After the huge Freshers’ success of Drapers’ very first LBGT+ and Allies night, Candyfloss is back this Saturday!
After the huge Freshers’ success of Drapers’ very first LBGT+ and Allies night Candyfloss, co-hosted by the LGBT+ Society, the night is back again this Saturday 28 November.
We spoke to Isabelle Young (in her second year of Theoretical Physics) and Adam Sparkes (in his third year of Drama) about why they set up the night and what they feel it has done for the LGBT+ community at QMUL.
What are your names and how are you involved with LGBT+ Society?
Our names are Isabelle Young and Adam Sparkes, we are the President and Vice President of QM LGBT+ Society (respectively). Adam is also the LGBT+ Representative for the Student Union.
What is Candyfloss and what inspired you to set up the event?
Candyfloss began as Queen Mary's first LGBT+ club event in Drapers, and is now set up to be a regular event for all London students. We wanted to start the event to increase awareness of the LGBT+ community on campus, and to create a safe space for all LGBT+ students and allies to have fun and get to know other in the community.
Did you receive any support from the Union?
Drapers itself is a Student Union run bar and club on campus, and the support we've received from their staff has been invaluable. In particular, we have been working closely with Elizabeth Crooks to ensure everything runs smoothly and safely for all our attending students.
Were there any challenges and if so how did you overcome them?
Creating Candyfloss has been our vision for over a year now, and we have been lucky to be able to run it this year, with extra support from the Students’ Union. Our two main challenges have stemmed from the difficulty in deciding on appropriate dates for the night and our desire to create as safe an environment as possible. Drapers already runs a great many monthly and weekly events, and we have been lucky enough to be granted a monthly Saturday evening spot. This means that we've been able to utilise our weekend spot and attract as many students as possible.
To ensure the space is safe for all our LGBT+ students, we have been in contact with the local Metropolitan police in an effort to gain support. The feedback that we've had in our interactions has been immensely helpful and we are very appreciative of their help.
What do you believe has been the positive impact of Candyfloss for the LGBT+ community in QMUL?
We feel that Candyfloss has contributed to the increased acceptance of LGBT+ students on campus, and a new space for our community to interact and socialise has substantially helped with LGBT+ students to feel comfortable at our university. Moving to university is a massive step for many students, and we know that a welcoming environment can help significantly with making our new and current students feel at home. We are constantly working towards a better campus for all our students, and hope that our plans will be even more instrumental to this in the future.