Pride Programme 2026
This page brings together events and activities taking place across Queen Mary to mark Pride Month 2026.
We encourage staff and students to take part in ways that feel meaningful to them.
Get involved: We welcome contributions from both internal and external partners, including colleagues, students, researchers, community organisations and charities. If you would like to be part of the Pride Month programme, whether by hosting an event, contributing an activity or sharing an idea, please contact hr-equality@qmul.ac.uk.
🎉 Join us this June
Film Screening: El Canto del Colibrí: Latino Immigrant Men and Their LGBTQIA+ Family Members
Date: Monday 1st June 2026
Time: 12:30 to 13:30
Location: Sofa Room (1.33), First Floor, Dept W, Queen Mary University of London, 81 Mile End Road, London E1 4UJ
Registration: Click here to register This event is open to QMUL staff only. Places are limited. Registration is not essential, however registering in advance will guarantee your seat. You are also welcome to attend on the day, with spaces allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Join us for a Pride Month film screening of El Canto del Colibrí, a powerful and moving documentary exploring the relationships between Latino immigrant men and their LGBTQIA+ family members.
The film offers insight into themes of identity, family, culture and acceptance, creating space for reflection and discussion as part of our Pride Month programme.
QMOut Network Review and Future Planning Session
Date: Monday 1st June 2026
Time: 2:00 to 3:00 pm
Location: Sofa Room (1.33), First Floor, Dept W
Audience: Open to QMUL staff
To celebrate Pride Month, the University’s LGBTQIA+ Staff Network invites you to help shape the future of the network.
Join members of QMOut and the Co-Chair, Michael Woolley, for a review of the network, along with discussion and feedback from the recent QMOut survey.
This is an opportunity to share your ideas, reflect on the network’s progress, and help inform its future direction.
All staff are warmly welcome to attend the session.
SPCS Summer Ball 2026
Date: Friday 5th June 2026
Time: 5.00 PM to 10.30 PM
Location: The Octagon, Mile End Campus
Theme: Moonlit Masquerade, masks are optional
Registration
The QMUL School of Physical and Chemical Sciences Summer Ball brings an evening of celebration, style and summer atmosphere to The Octagon. Hosted by the Chemistry and Science societies, including Women and Queer People in Physics, this event promises a vibrant and memorable experience.
Set against a magical Moonlit Masquerade theme, the evening will feature a lively DJ to keep the dance floor full, an open bar, and a photobooth to capture special moments. The setting will offer a welcoming space to unwind, connect and celebrate the end of the academic year.
Expect a fun and energetic atmosphere with music, dancing and great company throughout the evening.
Tickets are open to QMUL students.
QMOut Pub Social
Date: Wednesday 10th June 2026
Time: From 5.15 PM onwards
Location: The Cherry, Mile End
Celebrate Pride Month with QMOut, the LGBTQIA+ Staff Network, at this relaxed pub social. The evening offers a great opportunity to unwind after work, connect with colleagues and enjoy a friendly and welcoming environment.
Whether you are looking to meet new people or catch up with familiar faces, this social provides a comfortable space to build connections across the University. Whether you identify as LGBTQIA+ or are an ally, everyone is welcome to attend.
QMOut Coffee Social
Date: Thursday 18th June 2026
Time: From 11am
Location: Department W Café
Join QMOut members for a relaxed coffee morning at the Department W Café. This informal gathering offers a chance to connect with colleagues from across the University in a welcoming and inclusive setting.
Coffee mornings are a great way to take a break, build community and have meaningful conversations. Whether you identify as LGBTQIA+ or are an ally, everyone is welcome to attend.
British Museum Visit: "Desire, Love & Identity"
Date: Friday 19th June 2026Registration: British Museum Visit: Desire, Love, Identity – An LGBTQIA+ Tour Tickets, Friday, June 19 6:15 PM - 7:25 PM | Eventbrite
This special Pride Month visit to the British Museum has been organised by the EDI Team.
Explore objects from the British Museum’s collection connected to themes of desire, love and identity. This volunteer led tour highlights a fascinating range of works with LGBTQIA+ connections, spanning from the ancient world to the present day, including some of the Museum’s most iconic pieces.
