UoB is voted one of the UK’s most gay friendly unis

Birmingham has been voted one of the most gay friendly unis in the country

The new accolade follows previous mentions in Attitude magazine, which voted Birmingham as one of the best universities for gay students.

Gay by Degree rated Birmingham a 9/10 for its provisions for LBGTQ students. Some of the points Birmingham excelled on were:

• Its consultation with LGBTQ students
• The explicit welfare support for LGBTQ students
• The universities engagement with the wider community

The results also showed that the city of Birmingham plays a part in UoB’s friendly atmosphere, with the city being the first in England and Wales to have a LGBTQ centre.

In light of the new rankings, Gay by Degree said: ‘Birmingham has a vibrant gay scene which boasts 12 gay bars and pubs.

“The annual Pride event is one of the biggest in the Uk and local charity Birmingham LGBT offer health information, support and community groups.”

On hearing the news, third year Psychology student, Arron Bird said: “Birmingham is a very gay friendly city. At home people would shout at me all the time, here I’ve only had it once and then it was quite funny; ‘you’re gay’, yeah so what, you’re fat and ugly!”

The most important factor in making UoB gay friendly however, is the LGBTQ society.  The society has gone from strength to strength in the last few years, winning association of the year last year.

The Tab went along to a LGBTQ meeting and spoke to some of its members.

Arron Bird told the Tab:“The society plays a massive part in the friendly atmosphere not only by spreading awareness but also by providing a safe space.

“For a red brick uni to be moving with the times and not holding on to archaic views is amazing.

“The LGBTQ movement has been bubbling under the surface for a few years but now it’s finally coming to a head and Birmingham is one of the leaders in this movement.”

Expanding on Aaron’s points, Sam Bull, the Student Officer for the LGBTQ, added: “spreading awareness is key to achieving a friendly atmosphere.

“People need to be aware that it’s not us and you, it’s all of us together. And the LGBTQ does that and more.

“It plays a massive part in the friendly atmosphere, they make members feel more welcome and comfortable.”

The society hosts LGBT history month annually, which provides a real insight into gay history

The praiseful report from Gay by Degree did suggest there was still room for improvement however, as it pointed out that UoB was still missing an anti-homophobic bullying policy and mandatory training.

However, Sam Bull added that that this was “next on my list of things to do.”

Want to join the LGBTQ society? Get in touch at [email protected]