Advice and Opinion - November 2025
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Posted on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 by Kim Cockayne — No comments
If you look at company websites, social media posts or the language used in recruitment adverts, you could easily believe that workplaces today are more inclusive than ever. Almost every employer talks confidently about equality, diversity and belonging. Pride flags appear in June, staff networks get highlighted in newsletters, and many organisations want to be seen as modern and welcoming. On ...
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Posted on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 by Kim Cockayne — No comments
Workplaces may look more modern and inclusive on the surface, but for many people — especially gay people and others in our community — speaking up about harassment, bullying or hate still feels deeply risky. You’d think that with stronger policies, HR teams and awareness campaigns, things would feel safer by now. But the truth is that reporting unacceptable behaviour at work, even today, can ...
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Posted on Tuesday, November 25, 2025 by Kim Cockayne — No comments
Mental health has become one of the biggest workplace issues of our time. More people are speaking honestly about anxiety, burnout and emotional fatigue than ever before. Employers talk openly about wellbeing, and many now offer training, support helplines or awareness campaigns. The message seems clear: mental health matters. But if you talk to people — especially gay people and others in our ...
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Posted on Tuesday, November 25, 2025 by Kim Cockayne — No comments
Most employers today describe themselves as “inclusive.” It has become one of those words that appears on every website, every job advert, and every corporate brochure. But as many people in our community know, calling yourself inclusive and being inclusive are two very different things. Plenty of workplaces promise acceptance, fairness and equality — yet the day-to-day reality doesn’t always ...
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Posted on Tuesday, November 25, 2025 by Lusinda Richardson — No comments
For most people in the UK, the cost of living crisis has become a difficult part of daily life. Bills are higher, food is more expensive, rents have pushed many to their limits, and wages have not kept up. Yet while everyone is feeling the pressure, there are parts of our community who are dealing with deeper, quieter challenges that don’t often make the headlines. Economic strain doesn’t fall ...
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Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2025 by Simon Jenkins — No comments
Wes Streeting has been in the headlines this week for reasons that have little to do with health policy. The Health Secretary demanded that Downing Street identify and sack whoever briefed journalists with the false claim that he was plotting to overthrow the prime minister. The allegation was baseless, but the intensity of Streeting’s response — swift, public and unusually forceful — revealed ...
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Posted on Sunday, November 9, 2025 by Ian Thomas — No comments
Coming out is personal. It’s not one moment, and it doesn’t always happen just once. For many LGBTI people, it’s something they do again and again — every time they join a new team, start a new job, or meet new colleagues. Even in workplaces that call themselves inclusive, the decision to come out can feel complicated. You might wonder: will it change how people treat me? Will I be respected, or ...
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Posted on Sunday, November 9, 2025 by Ian Thomas — No comments
Looking for a new job can be stressful for anyone, but for LGBTI applicants, there’s often an extra layer of uncertainty. You’re not just deciding if a role fits your skills; you’re wondering whether the workplace will respect who you are. Do you come out in the interview? Will being open affect your chances? Will the culture feel safe once you start? These are real questions — and too few ...
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Posted on Sunday, November 9, 2025 by Ian Thomas — No comments
Inclusion doesn’t begin on someone’s first day at work; it starts the moment they read a job advert. For LGBTI candidates, that first impression can make all the difference between applying and moving on. A workplace might celebrate Pride once a year, but if the recruitment process feels unsafe or insincere, it sends a louder message than any rainbow logo ever could. First Impressions Matter Most ...
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Posted on Sunday, November 9, 2025 by Samantha Elliot — No comments
Looking for a job is never easy, but for trans and non-binary people, it can feel like walking through a maze built for someone else. You’re not just applying for work — you’re trying to read a room before you ever step into it. Every form, every interview, every email can carry an extra layer of risk or anxiety. You’re deciding not only how to present your skills, but how much of yourself to ...