Seagull Weekly Briefing 02/08

Good morning, and welcome to the Brighton Seagull's Weekly Briefing. We hope you didn't get too baked this week, either by the temperatures or by the fug of weed smoke emanating from every residential road. We also wish you a very happy Pride, however you celebrate.

Boycott of The Queery ends

The Seagull can announce that the boycott of the volunteer-run cooperative, The Queery, has ended.

In August 2023, concerns about racism and a lack of inclusivity at The Queery were raised on social media.

At the time, organisers at the space said that the boycott was because they had ignored members of the black queer and trans+ community, and failed to 'quickly implement anti-racism training after receiving the money to do so'.

After a short closure, they began work with Pacheanne Anderson, a paid consultant who helped them to adopt anti-racist practices, held open forums in neutral spaces, the board resigned, a new board was elected with extended positions for queer, trans+, black and indigenous people of colour, the structure and policies of the co-op were reviewed, and a complaints procedure was developed.

Yesterday, organisers said:

We recognise antiracism is an ongoing effort so our work doesn’t end here. In the next few months we will be hosting antiracism training for our entire staff.

Pacheanne Anderson said that their work with The Queery has been 'real hard work', but they were pleased that 'everyone has shown great desire toward change'.

They said:

 I am extremely pleased at how all roles have been made clear and streamlined processes are now being engaged to enforce diversity and intersectionality.

I am absolutely confident in inviting the Black and POC community back into the space and I look forward to checking in on more on progress in the near future.

Pride celebrated in the city this weekend

Brighton & Hove Community Pride returns to the city tomorrow: here's everything you need to know.

Several roads will be closed for the parade, the festival in Preston Park, and the Pride Village Party in Kemptown.

The parade starts at Hove Lawns at 11am tomorrow morning, and travels through the city to Preston Park. All the road closures are here.

The trains will be very, very busy: more trains will be put on by Govia Thameslink Railway, but anyone coming to Brighton or leaving Brighton should give themselves plenty of time before they travel.

Organisers also recommend you give yourself at least an hour to get to the station from any festival sites.

Preston Park and London Road stations will be closed all weekend.

If you're looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Big Pride™️ but still want to celebrate, check out our recommendations for the weekend here.

🖋 News in Brief 🖋

• It'll be drizzly at Pride. Bring an umbrella!
• Around 30 elm trees will be removed from Peacock Lane near Withdean Park due to an outbreak of elm disease. Work will take around three weeks. There are more than 17,000 elm trees in Brighton and Hove. Elm disease keeps affecting them due to beetles carrying elm disease (formerly known as Dutch Elm Disease) and their breeding on elm logs. If you’re concerned about an elm tree, email [email protected].
• Brighton & Hove has the highest uptake of free childcare among disadvantaged two-year-olds in the country. According to the council, free childcare uptake is at 100%, compared to a national average of 75%.

Dog of the Week this week is every good dog that Team Seagull saw at Trans Pride. We loved all of them!

What's happening?

The council is looking for views on the revised draft Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit.

What is the Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit? It's a 37-page document providing guidance to schools on how best to support trans+ students.

Do schools have to adhere to it? It offers assistance but it is not prescriptive, meaning it is up to the individual schools and teachers to make their own decisions.

What are the key principles of the toolkit?

• It calls for personalised support for trans+ children, saying that schools should develop equality and anti-bullying policies in line with the Equality Act 2010.
• Support for gender-exploring children should be non-pressurising, allowing them to develop their identities at their own pace.
• Promoting diversity helps prepare students for modern society and combats harmful stereotypes and prejudices.
• Reducing transphobia is crucial for the mental health of trans students.

How does the toolkit propose schools create inclusive environments? It advocates for a 'whole setting approach', where diversity is celebrated in the school, governors have trans+ awareness training and policy development, and staff receive training on appropriate terminology and challenging transphobia.

Are there any specific recommendations for dealing with bullying and prejudice? Yes! Schools are encouraged to develop clear policies to prevent and address bullying, to use the curriculum, assemblies and displays to challenge gender stereotypes, and to identify trends and address issues in bullying and prejudice.

How can schools get additional support or training? Schools can contact Brighton & Hove City Council for training options and further guidance here.

How can I give feedback on the draft? You can read the revised draft consultation and share your views here. The consultation is open until Friday 11 October 2024.