Welcome Welcome to the Oxford University LGBTQ society’s fresher’s guide - your guide to LGBTQ life in Oxford. As a society, we’re here to help facilitate a vibrant and diverse community where all LGBTQ students can feel welcomed and relaxed. There is no membership fee and anyone can get involved. Throughout the year our committee hosts a broad range of events that will help you develop strong friendships and have a great time. University offers you unprecedented chances to try new things, and to meet other LGBTQ people. Whether you come to our drinks events, one of our brunches, a crewdate, or to a film showing we hope you’ll take advantage of these opportunities and find something that appeals to you. In addition to being a social hub, the society promotes a number of welfare services and works hard to ensure that you have access to the support and information you need. We’re also here to represent you, and we work closely with the student union’s LGBTQ Campaign to help give your views and opinions a platform. We hope you will get involved with the society’s activities and events. To keep up to date with the society and find out more information about what we do visit our website, like our facebook page and sign up to our mailling list. Don’t hesitate to contact us about anything - we’d love to hear from you. Joel Hide President 2015-16
Society events As a society we put on a huge range of events every term. Most of these are listed on the termcard in this guide, but the best way to keep up to date with what’s going on is to check our facebook page and read the weekly society newsletter by signing up to our mailing list. Our popular weekly drinks events are held at a different venue every Tuesday, an are a great way to make friends and keep in touch with our thriving LGBTQ community. Other regular events include brunches, film screenings, hosting speakers, crewdates, and careers and networking events. We also have women’s, bi/pan, ace and trans events, as well as events aimed at graduate students. These are usually arranged by the appropriate committee member and can all be found in our termcard.
OUSU LGBTQ campaign The LGBTQ Campaign is the political campaigning arm of Oxford’s queer community. It is supported by Oxford University Students Union (OUSU) both financially and through the LGBTQ Officer but is free to form its own policy and choose which issues to focus on. It is a distinctive organisation from the LGBTQ society, with its own mailling list, committee and meetings, but the two groups work together on shared aims. In the past year, the campaign has been working on improving the experience of trans students at Oxford by investigating the current policy on name and gender marker changes, achieving gender neutral subfusc rules, and making common room events more inclusive. For more information, look on their facebook page or email lgbtq-chair@ousu. ox.ac.uk
Committee 2015-16
Joel Hide President
Sarah Clarence-Smith Treasurer
Edmund Little Secretary
Keble, History and Politics, he/him president@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Corpus Christi, PPE, she/her treasurer@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Corpus Christi, Chemistry, he/him secretary@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Sandy Downs Bi/Pan Rep
Elliot Parrott Trans Rep
David Hung Trans Rep
Corpus Christi, PPE, she/her bi.pan@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Oriel, French and German, he/him trans@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Somerville, Physics, they/them trans@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Gareth McCrudden Grad Rep
Tom Lonsdale Grad Rep
Bernard Bukala International Rep
Jesus, DPhil Chemistry, he/him Wolfson, DPhil Chemistry, he/him Worcester, Medicine, he/him grad@oulgbtsoc.org.uk grad@oulgbtsoc.org.uk international@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Re’em Moskovitz Social Secretary
Molly Moore Women’s Welfare Officer
Connor Jackman Men’s Welfare Officer
Frey Kwa Hawking BME Rep
Thea Bradbury Ace Rep
Ronak Patel Disabilities Rep
Somerville, German, he/him Christ Church, Biochemistry, he/him Christ Church, Theology, she/her events@oulgbtsoc.org.uk womens.welfare@oulgbtsoc.org.uk mens.welfare@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Worcester, Classics and English bme@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
St. Hugh’s, German, they/them ace@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Univ, PPE. he/him dis@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
David Parton Publicity Officer
Ben Carter IT Officer
Rosalie Wells Drinks Rep
St. Hilda’s, Law, he/him publicity@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Lincoln, PPE, they/them it@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Worcester, English, she/her drinks@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with any member of committee!
