UK
Let’s challenge division, hate and the “war on woke” by celebrating LGBTQ+ month – Kate Osborne MP
Amplifying socialist voices, supporting frontline struggles, building international solidarity.
“I was absolutely sick to the stomach to be in the chamber when Esther, mother of Brianna Ghey was in the chamber and the Prime Minister made a transphobic comment – that he has refused to apologise for.”
By Kate Osborne MP
February is LGBTQ+ History Month, a time to celebrate and remember the contributions LGBT people have made in society, this year the theme is Medicine #underthescope and whilst there has been some progress, the inequalities in health care for LGBTQ+ people remain stark, from still having to pay for unnecessary tests and self-fund for fertility treatment, to the inability to obtain mental health support and much more.
Whilst there should be many things to celebrate, I was disgusted but not surprised to see the Government chose a different route to take, their war on woke and attacks on our trans community continue at pace and in LGBTQ+ History month they revealed that the UK Government secretly shut down the NHS Pride Programme, after the Rainbow Badge scheme had been adopted by hundreds of hospitals and hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers.
LGBTQ+ people already face barriers to accessing healthcare, and healthcare inequalities are increasing as a result. Small acts of solidarity in everyday spaces – such as the rainbow scheme – can go a long way to help tackle those inequalities and help make people feel safer and included.
A society where individuals feel as though they are unable to access basic necessities such as healthcare and medicine is not a society we should be living in, and certainly not the path to continue down on.
Everyday wins have a huge impact, and I was proud to hold a Westminster Hall debate on IVF provision during which the minister committed to bringing forward two statutory instruments, one to end the postcode lottery for same-sex couples wanting IVF treatment and the other changing laws to allow same sex-couples with HIV to donate gametes.
But where are those changes? They have been promised for years committed to again in parliament yet no legislation has materialised.
Promises to ban so-called conversion therapy has still not happened and instead, the Minister for Women and Equalities attacks our trans community on a daily basis.
The Prime Minister joining in when he can, I was absolutely sick to the stomach to be in the chamber when Esther, mother of Brianna Ghey was in the chamber and the Prime Minister made a transphobic comment – that he has refused to apologise for.
Transphobic comments of course would not be acceptable at any time, but to do it in front of Esther like that is beyond cruel after how much she has gone through.
Yet there is some hope, Esther herself is leading campaigns to change attitudes, and many of us continue to fight to ensure that our society is as safe and welcoming as can be.
Only two months into 2024 and we have already made waves. I was proud to host the first all-trans panel in parliament, where experts were given the platform to discuss the challenges faced by teachers, schools and parents in maintaining a safe space for trans and gender-diverse children in education. This panel made history and was one of many collaborations I will have with the Trans Solidarity Alliance.
This first event discussed the draft ‘Guidance for Schools and Colleges: Gender Questioning Children’ currently under consultation, it is incredibly vital that MPs continue to hear first hand the impact that Government policies are having on our trans community.
The draft legislation threatens to create further divisions, with its reference to trans people as an “ideology” and the recommendation that staff and teachers can “decline” a request by a trans student to use the pronouns that they identify with.
Schools should be provided with discussions on creating more inclusive spaces for young LGBTQ+ students, not advised on how to exclude them.
It seems alarmingly clear that a worrying amount of this legislation is built upon a lack of communication with LGBTQ+ charities and organisations, meaning that far too many MPs can continue their complete lack of understanding surrounding the impact of this legislation, let alone how to help – not harm – their trans constituents.
The future work that Trans+ Solidarity Alliance will do to brief politicians and bring the trans community into parliament to ensure their voice is heard will be pivotal, and our next panel apt for LGBTQ+ History month will be on healthcare/
We must all stand up against hate, call out homophobia, lesbophobia, biphobia, transphobia and fight to provide the spaces for these vital discussions to be had and fight against this vile Government’s anti-trans rhetoric whenever and wherever possible.
I hope that this will work to lay the groundwork that makes healthcare and medicine more accessible for LGBTQ+ people.
However, it seems as though the more I work to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, the more I myself am subject to the consequences of this Government’s “war on woke”. In January, I received a barrage of homophobic abuse on social media, following an appearance on BBC’s Newsnight regarding the ongoing Post Office scandal.
Although homophobic abuse won’t stop me from representing my constituents – and is certainly nothing new to me – I am concerned to see it carried into 2024. I worry for the younger generation of LGBTQ+ people, who I’d hoped by now would be growing up free from this abuse, but I now see that this goal is unattainable when the language stems from the very institution set up to protect, represent and legislate for them.
We are seeing this Government stoking hatred in our communities, taking backward steps when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights – demonising a vulnerable community, all to distract from their own failures.
Every minute that we allow this Government to get away with their vile transphobia, homophobia, and blatant ignorance, is another that an LGBTQ+ person has felt vilified and abandoned. Enough is enough – this year will be pivotal for making long-lasting and meaningful change for the LGBTQ+ community and I am proud to play a small part in that.
- Kate Osborne is the MP for Jarrow and a regular contributor to Labour Outlook. You can follow her on Facebook, twitter and Instagram.
Labour Outlook
Amplifying socialist voices, supporting frontline struggles, building international solidarity.
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