Dame Angela Eagle MP Standing up for Wallasey
In the run up to this year’s annual London Pride March, it is important to remember how far LGBT+ rights have come, but also that there is more work to be done. Today, in the House of Commons, I asked the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her and her department will be taking to ensure that alongside equal rights, there is also true equality for the LGBT+ community.
There have been many advances in LGBT+ rights, with equality being advanced hugely by the last Labour Government, including the repeal of the notorious Section 28. The age of consent had been equalised, sexual offence legislation no longer discriminated uniquely against gay sex, LGBT people could serve openly in the forces, discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of sexual orientation had been outlawed, and there was protection in employment law which made it unlawful to discriminate against LGBT people at work, same sex adoptions were allowed and recognised in law and civil partnerships gave legal recognition for same sex relationships for the first time in our history.
Whilst there have been huge advances in securing equal rights in legislation for the LGBT+ community, the work is not over. LGBT+ rights are still very fragile, even in this country. A recent survey, Pride Matters 2018, reported that over 1 in 3 LGBT+ people have been verbally abused because of their identity, sexuality or gender, and over three quarters of LGBT+ people don’t feel comfortable showing affection to a partner in public. The Government’s own national LGBT+ survey reported that LGBT+ people are less satisfied with their life than the general UK population, and trans respondents had particularly low scores.
In the face of a worrying backlash against the LGBT+ community, it is important that we do not rest on our laurels and we must continue the fight to make equal rights in law a reality for everyone, so that protections do not just exist in theory, but exist in practice for the LGBT+ community.
In the run up to this year’s annual London Pride March, it is important to remember how far LGBT+ rights have come, but also that there is more work to be done. Today, in the House of Commons, I asked the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her and her department will be taking to ensure that alongside equal rights, there is also true equality for the LGBT+ community. There have been many advances in LGBT+ rights, with equality being advanced hugely by the last Labour Government, including the repeal of the notorious Section 28. The age of consent had been equalised, sexual offence legislation no longer discriminated uniquely against gay sex, LGBT people could serve openly in the forces, discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of sexual orientation had been outlawed, and there was protection in employment law which made it unlawful to discriminate against LGBT people at work, same sex adoptions were allowed and recognised in law and civil partnerships gave legal recognition for same sex relationships for the first time in our history. Whilst there have been huge advances in securing equal rights in legislation for the LGBT+ community, the work is not over. LGBT+ rights are still very fragile, even in this country. A recent survey, Pride Matters 2018, reported that over 1 in 3 LGBT+ people have been verbally abused because of their identity, sexuality or gender, and over three quarters of LGBT+ people don’t feel comfortable showing affection to a partner in public. The Government’s own national LGBT+ survey reported that LGBT+ people are less satisfied with their life than the general UK population, and trans respondents had particularly low scores. In the face of a worrying backlash against the LGBT+ community, it is important that we do not rest on our laurels and we must continue the fight to make equal rights in law a reality for everyone, so that protections do not just exist in theory, but exist in practice for the LGBT+ community. Watch the video below for more ↓
Posted by Angela Eagle on Tuesday, July 3, 2018