The GFORCE project (acronym for ‘EnForcing gender equality and cOntributing to sexual oRientation respeCt in a higher Education institutions alliance’) is an initiative funded by the Erasmus+ programme within the key action of cooperation partnerships in the field of higher education (Key Action 203).

The GFORCE consortium is made up of the following universities and institutions:

Universities: University of Cádiz (UCA), Università della Tuscia (Italy), Panteion University (Greece).

Companies and organisations: Xenio Polis (Greece), SC Gripen Europe (Romania), Research and Education of Social and Transformation N-Reset (Cyprus).

The project began at the end of 2023 and is scheduled to end in February 2025. Its main objectives are to train academic staff and higher education students to combat gender bias and build capacity on gender and equality issues. In terms of resources, it aims to provide inclusive tools that serve as learning resources tailored to needs and form a basis for future postgraduate programmes on gender diversity.

One of the results of the GFORCE project is the publication of the book ‘Caminando hacia la inclusión de las personas LGBTIQA+ resistencias y alternativas contrahegemónicas’ (Towards the inclusion of LGBTIQA+ people: resistance and counter-hegemonic alternatives). The book was written by Professor Begoña Sánchez Torrejón, principal investigator of the project and co-director of DIVERSACI (Andalusian Observatory for Gender Diversity, Citizenship and Health) at the University of Cadiz. The book stems from the conviction that the university should be a driving force for change and transformation towards a more just and equitable coexistence in terms of the rights of LGBTIQA+ people and gender equality.

Throughout its pages, the book explores the intersections between the academic institution and LGBTIQA+ realities. It addresses the need to dismantle prejudices, highlight gaps in curricula, and build truly inclusive environments. It also examines the urgency of decolonising knowledge by questioning endocisheteronormative narratives and proposing more representative approaches.

The book is available for free download and open access at the following link: https://www.dykinson.com/libros/caminando-hacia-la-inclusion-de-las-personas-lgbtiqa/9791370065102/