In a week where Nigel Farage seems to have had the stage to himself to talk about his plans to do away with anything remotely woke and to get women, British women that is, (and we all know what he mean by that) to have lots of babies, to ruminate on curtailing access to abortion, we can see that the right are not going to stop curtailing people’s freedoms once they’ve dealt with trans people.
This year’s Pride month comes as the rights of trans people have already been rolled back as a result of over-zealous interpretation of April’s Supreme Court Judgement. The Scottish Parliament announced that trans people would have to use gender neutral toilets at Holyrood and that male and female facilities would be based on “biological sex.” That is hugely problematic as it could require staffers to out themselves. That is why if I were there, I would feel that I would need to use the gender neutral facilities in solidarity.
Alex Cole-Hamilton questioned the Parliament’s Corporate Body about this last week after he was a signatory to a cross-party open letter expressing concern about the changes:
Christine Grahame suggests that the decision was taken on the basis of the need to balance the legal responsibilities of the Parliament related to the Supreme Court judgment. However, as we heard from Patrick Harvie, the former Supreme Court Justice Lord Sumption has made it clear that there are no legal responsibilities for the Parliament. He said that judges did not take a side and that the judgment does not provide an obligation to create single-sex spaces—it is a matter of choice for institutions. The EHRC has been challenged on how it will police that. We have heard about the use of birth certificates. I understand that the SPCB does not expect this to be policed, but others may. Can I ask that no parliamentary staff member will be put in the position of having to challenge a toilet user in the future?
Ed Davey said in a blog on the party website:
Today marks the beginning of Pride Month – an important opportunity to celebrate and stand in solidarity with LGBTQ+ communities in the UK and across the world.
I know that for many, Pride will feel different this year. It hasn’t been an easy time for many LGBTQ+ people lately, to put it mildly. And I understand why it may feel like there is little to celebrate right now.
It’s clear the fight for LGBTQ+ equality must go on – and I’m determined that Liberal Democrats remain at the forefront of that fight. That includes pushing the Government to ensure the recent Supreme Court ruling doesn’t lead to a roll back of trans rights.
Of course, Liberal Democrats have long played an important role in pushing for LGBTQ+ equality. Like being the first political party to openly oppose the abhorrent Section 28 legislation, back in the ‘80s. And our instrumental role in getting the Same Sex Marriage Act passed in 2013.
More recently, I’m proud of the incredible work our Equalities Spokesperson, Christine Jardine, has done alongside LGBT+ Liberal Democrats to reaffirm our party’s commitment to LGBTQ+ rights at our Spring Conference. Together, they set out a clear plan of how we can push for LGBTQ+ equality – from addressing discrimination wherever it occurs, to improving access to healthcare and protecting LGBTQ+ rights abroad.
But the work doesn’t stop there. Now, we must put these policies into action and keep doing everything we can to push for the positive change that the LGBTQ+ community deserves.
Because for years, the Conservatives targeted vulnerable LGBTQ+ people – and the trans community in particular – with their divisive culture wars. And I know that many people feel deeply let down by the Labour Government’s track record so far when it comes to standing up for LGBTQ+ rights.
Now more than ever, the Liberal Democrats must stand with the LGBTQ+ community. I want to make clear that our party will keep pushing to ensure that everyone’s fundamental rights are protected, no matter your orientation or identity.
So we will keep fighting – until we can finally build a society where everyone is free to be who they are. And that will certainly be something to celebrate.
Our challenge this Pride month is to make everybody believe that they have a stake in defending and strengthening human rights and civil liberties because it could be their rights under attack next.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social
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4 Comments
I am very disappointed with Labour as a member and the LGBT+ officer for my local CLP. In fact I left them after they indefinitely banned puberty blockers for transgender kids, especially as I know I would have loved to have got them in the 80’s when I was a confused boy growing up under Section 28.
I joined the LibDems and LGBT+ LibDems earlier this year thanks to the support they have constantly shown to the LGBT+ community. I love the fact that the leader of the party has come out and said “Now more than ever, the Liberal Democrats must stand with the LGBTQ+ community. ” and “So we will keep fighting – until we can finally build a society where everyone is free to be who they are. And that will certainly be something to celebrate.”
This just makes me feel more confident that I have made the right choice in joining them.
Kira
She/Her
Ah, yes. Section 28.
And the good old Labour Party. Not.
A couple of years ago, the Grauniad marked Pride by commissioning short pieces from a number of people, including Saint Tony Blair. Blair assured his readers that he had always abhorred Section 28 “which is why the first thing I did when I became Prime Minister was to repeal it” (That’s not a direct quote, for a reason I’ll explain).
Awkward historical fact – while on this as on much else, Scotland led the way, Section 28 was actually repealed in the UK as a whole in 2003, well into Blair’s second term. Earlier attempts to repeal it had been successfully derailed by opposition led by Baroness Young but enthusiastically supported by the likes of Blunkett.
If you now search the Grauniad site for Blair’s article, you won’t find it. It’s been airbrushed. Can’t have anything out there telling people that Saint Tony Blair told porkies, can we.
Fantastic piece, Caron. The ongoing attacks on the LGBTQIA+ community have been nothing short of inhumane. While it is true that there will always be people in society who do wrong, the government should target them by strengthening the rights of victims, rather than attacking an entire community. There are no “anti-men” laws despite the number of sexual assault cases in our country. Criminals do wrong, not communities, and attacking trans people simply because of internal prejudices and fear is despicable. Plus, I do love a Roy Jenkins reference!
What an adorable photo Caron ❤️.