Celebrating Pride Month at Gloucestershire College

We want all our students, staff, and visitors to feel our campuses are a safe, inclusive space for all regardless of personal backgrounds and attributes. We celebrate Pride to bring our students together in spirit, accepting each other no matter who they are. 

Discover what we've been doing across our campuses to make college an inclusive place to study. 

 

Celebrating two years of the LGBTQ+ group 

 

The LGBTQ+ group at our Gloucester campus celebrates two years of providing a social space for students to share experiences, meet others, share interests and plan for events and college activities.  

Over this academic year, the LGBTQ+ has been involved in a variety of plans and activities. This includes writing to local MPs to campaign for LGBTQ+ rights, inviting Inclusion Gloucester to discuss neurodiversity, meeting with Lead Ofsted Inspector, planning for Transgender awareness sessions and strengthening links across campuses for transgender students to speak to staff for support and advice.  

The LGBTQ+ groups at our Cheltenham and Forest campus have plans in place to start up again, providing a space for our students, with aims to replicate the Gloucester group in September 2023. 
 

Attending pride events 

 

This academic year, GC has been celebrating our colours at Pride in Gloucester in September 2022 and Cheltenham Pride in May 2023. Students from the LGBTQ+ groups have been involved with a stall at Pride in Gloucester, where they repped GC pride merch and marched the streets in pride. 

We aim to create campuses where every student, staff member, and visitor feels a sense of safety and inclusivity, regardless of their backgrounds and characteristics. Pride is a time when we come together to embrace the spirit of acceptance, celebrating the diversity of our students and fostering an environment where everyone is valued for who they are. The group has already started planning for the next pride event in September! 

 

Important college-wide changes 

 

There have been several college-wide changes to help support LGBTQ+ students including: 

• Students can self-ID during enrolment with their chosen pronouns and chosen first name. 
• Re-branded Accessible toilets as Inclusive toilets with new signage. 
• An LGBTQIA+ staff network that continuously reviews and improves policies to reflect and protect our trans and non-binary students. 
• Further LGBTQIA+ training opportunities for staff. 
• LGBTQ+ groups for staff and students 
• Updated pride logo to include the progress flag and intersex symbol. 

 

Dedicated LGBTQ+ email 

 

Our dedicated 'pride@gloscol.ac.uk' inbox has been in place since last year and is available for students to use for support or general queries. Want to join the LGBTQ+ group in September? Send us an email! 

 

Pride month at Gloucestershire College 

 

We've been celebrating pride on our social media channels. Check it out to see what we've been up to and stay current with GC at pride events this year. 

Read our article on how using someone’s correct pronouns can support mental health and well-being.