Category Archives: Transgender

EDI Strategy Launch 27th January 2016

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The University EDI Strategy Launch takes place on 27th January 2016, 12 noon to 5.30pm in Queen Anne Room 180 followed by drinks reception and international buffet. This will be an event marking the launch of the first University of Greenwich the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy

Your opportunity to ‘Showcase’ and reflect upon best practice of student and staff initiatives and activities across the characteristics of age, gender, race, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, religion and belief (non-belief) and as carers of relative or friends.

The message will be to understand how current university practices and processes is linked to equality, diversity and inclusion work and that together we can achieve best practice and deliver better services to all students and staff at the university.

There will be internal and external key speakers (TBC) on the day with stalls and stands in the shared area.

The opening address will be delivered by Professor David Maguire. The event will be chaired by Chief Operating Officer, Anne Poulson. More information will be available nearer the date.

Register you attendance here.

 

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is showcasing a series of events in the coming year in collaboration with SUUG. All students and staff are welcome.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is showcasing a series of events in the coming year in collaboration with SUUG. All students and staff are welcome.

Showcase 1

Let’s debate! To kick-start the event of the year, in collaboration with Student Union, we would like you to join us on:

Thursday 17th December 5.00 – 6.30 pm
King William 315. Greenwich Campus

Share your experiences positive or negative on the topic of ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’ as part of our ‘Open Debate’ with a panel of student and staff members. Unable to come along? Send us your comments. Refreshments will be available.

Register your attendance: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/showcase-1-lets-debate-tickets-19780398705

Showcase 2

EDI Strategy Launch 27th January 2016, 12 noon to 5.30pm in Queen Anne Room 180 followed by drinks reception and international buffet. This will be an event marking the launch of the first University of Greenwich the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy

Your opportunity to ‘Showcase’ and reflect upon best practice of student and staff initiatives and activities across the characteristics of age, gender, race, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, religion and belief (non-belief) and as carers of relative or friends.

The message will be to understand how current university practices and processes is linked to equality, diversity and inclusion work and that together we can achieve best practice and deliver better services to all students and staff at the university.

There will be internal and external key speakers (TBC) on the day with stalls and stands in the shared area.

The opening address will be delivered by Professor David Maguire. The event will be chaired by Chief Operating Officer, Anne Poulson. More information will be available nearer the date.

Register you attendance https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-edi-strategy-launch-tickets-19778193108

What we would like from you:

• Examples of best practice in your service/area linked to the characteristics of EDI. It is an opportunity for you to ‘Showcase’ on the 27th January either through you being a key speaker or by having a stall/table or both. Contact c.clark@gre.ac.uk

• We are looking to re-brand the University EDI Logo and ask for submissions by students and staff by 11th January 2016. The new EDI logo will be used on all future University of Greenwich EDI marketing and promotional material.
1st Prize £75 2nd Prize £50 3rd Prize £25

EDI Logo Brief:

A visual logo only. Your own original design. Strong visual colours (consider those who may have visual impairment or colour blindness) A very brief strapline. All submissions to c.clark@gre.ac.uk by 11th January 2016.
Are you interested in becoming part of the judging panel? (To meet on the week of 11th January 2016) Contact c.clark@gre.ac.uk .

Showcase 3.

Diversity Fair Week March 2016 To be announced

Showcase 4.

To finish of the academic year, One Day Equality Fair 20th May 2016 Queen Anne Court. Further information will be announced next year.
Email with your interest to either attend, speaker/hold a stall or being part of the debate on 17th December.

Kind regards

Claire W. Clark
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – November 2015

April Ashley

Transgender Awareness Week, starts on 14 November leading up to Transgender Day of Remembrance on 20 November, when transgender advocates raise awareness of the transgender community through education and advocacy activities. With this in mind we have chosen April Ashley as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

April is a model and restaurant hostess and one of the first British people to undergo gender reassignment surgery.

April was born George Jamieson and joined the Merchant Navy in 1951. Following two suicide attempts which resulted in being discharged from the Merchant Navy and being sent to a mental institution, April moved to London from Liverpool. Having started cross-dressing, she moved to Paris in the late 1950s, began using the name Toni April and joined the famous French entertainer Coccinelle in the cast of the drag cabaret at the Carousel Theatre.

In May 1960 April had pioneering seven-hour-long sex reassignment surgery. Following which all her hair fell out and she endured significant pain, but the operation was successful.

After her surgery April became a sought-after model who was photographed by David Bailey and featured in the pages of Vogue magazine. But the joy at her successful transition was not to last. Later in 1961 she was betrayed by a friend who sold her story to the Sunday People for £5. She never worked as model again in Britain and she would continue to suffer prejudice and discrimination in the decades that followed.

In 2005, after the passage of the Gender Recognition Act 2004, April was finally legally recognised as a female and issued with a new birth certificate.

In December 2012 April was recognised for her tireless work on behalf of the transgender community, being awarded an MBE for her services to transgender equality. She was also awarded a Lifetime Achievement honour at the European Diversity Awards 2014

A major exhibition ‘April Ashley: portrait of a lady’ was held at the Museum of Liverpool from 27 September 2013 to 1 March 2015. There is also a film being produced about April’s life.

To find out more about April and her work see her website at http://www.april-ashley.com/

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – September 2015

Rebecca Root

For our Inspirational Diversity Champion for September we have chosen Rebecca Root. Rebecca is a British actress and stand-up comedian. She is one of the very few openly transgender actors in mainstream television and she is to be the star of the new BBC2 sitcom Boy Meets Girl.

Rebecca graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with a Master of Arts in Vocal Studies. As well as an actor she is also a voice coach, advertising voice therapy specifically for transgender people to help them “find a voice they feel fits their gender”. She started that career after she transitioned and acting work became harder to find.

Rebecca’s new comedy series Boy Meets Girl starts on
3 September on BBC2 and is the first BBC comedy to feature transgender issues prominently, and the first sitcom to star a transgender actor.

To find out more about Rebecca see her website.

 

£2m Anti-Bullying Fund: Government Recognises University Work

A £2million government fund to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools sees national recognition for a five-year research project by a University of Greenwich academic.

Professor Elizabeth West is the Academic Lead for the landmark survey into the views and experiences of thousands of young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) people, which was aimed at improving their life chances and tackling discrimination.

The confidential online survey, the largest of its kind to be carried out in the UK to date, is part of a project backed by the Big Lottery Fund to identify issues facing LGBTQ young people. The project is led by London-based charity METRO, in partnership with the University of Greenwich and Ergo Consulting. More

Boxing Legend Frank Maloney Reveals New Life as a Woman

Kellie Maloney frank

Frank Maloney, the former boxing promoter who guided Lennox Lewis to the world heavyweight title, has revealed that he is undergoing gender reassignment and now lives as a woman called Kellie.

Maloney, 61, drew broad support from the boxing world after disclosing that she had undergone hormone therapy, hair removal electrolysis, voice coaching and specialist counselling for the past two years.

She told the Sunday Mirror: “I was born in the wrong body and I have always known I was a woman. I can’t keep living in the shadows, that is why I am doing what I am today. Living with the burden any longer would have killed me.  More\…