Vote for dedication and determination, Vote for Alex

I’m Alex (they/them), I’m the current Open SU LGBTQIA+ Student Rep and have been in post since October 2025. You can find my manifesto HERE follow me on Instagram HERE. I am in my 30s, non-binary, disabled, and neurodivergent.

I’m currently a Stage 1 Social Psychology student, and my aim is to use my studies alongside my lived experience working and volunteering in the LGBTQIA+ community (with organisations like Gendered Intelligence, Mermaids, Spectra, and local Pride groups) to pursue a Master’s degree studying gender and sexuality. I even bought myself a pin with the non-binary flag on it that says “It’s Dr, Actually” which I’ve put somewhere safe for the future.

I worked as a youth worker with LGBTQIA+ young people for eight years, mostly in and around London. After this, I worked as a community worker with LGBTQIA+ adults online. This means the majority of my career has focused on connecting LGBTQIA+ people online and organising queer online events.

About my priorities –

Keeping queerness at the forefront of Open SU

I will do this by creating an LGBTQIA+ Hub. This hub will act as a place to permanently share resources that support LGBTQIA+ students. I will also continue my previous work, which includes a competition for LGBTQIA+ History Month, activities to celebrate the queer calendar, and writing articles for The Hoot (links at the end of the article). When students see queerness openly expressed and discussed at the SU, it can help them feel more confident participating in student life.

Fight loneliness by building community

Reduce student loneliness through events, ongoing projects, and student voice drop-ins. These will be made by and for LGBTQIA+ but would welcome allies. I’ll organise in-person trips to Student Pride and Central London, working alongside area reps to organise meet-ups in their areas. And I’ll continue to create opportunities for participation. For example, during LGBTQIA+ History Month I organised a series of talks and articles to be written or delivered. I put out a call out to all students, not just SLT, as I believe everyone should have the opportunity to get involved, the more people participating means more community, and community helps fight loneliness.

Change OU processes that don’t work for LGBTQIA+ students.

When registering with the OU we have to choose male or female. This is due to needing to comply with external systems. However, the OU could still give us the option to record our correct gender. We also need the option to add pronouns to Adobe Connect. I avoid talking in tutorials so I will not be misgendered, I can’t be the only person with this issue, and it affects our ability to take part.

Intersectional approaches and collaboration

I will work alongside the VP EDI, Disabled Students Rep and BAME Student Rep to create opportunities for us to meet and work together. This will result in more intersectional events and more solidarity between student groups.

Why you should vote for me

I’m dedicated. I have been in post for about 6 months and since then I have l created opportunities for student participation in writing for The Hoot, running events, and attending events. I have reached out intersectionally, worked with the Wales club and behind the scenes, I have been working to create ways for students to get involved in queer calendar days. This has all been while getting used to the OU as a stage 1 student and managing my disability, and I’ve had a brilliant time doing so. I’m also just a massive nerd about everything LGBTQIA+, which keeps me up to date on current events.

Your voice is my priority. I’m not just here for LGBTQIA+ experiences and opinions that match mine. I am here for everyone, and maintain an awareness that, as a white middle-class person, there are some experiences I will not have. I will work to amplify intersectional perspectives by talking to other students, working closely with other reps, and sharing resources like art, articles, and support services from a diverse range of creators.

I will not stop when faced with discrimination. I will not give up fighting discrimination in my personal life and my role as student rep. We have seen from current events that standing up for marginalised people, especially transgender people, can be a difficult thing to do and attract harassment. I face these challenges calmly and professionally. I will always maintain that transgender women are of no threat to cisgender women, that trans people deserve timely and compassionate healthcare, including trans kids, and we should be able to move through life with the same ease as cisgender people.

Being your LGBTQIA+ student rep has given me so much fulfillment, and I hope to have the chance to continue this work. I have worked hard to bring LGBTQIA+ students to the forefront of Open SU. I have so many more plans to keep this work going and would love the opportunity to do so.