OULGBTQ+ Freshers Guide 2022-23

President's Welcome

Welcome 2022/23 Freshers to the OULGBTQIA+ Society Handbook! This guide will help you to orient yourselves in Oxford and to locate the most LGBTQIA+ friendly locations in the city and give you an insight to the events we run as a society! Here at the LGBTQIA+ society we aim to provide a safe space for all LGBTQIA+ students in Oxford and a friendly face, in college and around the city As part of our dedication to inclusivity, we have no membership fee and most of our events are free or heavily discounted by the society

Our committee is made up of around 30 students spanning the whole spectrum of identities, who work hard to organise our events every term Each of our identity reps also works to cultivate a community for those who belong to their identity groups. This year we have developed a discord server and a new Instagram page for our RaEM events Our identity events are an incredibly important staple of our community and are a great way to make new friends! We have such a range of events that we are certain that you will find something to enjoy From our infamous Tuesday drinks (sometimes affectionately referred to as Tuesgays), to our yearly Michaelmas soirée, poetry readings and brunches, we certainly have something for everyone!

Check out our website (https://www oulgbtq org/) and sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with the society's latest information. Notably, we work with the SU LGBTQ+ campaign on projects that help the community and give students the platform to be heard by the University. If you are interested in engaging with more activism in Oxford, be sure to email the SU LGBTQ+ Campaign chairs (lgbtq chair@oxfordsu ox ac uk)

Our society is one of the finest in the UK (quite literally last year we won Best Society at the Student Pride awards!) and we have some of the most wonderful creative members and a highly dedicated committee The very first friends I made at Oxford were through the society It is an incomparable community and I can only hope that you find it just as amazing as I did

If you have any concerns or would just like a chat, I am available on my email ouprez@gmail com

Best of Luck!

Maame (she/her)

OULGBTQIA+

Society Events

Hello freshers! My name is Ciara (she/they) and I will be your OULGBTQ+ Social Secretary for your first two terms at Oxford My role essentially means that I am responsible for putting on various events for you across the year, from speakers to drinks events and much more, alongside Jack, the Jr. Social Secretary. The best way to keep up with these is by following our Facebook page, where we regularly post about our society wide events, as well as events put on by the individual identity reps for certain sections of the community!

Ciara (she/they) Social Secretary

Tuesdaydrinks(orTuesgays),ourweeklyevent,isundoubtedlyourmostpopular event Ittakesplaceeachweekatadifferentcollege,andafterwardsmanypeople headtoPlush’s‘Skittles’clubnight,thoughthere’snopressuretodoso!Weoffera varietyofalcoholicandnonalcoholicdrinksatagreatprice,includingourfamous QueerJuicecocktail,andanewnonalcoholicalternativethatweareintroducingin Michaelmas!It’salsoafantasticwaytomeetmembersoftheLGBTQ+community fromacrosstheUniversityandtoseedifferentcolleges.We’realsolookinginto havingsomethemednights,includingaHalloweentheme!

We also hope to put on various other events, such as hosting speakers on various LGBTQ+ issues, film screenings, and more As mentioned, the identity reps also put on various specific events We hope for many of these events to remain accessible by having them also available to join online!

Again, the best way to keep up with our events is to follow our Facebook page, as well as our Instagram. Further, if you have any suggestions or concerns, feel free to drop me an email! We all look forward to welcoming you to our events.

Meet the Committee

Heyy, I’m Callum (he/they), email person and impulsive dice buyer. I’ll be in your inbox every week with more of my bullshit, letting you know what’s on in the week and providing a general point of contact (oupubl@gmail com) Send me pictures of your pets and I’ll put them in an email and look out for random links to memes. I’ll be around the JF a fair amount and doing Scottish country dancing on Tuesdays :)

Callum (he/they) Publicity Officer

Hello! I’m Melissa (she/her) and I’m the women’s officer this year! I will be running regular events for anyone who fully or partially identifies as a woman throughout each term. The events will offer a welcoming, friendly place to meet new people and may include: arts and crafts, film nights, picnics etc (but do let me know if you have any suggestions) Finally, if you have any questions, concerns or want a chat please contact me at: ouwomoff@gmail.com.

Melissa (she/her) Women's Officer

Hi everyone! We are Addi (they/them) and James (he/him), your grad reps. We're here to support our flourishing and vibrant postgraduate community and look forward to welcoming you to grad events every term, including movie nights, speed meetings, and drinks events. The LGBTQ+ grad community has been particularly active and wholesome in the past few terms and it's a great place to meet new people! You can find the events on the term card via the soc mailing list and the Facebook group. There's also a private Facebook group that we will happily add you to. Feel free to contact us at ougradu01@gmail com (Addi) or ougradu02@gmail com (James).

