LGBTQIA+ Inclusion
The aim of this page is to contribute to fostering an even more supportive and inclusive culture for the LGBTQIA+ community in Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust. We want to enable our people to learn or improve their knowledge and support the LGBTQIA+ community, and to feel confident to start conversations and showcase active allyship.
The content of this page is just a start and it is not exhaustive, so if you have any additions that you would like us to consider, please contact the LGBTQIA+ and Allies Staff Network Chair, Dimitrios Alimpertis, communications@covwarkpt.nhs.uk or our Head of Equality and Diversity, Rano Bains, edi@covwarkpt.nhs.uk
The Acronym
LGBTQIA+ is an acronym used at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust to refer to the community of people who identify as one or more of the following:
Lesbian (L), Gay (G), Bi (B), Trans (T), Queer (Q), Intersex (I), on the Asexual or Aromantic spectra (A), any other identity that belongs to the community and might experience similar forms of discrimination and/or prejudice (+)
Some of our people -from patients and their families to colleagues and partners- identify as LGBTQIA+. Or may define and experience our gender and sexuality in other ways.
Stonewall has created a webpage of terms, with a more extended list, that describes the identities mentioned above.
Pride Flag
The rainbow flag, also known as the gay pride flag or simply pride flag, is a symbol of LGBTQIA+ pride and social movements. The most common variant consists of six stripes: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
Find out more about what the Pride Flag colours mean.
Pride Month
Pride Month is celebrated every year in June and is dedicated to the commemoration and celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride. Pride Month began after the Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests in 1969 in the United States, and has since been celebrated outside the US too. UK’s first Pride march was held in London on July 1 1972.
LGBT+ History Month
LGBT+ History Month is an annual celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans history, and the history of the LGBTQIA+ rights and related civil rights movements. It is celebrated every February.
In the UK, it was initiated in 2004 by Sue Sanders and Paul Patrick, then co-chairs of Schools OUT UK, and first took place in February 2005.
LGBTQIA+ and Mental Health
Mind have shared information on their website about mental health support for people who are LGBTQIA+.
What is the difference between sex and gender?
Gender identity should not be confused with registered sex at birth, or with sexuality or who someone is attracted to. Many people think that sex and gender are the same, but they mean different things. It's important to be clear about the difference. For many people, the sex they were registered at birth is not the same as their current gender.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO):
“Gender refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls and boys that are socially constructed. This includes norms, behaviours and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies from society to society and can change over time.”
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have also published guidance on the differences between sex and gender.
As the language around sex, gender and sexuality changes all the time, NHS England has included all the relevant information on gender neutral language in the Inclusive Content for Sex, gender and sexuality page.
Pronouns
Including our pronouns in our email signature or stating them while introducing ourselves supports avoiding making pronouns assumptions, while reducing the frequency with which non-binary and trans people are misgendered and it is an effective action that indicates allyship and promotes equality.
Find out more about why pronouns matter.
Resources
NHS England and NHS Health Education England have created an LGBTQIA+ Awareness eLearning programme. This comprehensive eLearning course aims to provide valuable insights, foster a deeper understanding, and promote an inclusive work environment for our colleagues.
⚠ We will be adding more resources on this space soon.
LGBTQIA+ and Allies Staff Network
We have a dedicated LGBTQIA+ and Allies Staff Network in Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust that is open to colleagues that are part of the community, as well as colleagues that are parents of LGBTQIA+ youth, colleagues that come from LGBTQIA+ families, and colleagues that want to show their support to the community. If you want to find out more about the network, please contact the LGBTQIA+ and Allies Staff Network Chair, Dimitrios Alimpertis, communications@covwarkpt.nhs.uk or our Head of Equality and Diversity, Rano Bains, edi@covwarkpt.nhs.uk
Videos
Our LGBTQIA+ Forum has put together a series of videos, sharing stories of our staff members with lived experience.