Pride Month 2025
Here you can find details of all the events, activities and initiatives taking place as part of Pride Month at Queen Mary during June 2025.
All are open to our staff and students, those who identify as LGBTQIA+ and their allies, to mark this important month, so please join us!
You can find details of Resources & Support available on our dedicated page.
Flying of the Progress Pride Flag
Throughout June the intersex-inclusive Progress Pride flag will be flying outside the Queens' Building at our Mile End campus, as a mark of support for the LGBTQIA+ community. Be sure to look up as you pass to take a look!
You can find out more about the origin, design and evolution of the Pride flag by watching this recording that was originally presented as part of our Pride Month programme in 2023.
Lunch and Learn - 'The Stonewall Riots: A Transnational History' with Dr Alexander Stoffel
Date: Tuesday 17 June
Time: 12.00pm-1.00pm
Location: Online via MS Teams - Register to attend this webinar
We often hear that Pride is a protest — one that started during the Stonewall Riots in New York City in June 1969. But what were those riots a response to? Who was rioting? And how did they inspire further waves of protest? This talk reconsiders the origins of Pride. Rather than simply an eruption of spontaneous protest, Pride was instigated by experienced activists with connections to revolutionaries around the world. This retelling of the history of Stonewall looks at how it spawned a global movement for sexual liberation that changed the course of queer political history.
Bio: Alexander Stoffel is a Lecturer in International Politics in the School of Politics and International Relations (SPIR). He is the author of the recent book Eros and Empire: The Transnational Struggle for Sexual Freedom in the United States (Stanford University Press, 2025).
Celebrating Pride in Science and Engineering
Date: Friday 20 June
Time: 12.00pm-2.00pm followed by time to chat!
Location: School of Mathematical Sciences Building, Maths Seminar Room (MB-503, Fifth Floor) Register to attend.
All at Queen Mary are welcome to join staff and students from the Faculty of Science and Engineering (S&E) for this event to celebrate Pride Month 2025.
There will be some screenings of LGBTQIA+ related short videos, followed by talks / discussion and then an opportunity for lunch and socialising. If you have any queries, please contact Claudia Garetto.
We look forward to seeing you there!
QMOut LGBTQIA+ Staff Network
QMOut is Queen Mary's LGBTQIA+ Staff Network and is for staff at Queen Mary University of London who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Non-binary, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (Ace) or those who identify with other marginalised sexual orientations and / or gender identities. The network is also open to allies of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Pride Month is a great time to join and QMOut are hosting a number of events during Pride Month. Do take the opportunity to connect with colleagues and find out more about the activities of the network.
QMOut Coffee Afternoon
Date: Tuesday 10 June
Time: From 2.00pm
Location: Ground Café, Mile End campus
To celebrate Pride Month, QMOut are hosting an informal coffee afternoon! Whether you identify as LGBTQIA+ or are an ally, are a member of QMOut or not, everyone is welcome to join. Save the date and spread the word!
This will be a fantastic chance to meet colleagues from across the university and to pick up a rainbow lanyard, pronoun badge, and a copy of the Queen Mary Awareness and Inclusion calendar.
Everyone will be made welcome and we can’t wait to see you there.
QMOut Bookshop Visit & Dinner
Date: Wednesday 25 June
Time: From 5.00pm
Location: Meet outside the Queens Building at 5.00pm, or at The Common Press at 5.30pm
QMout will be celebrating Pride month with a short visit to The Common Press, a not-for-profit queer bookshop that means a lot of things to the community. Following our visit, we will grab a bite to eat and a drink in Shoreditch in celebration of Pride Month.
Whether you identify as LGBTQIA+ or are an ally, are a member of QMOut or not, everyone is welcome to join.
Pride Month Pop-up stands around our campuses
Have a chat with colleagues and members of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Team and collect a rainbow lanyard and pronoun badge, to signify your commitment to providing a safe and comfortable environment for all of our LGBTQIA+ staff and students. Physical copies of Queen Mary's Awareness and Inclusion Calendar 2024/25 will also be available.
Drop by to say hello!
NEW! Pride Month Pop-up at Mile End Library
Date: Thursday 26 June
Time: 12.00pm-2.00pm
Location: Mile End Library foyer
Blizard 'Get ready for Pride Month' Pop-up:
Date: Tuesday 27 May
Time: 11.00am
Location: Blizard Building foyer
Further pop-up dates and locations across Queen Mary campuses will be added throughout the month. Check back for details!
Pride Month - Featured Profiles
Take a look at our Pride Month related profiles of Dr Alexander Stoffel, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Politics and International Relations, who is pioneering a transfeminist approach to global politics and Mx Adam Khan, MA International Relations Student and QMSU/BLSA Trans Rep discussing their involvement with student groups and campaigning.
