Our Commitment to our LGBTQ+ Students

This is a joint message from St Mary’s University, the LGBTQ+ Staff Network and SMSU. While LGBTQ+ History Month is over, we all remain committed to:

• Increasing the visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (“LGBTQ+”) people, their history, lives and their experiences
• Raising awareness and advance education on matters affecting the LGBTQ+ community
• Making educational and other institutions safe spaces for all LGBTQ+ communities
• Promoting the welfare of LGBTQ+ people and enabling them to achieve their full potential, so they contribute fully to society and lead fulfilled lives thus benefiting society as a whole

St Mary’s University’s values

St Mary’s University is fully committed to creating an inclusive culture by promoting equality of opportunity and respecting difference. The University has a long tradition of widening access to education for all, while fostering respect and mutual tolerance in society as a whole in line with the mission and Catholic identity. The University’s equality, diversity and inclusion ambitions are complemented by the contemporary theological reflection recognising that each human being is unique and valued.

We are proud that our University is a richly diverse community, where all departments draw on the talents of all our staff and students to create a culture of mutual respect and recognition, where we embrace and share new perspectives and where we believe in the power of education to transform lives. Both SMSU, St Mary’s and the LGBTQ+ Staff Network understand that our continued success is dependent on the contributions of every member of our community and it is this collective spirit which makes us unique.

We all aspire to go beyond legal obligations and embody the University’s core values of Inclusiveness and Respect.

How we support you

Everyone at St Mary’s is here to support all of our students, but there are some departments who can help you in specific ways if you identify as LGBTQ+.

• At the Students’ Union we’re here to advocate on your behalf, and improve the student experience for all students. If there are any issues you have at St Mary’s that relate to your identity, it’s our job to try and help with them – we’re independent from the University, so you’re safe to talk to us about anything that you think needs changing and we’ll listen without any bias. You can find the SMSU website here.
• If you’re struggling to reconcile your sexual orientation or gender identity with your faith, you can talk to the Chaplaincy or to a member of the Interfaith Network. You can find their details here.
• If you’re facing accommodation issues whether at home, in student accommodation or our halls of residence, the Accommodation Service is here to provide you with advice, guidance and help. Plus, if you’re in halls of residence you also have the support of our Student Life Coordinators and Resident Mentors. You can find all of the details for Student Services here.
• If you’re unsure whether to disclose your sexual orientation or gender identity in job applications, interviews and the workplace or want to know how to find LGBT+ positive employers, the Careers Employability Services can help.
• If you just want someone to talk to someone who also identifies as LGBTQ+ then members of the LGBTQ+ Staff Network can help. You can find their ‘keeping in touch’ service here.
• If you’re looking for LGBTQ+ resources or you're just not sure who to turn to, at the Simmies Hub in the main Library we’re here to help you with a wide range of requests. You can find all of the details for Library here.
• If any of these things are affecting your studies, come and talk to your lecturers and personal tutor or programme director.

A message for our Allies

If you’re not a member of the LGBTQ+ community, we urge you to take a stand against discrimination and inequality; and to not say silent if you witness bullying, harassment or unfair treatment of our students because of their sexual orientation or sexual identity.

Together, we can make the St Mary’s core values of Respect and Inclusiveness a reality here for our LGBTQ+ community.