Pride and Progress

This week we are talking all things Heartstopper Season 3 with friend of the show Aisling Walters (she/her). We discuss our favourite characters, favourite moments, and some of the deeper themes of the new season.In this episode we revisit our interview with Fisayo Akinade (her/him), who plays Mr Ajayi in Heartstopper, and we share a brand new interview with Ash Self (he/him), who plays Felix in the show. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode. You can also follow us on socials @PrideProgress.Thanks for listening! www.prideprogress.co.uk

This week we bring to you a special episode of Pride & Progress recorded live at the Just Like Us Awards in London. We were invited by Just Like Us to capture the event in this special podcast episode where we will be talking about the work of Just Like Us, and why celebrations like this awards night are so important. In this episode you will hear from a range of guests and speakers, below are the details for each of them. Laura MacKay, CEO Just Like Us https://www.justlikeus.org DBH, Organiser for LGBT+ Educators with NEU https://neu.org.uk/get-involved/neu-networks/lgbt-networks Sophie Duker, Comedian and Writer https://sophieduker.com Dr Ronx Ikharia, Doctor and Presenter www.independenttalent.com/corporate/dr-ronx-ikharia/ Logan Brown, Activist and Author https://biggerpicturebooks.com/?page_id=274 Jordan, Director at TIE https://tie.scot Ben Peachy, Speaker and Author www.benpechey.com Jude Guaitamacchi www.instagram.com/becomingjude/?hl=en Thanks for listening! www.prideprogress.co.uk

This week we are joined by Professor Catherine Lee (MBE) (she/her) and Dr Ben Johnson (he/him) to discuss the topic of LGBT+ Research. Ben and Catherine are both former teachers and now academics who research a variety of LGBT+ topics including panoptic heteronormativity, Section 28 and its impact, and LGBT+ teacher professional identity. In this fascinating conversation, we discuss the importance of LGBT+ research, what the latest census tells us, the emancipatory potential of research, the academics that inspired us, and so much more. You can find reading lists of Ben, Catherine, and Adam's academic work here: Ben: https://www.newman.ac.uk/staff/benjamin-johnson/ Catherine: https://www.aru.ac.uk/people/catherine-lee Adam: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8273-9420 Thanks for listening! www.prideprogress.co.uk

This week we are trying something a bit different and have invited four fantastic guests to take over the show to discuss the topic of allyship and advocacy. We are joined by Claire Bale (she/her), author of the racial diversity and inclusion blog, ⁠https://thatsabitracey.com/⁠, and EDI lead for a large Trust; Shonagh Reid (she/her), former teacher and senior leader and now director of Spotlight Inclusion, https://spotlightinclusion.co.uk; Adrian McLean (he/him) an EDI speaker and trainer and executive school leader; and Becky Carter (she/her), a secondary History leader and EDI advocate. You can follow our guests on X using @bale_claire; @_ShonaghReid; @Character_guy; @missrcarter89. Thanks for listening! www.prideprogress.co.uk

This week we discuss the important topic of positive representation in inclusive books and stories. We are joined by a brilliant panel of experts including authors Dean Atta (he/him), Sarah Hagger-Holt (she/her), and Ollie Pike (he/him) as well as educator Becky Shewell (she/her) - the creator of the Shewell Intersectionalitree database. During the episode we explore representation, how this has changed over time, and what we hope to see next. You can find out more about our guests and their work using the links below. Thanks for listening! www.prideprogress.co.uk - Dean Atta: https://sites.google.com/site/deanatta/ Olly Pike: https://www.popnolly.com Sarah Hagger-Holt: https://www.sarahhaggerholt.com Becky Shewell: https://www.theshewellintersectionalitree.co.uk (you can receive 50% off using code PRIDE&PROGRESS50)

This week we discuss the important topic of Pride Groups, exploring the impact they can have, and the logistics of successfully running one. We are joined by a brilliant panel made up of Frankie Cowper (she/they) from Just Like Us, Edel Cronin (she/her) and Lois Nethersell-Webb (she/her), authors of the upcoming book 'The Secondary School Guide to Pride', and Charlotte Clark (she/they) who runs a successful Pride Group. You can learn more about Just Like Us's Pride Groups Programme here: https://www.justlikeus.org/home/get-involved/pride-groups/ and you can follow @GuideToPride on X to keep up to date with the book's progress. Thanks for listening! www.prideprogress.co.uk

