Labour launches LGBT manifesto - A Better Future for Britain's LGBT Community
Today Labour launched its 2015 LGBT manifesto: "A Better Future for Britain’s LGBT Community".
In the UK today nearly a quarter of LGB young people, and half of young trans people, have attempted suicide. Mental health issues in young people is a silent crisis affecting people up and down the country, and under Labour these vulnerable young people will have prioritised access to mental health services, including those bullied because of their sexuality or gender identity and we will ensure teachers are equipped to identify problems early and link children up with the support they need.
We have come a long way on this issue over the last few decades, but there is still a long way to go. The Labour Party are rightly proud of the achievements that have been made in that time, but this is no time for complacency, this is a time for action.
Labour have a wide-ranging package of measures to help tackle discrimination and promote positive representation for LGBT young people, including action on homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools, strengthening the law on hate crime and challenging narrow and prejudiced representations of LGBT people in public life.
Labour’s LGBT manifesto will pledge five promises to the LGBT community to drive forward progress:
1.Tackle the discrimination that holds LGBT people back:
Labour will strengthen the law on LGBT hate crime, undertake a review of gender identity law and policy and implement "Turings Law" offering posthumous pardons to gay men convicted for homosexuality.
2. An education free from homophobia, biphobia and transphobia:
With Labour, teachers will be equipped to tackle LGBT-phobic bullying, and we will introduce age-appropriate compulsory sex and relationship education in all State-supported schools so that young people learn to respect each other’s relationships
3. Leadership on LGBT rights around the world:
Labour will appoint the UK’s first International envoy on LGBT rights to promote respect on LGBT rights globally, and review the procedures for asylum seekers fleeing persecution for their sexuality or gender identity, to ensure the rules are upheld fairly and humanely.
4. Accessible and supportive health services:
With Labour, people will have an equal right to mental health treatment including talking therapies and we will work with the trans community to improve access to gender care services.
5.Fairer and more diverse representation in public life:
Labour will work to improve LGBT representation in Parliament and challenge narrow representations of LGBT people across public life.
Commenting on the launch Sharon Hodgson, Shadow Women & Equalities Minister, said:
"Nobody in this country should ever be made to feel bad, or even forced to the verge of suicide, simply for being who they are. Too many young LGBT people are still suffering abuse and discrimination, and in 21st century Britain this is unacceptable."
"As a country we have come so far since the dark days of widespread prejudice and fear only a few decades ago, and thankfully even further from the days of criminalising LGBT people. This does not mean we have reached the end of his struggle however."
"Everybody in our country deserves to be treated with respect and valued for who they are. This is our aim, and I believe our focus on this LGBT equality will go some way towards achieving this goal."
"Labour's LGBT manifesto shows a clear commitment to stand up for the rights of the LGBT community, and to take the action necessary to both providing help when needed and promoting education and leadership to put an end to this damaging discrimination."
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http://www.labouremail.org.uk/files/uploads/efa44ade-f0f1-8aa4-6dfe-c434014b817f.pdf
Labour LGBT Website: www.lgbtlabour.org.uk