Places are limited: We have a limited number of tickets available for this visit. If you would like to attend as part of this group, please register using your QMUL email address to confirm your place. Spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Colleagues from other universities or recognised charities are welcome to join, but must register using a valid work or education email address. One ticket per person.
Meeting point: The meeting point and further details will be shared with confirmed attendees via email, so we can gather and meet each other before the tour begins.
British Museum
Great Russell Street
London
WC1B 3DG
Nearest stations:
Tottenham Court Road Underground Station (Central, Northern, Elizabeth Line)
Exit onto Tottenham Court Road and walk north towards Oxford Street. Turn right onto Great Russell Street and continue for approximately 5 minutes until you reach the British Museum. Total walking time is around 8 to 10 minutes.
Holborn Underground Station (Central and Piccadilly Line)
Take the exit onto High Holborn and walk west. Turn right onto Museum Street, then continue straight until you reach Great Russell Street. The British Museum will be directly ahead. Total walking time is around 8 to 10 minutes.
Russell Square Underground Station (Piccadilly Line)
Exit the station and walk south along Bernard Street. Continue straight onto Russell Square, then turn right onto Great Russell Street. The museum will be a short walk ahead. Total walking time is around 5 to 7 minutes.
HI-V: Five Key Concepts to Understand HIV
Date: Tuesday 23rd June 2026
Time: 2:30 to 4pm
Location: Online (this event has been moved online due to the heatwave. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.)
Audience: Open to everyone.
This interactive educational seminar aims to equip participants with clear, structured, and accessible knowledge about HIV through a simple framework highlighting five essential concepts for understanding, prevention, and stigma reduction.
The session will cover what HIV is, the difference between HIV and AIDS, the primary modes of transmission, the key body fluids involved in transmission, and evidence-based prevention strategies including condoms, testing, and PrEP. The content is designed to simplify essential sexual health information into an easy to remember format that supports both understanding and practical application.
Beyond core health information, the session will also explore the impact of stigma and misinformation on HIV awareness, testing, and access to care, encouraging inclusive and non-judgemental approaches to sexual health.
The session will include interactive elements such as guided discussion and reflection questions. Where possible, it may also include a brief demonstration of correct condom use as part of HIV prevention education.
The session will conclude with a personal reflection on HIV related volunteerism and community health work, encouraging participants to consider how knowledge can be translated into action through peer education, advocacy, and community engagement.
This session is open to everyone regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Registration will be via Eventbrite, with booking details to be shared shortly. One ticket per person.
Speaker Profile
Keannu M. Arnoco is a Nurse Educator based in the United Kingdom and an internationally educated nurse with over 10 years of experience in clinical education, workforce development, and nursing leadership across hospital and community settings in both the Philippines and the UK. In 2024, he was nationally recognised as First Runner-Up in Mr Gay Great Britain, reflecting his commitment to LGBTQIA+ visibility, representation, and advocacy.
Alongside his clinical leadership, he has contributed to public health and workforce initiatives in collaboration with government and international organisations, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the NHS. He is also a co-founder and former president of a volunteer-led organisation in Cebu, Philippines, advocating for HIV awareness. His work has included health advocacy and broader public health programmes, including sexual and reproductive health, HIV and COVID-19 responses, alongside a current focus on workforce development.
Film Screening: The Man Who Drove with Mandela
Date: Thursday 25th June 2026
Time: 13:30 to 14:30
Location: Please note that this event has been moved online due to the heatwave. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Registration: To register click here.
Join us for a Pride Month film screening of The Man Who Drove with Mandela, a compelling documentary exploring identity, history and personal journeys within the context of South Africa’s past.
This screening forms part of the QMUL Pride Month programme and offers an opportunity for reflection and discussion.
Queering the Far Right
Time: 4.00pm to 5.00pm
Location: Online (this event has been moved online due to the heatwave. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.)
Registration: Queering the Far Right Tickets, Thursday 25 June 4 PM - 5 PM | Eventbrite
This seminar examines how homosexuality and far‑right politics are made compatible by homosexual men who actively identify with radical and far‑right movements. These men are often dismissed as ironic or incoherent, on the assumption that far‑right ideology is inherently hostile to homosexuality. This talk takes a different starting point: it asks how political and sexual identities are actively shaped so that no contradiction needs to be resolved.
