Universities with a ‘Brighton vibe’?

[SlouchingTiger]

Hi all, which universities would you recommend for someone who wants the sort of vibe that you get in Brighton, where no one would bat an eyelid at piercings, extreme hairstyles and very supportive in terms of LGB issues?

So… Brighton but not Brighton?

And maybe where to avoid too, lol!

London pretty mixed - aren't most cities? Goldsmiths or SOAS, or any of the Art colleges, or any town with an Art college.

Tbh most students at any uni wouldn't bat an eyelid anyway so I wouldn't use that as the determining factor.

I can't think of any universities where young people "bat eyelids" at coloured hair and new daily pronouns. It's all the rage everywhere.

Why not encourage your child to find a university where they can actually learn, and learn well, something that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Why not encourage your child to find a university where they can actually learn, and learn well, something that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Need this for the ‘My child doesn’t want to be at a university with people from grammar or independent schools’ thread.

I’m genuinely puzzled by parents who feel a university (a 21st century university!) can be socially constructed to include only a certain type of person.

Thanks @tichy. Useful comments.

@EdmontinaDonsAutumnalHues and @Gncq, you’re not compelled to comment on a thread if you don’t have anything constructive to add.

But perhaps I have worded my OP in a way that invites criticism and assumptions.

Actually, my DC has faced social exclusion in the past and has had dangerously bad mental health periodically throughout school.

At last, in sixth form, they seem to have found a bit of peace and contentment. A huge part of that has been down to finding their tribe- which young people are wont to do. A big part of that has been dressing alternatively and exploring their sexuality.

I actually do think that some universities are bound to be more conservative than others so I was just asking for a bit of advice to avoid feeling socially isolated.

And yes, that it more important ( and also a prerequisite for) academic success.

*more important than

I think any of the big universities (big in terms of size of student population) is going to have the vibe that your DC wants. There are just too many students to not have it.

Maybe try a city that has multiple universities (Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield) to increase the chances further.

Agree with PP, try the cities with the largest student populations. Manchester is definitely one.

But, SlouchingTiger - dressing alternatively and exploring their sexuality honestly is something students do at every university. Tutors and algorithms don’t pick potential students based on their social or sexual preferences - who students mix with is always going to be entirely dependent on who is in their year and who they like. Obviously no one wants a pupil or student to be unhappy - but I just don’t think you can engineer the social environment in which they’ll find themselves as young adults.

I feel particularly strongly about this right now as the teen in my own family has recently started at a university which they are finding is a million times better in one aspect than the reputation created for it.

It probably is true that they’re most likely to find their tribe at university by choosing a course they’re excited by, in a town or city they find liveable.

And I’m afraid I reserve the right to comment on any thread that catches my interest - not just those where I agree with the OP.

I went to university 20 years ago at The University of Birmingham and there were a lot of happy students with piercings, bright hair and lots of inclusion whatever your sexual orientation. There were idiots (mainly the medic rugby team) but they were easily avoided and ignored.

Actually, my DC has faced social exclusion in the past and has had dangerously bad mental health periodically throughout school.

Given the above it is just as important, maybe more so, to find out about MH support that may be available at universities.

I do think all those things are pretty standard at unis in general.

There's an article about LGBT inclusion on the BBBC news website this week.
Manchester Metropolitan has the highest % of LGBT students, then Bristol, Nottingham Trent, Manchester, UAL. They only list the top 5.

Agree the description of your child is very normal for any university, although probably less common at, say, Cambridge.

I went to Portsmouth - huge LGBTQI community, lots of clubs and societies including table top games etc.

Why not actually Brighton? My son is at University of Sussex and lives in Brighton.

I went to study Art abd Design at UWE (Bristol Poly for old schoolers) over 30 years ago and we were all doing this then!

Seriously, no one is trying to belittle your worry/question OP, but honestly MOST Uni's will have huge groups of people like this.

I think concentrating on a university that offers what they need for their education is more important. Then I suppose you can narrow it down from there.

By the way, I just took a trip to York and it had a really buzzing vibe and I saw lots of Arty/alternative types. York Uni is supposed to be great.

dressing alternatively and exploring their sexuality.

probably less common at, say, Cambridge.

You’re joking, right?

Honestly, all of those things are entirely unremarkable at any UK university. There are huge numbers of LGBT students with piercings and blue hair at all of them.

I’d bet everything I own that there are a bunch of bigoted idiots at Brighton as there will be anywhere else!

Totally agree with PP that there will be ways to meet like minded people through LGBT Soc, groups affiliated to type of music etc etc

DD has brightly coloured hair, tattoos and piercings, and has no problems where she is - Newcastle.

I agree that choosing somewhere with the right course and excellent pastoral care should be the main priority.

@EdmontinaDonsAutumnalHues yes, slightly 🤣

But nevertheless it does depend on the course the student does as well. I didn't stay in touch with a single person from my degree, all my friends were from halls, sports and the student union. I was the only person on my course who had a job during their studies - and lots of them looked down on me for that because I couldn't afford to be there without that job, and many of the other students were in flats bought by their parents and had invested their student loans... A different world for me and my mates.

What region do you live in, what subject do they want to do, what are current subjects and expected grades? Without that it is hard to advise.

I work at a university. It's rural and not a household name.

Most of the students seem to have brightly coloured hair, piercings, tattoos, alternative dress etc. A massive proportion of the students on my course define themselves as anything but straight. There's all sorts of relationships, gay, poly, fluid, asexual, demisexual, "throuples". We have lots of trans and non binary students.

The last time I was a student was 7 years ago. I was the only female student on my course who had never had a sexual encounter with a woman, only one without tattoos etc.

Being LGBT inclusive, as far as I am aware, is just a very very normal part of university. Students will face a disciplinary if there are any hints of discrimination, bullying, hateful ideology towards LGBT staff or students.

Alternative dress has always been part of the student life. All the way back to Beatniks in the 50s.

Any major city should be fine. Universities with a strong Arts or Liberal Studies background will be especially welcoming. Maybe pick a city with a big LGBT scene already and apply there. Manchester springs to mind, it's where most of my LGBT friends have lived for at least some part of their lives and has a few educational establishments.

@EdmontinaDonsAutumnalHues, see you can be constructive when you want to be. You’re second pots was much more helpful. I just found it bizarre that you accused me of of trying to engineer a social environment simply for asking which institutions have a reputation for being more inclusive!