LGBT+ History month - supporting each other, celebrating diversity and respecting self

The theme of the last week in our Sixth Form has been LGBT+ History month.

This theme supports our Mary Ward characteristics of Supporting each other, Celebrating diversity and Respecting self. The LGBT History month started in the United States of America in 1994 and made its way to the UK 11. It is the result of an initiative by educators and activists, Sue Sanders and Paul Patrick. The month was part of a programme that aims to educate your people about the issues the LGBT+ community face, and to help make schools feel inclusive for everyone. The event is celebrated in February each year as this is when a UK law, section 28, was abolished. If you want to find out more about section 28, see here.

Sue Sanders was rewarded for her work with the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award which recognises outstanding individual volunteers who are making positive changes in their communities. One of the many impressive things about the team who bring us the resources and awareness we see with LGBT+ History month, is that it is a grassroots project staffed by volunteers who work on the project in their spare time. In our assembly last week we heard about Maureen Colqhoun, a British economist and Labour politician who died at the age of 92 this month. She was the first openly lesbian UK MP and fought for a number of of women’s rights issue. She is a very interesting character and you can discover more about her in this obituary in The Guardian. In our assembly, Rosie & Sofia left us with an excellent prayer which I share with you now.

God has made all of us alike, yet different in so many ways.

People in our place of work, and in our school, come from different backgrounds.

Many of us have different customs and speak different languages.

Each and every one of us has a different way of reacting to any given situation.

Let us show respect for all those who have entered our lives.

Ruth Taylor

Head of Sixth Form