Category: LGBT Group

On Friday 22nd February UNISON and OUTreach celebrated LGBT+ History Month at Southend Borough Council. This year’s theme is about Peace, Reconciliation and Activism to raise awareness of the lives and achievements of the LGBT+ community.

2019 commemorates 50 years of activism since the Stonewall riots – a pivotal moment in LGBT+ rights and history. This gives us the opportunity to remember those who fought for our rights, and those who continue the fight around the world. It is crucial that the struggles and fights of others, to give us the lives we have today, are recognised. It is also so important that we understand the fights that are still continuing to happen, and still need to happen, to give people liberation and peace.

If you missed our stall last Friday check out the brilliant education and resource packs available at The Proud Trust website as well as our previous post featuring an LGBT+ history interactive timeline and downloadable wallchart: https://wp.me/p5UE6l-1kK

February is LGBT+ History Month – a chance to celebrate LGBT+ lives and culture in order to challenge prejudice and build equality.

On Friday 22^nd February Southend UNISON LGBT+ Group and OUTreach (Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s forum for LGBT+ staff and allies) will be holding a stall to celebrate the lives and achievements of the diverse LGBT+ community.

 WHERE: Southend Borough Council, Foyer, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6ER
 WHEN: Friday 22^nd February, 12:00 – 2:00pm

Everyone welcome, we look forward to seeing you there!

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In the meantime, explore UNISON’s and the labour movement’s LGBT+ history through the interactive timeline and downloadable wallchart below.

Interactive Timeline of UNISON’s LGBT+ History

UNISON’s own LGBT+ history shows how far we have come, remind us of what we have achieved and highlights our commitment to the campaigns ahead.

The film Pride brought a slice of lesbian and gay political history to a new audience but what UNISON members may not know is the extent to which our former partner unions were involved in the struggle for gay rights, along with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

The interactive timeline below shows a few of our historical moments. It is not a comprehensive history and of course many more people than are mentioned here have contributed to LGBT+ rights, and continue to do so.

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Voices and Visibility: Uncovering Hidden Histories Wallchart

The wallchart, click here to download, has been produced by the Forum for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Equality in Further and Higher Education and a group of trade unions in association with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT+) History Month.

The aim has been to produce a resource to support those raising awareness of sexual orientation and gender identity, equality and diversity.

Centred on the United Kingdom, it highlights important legal milestones and identifies visible and significant contributions made by individuals, groups and particularly the labour movement.

The group is currently developing a digital version of the chart. This will provide more detailed information about the campaigns, organisations and personalities identified in the wallchart. Guidance for educators using the resources is also planned. For more information visit: https://lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/wallchart/

Big thanks to everyone who supported the amazing WINTER PRIDE events on Saturday 2nd February!

We look forward to seeing you all again at SOUTHEND PRIDE 2019!

SAVE THE DATES: 13th July 2019 – 20th July 2019

WE’RE BACK, BIGGER, BETTER AND QUEERER THAN EVER!

For more information and to stay up-to-date with announcements please visit the SOUTHEND PRIDE website.

Come along to the FREE WINTER PRIDE events on Saturday 2^nd February including UNISON and community stalls, entertainment, music and after-party!

EVERYONE WELCOME, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!

For more info. check out the Southend Pride Facebook event pages below.

 No Place for Hate: Winter Pride 
 WHERE: St Marks Church Hall, Princes Street, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1QA
 WHEN: Saturday 2^nd February, 12:00 – 17:00
 EVENT PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/303301353631406

 Winter Pride: AfterParty 
 WHERE: Cliff Pub, 48 Hamlet Road, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1HH
 WHEN: Saturday 2^nd February, 17:00 – 03:00
 EVENT PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/557401798115471/

Dear Member,

UNISON holds national conferences each year for our members who identify with a particular self-organised group (SOG). This is one way of organising around equality that helps bring together certain underrepresented groups. These groups are Black members; Disabled members; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender members; and Women members who experience particular types of prejudice and discrimination, issues and concerns. Each SOG has their own annual conference – please see conference dates and venues below.

Southend UNISON is looking to send members as delegates (or visitors) to these conferences and will cover accommodation, travel and subsistence costs.

UNISON recognises that society is not a level playing field and one of UNISON’s main aims is to help workers fight for fairness and equality in the workplace and beyond. Challenging discrimination and winning equality is at the heart of UNISON – these conferences enable branches to submit motions in advance and bring together members from across the country to collectively organise and debate important issues that affect them.

With continued unprecedented funding attacks on the public sector affecting underrepresented groups more than others, as well as a rise in anti-immigration, Islamophobia and racism – organising around equality and challenging discrimination has never been more important.

It is up to us all to fight against these attacks, however these self-organised conferences are an opportunity for delegates to discuss the issues directly facing them by debating motions and their action points that support the right to equality for all. Each conference will decide on motions to be sent to the National Delegate Conference.

Southend UNISON supports delegates to attend to act as a voice for this branch where appropriate, but also to keep this branch informed of the debates and issues raised so that we can collectively look at what we can do more of to improve equality within our workplaces.

If you identify with any of the self-organised groups above and are passionate about furthering the equalities agenda across this UNISON branch workplaces, and would like to be more engaged with the branch around equalities issues or indeed more generally please contact us and let us know which conference you might be interested in attending.

We look forward to hearing from you.

All the best,

Claire Wormald
Branch Secretary

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Conference Dates and Venues

Disabled Members’ Conference 2018
Dates: 27 – 29 October 2018
Venues: The Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 2GR
Conference Preliminary Agenda Report

LGBT+ Conference 2018
Dates: 16 – 18 November 2018
Venues: Harrogate International Centre, King’s Road, Harrogate HG1 5LA
Conference Preliminary Agenda Report

Black Members’ Conference 2019
Dates: 18 – 20 January 2019
Venues: Venue Cymru, The Promenade, Llandudno, Conwy LL30 1BB
Conference Preliminary Agenda Report – Available Soon

Women’s Conference 2019
Dates: 14 – 16 February 2019
Venues: Bournemouth International Centre, Exeter Road, Bournemouth BH2 5BH
Conference Preliminary Agenda Report – Available Soon

Come along and party to support your Southend Pride!

High Tide returns to Twenty One on Friday 29 June with more disco hits, Euro trash, art rock and dance pop.

£5 entry. All proceed supporting Southend Pride.

Venue: Twenty One, Unit 21, Pier Approach, Western Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea SS1 2EH
Time: 8:30pm–1:00am

For more info. please visit the Facebook event page!

Also, don’t forget this Friday’s Mecca Bingo Pride Fundraiser.