A joy worth fighting for: Activism for social change
LGBT+ history month is a space to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community’s rich and diverse history, herstory, and theirstory. Here Professor Bridgette Bewick shares her thoughts on why LGBTQIA+ activism and social change remains necessary within higher education and how the University of Leeds can do more to counteract the legacy of Section 28 and create a more welcoming environment for all.
“we struggle and fight for our joy – an unreserved and unapologetic joy that springs from our ability to live as we are. It’s a joy worth fighting for and its this joy that links all of our struggles together” (Lady Phyll, Phyllis Akua Opoku-Gyimah)
In 1988 new legislation effectively meant teaching anything of LGBTQIA+ in schools across Great Britan was prohibited. What impact did this have? University staff and students avoided openly discussing sexuality or addressing LGBTQIA+ topics. It created a climate of fear and of silence. Section 28 was never used to prosecute anyone but it resulted in widespread self-censorship within the LGBTQIA+ community (hereafter abbreviated to queer).
Dedicated resistance and relentless campaigning by queer activists and their allies saw Section 28 repelled in 2003. Continued demands for social change means in England we’ve seen laws passed that allow same-sex couples to adopt children (Adoption and Children Act 2002), to form civil partnerships (Civil Partnership Act 2004), and to marry (Same-Sex Couple Act 2013). In England, we now have legal protection against discrimination, harassment, and victimisation based on sexual orientation (Equality Act 2010). We still have a long way to go to ensure that in the UK and worldwide all members of the queer community have the same human rights and protection as everyone else.
LGBT+ History Month gives us opportunity to celebrate. To discover LGBTQIA+ activists past and present who changed and are changing the world (employee log-in required). A time to pause and consider where Section 28 continues to cast a long shadow. To reflect on why some students and staff report being scared to present as ‘authentically queer’ for fear of being excluded, ridiculed or discriminated against. To ask why there remains a paucity of queer representation across the majority of university curricula. To acknowledge higher education structures and systems that privilege cis-gender, heteronormative, white ways of knowing and being. In short, LGBTQIA+ History Month is an opportunity for the University of Leeds to reflect on the ongoing injustices felt across the queer community and commit to transformative action.
So what can we do? We might begin by acknowledging the hurt and suffering of the queer community and acting to alleviate it. We can commit to being curious about the stories of our diverse queer community, especially of those who live on the intersections of minoritisation. To work to create collaborative and safe spaces for authentic and honest conversations that enable trust building and are the catalyst for change. Creating a fairer future is everyone’s responsibility. Together we can build a more equitable and just experience for staff, students, and the communities we serve.
About the author: Professor Bridgette Bewick (she/her) is a British and Aotearoa New Zealand citizen. From a working-class background, she was the first in her family to achieve the New Zealand equivalent of GCSE and study at university. She’s an LGTBQIA+ role model at the University of Leeds and is passionate about increasing bivisiblity in higher education. Bridgette holds a portfolio of scholarship and research dedicated to advancing our understanding of developing and implementing compassionate pedagogies, facilitating belonging, supporting wellbeing and reducing mental distress and injustice within higher education.