if you fancy knowing a bit more about my experience, keep reading!

The Day to Day: Bad Days

On bad days I cannot stay upright for very long. I have to lie down constantly; my head is so foggy I speak at a snail’s pace; I can’t remember what happened a moment ago; my face feels numb (I can only describe it as feeling like I am wearing my own face); my face and neck are nauseatingly hot whilst my hands are ice; I have headaches; I feel sick; I can’t concentrate; lights are too bright and noises are too loud – watching tv is too much.

These periods of ‘relapse’ or ‘crashes’ can be pretty tearful because I wonder what my life is now. Even though I know bad days don’t last forever, who knows how long this one will last? I feel overwhelmed by the tiniest tasks or changes in plans because I’m worried about making myself worse. On really bad days I can barely walk without dizziness and vomiting. I sleep for hours and it does not fix anything.

The Day to Day: Good Days

On good days I feel freer, less in the grips of my illness. I get quite a lot done; I get out and about; I cook exciting things for myself and people I love. On good days I feel like I am on top of things; my house is a little more organised and so is my brain. I spend time with people I love; I feel like I can manage my symptoms. I do exercise and have hobbies. I do not lose days on end to resting. I do not feel like I am walking through treacle.

On good days I may do more than one thing or get the most out of the one thing I do. I make smart decisions that mean I haven’t over done it for the next day. I am helpful and can take care of myself. I feel capable and smart and like a whole human being and the future looks bright.

Overcoming Challenges

The biggest challenge I have won with ME is probably with my own head.

At my lowest I felt like I wasn’t a whole person anymore, grieving for the life I had lost. With no cure or treatment and very little bio-medical research, I felt anxious and depressed about my body not following the rules and not understanding why. I tried to push through things for years and was constantly burnt out.

After CBT and an NHS support course, I felt a lot more informed about my symptoms but also this helped me get better at being kind to myself and allowing myself time to be ill and to recover. Not being angry at myself when all I can do is lie down and stare into space, not being so frustrated when I have to go home long before the party is over. Reminding myself that my hobbies (which I am not always well enough to participate in) are for fun and not to prove something to someone.

I don’t think society acknowledges or encourages the strength of conviction it takes to rest instead of push on – “Push through and it will be fine” or “well done for you getting your head down and just carrying on” are far more common narratives.

I’m learning to make my own way though, and although I still make mistakes, still have relapses and still get upset, I am doing okay. I have some wonderful people around me who give me so much love, and I’m learning to be someone who treats myself with kindness too.

Things I wish people knew

I wish people knew that I quite often feel terrible even when I look fine because my body’s response to feeling terrible is to pump me full of adrenaline as some sort of survival response. Saying “Oh you don’t look ill” is not the helpful encouragement or compliment that people may think it is.

I wish people knew that I’m not always smart about this… sometimes I make decisions based on my heart rather than my body. I often feel high enough on adrenaline to forget I’m ill for a bit but it just means that I forget to call it a day early enough and end up crashing even harder. I wish people knew that I often forget to self-regulate and so sometimes could do with a reminder.

I wish people knew that sitting at a cafe chatting is not the same as resting, that sitting on a sofa chatting is not the same as resting, that sitting watching tv is not the same as resting. That when your mitochondria aren’t functioning and your adrenal system is a mess, even SLEEPING isn’t the same as resting.

I wish people knew that currently there is no cure, or even medical treatment, only symptoms management strategies.

I wish people knew I would like empathy over sympathy. I wish people knew you can believe someone about their experience without fully understanding it.

I wish people knew how much their support and listening means to me. It has kept me feeling human through the worst times.

What I’ve learned

My advice to other spoonies (a term for people with chronic pain or illness – see the origins here) is to ask for help, to communicate and to be kind to yourself.

The times when I have felt the worst and the path in front of me has seemed impossible, expressing this to those closest to me made a massive difference. The amazing people around me, as it turns out, want to support me and make sure I am okay, rather than wanting me to run myself into the ground.

Communication has meant I do not feel alone, whether that means talking to my closest loved ones or ME support networks. I have learnt so much through this journey and I have those around me to thank. Asking for help has meant that when it seemed impossible to face things alone, I didn’t have to. Easing off on the pressure I put on myself to be a fully functioning human, saying it’s okay to eat toast and stare off into space sometimes. Me putting my health before my career and not feeling bad about it has made a world of difference!

It doesn’t make you weak to be part of a team. Make sure you are on Team You as well!

The sky is the limit:

I have still achieved a lot since being ill – I have consolidated my teaching skills, taken up (and paused) sports, fallen in love, bought and helped do up a flat, moved in, changed career and learnt a whole lot about chronic illness management.

At times, my next steps, goals and aspirations have felt fuzzy or unattainable. My goals for the next 10 years are pretty different now than they were 7 years ago. I still want to change the world for the better, I still want to lead and be involved in change. But I have to figure out some way to make that feasible whilst keeping myself happy and healthy. These days I know it’s okay to still aspire though, and to start putting wheels into motion.

What next for the future of ME/CFS? For a long time, ME/CFS has been little understood, and despite the large demographics it affects, historically there has been less than £1 of government funding per person per year for bio-medical research. However, in the wake of the massive surge of post-viral fatigue and symptoms after Covid 19, there is a little hope in our community that medical interest may begin to focus more on these types of illnesses. In the meantime, we hope that awareness at least will spread, and with that, understanding, empathy and adjustment.

If you are looking for any more insight into life with ME/CFS, you can learn a lot:

ME is just one of so many hidden disabilities and illnesses the affect so many people around us. Please keep listening.

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