February 16th 2025.
The school was buzzing with excitement as the new 'Pride Club' was set up with the support of an LGBTQ+ charity. Amber Sims, a geography teacher at Eastbourne Academy secondary school, couldn't contain her joy when her students stood up to sing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and danced to Lady Gaga's Judas. Even the shy students who usually kept to themselves joined in the karaoke fun.
Amber, who is queer, shared with Metro that she wasn't the one responsible for the students' newfound confidence. It was all thanks to them for initiating the after-school LGBTQ+ club. As one of the founding members, Amber had to remind the group that the club was their space and she was just there to support them.
With Amber's help, the Pride Club was established in November and now has 17 regular attendees. Amber, who wishes she had a similar club when she was younger, revealed that it was actually the Year 7 students who were most eager for the club to be formed.
Joining Metro's LGBTQ+ community on WhatsApp is a great way to stay updated on all the latest news and important issues facing the LGBTQ+ community. The group has thousands of members from all over the world and is a vibrant hub for discussions and support. To join, simply click on the link and select 'Join Chat'. Don't forget to turn on notifications!
Amber explained that the students wanted a safe space where they could discuss important topics, raise awareness, and feel comfortable being themselves. She shared that there were even a few new faces in the last session, showcasing the growing popularity of the club.
The school, located in the Hamden Park area of Eastbourne, had previously had a 'Rainbow Club' with 60 students, but it ended when the teacher who ran it retired. Amber then teamed up with Just Like Us, an LGBTQ+ young people charity nominated for an award at the Metro Pride Awards, to form a new club.
Just Like Us runs a Pride Groups Programme, which has helped over 400 schools, by providing training, resources, and support for teachers and students to start lunchtime or after-school clubs for LGBTQ+ youth and allies. All the teachers involved have reported an improvement in the wellbeing of students.
The UK has come a long way since the passing of the Equality Act and the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2010. Acceptance of LGBTQ+ rights has also increased significantly. For today's teenagers, this is the norm and they have grown up seeing positive representation of LGBTQ+ individuals in media. In fact, most of the Pride Club attendees were either in nursery or not even born yet when the nation celebrated openly gay swimmer Tom Daley's success in the 2012 Olympics.
However, there is still a dark side to this progress. Despite the increase in acceptance, LGBTQ+ teens are still facing mental health issues at an alarming rate. They are twice as likely to suffer from depression, panic attacks, and anxiety compared to their heterosexual peers. This is a paradoxical situation, as society has become more inclusive, but hate crimes and the rollback of trans rights have also been on the rise.
Amber acknowledged that the internet has made it easier for LGBTQ+ youth to connect with others like them, but studies show that feelings of isolation are still prevalent.
The Metro Pride Awards, which will be held on February 26, aim to celebrate the achievements and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. The ceremony will be hosted by Rylan Clark, who is also nominated for an award. The full list of nominees can be found on Metro's website.
The school recently established a "Pride Club" with the support of an LGBTQ+ charity. Amber Sims, a geography teacher at Eastbourne Academy secondary school, couldn't contain her joy when her students enthusiastically sang Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and danced to Lady Gaga's Judas. Even the shy and introverted students joined in on the karaoke session, Amber shared with Metro in an interview.
The 26-year-old teacher, who identifies as queer, humbly admits that she is not the reason why the students are "blossoming". It is the students themselves who took the initiative to start an LGBTQ+ after-school club. Amber recalled that when the club was just starting out with only five or six members, she had to remind them that it was their space and they should take ownership of it. "I may be the teacher, but this is your space," she would tell them.
Amber played a key role in setting up the school's "Pride Club" in November, and now the club has attracted 17 members who attend weekly meetings. As someone who identifies as queer, Amber wishes that she had a similar support group when she was younger. The school has also taken measures to create a safe and inclusive environment for its queer students, showing its commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ rights.
Amber revealed that it was actually the Year 7 students who were most vocal about wanting a space where they could discuss LGBTQ+ issues and feel comfortable. "They wanted a space where they could talk about things, raise awareness, and just be themselves," she shared. As the club's supervisor, Amber is there to listen and offer her perspective on matters that the students bring up. She also mentioned that there have been some new faces in the club's recent sessions, which is a positive sign of its growing popularity.
The school, located in the Hamden Park area of Eastbourne, previously had a "Rainbow Club" with 60 members, but it disbanded when the teacher in charge retired. Amber then took the initiative to form a new club with the help of "Just Like Us", an LGBTQ+ charity that has been nominated for "grassroots or charity organization of the year" at the Metro Pride Awards. The charity runs a "Pride Groups Programme" that provides training, resources, and support for teachers and students to set up lunchtime or after-school clubs for queer youth and allies. Teachers who have participated in the program have reported improvements in the well-being of their students.
The UK has made significant progress in LGBTQ+ rights since 2010, including the passage of the Equality Act and the legalization of same-sex marriage. For today's teenagers, this is the norm, and they have grown up with a more accepting society. Many of the attendees of the Pride Club were in nursery school or not even born yet when the nation cheered on gay swimmer Tom Daley in the 2012 Olympics. This generation is also more likely to openly identify as queer and come out at a younger age. However, despite this progress, queer teens still face mental health issues, with higher rates of depression, panic attacks, and anxiety. This is a paradoxical reality, as society becomes more accepting, queer youth are still struggling.
Amber believes that the internet has made it easier for LGBTQ+ youth to connect with others like them, but studies have shown that isolation is still a prevalent issue. Despite the headlines about inclusion, there has also been a rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes and the roll back of trans rights. The road to equality is a long one, and there are still challenges and obstacles that the community continues to face.
The Metro Pride Awards, to be held on February 26, will honor the talented, resilient, and passionate individuals and organizations in the LGBTQ+ community. Hosted by Rylan Clark, himself a nominee, the awards aim to celebrate and recognize the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. The full list of nominees can be found on Metro's website.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
