Based on the number of complaints received regarding bouncer-sanctioned homophobia in clubs (or homophobia, biphobia or transphobia of any kind), myself, Kitten, Dan, Emma and the committee have initiated a campaign entitled "Fight for the Right to Party".

Kitten has been spearheading this campaign and has recently released a survey, which everyone can take by visiting http://righttoparty.lgbtq.co.uk. If you have experienced any kind of homophobia in clubs - especially those promoted and supported by the Guild - don't accept it as a fact of life. We can and will do something about it.

As I've mentioned before, Kitten submitted a motion to the 2010 NUS LGBT Conference that will take place this weekend in Liverpool. This has now been finalised with amendments and now reads as follows:

207 Fight For The Right To Party

Conference believes:
  1. An integral part of the student experience is social interaction outside of their course.
  2. LGBTQ Students are often excluded from hetero-normative events both internally run by student unions and external ones endorsed by them.
  3. Student Unions frequently hold hetero-normative events that exclude LGBTQ students, such as (heterosexual) speed dating.
  4. Research by the University of Birmingham LGBTQ Association has shown that many LGBTQ students have faced discrimination in venues in the city of their university, such as being as to leave or being treated in a hostile manner by staff and security for kissing their partners or ‘displaying’ their sexuality or gender identity.
  5. Recent extreme violence against the LGBTQ community in Birmingham venues as only served to highlight the extent and urgency of this issue.
  6. Many University social events are held in venues where it is known that LGBTQ-phobia takes place.
  7. Although LGBTQ students are protected by law from this kind of discrimination, in reality, LGBTQ-phobia is still alive and well, and made worse by support of these venues by Student Unions.
Conference further believes:
  1. As a part of the National Union of Students, the NUS LGBT campaign has the power to lobby student unions to protect LGBTQ students by refusing to give endorsement to LGBTQ-phobic venues and ensuring that internal events are LGBTQ-friendly.
  2. That the NUS LGBT campaign has an opportunity to take a leading role in informing student unions of this issue, and to provide support for societies for LGBTQ students within unions to campaign within their own unions on the issue.
Conference resolves:
  1. To begin a Fight for the Right to Party campaign that both lobbies student unions, venues (where appropriate) and supports LGBTQ societies in carrying out this campaign at a campus level.
  2. To campaign by lobbying student unions not to promote or endorse events, clubs or venues that are LGBTQphobic.
  3. To encourage unions to demand that venues outline their policy regarding treatment of LGBTQ visitors in writing before considering their endorsement or promotion.
  4. To encourage unions to ensure that their internal events are LGBTQ-friendly.
  5. To encourage unions to promote LGBTQ and LGBTQ-friendly events.
  6. To create a written guide for unions, venues and LGBT societies on the subject of active inclusion of LGBTQ students at events and nights out
  7. To create a Fight for the Right to Party campaign guide and workshop to provide information and support for student LGBTQ societies to tackle this issue at a campus and local level.
207a Fight For The Right To Party (Amendment)

Conference further believes:
  1. That events that exclude LGBTQ students frequently exclude those from other on-traditional student groups.
  2. Working in partnership with other liberation campaigns only adds capacity and energy for delivery.
Conference resolves:
  1. To encourage the campaign to fight for the right to party to be adaptable for use with and by other liberation campaigns.

As the motion and subsequent amendments indicate, this campaign can and should be adapted to suit all other liberation campaigns as needed; hence the current and future Black/Ethnic Minority Students' Officer, Disabled Students' Officer and Women's Officer may wish to steal an idea or too. I'm definitely game for some inter-liberation collaboration during the remainder of my term!