Selwyn Alternative Prospectus

LGBT+ Officer
As the LGBT+ Officer, I
have a wide range of
responsibilities. Firstly, I
represent the views and
concerns of the Selwyn
student body on any
issues related to sexuality
and gender identity to the
JCR, the college and also
the Student Union’s
LGBT+ campaign, which
is the university-wide
LGBT+ organisation. My role also involves campaigning for greater LGBT+
acceptance in college, both with regards to the student body and the college
authorities. Thankfully, in many parts due to the great work of past LGBT+
Officers, I haven’t had to do much in this respect at all - Selwyn is home to an
incredibly welcoming community of students and fellows, and is moreover
proud of its diversity and inclusivity. Testament to this is the yearly tradition of
the LGBT+ Officer and the Master of the college raising the Pride flag from
Selwyn’s tower in February, in recognition of LGBT+ History Month.
As the LGBT+ Officer, I am also part of the team of Welfare Officers in college.
For the welfare side of my role, I run a weekly ‘Welfare Hour’ in my room. This
just means that anyone can pop in for a cup of tea and a chat, whether they want
help and support for some problem they might be experiencing, or they just
want to talk to someone! Just taking a moment out and talking to someone
different can be really beneficial, especially if you’ve just been sat in the library
all day! All the Welfare Officers also distribute free sexual health supplies
anonymously through an online form.
Finally, there is also a fun side to my role! I organise social events for LGBT+
students in Selwyn, both within the college and with other colleges. This can be
a really nice way to meet other people with similar experiences in a chilled-out
environment. In particular, I make sure to hold a social event in Freshers’ Week,
so that incoming LGBT+ students can feel welcomed from the get-go!
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If you have any questions about my role, about being LGBT+ at Selwyn,
Cambridge, or even just at university, please feel free to contact
jcraccess@sel.cam.ac.uk and they will pass the message on.
- Olly