Former Classics and Arabic Brasenose student, Tim Ramsey, has set up a charity which sends recent LGBTQ+ school-leavers into schools to give talks and run workshops so pupils can hear personal accounts from people their own age about what it can be like growing up LGBTQ+. Just Like Us aims to empower and support young people to become active agents of change in making schools LGBTQ+ friendly places. The charity will work on building a sustainable network of volunteers from across British universities to ensure the continuity and diversity of volunteers speaking in schools to develop strong, longstanding relationships with the schools visited. Just Like Us will also develop an online video and written library of personal stories to reassure young LGBTQ+ pupils they are not alone and that things get better.
In a recent newspaper article, Tim wrote “I pretty much knew I was gay by the time I started secondary school - perhaps knowing all of S Club 7’s lyrics aged 11 was a giveaway, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself. When I eventually did, I decided it was better not to tell anyone. At my all-boys northern grammar, being gay felt like something negative, a bit rubbish and best to hide. I was terrified my friends wouldn’t want to be my friends any more. I was convinced they might think that I fancied them all...In the end, I came out accidentally to my closest friends at university when I was drunk. Their reaction? Not bothered.”
Tim is also focussing on launching the UK’s first nationwide School Pride Week from 20-24 June to celebrate diversity in education. UK School Pride Week will be the first opportunity for schools across the UK to unite in showing their support for LGBTQ+ pupils and in combating homophobia and intolerance, and will include activities such as rainbow non-uniform days. The event will involve around 25,000 pupils and will be launched in Houses of Parliament with Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities, in attendence.
During a recent visit back to Brasenose College Tim commented “I’m delighted for Brasenose’s support for Just Like Us and their commitment to celebrating diversity. I hope that Brasenose undergraduates and alumni will get involved in helping us make schools better for LGBTQ+ pupils.”
See the Just Like Us website for more details.