Interview with Faculty LGBTQ+ lead Carolyn McGettigan

To mark LGBT+ History Month, we spoke to Carolyn McGettigan who has recently taken on the role of LGBTQ+ Faculty lead within Brain Sciences.

What is the importance of LGBT+ History Month and what does LGBT+ History Month mean to you?

In the UK, LGBT+ History Month was initiated in 2005, following the 2003 abolition of Section 28. Section 28 was a clause of the Local Government Act 1988 that banned the “promotion” of homosexuality and its acceptability by UK local authorities, meaning schools were effectively prevented from discussing any kinds of non-heterosexual relationships or family structures with their students.

Most of my schooling was spent under Section 28, and thinking about that is a stark reminder that many of the rights we have as a community today have not been ours for very long at all. So, I see LGBT+ History Month as an opportunity to reflect on the community’s fight for recognition and rights, and to think about where and how progress still needs to be made.

What motivated you to become Faculty lead for LGBTQ+?

I joined UCL PALS in 2018, as a Professor in Speech and Hearing Sciences. Having been involved in the LGBT staff network at my previous institution, I was keen to take on a related role in my new post. I’m excited that this is a brand new role within the Faculty, and I’m looking forward to working alongside the Vice Dean and other members of the EDI committee. I hope that together, our work will improve everyone’s experience of working and studying at the Faculty of Brain Sciences.

What can we do as a Faculty to support LGBTQ+ equity at UCL?

I think we can each ask ourselves about how the way we do our work can better support inclusivity of all our colleagues and students. That might be thinking about how to include a topic relevant to LGBT+ issues in a lecture, organising a departmental event for Black History Month, or making sure to have equal representation of men and women in a seminar series.

Cumulatively, these individual and local actions can enhance everyone’s experience. In my old job, my colleagues used to cover our department building in rainbow flags for Pride – it was a simple thing, but I felt renewed warmth for my place of work when I saw the decorations go up each year.

What are your aims in this role for the next year?

The first thing I want to do is listen in to the needs of our colleagues and students within the Faculty. Please look out for invitations to contribute your thoughts!

Links

• Professor Carolyn McGettigan
• LGBTQ+ Equality at UCL