We were invited to join the NEU's LGBT+ Educators' Conference 2024 in Birmingham. The theme for the conference this year was 'Celebrate, Educate, and Protect Together'. In this episode we capture the conference by speaking with organisers, guests, and stall holders about the importance of each word in that theme. Thanks for listening to this Pride & Progress special episode! (During this episode we reference Becky's resource for intersectional representation in books - you can find this resource at www.theshewellintersectionalitree.co.uk)

Section 28 was an amendment to the Local Government Act of 1988, which prohibited local authorities from intentionally 'promoting homosexuality', or promoting the 'acceptibility of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship'. This legislation came into place in 1988, and planted fear into our educational spaces. For years, Section 28 created a culture of silence around LGBT+ identities in our schools, and for many LGBT+ people, this silence became shame. Section 28 was in place for 15 years, and had an immeasurable impact on generations of LGBT+ young people, as well as limiting the education around LGBT+ identities for all young people. November 18th 2023 marks 20 years since Section 28 was fully repealed. This Pride & Progress special event explores what Section 28 looked like in our past, its legacy in our present, and how we can learn from it to create a more inclusive future. Our incredible speakers: · Professor Emeritus Sue Sanders, Chair of Schools Out UK, and co-founder of LGBT+ History Month UK (X @suesanders03). · Professor Paul Baker, author of 'OUTRAGEOUS!: The Story of Section 28 and Britian's Battle for LGBT Education' (X @_paulbaker_). · Professor Catherine Lee, author of 'Pretended: Schools and Section 28' (including her story, which helped inform the film 'Blue Jean') (X @DrCatherineLee).

This week we are talking all things Heartstopper with a variety of voices from our Pride & Progress Community including special guest and friend of the show Aisling Walters (she/her). We explore your favourite characters, favourite moments, and ask why you think shows like this are important. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode. You can also follow us on Instagram & Twitter/X @PrideProgress. You can find links to other Pride & Progress resources and events here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress. Thanks for listening!

This week we have assembled an incredible panel of guests to discuss the topic of 'queering leadership'. Our panel is made up of four inspirational leaders from different sectors of education: David Weston (he/him) from the charity sector, Alex Baird (they/them) from HE, Richard McDonald (he/him) from secondary, and Holly Coull (she/her) from primary. In this episode, we discuss what can be learnt from leaders who belong to the LGBT+ community, and how we can challenge, or queer, traditional approaches to leadership. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode. You can follow us on X/Twitter, Instagram, and Threads @PrideProgress, and our guests on X/Twitter @rjmcdonald24; @hccoull; @AlexBaird12; @informed_edu (David). You can find links to other Pride & Progress resources and events here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress. Thanks for listening! 

In this conversation, we are joined by the brilliant Abena Akuffo-Kelly (she/her). Abena wears many hats, but she joins us in this conversation as an educator, speaker, union activist, mentor and coach. We first met Abena when we saw her deliver a session on exploring Unconscious Bias. The session was fantastic, and we wanted to bring it to our audience through this episode. In this episode we explore what unconscious bias looks like in theory, in practice, and in action. - We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode. You can follow us on X, Instagram, & Threads @PrideProgress, and Abena on X @a_akuffo_kelly. You can find links to other Pride & Progress resources and events here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with the brilliant Klaudia Matasovska (she/her). Klaudia is a PhD researcher at Goldsmiths University of London and an Associate Lecturer at the University of Derby, and she joins us in this episode to discuss the intersection of LGBT+ and SEND. Klaudia shares with us fascinating and important findings from her research, as well as advice and good practice for how we can support LGBT+ SEND students. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PrideProgress, and Klaudia on Twitter @Klaudinka, on Instagram @matklau, or through her website https://www.klaudiamatasovska.com/. You can find links to other Pride & Progress resources and events here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress

This week we bring you a special panel episode discussing LGBT+ parents and families. Our panel is made up of three brilliant educators, all of whom are LGBT+ parents. Join us to explore the challenges and joys of LGBT+ families with Bennie Kara (she/her - @BennieKara), Peter Jardine-Wight (he/him - @WightPJ), and Claire Neaves (she/her - @ClaireNeaves). We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PrideProgress. You can find links to our other resources including our NEW BOOK and CPD PROGRAMME here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress Thanks for listening!

