Oxford University LGBTQ+ Society
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Oxford University LGBTQ+ Society is a student society at the University of Oxford. It provides welfare support and holds events for LGBTQ+ students and alumni of the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes, and other community members in the city. The organisation is best known for holding Tuesgays, a weekly drinks event.[3]
The organisation claims to be the largest student society at the University of Oxford, and the largest LGBTQ+ Society in the UK.[4][5]
The organisation was founded as GaySoc 1975, when an advert was placed in a student newspaper asking "anyone interested in helping establish a gay soc in Oxford please drop a line". Activities initially centred on Pembroke college, with events such as discussions, speakers, parties and theatre trips. The organisation rebranded to LGBSoc in 1995, LGBTsoc in 2007 to become explicitly trans-inclusive, LGBTQSoc in 2011 before its final, and current iteration LGBTQ+ Society, or OULGBTQ+, in 2017.[1][6]
Notable Events
Oxford Trans Pride
The Society released a statement[7] in April 2023, condemning private members club The Oxford Union inviting allegedly transphobic speaker Kathleen Stock and asking for invite to be rescinded.[8][9] The statement was reposted by Stock on Twitter,[10] leading committee members and the society president to receive attacks and even death threats online and in the mail.[11] The debate escalated, with more student societies announcing condemnations of the Oxford Union for the invite. Several groups of academics signed open letters, 44 Academics signing a letter in support of Stock, claiming her views were protected under 'free speech',[12] which was responded to by a larger group of 100 academics raising concerns over the welfare of trans students in the city.[13]
The society organised a protest along with other political organisations in the city (such as Oxford Pride), called Oxford Trans Pride, during the speakers attendance to the Union.[14][15] Attendance was reportedly 500+ people and chants could be heard from within the chamber. During Stock's talk, an activist wearing a t-shirt with text 'No More Dead Trans Kids' glued themself to the floor of the chamber, disrupting the event, and was escorted out with cheers from the protesters.[16][17]
The society has stated that Oxford Trans Pride will be an annual event.
Safe Churches Report
In 2023, the society again made headlines after releasing a report with the LGBTQ+ SU Campaign, founding 'Oxford Student Faith Action', which graded local churches and the Christian Union on their levels of LGBTQ+ Inclusion.[18][19][20]
References
- 1 2 Ross (15 January 2020). "Gaysoc". Queer Oxford. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ "OULGBTQ+". Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ↑ Rushton, Ciara (5 October 2022). "A guide to LGBTQ+ life in Oxford". Cherwell. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ "Our Work". OXFORD UNIVERSITY LGBTQ+ SOCIETY. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ "Society Spotlight: Oxford LGBTQ+ Society | University of Oxford". www.ox.ac.uk. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ @oulgbtq; (2 April 2023). "The Oxford University LGBTQ+ Society - celebrating and relaunching after 50 years of creating an LGBTQ+ family in Oxford". Retrieved 15 December 2023 – via Instagram.
- ↑ @oulgbtq; (23 April 2023). "Our statement on Kathleen Stock's speaking event at the union". Retrieved 15 December 2023 – via Instagram.
- ↑ Chudy, Emily (25 April 2023). "Oxford uni students 'appalled' over union platforming 'transphobic' Kathleen Stock". PinkNews. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ "LGBTQ+ group calls for feminist to be no-platformed for 'transphobic' views". Oxford Mail. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ "Twitter". 2023.
- ↑ Perry, Sophie (22 May 2023). "Oxford uni's LGBTQ+ president receives death threat amid Kathleen Stock row". PinkNews. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ "Kathleen Stock: Oxford academics sign free speech letter in gender row". BBC News. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ "Oxford split over Kathleen Stock's invite to Union debate". BBC News. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ @oulgbtq; (7 May 2023). "Oxford Trans+ Pride is urging everyone in Oxford to join the panels at Lincoln College, rally in Bonn Square, and march to and demonstration at St Michael's Street..." Retrieved 15 December 2023 – via Instagram.
- ↑ "BREAKING: Oxford Trans Pride coalition to protest Kathleen Stock". The Oxford Student. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ Weaver, Matthew (30 May 2023). "Trans activists disrupt Kathleen Stock speech at Oxford Union". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ "Trans rights protesters interrupt talk at Oxford Union by 'gender-critical' academic Kathleen Stock". Sky News. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ "Oxford Safe Churches". OXFORD UNIVERSITY LGBTQ+ SOCIETY. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ "Oxford University students advised which churches are 'safe' for LGBTQ+ peers". www.churchtimes.co.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ↑ "Oxford Student Faith Action publishes safe churches report". The Oxford Student. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.