Queen Mary Library Services’ LGBTQIA+ Mini Film Festival
This year, Library Services is celebrating Pride Month with a mini LGBTQIA+ film festival! Curated by James Soderman, Faculty Liaison Librarian – Science and Engineering, the festival features three remarkable documentaries from our outstanding streaming video collection. Each film, under an hour in length, offers unique insights into LGBTQIA+ lives—ranging from historical narratives to contemporary stories.
The best part? This mini film festival is open 24/7. Enjoy it at your convenience, anytime, anywhere! You only have to have a internet connection and a Queen Mary IT account!
Join us in celebrating stories that matter! Explore the festival listing.
Queen Mary Library Services LGBTQIA+ collection
Library Services celebrate LGBTQIA+ literature in all its forms throughout the year and Pride Month is no exception. You can also find out more about books available throughout the library collection with LGBTQIA+ themes that have been highlighted in these reading lists:
A LGBTQIA+ Reading List : 101 titles from the Queen Mary Library Collection
100-ish more LGBTQIA+ books from the Queen Mary UoL's Library Collection
Please note that some of the suggested resources may have content and refer to sensitive issues that some individuals may find upsetting or distressing. If you feel uncomfortable with anything you encounter then please stop your activity, it is important that you look after your own wellbeing.
Computer Science For Fun (CS4FN)
CS4FN was created in 2005 by Professor Paul Curzon and Peter McOwan of the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science. Since then the project has been helped by many people locally, most notably Gabriella Kazai, Jonathan Black, Chrystie Myketiak, Jo Brodie and Nicola Plant.
Having recently celebrated it's 20th anniversary, CS4FN's aim is to share the passion about all things to do with Computer Science and especially to show that it is an exciting subject that is great to learn about just for the fun of it. CSFN produce a free magazine twice a year, as well as a series of special booklets and have also produced magazines on Electronic Engineering and Audio Engineering and their links with computing. All are sent free to schools in the UK (over 20,000 copies per issue). Lots more articles also go on the website.
For Pride Month, you can take a look at their LGBTQ+ Computer Science Greats portal.
Queen Mary Bystander
The Queen Mary Bystander is a colleague who is equipped and confident to challenge unacceptable behaviour, encouraging inclusivity and collegiality in everything we do. Behaviours like bullying, intimidation, and sexual harassment contribute to a toxic working culture; intervening helps us to build a more positive workplace.
Find out more about bystander intervention tools for acting on unacceptable behaviour.
If you are a member of staff who would like to make arrangements for the Queen Mary Bystander workshop to be delivered for your School / Institute / Department (or to a large team) please contact the Organisational and Professional Development team. They can work with you to adapt the content and make it more relevant to your colleagues and your local working environment.
Please note: Queen Mary Bystander is an on-going offer available to Queen Mary staff. It is being featured as part of Pride Month to support Queen Mary's work to create an inclusive environment for our LGBTQIA+ staff and students.
Employee Assistance Programme - New Pride Month 2025 content for staff
Queen Mary’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is provided by Workplace Options, and is a free, confidential service that provides a wide range of support for staff around help balancing work, family and personal life.
For Pride Month an online pre-recorded webinar 'Harnessing the Power of Communities for Inclusive Workplaces' will be released to the Employee Assistance Programme website on 1 June. The webinar will then be available on demand to be viewed at a time convenient to you.
As part of this learning event, staff have the opportunity to:
- Understand the Power of Community: Explore how community solidarity can foster inclusive environments in the workplace, enhancing collaboration and teamwork.
- Promote Allyship in the Workplace: Discover strategies for encouraging allyship among employees to build a supportive community that values diversity.
- Create Safe and Respectful Environments: Develop skills to create workplaces where everyone feels valued and respected, ensuring a positive work experience.
- Foster Diversity and Innovation: Learn how diverse perspectives enhance creativity and drive innovation in organisations, contributing to overall success.
Employees can find details of how to log-in and access the webinar by visiting the Employee Assistance Programme webpage.
Workplace Options have produced a short video, detailing how they can provide emotional support for LGBTQ+ individuals:
Re-watch events from previous Pride Month celebrations
Recordings of some of the events that took place during Pride Months in previous years are available. Please take a look through our 'Past Events' tab above for details.
Further LGBTQIA+ Awareness and Inclusion dates
At Queen Mary we recognise a number of pertinent Awareness and Inclusion dates that our diverse community have asked us to mark and celebrate; this includes a variety of dates important to the LGBTQIA+ community. Take a look at some of our recent news pieces:
- What is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT)?
- Lesbian Visibility Week 2025
- International Transgender Day of Visibility 2025
Looking for external Pride events?
Find out more about LGBTQIA+ events taking place across the city. Please note the listing of an external event is not an endorsement by Queen Mary.
Pride in London: The Pride in London parade will be held on Saturday 5 July 2025
London Trans+ Pride: London Trans+ Pride will take place on Saturday 26 July 2025
UK Black Pride: The 20th Anniversary of UK Black Pride will take place at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Sunday 10 August 2025
Bi Pride UK: Bi Pride is taking place on Sunday 31 August 2025 at Kings Place, Kings Cross