This week we celebrate the launch of our book 'Pride & Progress: Making Schools LGBT+ Inclusive Spaces'! In this special episode, we welcome back the third member of Pride & Progress, George White (he/him), who interviews us about the book, and then later in the episode, we go to the in-person book launch held in Nottingham earlier this week. You will hear the brilliant panel discussion from the book launch featuring George, and friends of the show and former guests, Aisling Walters (she/her), and Scotty Cartwright (he/they). The book is now available from all good retailers and we hope you love it as much as we did writing it. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PrideProgress, George @TransCatholicRE, Aisling @AislingDW, and Scotty @HiAuntieSandra. You can find links to our other resources here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress

This week we speak with Olly Pike (he/him). Olly is is the Director of Pop'n'Olly - an LGBT+ edutainment resource for children, parents, carers and teachers. Olly's videos and books are being used in homes and primary schools across the UK and beyond to help combat homophobia and transphobia before it can begin to develop. In this episode we discuss Olly's stories, and the power they have to show young people a wider variety of ways to be. You can find all of Olly's resources at https://www.popnolly.com. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PrideProgress. You can find links to our other resources here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with the wonderful Shivani Dave (they/them). Shivani is a non-binary journalist, broadcaster, and physicist. Shivani began their media career at the BBC, and while working for Radio 4, began producing an independent passion project called The Log Books, sharing the untold stories of British queer history. They specialise in telling stories with the communities that are often unheard, most recently releasing Black and Gay, Back in the Day.  Alongside this work, Shivani is a presenter at Virgin Radio, a TikTokker, and a drag artist under the brilliant name Dishi Sumac. They are also in the Radio Academy's 30 under 30 2022, Attitude 101 Honours list, and have been recognised by the British LGBT+ Awards as one of their 'Top 10' broadcasters of 2022. In this episode we discuss intersectionality through the lens of race and ethnicity, what we should be doing as a society to become more trans and non-binary inclusive, and the importance of queer joy! You can follow Shivani on Twitter at @ShivaniDave. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PrideProgress. You can find links to our other resources here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress Thanks for listening!           

This week we talk to the sensational Divina de Campo! Divina (he/she/they) is an actor, singer, performer, drag artist, and a member of Drag Race royalty. Divina joins us to talk about her experience of education, as both a student and teacher, all while looking fabulous in her sparkly pig banker jumper (check our socials to see a picture!). You can follow Divina on Twitter at @Divinadecampo. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PrideProgress. You can find links to our other resources here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress Thanks for listening! 

This week we are joined by Sab Samuel, who is better known as Aida H Dee: The Storytime Drag Queen, and founder of Drag Queen Story Hour UK. Aida H Dee is an ADHD, neurodivergent, queer hero of literature, theatre, and children's entertainment. They join us in this episode to talk about the work they do with Drag Queen Story Hour UK, and the value it has for young people. Their brand new children's book, "My First Pride", is available for pre-order. You can find out all about their work, and their children's books, on their website: https://www.dragqueenstoryhour.co.uk.  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PrideProgress. You can find links to our other resources here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress Thanks for listening! 

This week we speak with the brilliant Ian Timbrell (he/him) about LGBT+ inclusive relationships and sex education. Ian shares great advice about how to plan your curriculums, which topics should be discussed at which age, and how to navigate difficult conversations. A must listen for anyone who teaches RSE! We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PrideProgress. You can find links to our other resources here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress Thanks for listening!

This week we bring you a special panel episode discussing LGBT+ inclusive sport and PE. Our brilliant panel is made up of a range of LGBT+ athletes and educators, each who bring a unique perspective to the topic. Our four superb guests are Alex Baird (they/them - @AlexBaird12), Jake Williamson (he/him - @jakewilliamson4), Martha Riggs (she/her - @MarthaRiggs4), and Michael C. Wearing (he/him - @_Michaelwearing). In this episode we discuss some of the challenges and barriers that face LGBT+ people from fully participating in PE and sport, share great advice and guidance, as well as celebrate the progress that has been made in LGBT+ inclusive sport. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PrideProgress. You can find links to our other resources here: https://linktr.ee/prideprogress Thanks for listening!

