GMIT LGBT Network
GMIT LGBT+ Staff and Allies Network
Work on establishing the GMIT LGBT+ Staff and Allies Network began in 2019 and it was officially launched in June 2021. The group was founded by staff members from across the institution:
- Tony Magner, Lecturer, School of Design & Creative Arts
- Anita Mahony, Student Services
- Barry McMillan, Lecturer, Department of Language & Humanities
- Anne Donnelly, Administration
- Mary Nestor, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager
- Suzanne Rushe, Librarian, Letterfrack Campus
The network is motivated by the values of Equality and Fairness, Voice and Visibility, Diversity and Inclusion. Its goal is to create a safe and supportive space for LGBT+ staff within GMIT and to bring a LGBT+ equality perspective into organisational policy, systems, and culture within GMIT.
The network will promote its values and goals within GMIT through public-facing events and initiatives.
Dr Orla Flynn, President of GMIT, says: “I’m really pleased to see this network established in GMIT. It’s so important that all our staff can come to work feeling confident and comfortable in their own skin. If we can ensure such an environment for our staff, this will translate into a similarly welcoming environment for our students.”
Since January 2022, the network has been co-chaired by Tony Magner and Anne Donnelly.
Commenting on the significance of the new network, Anne and Tony say: “In terms of LGBT+ rights and equality we have come a long way but we still encounter challenges. Bias both conscious and unconscious is still prevalent in society. We hope that through our public facing events and other initiatives our new network will break down any remaining bias in the workplace, in our lives and in the lives of those we work with.”
