POLICY PASSED AT WINNING LIBERATION

A summary of policy and campaign decisions made by the LGBT caucus at Winning Liberation 2011 can be read below.

Affirmative Action

Cuts are affecting the programme of equality measures as set out in The Equality Act. The Equality Act allows and encourages affirmative action and positive discrimination by public bodies, including FE and HE institutions, to further the cause of LGBT equality and other groups. Extra, ring-fenced public money is needed for institutions to do this, especially in the light of cuts.

LGBT Status Disclosure

HE and FE institutions are legally mandated to ask students and keep records of their disclosed identity as non/disabled, gender and racial identity. This information is invaluable when assessing the status, issues and numbers of traditionally under-represented and disadvantaged students in education. No such information about LGBT students exists and independent research about the experiences of LGBT students is in short supply. Without proper evidence for the range of issues and experiences we all know affect LGBT students it is hard to argue that change is necessary. We believe that the law should be changed to require institutions to keep records of LGBT students and that institutions committed to equality should do so anyway. We believe that NUS LGBT should pursue this actively.

LGBT Research

There is a severe lack of research based information and statistics on the experiences of LGBT students in HE. The Equality Challenge Unit, responsible for monitoring and supporting equality in higher education, has only one comprehensive piece of research on LGBT students and this is now two years out of date. The NUS Women's Campaign has led liberation in the NUS by conducting it's own ground-breaking research on women students' experiences of violence. Many charity and advocacy groups undertake their own research as a good means to finding better solutions to and evidence for what they are trying to change. With this in mind Labour Students LGBT Caucus believes the NUS LGBT campaign should endeavour to conduct their own research into the experiences of LGBT students on campus, filling the void and adding extra validity to their campaigns.

Gay Marriage Campaign

LGBT people although able to have their relationships recognised legally are still barred from the right to marry. This arbitrary distinction between gay and straight relationships is the last example of baseless LGBT discrimination still enshrined in law. Defeating this symbolic segregation is an important milestone on the way to equality. The coalition government has promised "consultation" on marriage equality. LGBT Labour is currently running a strong campaign for marriage equality. Labour Students' LGBT Caucus should join their voice and actively campaign for marriage equality.