It is LGBT+ History Month and we are joined by Molly and Sophie from The Proud Trust to explore why this month matters, and how their resources can help teachers during this month. The Proud Trust are a Manchester based charity described as ‘The Home of LGBT+ Youth’. They are a life changing charity who provide education, support, and advocacy for LGBT+ young people and their communities. You can find out more about their work here: https://www.theproudtrust.org - We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PrideProgress. Thanks for listening!

We were invited to join the NEU's LGBT+ Educators' Conference in Bristol. The theme for the conference this year was 'Defending our Community'. In this episode we capture the conference by speaking with organisers, guests, and stall holders about the importance of creating these safer spaces, and what lessons they'll be taking home with them from the conference. In this episode you can hear from Just Like Us, Olly Pike, Schools Out UK, Stonewall, Trans Actual, Kacey De Gruit, and the wonderful Divina De Campo.  Thanks for listening to this Pride & Progress special episode!

In our final episode of the series, we are joined by the formidable Peter Tatchell (He/him). Peter has dedicated his life to campaigning for human rights and has been involved in activism for over 50 years. In this episode we discuss his fascinating life and career which is featured in the Netflix documentary Hating Peter Tatchell (https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81422831). You can follow Peter's work by signing up to his website, https://www.petertatchellfoundation.org, or following him on Twitter @PeterTatchell. We hope you have enjoyed this series of Pride and Progress, and as ever, please share your feedback with us on Twitter @PrideProgress. The Pride & Progress bookclub is launching this September, and you can sign up for the first meeting using this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-pride-progress-book-club-tickets-383306880197  Thanks for listening and we'll see you soon for series 3! Adam & Jo

This week we are joined by the fascinating Paul Baker (he/him). Paul is Professor of English Language at Lancaster University. He has written 22 books on language, sexuality and social history - covering topics that include Section 28, Polari, gay men in the merchant navy, and newspaper coverage of LGBTQ+ people.  In this conversation we talk about the importance of connecting with older generations of LGBTQ+ people, to learn our history, and the lessons we can learn from their fight for equality. We discuss Paul's most recent book: Outrageous! Which charts the story of Section 28 and the battle for LGBTQ+ education. We loved Paul's book so much that we have started our own Pride & Progress Bookclub! Find out more, or sign up, using this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-pride-progress-book-club-tickets-383306880197 We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter @PrideProgress and Paul @_paulbaker_. Thanks for listening!

This week we are joined by the ray of sunshine that is Nick Kitchener-Bentley (he/him). Nick is a wonderfully positive and encouraging voice in education and among his many roles is a secondary school Lead Practitioner and teacher of Drama, Inclusion & English. Nick is also the Drama subject specific lead tutor for Coventry University’s National Institute of Teaching and Education and has an interest in LGBTQ+ inclusion in education, working with LGBTed as part of their Steering Group. Nick joins us to discuss his work in making schools more LGBTQ+ Inclusive, his recent contribution to the Diverse Educators: A Manifesto book, as well as a fascination discussion about professional identity. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter @PrideProgress and Nick @NBentleyTweets. Thanks for listening!

This week we are joined by an incredible headteacher, writer, and thinker, David Lowbridge-Ellis! David uses he/they pronouns and is an inspirational headteacher, and the Director of School Improvement for Matrix Academy Trust in the West Midlands. He has written and spoken extensively on many aspects of education, especially curriculum and assessment. Inclusion is a recurring theme in his writing and speaking and he joins us this week to chat about the barriers queer people in education face. In this episode, David shares lots of brilliant tips on how to make educational spaces more inclusive, and how to be an effective, authentic leader in education.  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter @PrideProgress and David @DavidTLowbridge. Thanks for listening!

This week we are joined by an incredible educator, researcher and activist, Charlotte Feather! Charlotte uses she/her pronouns and is the founder of the LGBTQ Primary Hub: a website which aims to enhance the delivery of LGBTQ+ inclusive education in primary schools by providing teachers with the support they need.  Charlotte has just completed her Masters, with research focusing on the experience of queer early career teachers, and is now an academic tutor with the University of Sunderland running one of the UKs only Gender and Diversity University Modules. She joins us this week to talk all things LGBT+ education, and shares some fascinating insights from her research. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter @PrideProgress and Charlotte @MissFeather_.  Thanks for listening!