Termcard MT15 1st Week
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Freshers’ Brunch 11:00-13:00, Merton
Trans Welfare Every Monday 19:00-21:00, Wadham
Drinks 20:30-23:00, Plush
Anything Sunday goes for a walk
Club Night - Every Tuesday 23:00-3:00, Plush
Anything Sunday makes sushi
Drinks 20:30-23:00, Worcester
Anything Sunday plays Dungeon World
Drinks 20:30-23:00, TBC
Film Screening - Paris is Burning, TBC
Grad Opera - I Puritani 19:00, New Theatre
4th Week
Anything Sunday does Parkour
Drinks 20:30-23:00, TBC
5th Week
Mid-term Brunch 11:00-13:00, TBC
Drinks 20:30-23:00, Christ Church
2nd Week Asexual Awreness Week
3rd Week
Anything Sunday knit and natter
6th Week
Anything Sunday plays card games
Drinks 20:30-23:00, Wadham
Anything Sunday makes Oxmas crafts
Drinks 20:30-23:00, TBC
Queer Week @ Wadham (look out for events)
7th Week
Film Screening - Rent TBC
8th Week
Anything Sunday builds a blanket fort
Bi/Pan Pizza 19:00-21:00, Corpus Christi
Drinks 20:30-23:00, Plush World Aids Day
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Asexual Tea Every Wednesday TBC
Women’s Drinks TBC
Bi/Pan Drinks 20:00-22:00, Corpus Christi
Grad Drinks TBC, House
Bi/Pan Tea 17:00-18:30, Corpus Christi
Asexual Awareness Q&A TBC
Women’s Drinks TBC
Queer Crewdate TBC, Arzoo
Saturday
Bi/Pan Tea 17:00-18:30, Corpus Christi
Women’s Drinks TBC
Bi/Pan Tea, 17:00-18:00, Corpus Christi
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Women’s Drinks TBC
Queer Crewdate TBC, Arzoo
QUEERFEST 20:00-00:00, Wadham
Grad Beer & Pizza TBC, Linacre
For the most up to date event information, check our facebook page, website, or weekly email.
Your college Most colleges have an LGBTQ Rep on the JCR committee; it’s their role to make sure college is a supportive environment for all LGBTQ students within the college. Reps usually put on events to complement those put on by the society, and are usually happy to get together a group to come to society events. They should also promote welfare services and are able to listen sensitively if you want to talk about something. If you’re not sure who your college LGBTQ rep is, get in touch and we can let you know: enquiries@oulgbtsoc.org.uk
pubs & clubs Oxford’s main LGBTQ venue is Plush, a club infamous for its pole and podium. The society runs a club night, Skittles, here every Tuesday, making it an ideal place to head after our drinks social ends. Plush is also open on Friday and Saturday nights, the former of which is especially popular with students thanks to its mega cheap drinks deals. Oxford also has two LGBTQ pubs - the Jolly Farmers, and the Castle Tavern. For the most part, Oxford is a safe place to be LGBTQ, but issues do arise. If you experience discrimination of any form in Oxford, please let the society know so we can act upon it.
around oxford In addition to those run by the society itself, a number of other LGBTQ events take place in Oxford. In sixth week, Wadham opens its doors for Queer Week, hosting a wide range of LGBTQ events and culminating on the Saturday with QueerFest - a huge queer party in a marquee in the college gardens, with themed fancy dress. College reps also frequently host speakers or panel discussions throughout the year. Outside the university, Oxford Pride is held every June in the Castle Quarter, providing live music and an excuse for drinking in the daytime.
Welfare The society has two welfare reps who are always contactable if you want to chat. They also run regular brunches and pizza sessions where they’re around to say hi. In addition, the society runs a service called Rainbow Peers. This offers the chance for a confidential informal chat about any concerns that you’re having. If you want to get something off your chest, know that someone is here to listen and talk through what’s on your mind, however big or small. Each peer has completed over 30 hours of Counselling Service training and attends regular follow up meetings with the Service. They are contactable through individual phone, text, email, and facebook message, but you can also email rainbowpeersox@gmail.com for information or discussion. Individual contact details can be found on the society’s website as well as that of the Counselling Service.
Journalism & Discussion Oxford has a dedicated queer and trans zine, No Heterox*, which publishes termly editions containing student poetry, prose, essays, articles and art on LGBTQ issues once a term. Find the group on facebook to stay updated, and check out previous issues at noheterox.tumblr.com Oxford’s Queer Studies Circle meets fortnightly during term time to discuss gender, sex, queer theory and queer culture. No academic knowledge is required - it’s relaxed and friendly, with snacks provided. Join their facebook group to stay updated.