My name is Kieran and I am the LGBTQ+ officer for the Swansea University Students’ Union.
The LGBTQ+ community witness adversity everyday from a multitude of areas. I have witnessed and experienced these adversities first hand some of these are issues from within the community and some of these are issues that stem from people that don’t accept the community.
Since coming to Swansea I have been able to push myself out of my comfort zone by becoming the LGBTQ+ officer for Singleton and winning an election to carry on in this role in the second year. This role has let me work with some amazing people on the LGBTQ+ history campaign as well as the trans day of visibility. I am currently working on a campaign around HIV/AIDS awareness. This topic is extremely important to me.
As an SU officer, I love having access to resources and funding that really allow me to make a difference through running various campaigns and being a voice for the community.
Swansea has a really strong LGBTQ community. It’s very tight-knit and everyone knows everyone, so you end up feeling like you belong to this little chosen family.
I have also been able to design and make my own clothes in collaboration with a store that sells LGBTQ+ clothing. All of these experiences wouldn’t have been possible without the friends that I have made in university that have encouraged me to push myself in gender expression and my own self-worth. To them I am forever grateful and thankful.