Thank you to everyone who took part in DMU Pride 2023

This year's ninth-annual DMU Pride celebrations has now ended and we would like to say a massive 'thank you' to everyone who took part in the celebrations.

Highlights from the exciting programme of events included:

• A #BehindTheLens Question and Answer session with Ash Kotak (playwright, filmmaker, journalist, and activist) at the Phoenix Theatre where one of the greatest invisibilised LGBT+ movie figures of all: the legendary Indian-born producer Ismail Merchant (1936–2005) of Merchant Ivory Productions: founded on a same-sex life partnership was remembered. Followed by a film screening of the affirmative gay love story, Maurice, produced by Merchant and Ivory.
• An intersectional panel Chaired by Genevieve Gordon (Senior Lecturer in Law at DMU) - Dr Rory Magrath (Associate Professor of Sociology at Solent University, Southampton), Nali Simukulwa (freelance writer and journalist) and Alex Baker (Chairman of Stonewall FC, President of the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association) – discussed 'The beautiful game and LGBTQ+ rights and experiences'.
• A Strictly Come DMU Pride Dancing event, where attendees learned how to Waltz and Cha Cha Cha.
• The Big Pride Quiz hosted by the De Montfort Students' Union.
• A Rainbow Families (an informal social group for LGBTQ+ parents and carers and their children) Gallery Takeover event, where children and their grown-ups were able to get creative and explore contemporary art, whilst meeting other LGBTQ+ families in a relaxed and friendly setting.

Chris Hall, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion said: "I would like to thank everyone who contributed to making this year's DMU Pride a success, marking LGBTQ+ History Month and providing the opportunity to celebrate more about LGBTQ+ history, culture and identity."

There has also been a series of thought-provoking events as part of the Cultural eXchanges Festival, including 'David Bowie & film' which shows Bowie's ideological importance to issues including gender, sexuality and identity formation.

Watch back events

If you have missed any of the events, you can watch them on the DMU Events YouTube channel.

You can also check out our DMU Pride microsite, where you can watch interesting alumni stories, find a list of themed films and TV shows, find information about LGBTQ+ symbols and what they mean, information about pronouns, and being an LGBTQ+ ally