An internet search for black dolls will bring up about 20 million results in less than a second – but parents have discovered the toys to be increasingly hard to find on the shelves of High Street stores. Why is this?
Three-year-old Sofia-Lily is the only mixed-race girl in her playgroup. She often points out this difference to her mother Abbey Potter, who has been trying to reassure her child, partly through dolls that look like her. More
The long happy marriage and the very separate bedrooms of Vita Sackville-West and her husband, Harold Nicolson, will be celebrated at their Kent home as the National Trust turns its attention for the first time to the gay history locked within the walls of many of its properties.
The Nicolsons were a famously devoted couple, and had two sons, the writer and publisher Nigel and art historian Benedict, but both also had passionate relationships with partners of the same sex. More
A number of leading Anglicans have complained about the lack of ethnic minority clergy who make it to senior levels in the Church of England.
The Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the chaplain to the speaker of the House of Commons, blamed institutional racism.
On Tuesday, a new suffragan bishop of Woolwich was named – the first black man to be made a bishop in 20 years.
The Church is hiring a minority ethnic vocations officer to attract more black people into the clergy. More
It’s been hailed by critics as diverse film-making at its best, but the director of Moonlight, which has six Golden Globe nominations, says the film is not a response to the #OscarsSoWhite criticism of last year’s award season.
Miami-born filmmaker Barry Jenkins wrote and directed the film, based on a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, about a young African American boy named Chiron coming to terms with his sexuality as he grows up in a tough Florida neighbourhood.
However, while the shoot took only 25 days, Jenkins says he conceived the project “at least three-and-a-half years ago”.
He explains: “That’s fairly average because it takes a long time for a film to get made.
“So all these movies we have this year – Birth of a Nation, A United Kingdom, Loving, Fences – which are being framed as a reply to the campaign about the lack of diversity in the system, probably began about four years ago. More
Liberal attitudes towards sexual orientation have long been a source of pride for universities. But in the first guide to gay-friendly universities, published in 2010 by Stonewall, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights charity, not one of the more than 125 UK institutions listed scored 10 out of 10. Four years later, the Gay by Degree 2015 guide listed six with top marks; these institutions could demonstrate that they had LGBT societies and events, non-harassment policies that specifically mentioned sexual orientation, and consulted LGBT students in decision-making. More
Football and rugby union will join together to support a campaign helping to raise awareness of issues faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) fans and players this weekend.
The Rainbow Laces campaign aims to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic attitudes in sport.
Rainbow flags will feature at Premier League fixtures, while referees will wear rainbow-coloured laces.
Top-level rugby union game in England and Wales will also back the campaign. More
Dating app Tinder has launched a new feature that will allow users to add information about their gender.
Until now, members were offered only two options when selecting their identity – man or woman.
The app was criticised earlier in the year after a number of people from the transgender community claimed their accounts were suspended after complaints from other users.
Tinder says it’s now decided to make the app more inclusive. More
Adele has opened up about her battle with postnatal depression after the birth of her son, Angelo.
The singer told Vanity Fair magazine that she felt, at the time, like she had made “the worst decision” of her life.
The 28-year old goes on to say that she “loves her son more than anything” but admits she really struggled adjusting to motherhood. More
Most sports fans in England, Wales and Scotland say they would be comfortable with their club signing a gay player, according to a BBC Radio 5 live survey.
It found 82% of supporters would have no issue with a gay player.
However, 8% of football fans said they would stop watching their team. More
The challenges facing Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) academics and students in higher education will be explored in an event at the University of Greenwich on Thursday 27 October.
Among the themes of the one-day symposium are the potential impact of Brexit on BME graduates and professionals, their perceptions of the student experience, and a discussion of good practice for raising employability rates at local and national level.
The event will highlight experiences through personal stories and creative arts, as well as reflections on policy and common practice. A roundtable discussion will also take place, titled Making action beat intention.
Speakers from the University of Greenwich include Adelola Solanke, a prize-winning playwright and performer; Noel Anne Bradshaw, Faculty Director, Employability; and Richard Mendez, Head of Employability and Careers Service. More