Approaching identity as something performed, defended, and negotiated, I show how individuals can hold multiple identities by reshaping what those identities mean. Drawing on texts produced by homosexual far‑right actors between 1930 and 2020 across several national contexts, the speaker identifies two recurring strategies. One reinterprets far‑right ideology to accommodate homosexuality; the other minimises tension by emphasising a shared external threat. Together, these strategies highlight how far‑right ideology itself can be queered and why queering should not be assumed to be inherently emancipatory.
This event is primarily open to Queen Mary staff and students. External attendees, including colleagues and students from other universities and relevant organisations, are also welcome to join online. Please ensure that you register using a verified work or education email address. One ticket per person.
Speaker Profile
Dr Joshua James is an early career researcher from Aotearoa New Zealand. His work explores the relationship between sexual and political identities, with broader interests in Westminster political systems and student equity.
Having recently moved to the UK, Dr James is currently working at the Queen Mary University of London library while developing his PhD thesis, completed in 2024, into a monograph. Alongside his academic work, he is also getting to know London as a new resident.
Questions about the topic may be sent in advance to Joshua James at josh.james@qmul.ac.uk . Further information about Dr Joshua James and his work can be found on his LinkedIn profile.
Ask Me Anything: Inclusion and Belonging in Academia
Date Tuesday 30th June 2026
Time 3:00 to 4:00 pm
Location GC601
This informal Ask Me Anything session invites staff and students to reflect on how we can build more inclusive, welcoming and supportive academic environments.
You are invited to ask a panel of LGBTQ+ colleagues from the Faculty of Science and Engineering about their experiences of inclusion, belonging and navigating academia. The discussion will offer space for open and respectful conversation, shared learning and reflection on what helps people feel able to thrive in academic settings.
No prior knowledge is needed and all questions are welcome.
LGBTQIA+ STEMinar 2026
Date: Friday 6th November 2026
Location: In person at Queen Mary University of London
This one-day conference provides a welcoming and inclusive space to showcase cutting edge research from LGBTQIA+ people working and studying across STEM disciplines.
It is designed for those who work or study in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and aims to highlight work from a wide range of fields while fostering collaboration across departments, universities, companies and disciplines. We also warmly welcome those who do not identify as LGBTQIA+ but who wish to engage with and support this work.
The programme will feature plenary lectures, contributed talks and a poster session, creating opportunities to share research, exchange ideas and build meaningful connections.
For full event details, including registration and submission guidance, please visit the event website.
Registration, Contributed Talks and Poster Submissions
To attend the LGBTQ+ STEMinar, all participants must register in advance using the registration form.
If you would like to give a short talk or present a poster, please submit your abstract using the submission form.
Please note that all attendees must register and are expected to abide by the LGBTQ+ STEMinar Code of Conduct.
Deadlines
Contributed talks submission deadline: 31 July 2026
Poster submission deadline: 31 July 2026
Conference registration deadline: 6 October 2026
Plenary Speakers
Dr Alex Bond (He/Him) | Principal Curator and Curator in Charge of Birds, Natural History Museum
Dr Alex Bond is an internationally recognised ornithologist and conservation scientist. He is co-lead of the Adrift Lab, a research collective focused on seabirds, marine plastics and the conservation of island systems. Over more than 20 years, he has published over 200 peer reviewed articles alongside book chapters, monographs and a children’s book on bird diversity.
A former Chair of LGBTQ+STEM, Alex is a strong advocate for equity and inclusion in science. His contributions have been recognised with the Royal Society Athena Prize and the BTO Marsh Award for Ornithology. He has lived in the UK since 2014 with his husband, Jeremy.
Priya Silverstein (She/They) | Assistant Researcher, University of Coimbra
Priya Silverstein is an Assistant Researcher on the EXCELScIOR project at the University of Coimbra. Following a PhD in developmental psychology at Lancaster University, Priya has worked across a range of international research initiatives in metascience, including with the Centre for Open Science, the Journal Editors Discussion Interface and the Psychological Science Accelerator.
