Emeli Sandé, John Whaite and Ben Hunte lead National Student Pride 2022 line-up
'Next To Me' singer Sandé will give her first interview since coming out to Attitude Editor-In-Chief Cliff Joannou at the event this Saturday 9 April.
Words: Alastair James; pictures: Olivia Lifungula
Emeli Sandé will give her first in-person interview since coming out on the main stage of National Student Pride in London this weekend.
On Saturday 9 April the event will return as an in-person event at the University of Westminster for the first time since 2020.
Attitude’s very own Editor-in-Chief, Cliff Joannou will interview the BRIT-award winning ‘Next To Me’ singer following her coming out last week.
Emeli will be discussing her life, career, and recent journey with her own sexuality in the headline interview.
Last week the 35-year-old revealed she was “happier than ever” since finding love with her partner, classical pianist Yoana, who she described as “the one for life”.
On Twitter, she wrote: “It’s taken me years to find the strength to be myself…I’ve struggled for a long time to accept myself as I am. I’m so lucky to have found my soulmate Yoana, she’s such an extraordinary woman!”
— Emeli Sandé (@emelisande) April 2, 2022
Student Pride is the first staple of the UK Pride season to return as an in-person event following two years of digital events caused by the pandemic. Each year, 2,000 students from all over the UK come together for a weekend festival of events across two stages.
The event, which is free for students and recent graduates, will be live streamed across Student Pride’s social media and YouTube channels.
Other LGBTQ personalities appearing at National Student Pride include VICE News journalist and former BBC LGBT Correspondent Ben Hunte, and Strictly Come Dancing finalist John Whaite, who will open up about his struggles with body image as part of a special panel hosted by Attitude.
Events taking place at National Student Pride include:
– Panel discussion on The Media War on Trans People (Natasha Devon (LBC); Ben Hunte (VICE News) and Abigail Thorn (Philosophy Tube)
– Panel discussion on Body Image (hosted by Attitude Magazine’s Cliff Joannou; Ben Wardle (TikTok), John Whaite (Strictly Come Dancing)
– Panel discussions Improving LGBT+ Nightlife and EUROUT: Coming Out at Work will also take place.
– A UK debut performance from The Future X, the new band introduced by Simon Fuller
– The largest LGBTQ+ careers fair in the UK, headlined by Clifford Chance and EY
As well as the careers fair, the first The National Student Pride Awards will take place. People can be nominated for the following categories here.
– Outstanding LGBT+ Society Award
– LGBT+ Society Event of the Year Award
– LGBT+ Student Role Model of the Year Award
– Fundraiser of the Year Award
– Sustainability Champion of the Year Award
– Activist of the Year Award
– Researching the Rainbow: Undergraduate LGBT+ Thesis of the Year Award
– Researching the Rainbow: Postgraduate LGBT+ Thesis of the Year Award
– LGBT+ Inclusive University of the Year Award
– LGBT+ FE College of the Year Award
– LGBT+ FE College Society of the Year Award
– Special Recognition for Overcoming Adversity Award
Laura Yeates, Head of Graduate Talent at Clifford Chance, of the event’s sponsors, says: “Allowing young people to be their authentic selves in all aspects of their lives will always be a priority for us, one of the reasons why we fully support the event.”
EY’s Unity LGBT+ Network Co-Chairs Ben Firth and Alex Enness-Laporte add: “Now more than ever, it’s important that business and society at large are places where everyone feels they belong.”
Free tickets are available here. You can upgrade to a £5-weekend wristband to include the event’s Friday and Saturday night parties at G-A-Y Late (with £2.50 drinks) and G-A-Y Heaven (with queue jump and £3 drinks all night).