Every year, LGBT+ staff and students at Leeds Trinity University joins the larger Leeds community at Leeds Pride, an event that celebrates who we are, what we’ve accomplished, and promotes acceptance, inclusivity and diversity within the city.  

This year is particularly important for me as, after two decades of campaigning, the number of lesbian, gay, bi, transgender and asexual people in England and Wales were counted in the results of Census 2021 for the first time. This data will hopefully help LGBT+ people in numerous areas of their lives, including gaining greater visibility and acceptance. 

So, what did the Census reveal?  I’m not going to go through everything, but here are a few key details:  

• There are nearly as many bi and pan people as there are lesbian and gay people.  
• 0.5% of respondents have a gender identity that is different to the one they were assigned at birth.  
• There are 28,000 people in England and Wales who identify as asexual.  
• LGBTQ+ people live and participate in every part of the country, rural and urban.  
• Finally, Brighton and Hove is the most LGBTQ+ place in the UK. I was hoping that would be Leeds, although 0.11% identify as non-binary, which is twice the national average! 

Who am I? 

I’m a non-binary demi-sexual person, and my gender identity aligns somewhere within the middle of a gender spectrum, where I consider myself to be an androgyne, or in my case gender neutral/agender. I have been at Leeds Trinity for three years and I really feel like I have found a place to work that is truly welcoming and inclusive; it prides itself on embracing diversity at the heart of its core values. From my lived experience and the ways in which the University supports the wider LGBT+ staff and student community, I have encountered acceptance, hope and validation. This is particularly encouraging in a world that doesn’t always work in this way.  

As a former graduate of the city, Leeds was the first place where I felt comfortable enough to begin to get to know the real me, even if it took some time to figure it all out. In my time at Leeds Trinity, I have often been encouraged by how students and staff respect my pronouns and my identity, both in terms of the University’s gender identity policies and on a much more personal level.  

What does Pride mean to me? 

For me, I believe LGBT+ Pride starts with acceptance; that generally is and should be a big part of the wider LGBT+ community. It’s not just about queer communities though, I think it is about a greater culture of inclusivity, acceptance and celebrating diversity in all its forms. 

It is also about hope. As a member of the LGBT+ community, I have a right to be respected and accepted for who I am, and I hope that such individual rights will be accepted more in the future. Reflecting on the last twenty years of my life and how LGBT+ rights have changed, I have confidence they will. 

What does Leeds Pride mean for Leeds Trinity? 

2023 will be the first time Leeds Trinity has been represented in the main parade since 2019. This is a fantastic opportunity for visibility to all attending Pride, demonstrating that the University is an inclusive and welcoming institution to all. 

On a personal level, it represents the end of my first year co-chairing the LGBTQIA+ Staff Network, alongside my colleague Jac Davies, during which we have tried to reinvigorate our ties to queer communities, both in our University and neighbouring Further and Higher Education institutions.  

Dr Jamie Cruickshank is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Leeds Trinity University and co-chair of the LGBTQIA+ Staff Network.