Their work focuses on research credibility, including replicability, reproducibility and generalisability, as well as increasing the uptake of open science practices. Priya was President of the Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science in 2025 and is currently Associate Director of the Journal Editors Discussion Interface. Outside of research, Priya finds queer joy through hiking, yoga and cooking.
Organising Team
Ioanna Bechlivanidi | School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Alex Fink | School of Mathematical Sciences
Claudia Garetto | School of Mathematical Sciences
Tyler Kelly | School of Mathematical Sciences
Nadine Lavan | School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Anthony Phillips | School of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Charalampos Saitis | School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Stefaan Verbruggen | School of Engineering and Materials Science
Contact Information
For general enquiries or access requirements, please contact Ioanna Bechlivanidi and Nadine Lavan at se-lgbtq-steminar@qmul.ac.uk. For sponsorship enquiries, please contact Tyler Kelly. For questions about contributed talks or the poster session, please contact Stefaan Verbruggen.
Ongoing throughout June
Visible Pride at Queen Mary
Throughout June, the Intersex Inclusive Progress Pride Flag will be proudly displayed outside the Queens’ Building at our Mile End campus, as a visible sign of our support for LGBTQIA+ people and communities.
We invite you to take a moment to reflect on what the flag represents and the communities it celebrates.
The History Behind the Progress Pride Flag
To explore the origins, symbolism and evolving meaning of the Progress Pride Flag, watch our featured video The History behind the Progress Pride Flag.
This session is led by Darren Hunwicks, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, and Eleanor McDavis, who was previously EDI Manager at Queen Mary and is now People and Culture Manager at King’s College London. Through this session, both speakers share insights into the development of the flag and its significance in representing the diversity and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ communities.
About speakers
Eleanor McDavis (she/they) is an Inclusion & Culture Change Specialist with over a decade of experience shaping more inclusive, equitable workplaces in the higher education and research sectors, including UCL, Queen Mary, and, currently, King's College London.
With an academic background in Gender Studies, Law, and History & Politics, Eleanor combines insight with action, using data, governance, and collaboration to drive meaningful cultural change. Eleanor has had a long-standing commitment to advancing LGBTQIA+ inclusion, from both a professional perspective, having led the LGBTQIA+ portfolio at QMUL that progressed policy development and supported thriving staff networks that foster visibility and community, and from a personal perspective.
LinkedIn: eleanor-mcdavis
LGBTQIA+ Stories on Screen: Pride Month Film Highlights from Queen Mary Library Services
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Queen Mary Library Services is marking Pride Month with a mini LGBTQIA+ film festival curated by James Soderman, Faculty Liaison Librarian for Science and Engineering. The festival brings together a selection of short documentaries from the Library’s streaming video collection, exploring LGBTQIA+ lives across different historical and contemporary contexts.
The festival is available online and can be accessed at any time using your Queen Mary IT account, allowing you to watch at your convenience.
Featured films
Queens at Heart: Trans Women in the 60s
📅 1967 | ⏱ 22 minutes
đź”— Watch Queens at Heart: Trans Women in the 60s via Queen Mary Library’s Kanopy streaming service
A rare documentary offering insight into the lives of four trans women navigating identity, relationships and social expectations in pre Stonewall America.
The Man Who Drove with Mandela
📅 1998 | ⏱ 54 minutes
đź”— Watch The Man Who Drove with Mandela via Queen Mary Library’s Kanopy streaming service
This film explores the story of Cecil Williams, an anti apartheid activist whose contributions to political struggle and LGBTQIA+ rights are often overlooked.
El Canto del Colibrí: Latino Immigrant Men and Their LGBTQIA+ Family Members
📅 2015 | ⏱ 53 minutes
đź”—Watch El Canto del Colibrí: Latino Immigrant Men and Their LGBTQ Family Members via Queen Mary Library’s Kanopy streaming service.
A documentary exploring family, identity and acceptance through the perspectives of Latino immigrant fathers and their LGBTQIA+ family members.
Mini Pride Film Festival
Curated by James Soderman, the Mini Pride Film Festival showcases documentaries exploring LGBTQIA+ history, representation, relationships, and community experiences.
The films are available online throughout Pride Month via the Library's streaming video collection, allowing staff and students to watch at a time convenient to them.
