Glasgow Caledonian University is an inclusive university that welcomes and values diversity. LGBTQIA+ identities are recognised and celebrated at GCU, and our support services are inclusive and welcoming for LGBTQIA+ students from all backgrounds. This page has further information on the support and resources available at Glasgow Caledonian University.
Named contacts for support
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Our Student Wellbeing Advisers are named contacts for LGBTQIA+ students and can offer practical and emotional support throughout your time at GCU.
The Wellbeing Advisers are linked with each academic school and can support students to liaise with their academic departments if they are finding it difficult to ask for help. We would only do this with the student’s permission.
We have included information about some of the ways we can support LGBTQIA+ students but just contact us if you have any questions or suggestions about how we can improve the support we offer: swa@gcu.ac.uk
Trans student policy and support
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We have a Trans Student Support Policy that sits alongside these detailed guidance documents:
Students wishing to update their records will meet with a Wellbeing Adviser. They will complete some documentation that enables the adviser to make the requested changes and share information with specific individuals: Notification of Consent and Record Updates
Changing your name and pronouns
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The Student Wellbeing Advisers can assist students to change the name and pronouns they are known by at university. We will invite students to a confidential 1:1 meeting to discuss the process and agree on a plan. We can support students to communicate changes to their academic department and navigate the processes involved in updating their student record and email identifier.
This is generally a straightforward process and we do not require evidence of a formal name change.
There are some exceptions where the process can be more complex, for example:
Some professional bodies may require evidence of a formal name change. We may wish to consult a Visa Adviser prior to updating a student’s record if we are concerned this could have implications for immigration and travel. We can support students to update their name prior to commencing their studies as long as they have firmly accepted an unconditional offer.
More information can be found in our Trans Student Policy and Support section.
For more information about the law in Scotland, we recommend Scottish Trans: Change of Name Guidance .
A new card will be issued free of charge when a student updates their name or requires a new photograph to reflect changes to their appearance.
Cards can be collected from the Campus Life Desk or we can make alternative arrangements if this is not suitable.
GCU Wellbeing: disability, mental health and wellbeing supports
GCU Student Wellbeing Services: counselling, mental health advisers and the Disability Team
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The Student Wellbeing Service includes the Disability Team, Counselling Team, the Mental Health Adviser Team and the Student Wellbeing Adviser Team. If you are unsure about what support is right for you, you can speak to the Student Wellbeing Advisers who can help you identify the most appropriate support.
Counselling service The Counselling team can offer you up to six sessions of counselling therapy to help you overcome any barriers you are facing.
Mental Health Advisers Our Mental Health Advisers can be a point of contact for students who have a diagnosis of a mental illness or who are experiencing significant mental distress that is impacting their studies. Their role is to help students to develop strategies to manage their mental health at university.
Disability service The Disability Team provides advice, information and services to disabled students and applicants. This includes students with long-term medical conditions, sensory impairment, mental ill-health, physical impairments, specific learning disabilities (for example dyslexia) and students on the autism spectrum.
GCU Wellbeing’s self-help resources The GCU wellbeing team have pulled together a range of resources for GCU students including our GCU Learn Community, resource list and link to sign up for our fortnightly newsletter .
Support for student carers, care-experienced and estranged students
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The Student Wellbeing Advisers work closely with student carers , and understand there can be specific barriers for LGBT+ carers in terms of accessing support and social opportunities. GCU also support students who are care-experienced or those who are estranged from their families.
Discrimination, bullying and harassment: prevention, response and support
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If you have experienced discrimination, bullying or harassment, the Student Advice Centre can support and advise you on your options under the relevant complaints’ procedure in confidence. Your adviser will not take any actions or pass on any information you share without your express consent to do so. If you would prefer to speak to a Student Wellbeing Adviser initially, we can support you to access the relevant support.
Report and Support is an online reporting tool for the GCU community and members of the public to submit a report about misconduct they experience on campus. GCU is dedicated to identifying and tackling inappropriate behaviour, whenever it arises. No one in our community should ever be the focus of gender based violence, sexism, racism, discrimination, assault, bullying, harassment or any other offensive conduct.
