HALIFAX LGBTQ and welfare have started a poster competition to raise awareness of LGBTQ rights on campus. The posters will have “provocative” themes, based around the “gay agenda” and “gay conversion” misconceptions, with a retro design. The campaign is open to the entire University and the posters will be moderated by the Halifax JCRC and the YUSU LGBTQ committee. The winning entry will receive £20 and will be displayed in the Week Eight issue of Vision and around campus.
Jack Chadwick, Halifax LGBTQ convenor, commented; “While the general attitude towards queers is far less hostile nowadays, what often replaces this hostility is a sort of pity – the feeling that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans people should be tolerated because sexual and gender identities aren’t chosen.
“This isn’t good enough, it reinforces the shame and internal self-hatred that many queers struggle with, as evidenced by the continuously high incidence of mental illness within the community. This campaign is an effort to turn the situation on its head by challenging the negativity of stereotypes attached to queer identities.
“We’ll be parodying so-called ‘gay recruitment’ with a poster competition asking people to submit designs which humorously promote being LGBTQ, and also publishing a satirical flyer to raise awareness of a few current queer political issues.”