For LGBT+ History Month, we met up with some members of UWLSU’s LGBTQ+ society to learn about their experiences, inside and outside of university.
Rhys is studying International Tourism Management here at UWL and is part of the LGBTQ+ Society, where he found his close group of friends. Rhys has played a key part over his time in the society planning events for everyone and putting on socials.
Throwing himself into life in London, Rhys is also part of ‘Ace Space London’, a group created to bring together ace/aro identifying individuals to socialise in London! Though he hasn’t been part of the group for long, Rhys has already been involved in organising events and bringing people together. Being able to walk into an event and know you’re surrounded by people like you has made Rhys feel so much more comfortable and confident in getting involved with new things. Trying out activities that he wouldn’t normally be interested in has been an experience that has affirmed that is doesn’t necessarily matter what you’re doing, it’s who you’re surrounded by that makes it fun!
“You have something in common with them and it makes it a little bit more comfortable”
Living in a city with such a huge amount of people can make it difficult to find your group or circle, especially if you don’t know where to start. Being able to join a group of people who Rhys knew from the get-go would share similarities, made the search for a community that bit easier!
“London's a massive city, it's hard to find people in that sort of space so being able to find a community like that is great”
To this day, homophobia continues to be a prevalent issue in society, one which Rhys is incredibly aware of. It can be disheartening to see negativity, especially with social media making it so easy for people to have their opinions seen. One thing that Rhys would love to see from every person is to simply, “just be kind”.
But, if there’s one piece of advice Rhys can offer anyone, it’s this:
“Just ignore everyone else, be happy for yourself”
Want to find out more about the LGBTQ+ Society? Click here or follow them on Instagram @uwl_lgbtq.
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