LGBTQ+
2022
Mr Leo Mateus Art
https://www.mrleomateusart.com
Social Media Assistant
Mr Leo Mateus is a trans masculine artist, illustrator, video editor, & animator with his own successful Instagram platform and small business selling a variety of prints, models and statues. Leo has a passion for amplifying things that are usually silenced, often creating infographics on controversial topics within the LGBTQ+ community.
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I started work as Leo's social media assistant in April of 2022, my main role is to help encourage further engagement and growth of his Instagram page and product line by analysing social media insights and applying for sponsorships. I also help Leo plan content bi-monthly according to the insights I have found.
In my first month;
- Account reach up 177%
- Account engagement up 184%
- Follow count up by 3.2%
Queer Noise!
Coming Soon
Project Lead
Queer Noise is an LGBTQ+ Music Industry facing zine created by myself during the last year of my degree. Often, queer voices are silenced by homophobic and transphobic media, wanting to constantly censor and make our stories 'family-friendly.' Queer Noise delves into the lives of LGBTQ+ music industry professionals; the highs and lows of their time in the industry, how their identity has affected their career, if they think there is a 'Rainbow Ceiling' in music and how that is affecting LGBTQ+ individuals wanting to break into the industry.
2021
Inclusive Pronoun Training
Training co-leader
As part of my co-presidents campaign to improve our university's attitude toward the inclusive use of pronouns, we designed and created an hour long training session for staff. We delivered two training sessions over a one-week period and had over 40 staff in attendance.
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We received excellent feedback and now staff at our university are more clued up on how to display their own pronouns and how to make students feel more comfortable in sharing their pronouns and also changing their pronouns whilst at university.
LGBTQ+ Society
https://www.instagram.com/uoglgbtsociety/
Society President
In my first year of university, I was a member of the LGBTQ+ society. However, in my second year, I was voted in as vice-president before eventually taking on the role of co-president in early 2021. Over the course of my co-presidency, I ran 10+ online events during lockdown for a collective of 100+ students. Involving local community members in our sessions was extremely important to me and my fellow co-president seeing as we were experiencing such as disconnected time in the pandemic. Therefore we ran several collaborative sessions including local legend drag queen Misty Monique and chair yoga specialist, Accessible Yoga with Sarah.
During my co-presidency, I managed a small committee in the new online world as well as completed all relevant training and paperwork required for the society to continue the following year.
2016-2020
Transgender Inclusive Schools Project
Society President
As a teenager, I attended an LGBTQ+ youth group for several years. In mid-2016 we were approached by Dudley Health Watch, and Youth Champions Project and asked if we want to create our own community project. Together with two other friends, we created the Transgender Inclusive Schools Project, designed to aid teachers and other professionals working with young people in understanding transgender people. Including what it meant to be transgender as well as the challenges we faced in life.
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Alongside the training, I wrote a 50-page booklet taking submissions from young trans people from all over the UK. As the project developed we began running many training sessions, including ones for CAMHS, Dudley School Board, Barnardo's, Comic Relief and National Lottery.
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The project came to an end in 2020, however, it continues to have an impact on the local community as the booklet I wrote is still used in schools and counselling facilities across the West Midlands.