Glasgow voted one of best unis for LGBTQ+ students

Located in a city that has long been presented as having a “closed-minded” attitude to minority groups, Glasgow has been outed as a top gay-friendly uni. 

LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall crowned the university in fifth place after conducting their annual ‘Gay by Degree’ list and grading all 158 UK unis in order of best to worst.

But while this is good news on paper, it doesn’t represent every student’s experience on campus.

LGBTQ+ student Andrew.

Andrew Brown, a second year LGBTQ+ student says his experience has been mixed: “Glasgow has a ridiculously good support network and the LGBTQ+ society is pretty active. The GUU is the thorn in the back though.

“It’s genuinely the only place on campus, I’ve felt uncomfortable about my sexuality.

“It’s a case of “woops, am I giving the gay away?'”

But the GUU policy welcomes people of all genders, race and sexual orientation.

Stigma surrounding the GUU is improving with the Union itself trying their best to welcome people with all different backgrounds, opinions and views.

And the Stonewall outcome shows that Glasgow has met all of the criteria despite this supposed stigma.

Second year student Archie Winnington-Ingram says he feels that LGBTQ+ students are treated equally: “I think Glasgow uni is extremely gay friendly, more so than any other institution I have ever been part of and more so than the real world.”

“Uni’s more gay friendly than the real world.”

But History student Tillie Russell thinks it’s harder for gay men than women: “It is absolutely, but like any big institution there are different sub groups with different attitudes. Gay women have it slightly easier but put it this way, if I were a gay man I would be scared or hesitant to come out in the sports crowd.

“Not because anyone actually cares but just because of the kind of ‘lad’ culture that they operate within.”

“Gay women have it easier.”

Glasgow uni is a going in the right direction to be a LGBTQ+ supportive institution, encouraging in a city that just held one of the largest sporting events in the world.

It’s done well compared to the other 11 institutions that didn’t meet the criteria, with the uni and students alike attacking existing problems.