The festival programme includes:
The Queen: Behind the Scenes of a 1967 Drag Beauty Pageant (1968, 66 mins)
A groundbreaking documentary capturing the 1967 Miss All American Camp Beauty Pageant and offering a rare glimpse into early drag culture, including an iconic appearance by Crystal LaBeija.
Beyond the Straight and Narrow: Queer and Trans Television in the Age of Streaming (2023, 71 mins)
An exploration of LGBTQ+ representation in television, examining how streaming platforms, changing social attitudes, and audience advocacy have shaped contemporary queer and trans storytelling.
Chris and Don: A Love Story (2007, 90 mins)
An intimate portrait of the decades long relationship between writer Christopher Isherwood and artist Don Bachardy, highlighting their personal and creative partnership.
Further information about the festival and links to all films can be found here.
Creating Safe Spaces: Supporting LGBTQIA+ Inclusion (Podcast)
Date: Available from 16th June 2026
Time: On demand
Format: Pre-recorded podcast
Audience: Open to QMUL staff
This event is delivered through Queen Mary’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), provided by Workplace Options. The EAP is a free and confidential service offering a wide range of support for staff, including help with balancing work, family and personal life.
Join this reflective and engaging session to strengthen cultures of respect, empathy and belonging. Through stories, insights and action focused discussion, the podcast explores the foundations of psychological safety, inclusive communication, and practical approaches to fostering environments where people can thrive.
The session will explore key themes including the importance of psychological safety for team performance, identifying and removing barriers to inclusion in everyday workplace interactions, and the role of allyship and advocacy in creating pathways to belonging. It also encourages reflection on practical actions that support cultures of respect, empathy, and authenticity.
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how inclusion supports collaboration and innovation, develop tools to support colleagues in creating inclusive environments, and identify practical ways to build trust and encourage authentic participation.
Registration and Access
You do not need to register in advance to access the podcast. It will be available from 16th June 2026, and you will be able to listen to the session and download the accompanying transcript at that time.
Registration is optional; however, those who register in advance will receive a completion certificate, which will be sent automatically to the email address provided. Please check your junk or spam folder if you do not receive this.
To access the session, you would first need to log in via the QMUL Employee Assistance Programme webpage. Once signed in you can access the podcast here.
Exploring LGBTQIA+ Histories: The Constance Maynard Digital Collection
đź”— Explore the Constance Maynard Timeline
Delivered by Archives & Special Collections
To mark Pride Month, explore the newly launched digital collections platform featuring the diaries and autobiography of Constance Maynard, the first Principal of Westfield College.
Through her personal writings, Maynard reflects on her emotional and romantic relationships with both men and women. She describes these relationships using terms such as “husband” and “wife,” offering a compelling insight into identities and experiences that today may be understood within the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Modern readers might interpret her as bisexual, lesbian, non-binary, and/or transgender.
This digital collection provides a rare and intimate perspective on LGBTQIA+ histories before the existence of contemporary terminology, inviting reflection on how identity and relationships have been understood across time.
You can also explore a visual timeline that highlights key moments in Maynard’s life and relationships, offering an accessible entry point into her story. Please note that the timeline includes references to relationships involving power imbalances that would today be recognised as abusive. As such, this resource encourages a nuanced and critical engagement with her legacy.
The Queen Mary Bystander Training
Date: Available on demand (year-round resource)
Format: E learning module followed by optional workshop
Audience: Open to QMUL staff and students
Registration: The Queen Mary Bystander
This session introduces the concept of bystander intervention, supporting individuals to take action when witnessing behaviours that may not align with Queen Mary’s values of inclusion and respect.
You may have heard of the “bystander effect” or bystander apathy, which is the idea that when others are present, individuals may feel less able or less responsible to intervene when something is wrong, such as harassment or inappropriate behaviour.
This programme supports participants in overcoming these barriers and empowers them to take positive and appropriate action.
Through this e learning, participants will:
- Understand how to recognise situations where intervention may be needed
- Build confidence in relying on their own judgement
- Develop a shared sense of responsibility for creating a respectful environment
- Learn how to apply the 5Ds toolkit to intervene safely and effectively
- Understand how Queen Mary’s policies and values support taking action
The training includes practical tools and guidance, with opportunities to apply learning through real life scenarios based on lived experiences.