Like so many of us, I benefitted from very few LGBT Role Models growing up. When I arrived at Oxford that all changed. As an undergraduate, a whole new world became visible, in which so many of us could thrive. When I began working for the University – my first job after graduation – what I noticed most was the continuity of community. LGBTQ colleagues and allies were impartial when it counted, while leaving all the room to celebrate our differences. The University’s Role Model & Ally programmes have built a thoughtful and convivial community of queer staff members across the University, with an identity which is colourful and multigenerational, found in every corner of every College and Department. I hope to be visible to those searching for it, as I searched when I first arrived.
If you are a new member of staff who is LGBT+ and would like to know more about Oxford and the University from an LGBT+ perspective, please do get in touch.