The University of Montpellier is organizing a week of action against LGBT+ phobia
From November 14 to 18, 2022, the University of Montpellier is organizing a week-long initiative to combat LGBT+ phobia, featuring a panel discussion and a documentary film that will highlight the theme of LGBT+ inclusion in all aspects of university life. This strong, long-standing commitment is part of an active policy to combat all forms of discrimination implemented byUM.
The L’Autre Cercle association’s LGBT+ Commitment Charter for Higher Education was officially launched on October 13, 2022, at the University of Montpellier
In 2016, the University of Montpellier became the first institution of higher education to sign the charter of the national association L’Autre Cercle, demonstrating its commitment to the inclusion of LGBT+ staff. On October 13 of this year,UM this commitment by signing a new version of the charter, which now includes students.
Through this charter, the University of Montpellier has committed, in particular, to:
- the creation of an inclusive work and study environment;
- ensure equality in law and in treatment regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity;
- support victims of discriminatory remarks or actions;
- measure progress and share best practices to improve the professional environment and academic framework in higher education.
Even today, living openly with one’s sexual orientation or gender identity is not always a given, as several recent surveys confirm. For higher education staff, the initial findings of the ACADISCRI study conducted at two French universities in 2018 indicate that being a man who does not conform to norms of masculinity, or being LGBT, are among the most frequently cited reasons for microaggressions. Furthermore, the Student Life Observatory reports that, in 2020, sexual orientation was still cited as a factor contributing to stigmatization.
This week dedicated to combating LGBT+ phobia promises to be a highlight of the academic year, during which a range of initiatives will be supported to foster a caring and inclusive work and study environment where everyone feels free to be themselves.
The schedule for “LGBT+ Phobia Awareness Week”
This week will kick off on November 14 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. with a panel discussion titled: “How can non-LGBT+ people get involved in the fight against LGBT+ phobia?” It will take place at the Françoise Barré-Sinoussi Student Center (Triolet) with Philippe Augé, president of the University of Montpellier. Flora Bolter, co-director of the Jean Jaurès Foundation’s LGBTI+ Observatory, political scientist, and LGBTI+ activist, and Julie Boiché, vice president for social responsibility at the University of Montpellier, will be the panelists for this roundtable. The discussion will draw on footage from a street interview conducted in late September with students from four campuses of the University of Montpellier.
The week will continue on November 16 at 7:00 p.m. with a screening of the documentary film *La première marche* by Hakim Atoui and Baptiste Etchegaray at the Aimé Schoenig Student Center on the Richter Campus. This documentary will also be screened in Carcassonne, in the auditorium of the Faculty of Education, at 12:45 p.m.
“On June 9, 2019, four students organized the first Pride Parade in the suburbs, in Saint-Denis. Fifty years after Stonewall, they brought the LGBT struggle to a place where no one had ever imagined it could happen. A fast-paced immersion among the Pride organizers—proud suburbanites. The issues of intersectionality and inclusivity in these struggles are clearly laid out. The young activists overflow with infectious energy in a documentary full of humor and commitment, which inspires a desire for unity in the face of oppression.”
Practical information:
Date: November 14–18, 2022
Location: University of Montpellier
View the program for the Week Against LGBT+ Phobia