This week we are delighted to speak to the wonderful Fisayo Akinade (he/him). Fisayo is a brilliant actor of both screen and stage, and plays the teacher we all wish we could have had at school, Heartstopper's Mr Ajayi! Fisayo joins us to talk about his acting career, dancing with Olivia Coleman and, of course, all things Heartstopper! We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter @PrideProgress.  Thanks for listening!

This week we have assembled some special friends of the show to discuss what has been consuming all of our lives for the last week - the new Netflix series Heartstopper. Heartstopper is a British coming-of-age story of queer romance based on the graphic novels of the same name by the brilliant Alice Oseman. The story follows a group of queer young people as they navigate falling in love as an LGBTQ+ young person. In this episode, our guests George White (he/him), Allison Zionts (she/her), Karan Bhumbla (he/him), and Aisling Walters (she/her), come together to discuss their favourite characters, moments, and messages from the beautiful queer love story. You can catch up on all eight episodes of Heartstopper on Netflix, and read about this story and others on Alice Oseman's website: https://aliceoseman.com We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter @PrideProgress. Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with the brilliant Daniel Tomlinson-Gray (he/him). Daniel is a secondary teacher and co-founder and director of the fantastic LGBTed (https://outteacher.org). In this episode we discuss the origins of LGBTed, the amazing work they do through their Proud Leadership programme, and the inspiring book, edited by Daniel: Big Gay Adventures in Education: Supporting LGBT+ Visibility and Inclusion in Education (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/036789422X/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_i_8Y15YVSARC87T87K1E9X). We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter @PrideProgress, and LGBTed @LGBTedUK. Thanks for listening!

This week we are joined by the incredible Professor Catherine Lee (she/her). Catherine trained as a PE teacher before stepping into academia at Anglia Ruskin University. In this episode Catherine shares her personal experience of educating through Section 28, and how she has moved from that experience to set up the Courageous Leaders programme designed to support LGBTQ+ leadership. We discuss Catherine's research, and she shares with us why LGBTQ+ leadership matters, and why LGBTQ+ people are uniquely prepared to make excellent school leaders.  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter @PrideProgress, and Catherine @DrCatherineLee. Thanks for listening!

This week we are joined by the inspirational Bennie Kara (she/her). In this packed episode, we discuss Bennie's journey from Teach First all the way to senior leadership, how her intersectional identity led to the birth of Diverse Educators, and the success of her fantastic book, Diversity in Schools (available here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-little-guide-for-teachers-diversity-in-schools/bennie-kara/9781529718546). Bennie is the master of a metaphor and we can't stop thinking about her amazing 'labels have care instructions' analogy! We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can also follow us on Twitter @PrideProgress, and Bennie @benniekara. Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with two brilliant LGBTQ+ role models: Edel Cronin (she/her) & Aaron Brooks (he/him). In their school in Bristol, Edel and Aaron run a LGBTQ+ club for students which has grown to change the attitudes of their entire school.  In this episode, Edel and Aaron share practical tips on LGBTQ+ clubs in school, queer inclusive curriculum, and LGBTQ+ leadership. They work together, and achieve fantastic things in their school. They share their work so freely on twitter - so do follow them to support your work in school!  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, you can also follow us on twitter @PrideProgress, Edel (@MsE_Cronin), and Aaron (@english_brooks). 

This week we speak with the inspiring educator Shaun Dellenty (he/him). Shaun is a multi-award-winning teacher, LGBT+ inclusion advocate, trainer, inspirational speaker and author who has been named one of the most 100 influential LGBT+ people in the U.K. Shaun was honoured at the National Diversity Awards and by the U.K. Prime Minister for services to education and LGBT+ communities. His inspirational first book ‘Celebrating Difference -A Whole School Approach to LGBT+ Inclusion’ was published in 2019 and was recommended in the U.K. Parliament by Lord Michael Cashman. In this episode, Shaun tells us how a simple pupil voice survey kick started his work in LGBT+ inclusion. He tells us how a training programme designed to support his own school went on to support thousands of teachers in hundreds of schools around the world.  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on twitter @PrideProgress, and connect with Shaun @ShaunDellenty

This week we speak with Helen Richardson (she/her), a brilliant Deputy Headteacher of a large primary school in Nottingham. Helen started working on anti-racism at her school, which later developed into all things diversity, where she was nominated to lead the diversity network for her school’s Trust. From there, Helen joined the Nottingham City Equality Action Team where she’s working with Directors of Education, Nottingham Citizens and MATs across Nottingham to improve the diversity of the curriculum and recruitment and retention of black and global majority teachers. In this episode, Helen discusses her experiences of growing up during Section 28, the amazing work she does with diversity and the curriculum... and receiving a 'coming out pot plant'! We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @prideprogress and Helen @DiversityDeputy. Thanks for listening!

