Hi! My name is Holly Rayner, and I am in my second year studying BA Literature and Creative Writing.
I am running for LGBTQ+ Officer because over the last year, I have seen the work done by the current officer and I am excited to continue and expand on this should I be elected for the role. I feel I am suited to the role in that one of my skills is in taking in large quantities of information and breaking this down so that others are able to understand how they might be affected. I have a lot of experience in analysing text due to my current degree and also from taking English Language in both secondary and sixth form. I am also confident in my ability to speak up for other people and effectively communicate the issues raised by members of my community, working to create change and better the lives of LGBTQ+ people on campus.
Community Awareness - One of the main things I wish to focus on in my role is visibility. This year I have only recently become aware of exactly what the officers and the network do for the university. I believe that spreading this knowledge to more people within the university will enable them to make better informed decisions, such as when decisions in parliament are polled by the officers. I also want to increase the amount of communication between the network and students, providing more informational content online for people to access as it is convenient, and trial using more methods of communication on campus and online to try and increase community involvement.
Socials and Intersectionality - One thing that I think is very important are the social events that take place over the course of the year. Community is something that is very important, particularly for our own community, and I want to provide as many opportunities for meeting and socializing with each other as possible. The value of meeting people who share in your experiences is incredible, and that is something very important to me. I have also found that the collaborative mixers are an incredible way of bringing more people together, and this is another of the ways that I want to promote inclusivity and the intersectionality within our community.
Mental Health – I would like to use community feedback to improve the mental health services available on campus, and increase knowledge on different pathways that people can take when dealing with issues, particularly with LGBTQ+ issues. This would be something that I would love to collaborate on with other officers, working together to create a better environment for those who struggle with these issues.
Education – I would also like to focus on the wider education of both the community and allies on campus, by planning events similar to the Trans Allyship Event. These would be open events, where people can attend and learn more about certain topics concerning the community. I would also like to explore the possibility of including outside speakers, to offer people the chance to hear from others in the community and to see what’s possible in the future and also to learn about experiences in the world at large.
Thank you for reading, voting is open 23rd – 24th May! Remember to self-define and vote Holly for LGBTQ+ Officer!