A message from the LGBTQ+ society
Written by students Zara Lee and Alex Gosmore
To have pride, means be proud of who you are, and to be proud of your community. It's defending your rights and demanding equality. It's to be unapologetically you. Pride month is usually a time for celebration in the LGBTQ+ community. It's a time of great significance where we have the privilege to remember those who paved the way for us, as well as celebrating in the best way we know how, with pride! But this year our celebration will be a bit different.
This year at NSCD during pride month, we have decided to focus our energy and attention in bringing awareness to, and helping members of the QTIPOC community (queer/trans/intersex people of colour). We recognise the debt members of the wider LGBTQ+ community owe to Black Trans activist Marsha P Johnson, and others who initiated the Stonewall riots of 1969 which gave rise to the Gay Liberation Movement. Thus enabling us to have the Pride month we have today.
Image: Marsha P. Johnson
For this reason, we felt it was appropriate to compile a list of local/international organisations that support Black members of the LGBTQ+ community through hardships they are currently facing or may face in the future. We want to help keep momentum for the #BlackLivesMatter movement and encourage donations to the cause.
Let your voice be heard!
Supporting Black Lives Matter UK: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ukblm-fund
Black Minds Matter, Mental health therapy UK: https://www.blackmindsmatteruk.com/
Supporting Black Trans Femme in the arts: https://linktr.ee/btfacollective
LGBTQ Overincarceration: https://www.lgbtqfund.org/donate- HYPERLINK
Black LGBTQIA Therapy fund (UK based): https://www.gofundme.com/f/black-lgbtqia-therapy-fund?
Black and Queer student fund (UK): https://www.gofundme.com/f/black-amp-queer-student-fund
Supporting transgender people, Leeds and London UK: https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/contact-us/
LGBTQ Group based in Leeds city centre: https://www.proudndiverse.co.uk
Stonewall Organisation: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/category/bme
The LGBTQ+ society at Northern School of Contemporary Dance is a student-run initiative set up to provide support for and raise awareness of the queer community in and around the school. We aim to use this as a platform to connect to our wider community and contribute to positive change in our industry.
Find out more: https://dancingaslgbtq.wordpress.com