Gender-based Violence: prevention, response and support
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GCU’s First Responder Team includes staff members from across the university who are trained in responding to disclosures relating to gender-based violence.
Our Student Wellbeing Advisers are members of the First Responder Team and can provide ongoing support for students who have experienced gender-based violence. If a student wishes to pursue a complaint against another member of the GCU community, the Student Advice Centre can support them through this process.
You can also use our online Report and Support tool to make a report of gender-based violence either anonymously or with your contact details.
If you would prefer to speak to a specialist LGBT+ organisation, our Gender-based Violence webpage includes a link to GALOP - Galop provides Hate Crime, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence support services to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans + victims/survivors by telephone, email, text and WhatsApp.
Activism, visibility, and representation The Student Wellbeing Advisers work alongside LGBTQIA+ champions within the university and the Students’ Association who work to increase visibility and celebrate events such as LGBT History Month and Trans Day of Visibility. Let us know if you have any ideas/suggestions to help increase visibility and celebrate LGBT+ history and identities.
LGBTQIA+ Working Group
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GCU has an LGBTQIA+ Equality Group who are working towards creating a more inclusive and welcoming campus for LGBTQIA+ students and staff. You can contact the group by emailing LGBTQIA@gcu.ac.uk
GCU’s LGBTQIA+ Group was formed in 2023 and includes people from the LGBTQIA+ community and allies who play a role in supporting LGBTQIA+ staff and students. The group merged with an existing Trans Equality Group and continues to place the needs of trans people at the centre of their work. The group has participated in national campaigns such as Glasgow Pride, Trans Equality Week and LGBT History Month. They have hosted listening events to hear what is important to LGBTQIA+ staff and through this an LGBTQIA+ Staff Network was started.
The group’s next steps will be to engage with external partners to develop inclusive policies, practice, and support at GCU. This will take some time, and remains a work in progress, however, we are excited to make GCU one of the most inclusive LGBTQIA+ organisations in the UK as soon as we can
Trans awareness and allyship sessions
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We can offer trans awareness and trans allyship sessions for staff and students. Please contact swa@gcu.ac.uk if you would like to arrange this for a group or department. We are also happy to respond to individual enquiries.
LGBT+ representation network
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Our GCU Students Association has an LGBT+ Students Representation Network , which is here to give GCU LGBT+ students, staff, and their allies a place where they can have fun, meet new people and campaign on the issues that matter most.
To contact the LGBT+ Officer please email lgbt@GCUstudents.co.uk and join the group .
Library resource list and displays
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Glasgow Caledonian University is an inclusive university that welcomes and values diversity. For Pride 2021 the Sir Alex Ferguson Library asked staff and students to recommend LGBTQIA+ books, films, TV shows, musicians and services.
This resource list showcases the suggestions we received; you will also see physical copies of these books on display in the Relax and Renew space of the library.
If you would like to recommend any resources you would like to be added to this list, please email your suggestions to acquisitions@gcu.ac.uk for consideration by the university librarians.
Additional resources for higher education settings
External Resources and Organisations We have included links to LGBTQIA+ organisations, important dates, research, educational materials and literature around LGBTQIA+ History – please let us know of anything you would like to see added to this section:
Social and support-based organisations
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Facilitates well-supported social groups and also offers online chats and 1:1 coaching support for LGBT young people.
Their groups include:
LGBT Groups (one for under 18s and one for young people aged 16/17-25) A group for gender diverse/gender non-conforming young people (under 18s group and a group for those aged 16/17-25)
The groups are welcoming and inclusive and enjoy a wide range of activities to suit the needs of a diverse community.
LGBT Youth Scotland has also produced a Guide to coming out.
LGBT Health & Wellbeing
Student Minds has a web resource with advice for the LGBT Community.
