On 7 September, an EUI delegation participated in Toscana Pride, in Lucca, Tuscany. Over 50 members of the EUI community, including researchers, students, staff, and trainees, came together to march with the banner 'Queering EUI – Lottiamo per ciò che è giusto' ('We fight for what is right'), a slogan chosen by a committee representing all main EUI constituencies. The slogan was aligned with the Toscana Pride manifesto, which calls for the advancement of LGBTQIA+ rights, ending homophobia and transphobia, and enhancing the protection against discrimination towards a more inclusive society.
As in 2023, Progress Pride Flags were raised during the month of June in many of the EUI buildings and villas. The Progress Pride flag symbolises the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ people - marginalised People of Colour (POC) communities, and those living with AIDS - calling for a more inclusive society.
In a special Pride Month edition of the EDI podcast, Stories of Pride: from protests to parades, Benno Gammerl, EUI Professor of History of Gender and Sexuality, and Monica Morado Vásquez, EUI PhD researcher in Gender and Sexuality and History of Emotions, discussed the history of Pride and its ongoing significance for the LGBTQIA+ community. The episode also featured on-campus interviews with EUI members about the meaning of Pride and the continuous efforts for visibility and equality. Check out all of the episodes on the EUI YouTube channel.
On 7 June, EUI members joined the Queer Book Fest, an open discussion organised by the EUI Library's trainees and staff. During the discussion, participants had the opportunity to learn about the latest acquisitions of the Library chosen by members of the LGBTQIA+ Society, discuss their favourite queer books and authors, and share their views and experiences on LGBTQIA+ literature. The reading list from the Queer Book Fest is still available for EUI members to explore.
On 11 June, during the Library Café for Pride Month, EUI members were invited to explore and borrow books on LGBTQIA+ rights and history, based on a selection curated by the Library in collaboration with the EDI Team. During the month of June, a book display in the Library highlighted books selected for Pride month.
On 18 June, during the EUI's State of the Staff, the LGBTQIA+ Staff Network Proud to BƎ! was launched. The Network was created to offer an inclusive and safe environment for all LGBTQIA+ people at the EUI and is open to all persons who identify as LGBTQIA+ who are working at the EUI, and their allies. As their first initiative, Proud to BƎ! members marched with the EUI delegation in Toscana Pride. If you wish to become a member or receive information on the next network initiatives, please contact [email protected].
On the occasion of Pride Month 2024, the Historical Archives of the European Union organised an online exhibit titled 'LGBTQ+ at Work - Unveiling the European Parliament's Archives and Commitments'. The exhibit explores documents from the European Parliament between 1987 and 2003 relevant to LGBTQ+ rights.
Interested in learning more about LGBTQIA+ inclusion at the EUI?
- The Queer and Feminist Studies Working Group provides a space for fostering discussions on different issues related to queer and feminist theory. The working group organises various sessions to discuss papers written by EUI researchers, exchange thoughts on feminism, gender, and queer movements, and host guest speakers.
- The EUI-LGBTQIA+ Society is an informal social group for anyone affiliated with the European University Institute: researchers, students, trainees, post-docs, faculty, staff, partners, etc. The goal of the Society is to create a supportive and intersectional network that is positively anti-homophobic, anti-transphobic, anti-classist, anti-ableist, anti-sexist, and anti-racist.
- The LGBTQIA+ Network Proud to BƎ! provides an inclusive and safe environment for all LGBTQIA+ EUI members and allies. Its goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where everyone can freely express themselves.
If you have any ideas, proposals, or questions that can help us enhance LGBTQIA+ inclusion at the EUI, please contact [email protected].