8 JAN 2021 · Today I will be speaking with Diversity and Inclusion expert, Jackie Handy. From a background in Recruitment, Jackie has learned about diversity and inclusion the hard way, from negative personal experiences. She is a fellow of the Professional Speakers Association and has been sharing her wisdom throughout the global speaking federation during 2020, including a trip to Namibia. Today I want to talk about her experiences and how they have helped her to change attitudes and practices in the corporate world. We will also be talking about her book "The Little Book of Belonging" and the ways we can make simple positive step to becoming more inclusive. You can find out more about Jackie at www.JackieHandy.com

7 JAN 2021 · Hate incidents and Hate Crime and sadly a part of life and have been increasing over the past few years. So what do you do if you are a victim or witness? Reporting the incident or crime to the police is essential but we k ow that most hate incidents and crimes go unreported, especially in the LGBTQ community. Often what we also need is to be able to just talk to someone about it and that is where Stop Hate UK comes in. Established 25 years ago, the charity provides a 24 hour service where victims and witnesses of hate crimes and incidents can get advice or just talk to a sympathetic ear about what has happened. Today I am talking with Rose Simkins, the founder and CEO of the service, who is passionate about delivering help to victims and witnesses to hate, about the service, the current challenges and why this service is so important for people in the LGBTQ community. You can find out more about Stop Hate UK on their website and Facebook page https://www.stophateuk.org/ https://www.facebook.com/Stop.Hate.UK

6 JAN 2021 · Founded in 2005 by Sue Sanders from Schools Out, LGBT+ History is an opportunity every year for schools, colleges, public bodies and private organisations to celebrate and promote LGBT+ History. I have emphasised Schools ad Colleges, because this Month of celebration was inspired by the repeal of Section 28 and has always had a strong focus on schools providing a wealth of resources and materials to enable Teachers to actively promote LGBT History. Today I am going to talk a little about the celebration and encourage you to think about how you can contribute to the 2021 LGBT+ History Month events and make your organisation more LGBT inclusive.

5 JAN 2021 · Every year on November 20th the Transgender community and our allies remember those trans people, mostly trans women, who, in the past year have lost their lives because they were transgender. Sadly the numbers dying is still rising every year and this global issues of violence against trans people continues. Today I want to spend just a few minutes explaining this issue and encouraging you to do what you can to stop anti-trans behaviour on and off line.

4 JAN 2021 · A post on the Professional Speakers Association members FB group drew a lot of activity last week. The issue raised was how MC's and other meeting hosts should introduce men and women. Often men are introduced with a title, but women are not eg Mr John Smith vs plain Jane smith. Of course this can get worse when the women gets added adjectives eg the lovely Jane Smith. It's part of the same issues faced by women leaders and press articles which insist on talking about what they are wearing eg Jane Smith the CEO has arrived, wearing a .... So today I have invited a few friends from the PSA to talk about the issue of sexism and gender equality for women speakers. How should you introduce a variety of speakers and maintain gender equality, how do you introduce and speak about transgender and non binary speakers and lots of other issues that impact the way people are treated differently due to their gender.

3 JAN 2021 · In May 1988 the conservative government passed into law section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 which made it illegal for any local authority to treat homosexuality and same sex relationships as normal. This law turned back progress towards LGBT equality in a single step, removing funding and support and making the lives of LGBT people, particularly LGBT children very difficult. Today I am going to be talking about this law, and the huge impact it has had on LGBT rights since. So often what appears to be bad, turns out to be good. Don't forget that the week of the 13th to 19th November is International Trans Awareness Week and Friday 20th is International Trans Remembrance Day.

2 JAN 2021 · Stereotyping is something we mostly all do - and it is a practice that positively or negatively impacts the way we treat people and things often without us even realising that we are doing it. If you attend a medical practice and are told that "the Nurse will see you now," What is your expectation. Most of us expect to see a woman. So how do you feel when you walk in and find a man sitting there. We have largely become used to discovering that the doctor is a woman - but the nurse as a man? And how does that affect your judgement of that man - Do you feel comfortable about that experience? What if they are transgender? Today I want to talk about stereotypes and their impact on our judgement about people.

1 JAN 2021 · The Reimer Twins were born Winnipeg Manitoba Canada in August 1965, then because of a botched circumcision, the older twin's penis was irreparably damaged. What followed was one of the most catastrophic experiments in human sexuality and gender, leading to thousands of children undergoing surgery without their consent. Today I want to talk about this case, the psychologist John Money who led the case and its impact on the LGBTQ and intersex communities.

31 DEC 2020 · Marina Roberts is a Mindset and Confidence coach who works primarily with women who are starting new businesses, helping them to overcome the imitations imposed on them by a world that positions women as "other". Marina grew up in Russia, where she took an engineering degree, but here passion has always been psychology. When I met her we talked about the insidious levels of social conditioning that prevents women from being their true selves and blocks their ability to succeed so today I want to talk to her about how she helps women to overcome this unconscious gender discrimination and create successful businesses. Marina is also a speaking coach and member of the PSA - you can find out more about her on her website at www.marinaroberts.com

22 OCT 2020 · In 1910 Magnus Hirschfeld coined the term Transvestite to describe anyone male or female who preferred to dressing the clothing in of the opposite gender. Eventually that term became synonymous with heterosexual men who cross dressed. Today I want to look at the history of transvestism starting with the infamous Chevalier d'eon de Beaumont, whose name Havelock Ellis wished t9 uses as an alternative to Transvestism , the work of Virginia Prince in the US and the Beaumont Society in the UK.