LEAP Sports Scotland works to increase LGBTQIA+ equality in sport and has a network of LGBTQIA+ inclusive sports clubs operating in Glasgow. LEAP also run sports access programmes for LGBTQIA+ people providing fully funded taster sessions and introductory courses to make sport and physical activity more inclusive and accessible for LGBTQIA+ people.
Advocacy and rights-based organisations
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The Equality Network works for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) equality and human rights in Scotland. They are inclusive and open in their work to challenge discrimination and to consult, involve and inform individuals from the LGBTI community.
Stonewall Scotland works to improve the rights of LGBT+ people across Scotland by empowering people, transforming institutions and lobbying to change the law. Stonewall has also produced this Q&A to answer some of the common questions that get asked about trans people and to tackle some of those myths and misconceptions you might have seen in the media.
The Scottish Trans Alliance assists transgender people, service providers, employers and equality organisations to engage together to improve gender identity and gender reassignment equality, rights and inclusion in Scotland. Please visit their webpages for more information.
Reporting hate crime, domestic abuse and sexual violence
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Report and Support is an online reporting tool for our students to submit a report about misconduct they experience on campus. GCU is dedicated to identifying and tackling inappropriate behaviour, whenever it arises. No one in our community should ever be the focus of gender-based violence, sexism, racism, discrimination, assault, bullying, harassment or any other offensive conduct.
By reporting an incident you experience or witness, you could help prevent something similar from happening to someone else.
Help make GCU a better place. Tell us about your experience .
Galop provides Hate Crime, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence support services to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans + victims/survivors by telephone, email, text and WhatsApp.
Stonewall provide Domestic Violence and Abuse Resources for LGBT people.
Women's Aid provides Domestic Violence and Abuse Resources for LGBT people.
Shakti provide BME LGBTI women and young people experiencing domestic abuse
LGBT faith-based organisations
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Glasgow LGBT Interfaith Network :
The Glasgow LGBT Interfaith Network is a volunteer-led organisation for LGBT+ people of faith and belief. They promote understanding, friendship, and diversity and welcome people of any gender, sexuality, and religious (or non-religious) background.
Hiddayah
Hiddayah’s mission is to provide support and welfare for LGBTQI+ Muslims and promote social justice and education about their community to counter discrimination, prejudice and injustice.
St Mary’s Cathedral
St Mary’s has a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans network which is responsible for organising meetings and events, including helping to organise those Episcopalians who want to march at Pride.
Metropolitan Community Church in Glasgow
We are an inclusive church founded by LGBT people of faith in Glasgow. We are part of an international Christian denomination, UFMCC , founded in and reaching beyond the LGBT+ communities.
LGBT refugees and asylum seekers
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Unity LGBT Group is a group that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual and transgender refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants. They aim to:
Provide a safe social group Help people claim asylum and understand their rights Provide support and advice on legal, social and medical issues Gather information and create resources Network with existing LGBT and refugee groups Fight for LGBT rights both in the UK and abroad.
Gender identity resources
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Sandyford offers a comprehensive gender service available to young people who are uncomfortable or uncertain about their gender identity or expression, and adult transgender and non-binary people who are considering feminising or masculinising treatment. There are currently long waiting times to access this service.
Scottish Trans work to improve gender identity and gender reassignment equality, rights and inclusion in Scotland.
Gender Kit has information on all aspects of transitioning.
TransHealthUk have a resource on navigating UK healthcare
There are two resources from USCF which discuss the different effects, risks and side effects of different gender affirming treatment. However it is based in the USA, so some treatment possibly won’t be as common place in the UK:
Pink Therapy allows you to search for counsellors who specialise in gender, sexuality and relationship diversity with filters for location, gender, specialism, area of training etc. Website is currently being updated and will be available at the end of October
TranzWiki is a comprehensive directory of non-commercial groups and organisations supporting or assisting trans and gender diverse individuals, their families and friends across the UK.
GIRES is a UK wide organisation whose purpose is to improve the lives of trans and gender diverse people of all ages, including those who are non-binary and non-gender.
