Supporting our LGBTQ+ students

At ARU we're committed to being, and growing, a safe and inclusive LGBTQ+ community. We recognise that we need to learn, unlearn, challenge, and support the growth of communities around us.

What we're doing

• Creating pronoun awareness through encouraging the use of pronouns across the ARU community and displaying these as physical and digital badges.
• Ensuring your name is correctly used from the first time you interact with us and throughout your whole student journey.
• Recognising your needs with a Gender Expression Fund established by ARU Students' Union to ease the financial burden of gender identity transition.
• Publishing a Trans Equality Policy which outlines out our commitment to supporting trans and non-binary staff and students in our community.
• Educating our ARU community through our Unlearning Lightbulb events and initiatives like our LGBTQ+  alphabet campaign to raise awareness of gender and sexual identity.
• Making a difference through research, including our LGBTQ+ Research Group and REF projects.
• Supporting our LGBTQ+ communities by celebrating the community on campus, and as lead sponsors at Cambridge and Essex Pride. We’re #ARUProud: come and meet our staff and students there!
• Working closely with our Students' Union through which you can join existing student societies and meet other LGBTQ+ students and allies, or start a new society and grow your own community based on your identity or area of interest.
• Ensuring LGBTQ+ voices are heard through our student reps who speak and act for your interests on the Students' Union Executive Committee.
• Treating everyone in our community with dignity and respect with clear advice and guidance on harassment support. You can report an incident and have the option of doing this anonymously.
• Celebrating #OurPeople by sharing their stories (you can read some below).