Welcome to Season 2 of Pride & Progress! We are thrilled to kick off Season 2 with one of the co-founders of LGBT+ History Month, the inspirational Sue Sanders. We are also delighted to be joined by the Chair of Trustees for Schools Out, Lynne Nicholls. You can explore the huge range of resources available for this year's LGBT+ History month at https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk.  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @prideprogress, Sue @suesanders03, Lynne @NichollsLynne, Schools Out @SchoolsOUTUK and LGBT+ History Month @LGBTHM. Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with the amazing George White (he/him) who shares his experiences as a trans RE teacher in a Catholic school.  The way George presents LGBT+ visibility in his school and gets colleagues and students to question their own views and beliefs is truly inspiring. George also shares some fantastic, practical advice about how to make classrooms and schools more inclusive.  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @prideprogress, and George @geowle.  Thanks for listening!

Welcome to the final episode of season 1 of Pride & Progress. This week the tables are turned as the fabulous George White returns to the podcast to interview us. We discuss the first season of the podcast, the stories we have heard, the lessons we have learnt, and share some more of our own stories.  Thank you so much to everybody who has supported the podcast, as a guest, or as a listener. It has been a true pleasure to hear these stories, and to be able to share them with you. We hope you enjoyed listening to the stories as much as we enjoyed curating them.  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this season, and you can get in touch with us as always on Twitter @PrideProgress. Thanks for listening!

This week, in our penultimate episode of the series, we speak with the fabulous Scotty Cartwright (he/him/they/them). Scotty is a trainee English teacher and joins us to discuss how his degree in stand up comedy helped him prepare for the classroom, his experiences of joining the profession as an LGBT+ teacher, and the amazing work he is doing to celebrate and promote diversity in his school. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @PrideProgress, and Scott @_MrSTCartwright. Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with a truly inspirational educator, Hannah Wilson (she/her). Hannah is a former headteacher, and the co-founder of #WomenEd and #DiverseEd. Diverse Educators offers an amazing array of resources, training, support and blogs which you can access at www.diverseeducators.co.uk.  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @PrideProgress, and Hannah @Ethical_Leader. Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with the brilliant Troy Jenkinson. Troy is a primary school Headteacher and in this episode talks about starting his teaching career during Section 28, the work he's done with Andrew Moffat and No Outsiders and authoring childrens' books. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @prideprogress, and Troy @JenkinsonTroy. Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with the amazing Adam Breslin (he/him), whose PhD research focuses on LGBTQ+ rights and activism within education.    In this episode, Adam leads a fascinating conversation about the power that every teacher, child, and young person has to change the world through small acts of gentle activism.  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @prideprogress, and Adam @AdBPhD1.  Thanks for listening!

This week we are joined by the awesome Eilidh Vizard (she/her). Eilidh is a secondary Science teacher who is passionate about representing both women and LGBT+ in STEM subjects. In this episode we discuss gendered language, being a STEM and LGBT+ role model... and perhaps most importantly, Eilidh's gorgeous cat Rupert (check out the picture on Twitter!). We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @prideprogress.  Thanks for listening!

This week we are joined by two fantastic guests: Ian Eagleton (he/him), and James Mayhew (he/him). Ian is the author of the fantastic new picture book ‘Nen and The Lonely Fisherman’, which is illustrated by James. Ian and James share with us how their gorgeous book came to be, and why stories like theirs are so important for young children. We discuss love, hope, and making happy endings inclusive. You can order your own copy of ‘Nen and The Lonely Fisherman’ now! We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @prideprogress, Ian @MrEagletonIan, & James @mrjamesmayhew.  Thanks for listening!

