CONNECTED

Welcome to the official blog of Connected - the new LGBTQ safe space and lunch time club for the students of any sexuality and gender at Acland Burghley School. Here you can find out what's been going on in the group recently, see photos, find out about current affairs and events etc. We also work in the school as a whole to tackle homophobia and transphobia. Ask any questions you may have about the members or the group itself, with the option of being anonymous to ensure you're comfortable and safe. Send us your questions here!

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Plan for LGBT History Month

We've got loads planned for LGBT History month so check this all out and see who's planning what. Speak to them to get involved! Let's make this great

LGBT History Month Plan

·         Fri Jan 11th- Sun 13th: Natalia and Adam attend Stonewall training weekend and focus on designing a poster, probably with a trans focus

·         Tues Jan 15th: Plan Year 7 and 8 assembly and whole school assembly in Connected meeting in two groups. Jess and Nafis lead yr 7 and 8, Russie and Isabel lead whole school

·         Tues Jan 22nd: Rehearse assemblies

·         Wed Jan 23rd and Thur24th: Assemblies for Years 7 and 8. Nafis and Jessica to lead this with people from Connected doing the assemblies.

·         Jan 30th: Natalia speaking at Camden’s Holocaust Memorial day

·         February 5th:  Whole school assembly launching LGBT History Month and explain that out focus this month is trans issues. Explain who Connected are and what we do. Say what events are planned for the month. As many people up on stage to show the numbers of the group. Organise by Russie and Isabel

·         Mon February 11th: Religious LGBT Groups forum discussion in Year 13 and Year 12 assemblies period 1 and 2. Adam to organise with support from others

·         Tues Feb 12th: Final prep for after school event in Connected meeting

·         Wed February 13th: After school event 5-8pm. Mixture of social activities and performances. Film, food, music, poetry, hanging out etc. Ollie to lead with support Ms. Lomax from other Connected members

·         Tues Feb 28: Connected speaking for 10mins at LGBT History Month’s ‘Educate and Celebrate’. Explain who we are and what we have done. Russie to perform

·       Also to organise: - Gendered Intelligence or other trans group to run a workshop/talk - Jack Gilbert, expert on LGBT Holocaust wants to speak -General campaigning over the month with posters, t-shirts and stickers. Connected members to make, design, put up and give out stickers and posters. Ms Lomax to organise t-shirts

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Assembly ideas (20/11/12)

* Role play: children in classroom or school setting saying things like ‘That’s so gay, you’re shoes are gay, your mum looks like a tranny etc.’

* Maybe audience questions: why this is bad. Different characters from the scene explain why that makes them feel bad ‘e.g. I’m gay, I’m trans, my best friend’s gay, I have gay parents etc’

* Reverse the scene so people are saying ‘That’s so straight, you’re shoes are straight, etc.’ to show that this is wrong.

* End of role play

* Then explain being gay and trans is normal etc

* PowerPoint of celebrities interesting to year 7s and 8s [e.g. Jessie J, Frank Ocean, Olympians, Gareth Thomas, Lana Wachowski (trans director of The Matrix)]

* Say that students, teachers, parents everyobody can be LGBT

* Flash mob play (starts off a standard assembly, people in audience stand up and join in)

* Undercover actors, shouting abusive messages – both positive and negative lesson possibility at the end

* Guilt tripping

* Teaching HOW to tackle homophobia – for those who want to but are shy

* Shock tactics, statistics (‘anyone with a red card on their seat, stand up, you’re the number of gay people who experience homophobia’)

* Question stereotypes

* Have a questionnaire on opinions before the assembly to see where needs most concentration

* Having the right to wear what you went. Maybe a fundraiser of ‘opposite gender’ day.

What do you guys think about these ideas? Let us know on the facebook page here or in our ask box if you’d like to be anonymous here.

Also, thank you to everybody that came today.We managed to get  some great ideas to help us to plan assemblies raising awareness in the school, as well as  commemorating Transgenger Day of Rememberance with a minute of silence.

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Some photos from our first meeting today! It was lovely to see so many smiling faces, we hope to see you all again next week!

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Notes and ideas from today's first official meeting

Ideas:

Support groups

Mentors

Fight ignorance.

Smaller groups? (it was suggested that with the groups being as big as today, it is hard for shy people to talk)

Helping younger children coming to terms sexuality 

Creating friendships in the group - meetings outside?

Bring the message home.

Stop gender stereotypes. 

Open judgement free debates 

Offensive language

There is nothing wrong with being homosexual, acceptance

Raise awareness of gay,lesbian, bisexual and transsexual in school

survey of people who are comfortable with their sexuality (confidential)

A play

More advertisement

Bake sale ( Rainbow cakes, cookies with messages)

Join up with the amnesty

T-shirt day ('Some people are gay, get over it')

Fundraisers

Make a short film

More assemblies to raise awareness of the group as well as LGBT issues. ( People will relate/ discover new points of view)

Non-confrontational approaches 

Gay Pride march 

What do you guys think about these ideas? Let us know on the facebook page here or in our ask box if you'd like to be anonymous here.

Also, a huge thank you to everyone who came along today! We didn't expect so many people to turn up to our first meeting, but were super excited when you guys did! All of your ideas were great and we will definitely consider each and every one of them. Thanks again :)

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Posters for our first meeting Tues 13 Nov in G2C. Come along Burghley students there's going to be free pizza! We are just going to be having a brief chat about what the groups all about and you can see if you want to get involved. We will talk about any campaigns we want to run, debates we will organise, speakers coming in other sessions etc. Come along and see if you want be be involved.

Also find out about our guest speaker Owen Jones, political writer and gay rights activist, who is coming in Mon 19

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First openly gay senator elected in USA

Go Wisconsin! The American state made history by voting in the first openly gay senator and the first woman senator to be elected in Wisconsin.

"I am well aware that I will be the first openly gay member of the United States Senate, but I didn't run to make history. I ran to make a difference" said Baldwin.

And with both Maine and Maryland voting to give gay couples the same marriage rights as straight couples and Minnesota voting against an anti-gay bill, there are things to be pleased about in USA.

Not least that the world was saved from homophobic, sexist Romney.

Lets hope Obama makes more moves to help LGBT America.

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Gandalf meets Connected!

The legend that is both Gandalf and Magneto met members of Connected when he came to Burghley to discuss gay rights, his life and experience of starting gay rights group Stonewall. We questioned him about Stonewall's decision not to represent trans people and were pleased that he agreed that in future Stonewall should look into these issues.  We were all a bit starstruck; much love was felt for ye olde Gandalfe.