Addi (he/they) Grad Rep

Ash (she/they)

Ace/Aro Rep

Hello friends! My name is Ash (she/they), and I’m your Asexuality/Aromanticism Rep. You can contact me at ouacearo@gmail com to join the secret WhatsApp group, where you'll find an accepting and active community of lots of ace/aro people. You can also join the secret Facebook group, which is also where I’ll keep you updated on weekly Ace Teas, which are our main event!

Ace teas are an informal space where you can meet other ace/aro/questioning people over tea and snacks. Starting this academic year, there will also be a theme for every other week: such as a pizza party day, a stuffed animal day, a favourite interest day, and more Feel free to drop me a message if you're interested, or if you have any questions!

Much ace love xxx

Hiya everybody! I’m Ims (he/him/they), your Interfaith Rep! I aim to organise events each term for anyone in the Oxford LGBTQ+ community who identifies as a person of faith! In the past, I’ve assisted in organizing social events, such as brunches, picnics, creative nights, as well as discussion and speaker events. A term card will soon be published that will let you know about all the faith events coming up this will be sent via the Soc mailing list, and it will also be posted on the Facebook and WhatsApp groups On this note, if you’d like to be added to the private Facebook or WhatsApp group, drop a message I’ll also be floating around at various Soc events, and I’m excited to meet you! Finally, if you ever want a chat about anything, feel free to write to me at oufaith02@gmail com

and

Hey! My name is August (he/they) and I am the disability and neurodiversity rep. If you want to contact me about anything you can use oudisab@gmail.com or join the private Facebook group. I am here to ensure that all events are accessible and to provide support with any issues. There will be a few events this term that I am planning so please come along!

August (he/they)

Nell (she/her) Class Rep

Especially at Oxford, I think queerness and class can intersect to create a unique experience for people. As Class Rep, I want to provide a safe and welcoming space where people can meet individuals of a similar background to share their experiences and be their whole selves I’m hoping to host very relaxed welfare events (eg. chatting over tea and biscuits) that people can drop into for a friendly conversation or just five minutes of peace in a hectic term! Can’t wait to meet you all :)

Heya, we’re your trans reps for this year, Skye (he/him) and Ruskin (any pronouns). We’re here to offer support to anyone who identifies as trans, non binary, gender non conforming, or questioning.

You can email us at outrans01@gmail com (Skye) or outrans02@gmail.com (Ruskin) if you want to chat, ask for advice, or be added to our private Oxford Trans Discord server or Facebook group, which gives you a chance to connect with other members of the community within Oxford

Skye (he/him) Trans Rep

We put on a range of events throughout each term, including free haircuts, voice classes, film nights, board game café trips, and charity shop crawls. And, if you ever need any information on being trans in Oxford, check out the OULGBTQ+ website for our recently revamped resources on transitioning in Oxford, the university, and in general

Hi everyone! We’re Dan (he/him) and Anne (she/they), your Racial and Ethnic Minority (or RaEM for short) reps! Our role in the society is mainly to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ students who belong to racial and/or ethnic minorities, though of course everyone of any racial, sexual, or gender identity can join in on the activities we’ll be hosting Throughout the next term, we’re planning to organise loads of fun events like socials, movie nights, picnic/cafe meetups, and gatherings to celebrate festivals/holidays such as Diwali or Lunar New Year We can be contacted at ouraem01@gmail.com or ourraem02@gmail.com if you’d like to be added to our RaEM FB Messenger chat or for any concerns/questions, and we’re on Instagram @oulgbtq raem!

Roberto (he/him) and Xavier (he/him)

International Reps

Ruskin (any) Trans Rep

Dan (he/him) and Anne (she/they)

RaEM Reps

The international reps arrange events for international LGBTQ+ students at Oxford. They can be emailed on ouinternat@gmail.com or ouinternat02@gmail com We typically host socials and discussion groups There is a private Facebook group, please get in contact to access the group!

Funding

Community fund

TheCommunityFundhasbeenestablishedtofundprojectsthatwill benefitthelong-termwelfareofLGBTQ+peopleinOxford. Applicationsareopenforallstudentsandformsareavailableonour website:http://www.oulgbtq.org/community fund.html

PastprojectsfundedbytheCommunityFundincludeapop up barbersspecificallyfortransgenderandnon genderconforming membersofOxford’sLGBTQ+community,andapaneleventabout theexperiencesofLGBTQ+peopleofcolour.

Skills fund

Ourbrandnewfundthatisstillindevelopmentisbeingsetupto facilitate skillsdevelopmentandemployabilityfortheLGBTQ+ community!Wehopetopartnerwithserviceproviderstogive studentsdiscountedorfreeaccesstoavarietyofcertificated activitiessuchassignlanguageclassesandfirstaidqualifications JoinourLGBTQ+CareersFacebookpageforopportunitiesandfuture updates!

Gender Expression fund

TheGenderExpressionFundaimstofinanciallyassiststudentswho experienceadisconnectbetweentheirgenderidentityand appearanceinpurchasingproductstohelpalleviatethis.The applicationformandmoreinformationabouttheprocesscanbe foundonourwebsite:http://www.oulgbtq.org/gender expression fund.html

SomecollegesoffertheirownGenderExpressionFundsinadditionto ourssomakesuretocheckwithyourcollegeLGBTQ+Repaboutthe additionalsupportyoucangetfromthem!

In the University

Colleges

MostcollegeshaveanLGBTQ+RepaspartoftheJCRCommittee.Itis theirresponsibilitytoensurethatyourcollegeisasinclusiveand supportiveaspossibleforallLGBTQ+students.Theyusuallyputon college basedevents,andoftenorganiseagrouptocometosociety events,suchasTuesdayDrinks.Theyarealsotheretopromote LGBTQ+specificwelfareservicesandcanlistensensitivelyaboutany LGBTQ+issuesyoumayhave

SU LGBTQ+ Campaign

TheLGBTQ+CampaignisthepoliticalcampaigningarmoftheOxford LGBTQ+community,focusedmoreonlobbyingandactivism.Itis supportedbytheOxfordUniversityStudentsUnion(OUSU)butis freetoformitsownpolicyandchooseswhichissuestofocuson.Itis adistinctorganisationfromtheOULGBTQ+Society,withitsown mailinglist,committeeandmeetings,butweworktogetheron sharedaims!

ForanyactivismrelatedconcernspleasecontactthechairsElliotand Clayvialgbtq-chair@oxfordsu.ox.ac.uk

Rainbow Families

Therainbowparentingschemeisabuddysystemsimilartocollege parentingwherewematchupfresherswithupperyearstudents.

Theseolderstudentscanthenintroducetheirrainbowchildrentothe LGBTQ+communityatOxfordonacollegiateanduniversity wide level Itisalongstandinginstitutionofthesocietythathelpsto integratefreshersintothecommunityandistypicallyrunbythe societysecretary.

Moreinformationandthesignupformsareavailableonourwebsite at:http://www.oulgbtq.org/rainbow parenting scheme.html

Queerweek

MostcollegeshaveanLGBTQ+RepaspartoftheJCRCommittee.Itis theirresponsibilitytoensurethatyourcollegeisasinclusiveand supportiveaspossibleforallLGBTQ+students.Theyusuallyputon college basedevents,andoftenorganiseagrouptocometosociety events,suchasTuesdayDrinks.Theyarealsotheretopromote LGBTQ+specificwelfareservicesandcanlistensensitivelyaboutany LGBTQ+issuesyoumayhave

Glitterball

Glitterball2017wasbothOxfordUniversity'sandtheUK'sfirstever LGBTQ+Ball.Aftera5 yearbreak,Glitterballreturnedonthe21st January2022andwelcomed650+gueststotheprestigiousOxford TownHallforaspectacularnightofentertainment,dancingand embracingdiversityandself love.Entertainment,food,andan abundanceofdrinkareincludedintheticketprice!Thisyear promisestobeevenbetter!

Oxford Pride

OxfordPrideisacelebrationofLGBTQ+lifeinOxfordshire.Theyhost eventsthroughouttheyeartopromoteawarenessofLGBTQ+issues andtheyaimtoprovideinformation,educationandentertainmentto thewholecommunity.ThehighlightofOxfordPrideistheannual festivalonthefirstweekendinJunewhichstartswithacolourful communitymarchthroughthecitycentre.Aftertwoyearsofonline festivities,OxfordPridearehopingtobringbacktheinpersonmarch andevents!

Around Town

TheJollyFarmersisOxford’soldestgaypub,locatedonParadise StreetbytheWestgateshoppingcentre.It’sfullofcharacterwithlots ofhiddencuriositiesandasuperrelaxedvibe.Withagorgeousbeer garden,apubdogcalledSherlock,andamonthlypubquizin collaborationwithOxfordPride,it’sagreatandinclusiveplaceto chilloutandcatch-upwithfriends!

Jolly Farmer Plush

PlushisOxford’smainandmostcentralLGBTQ+venue,located undergroundjustoffofCornmarketStreet.Overthepastyear,Plush hasbeenoperatingasaCocktailbar,butithasnowreopeneditsdoors asaclub!Duringterm,PlushrunsastudentclubnightcalledSkittles everyTuesday,andit’stheidealplacetoheadafterourTuesday Drinkssocialends.

The Bullingdon

TheBullingdonClub(morecommonlyknownastheBully)isaclub locatedonCowleyRoad,abitfurtheroutthantheothervenues,but it’sworththetrek!Onceaterm,TheBullyistransformedfor‘Haute Mess’awildandwonderfulthemeddragnightfulloflocaldrag talent