This week we have a fascinating conversation with Claire Birkenshaw (she/her). Claire is an incredible educator, and an inspiration to us both. In our conversation we discuss marginalised groups, school leadership, the power of shared stories, and how to create inclusive educational spaces. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @prideprogress, and Claire @C_Birkenshaw.  Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with the inspirational Kyrstie Stubbs (she/her).  Kyrstie is the Principal at Boothroyd Primary, an incredible Academy that approach diversity, equity and inclusion in a truly holistic way. DEI is a golden thread that runs through all aspects of Boothroyd Primary -  you can check out some of the amazing work being done here: http://www.boothroydprimaryacademy.co.uk. In this episode, Kyrstie talks about how she sees creating a culture and ethos of inclusion as her moral duty, and shares some fantastic stories and examples about how she and the school have done this, and the lasting impact it has had. We hope you enjoy listening to Kyrstie's story as much as we did. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can get in touch on Twitter @PrideProgress, and with Kyrstie @KyrstieStubbs. Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with the inspiring Andrew Moffat (he/him). Andrew is the creator of ‘No Outsiders: Everyone Different, Everyone Welcome’, and has been awarded an MBE for his work with equality and diversity in education. In this episode Andrew shares the story of No Outsiders, and emphasises the importance of schools bringing their community with them on the journey of inclusive education. The No Outsiders lesson plans are a brilliant resource for all primary schools to teach their children that we are all different, and that difference should always be respected. No Outsiders is now a registered charity, and you can find out more about them at: https://no-outsiders.com/ You can also watch the video we reference in the episode here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI9VS38xmDs We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode and you can get in touch on Twitter @PrideProgress, and with Andrew @moffat_andrew. Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with Karan Bhumbla (he/him) who shares his experiences as a gay, Indian, Science teacher. Born in India, Karan later moved to Canada and now lives in the UK where he is a Science teacher, Head of Year and Lead Practitioner at an all boys Academy. In this episode we discuss what it was like to grow up gay in India, the importance of being a role model, intersectionality and the challenges and rewards of working in an all boys school. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @prideprogress, and Karan @MrBhumbla. Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with the wonderful B (they/them) who shares their experiences as a non-binary educator.  In this episode we discuss gender, binaries in education, and how to make educational spaces more inclusive for trans people.  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode, and you can follow us on Twitter @prideprogress, and B @guerriero_b. Thanks for listening!

This week we speak with Just Like Us CEO, Dominic Arnall (he/him). Just Like Us is an LGBT+ young people's charity who's mission is to empower young people to champion LGBT+ equality. Just Like Us want all young people to know that being LGBT+ is something to be celebrated! In this episode, we speak about the great work that Just Like Us do to support LGBT+ young people and schools. Just Like Us provide a range of resources and support that we highly recommend, including their Ambassador and Pride Group programmes. They also run School Diversity Week, which this year takes place from 21st to the 25th of June. Signing up is free and you will be sent a toolkit of resources suitable for your school and key stage: https://www.justlikeus.org/school-diversity-week. We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode. You can get in touch on Twitter @PrideProgress, and with Dominic @Dominicarnall and Just Like Us @JustLikeUsUK Thanks for listening!

This week we are speaking with the brilliant Allison Zionts (she/her). We discuss disrupting heteronormativity and creating safe spaces in school, as well as Allison’s experiences as a bisexual teacher and running her schools LGBT+ club, called the Rainbow Club. In this episode Allison draws on her experience as a teacher, as well as her PhD research into LGBT+ safe spaces, to discuss heteronormativity and bisexual erasure. Allison also shares some brilliant advice for teachers trying to make their educational spaces more safe and inclusive for LGBT+ people.  We love to hear your feedback, so please rate and review this episode. You can get in touch on Twitter @PrideProgress, and with Allison @GetUpandTeach.  Thanks for listening!

Welcome to a new podcast called Pride and Progress!  Pride and Progress celebrates the amazing work being done to make educational spaces more LGBT+ inclusive. Each week we speak with a range of LGBT+ educators, allies and activists and hear their incredible stories of progress.  In this first short episode, we introduce ourselves as your hosts and talk about some of the fantastic upcoming guests we have for this series.  We hope you enjoy listening to this series as much as we enjoyed recording it. You can let us know your thoughts on Twitter @prideprogress.  Thanks for listening!