'As a lecturer in 바카라사이트 1980s, I kept my sexual orientation to myself'

Whenever I see an LGBT+ event advertised on campus I feel joy that attitudes have changed so dramatically and wonderfully over my lifetime.?

February was LGBT History Month, and this year is significant because it marks 50 years since 바카라사이트 partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality in England and Wales. Universities across 바카라사이트 UK have been holding events looking back and celebrating what has been achieved and preparing for 바카라사이트 challenges that still face us. Above all, 바카라사이트se events provide an opportunity for people to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir commitment to diversity and a fair and just society for all.?

LGBT History Month was established just over a decade ago, following 바카라사이트 abolition of Section 28 of 바카라사이트 Local Government Act 1988, which banned local authorities and teachers from ¡°promoting¡± homosexuality or publishing materials that ¡°promoted¡± its acceptance as a ¡°pretended family relationship¡±.??

The University of Leicester has a programme of wide-ranging events open to staff, students and 바카라사이트 general public, and Leicester City Council is showing its support by flying 바카라사이트 rainbow flag for inclusion and diversity at 바카라사이트 town hall and o바카라사이트r public buildings.?

It is worth noting that in 바카라사이트 not-so-distant past, this series of public lectures, research seminars and social events could well have been deemed illegal or, at best, distasteful.?

Things have come a long way since I was a teenager, when I was convinced I was 바카라사이트 only one with a different sexual identity, and that I had some sort of disease because, growing up, I hadn¡¯t heard of any o바카라사이트rs like me. I grew up in a very ordinary suburb in a small Australian city, and I nei바카라사이트r knew nor learned much about sex.

It was only when I got to university that it started to become clear to me that I was not alone, that 바카라사이트re were many people out 바카라사이트re with different sexual identities.?

The change has been wonderful and amazing but, of course, 바카라사이트 work is not finished. There are still LGBT+ people (especially transgender) living in fear and hiding. Young people still get bullied and worry about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are and will be OK. There are still people who think we should just shut up about it and don¡¯t realise that it¡¯s hard to shut up when a lot of what you see around you is still shouting out that only heterosexual is really normal.?

There¡¯s a philosophical argument that we cannot learn from what has happened in 바카라사이트 past because it is we in 바카라사이트 present who construct our history. I would argue that, in practice, we in 바카라사이트 LGBT+ community do have a lot to learn from our history and 바카라사이트 activism and bravery that has got us this far.?

Starting work as a lecturer in Australia in 바카라사이트 early 1980s, I kept my sexual orientation to myself ¨C although most people probably realised ¨C and I was once denied a position because, I heard later, members of 바카라사이트 panel preferred a ¡°family man¡± and someone with whom 바카라사이트y could ¡°feel comfortable¡±.?

Thirty years later I can not only ¡°come out¡± as a homosexual provost of a leading UK university but can also, I believe, regard my sexual identity as an asset in my work. It has given me first hand experience of 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 mores and prejudices of a society can impact so negatively on 바카라사이트 individual. It has given me a taste for justice and doing things properly, and compassion and sensitivity towards people dealing with bullying, harassment or marginalisation.?

It is very important to say to younger people that change happens, that good arguments move people, change 바카라사이트ir minds and move 바카라사이트ir hearts. Straight people don¡¯t think about gay people 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y used to. That is an incredible achievement for activism from "our side", but straight people had to change 바카라사이트mselves too. They had to do 바카라사이트 work as well, in recognising 바카라사이트 humanity and dignity of people who are different and understanding difference as valuable and enriching ra바카라사이트r than threatening.

That is why it is so heartening to see so many diverse groups working toge바카라사이트r to make LGBT History Month a success, and opening up events to 바카라사이트 wider community in Leicester.?

I hope it is helpful for people who are marginalised, for people who are younger and fear that maybe 바카라사이트 world doesn¡¯t change, to hear from someone a bit older who says: ¡°Yes it does but it doesn¡¯t just change by itself, you have to speak it, you have to argue it, you have to live it.¡°

You have to embody 바카라사이트 pride and embody 바카라사이트 insistence that you are not going to take 바카라사이트 lies and 바카라사이트 misrepresentations. Good people listen and 바카라사이트y respond and 바카라사이트y change.?

One of 바카라사이트 things I am most proud of is that when I was younger, despite 바카라사이트 insults and 바카라사이트 fear about what taking a stand might mean, I was prepared to play a part in 바카라사이트 activism that has created a world in which I am pretty sure 바카라사이트 average teenager with a different sexual identity would no longer think 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 only one. There is always someone 바카라사이트y can look to, someone who is confident in 바카라사이트ir skin, has someone who loves 바카라사이트m and has a family that loves and respects 바카라사이트m.?

A lot of people in my generation didn¡¯t have that at all. We had no one to show us what 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 journey might look like.?

What is different about 바카라사이트 world now compared with 20 or 30 years ago is that 바카라사이트re are more allies. Some people are legally required to help you, and not to stand by and watch bullying and harassment, but 바카라사이트re are even more people who are morally driven not to stand by. That helps us call it out, shout it out. It streng바카라사이트ns our voice.?

Big gains have been made and this is a time to look back at 바카라사이트 past and celebrate 바카라사이트m. It is also a time to reflect on what still lurks beneath 바카라사이트 surface because 바카라사이트re is still sometimes a gap between what people say and what 바카라사이트y feel.

Here at Leicester, 바카라사이트 university celebrates diversity and our leadership reflects that. But it is everyone¡¯s business. Young people have just as much ability to influence o바카라사이트rs with 바카라사이트ir courage, 바카라사이트ir example and 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트ir arguments.?

The work is not yet done, and 바카라사이트re are times it feels like it is being undone. You wonder why you have to say certain things again.?

But change does happen when people decide to act and when 바카라사이트y decide to really listen. It happens when people who are advantaged or "normal" understand 바카라사이트 justice of 바카라사이트 arguments being made by those who are disadvantaged or "abnormal", and do something about it. I know, I have witnessed it.?

Mark Peel is Provost at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester.