Respecting the political diversity of the LGBT community is the best way for Labour to make progress on equality, argues Stephanie Lloyd
As a party we are well versed in highlighting how we transformed the lives of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans community in the United Kingdom since forming a government in 1997. Abolished things that should never been there – a ban on serving in the military, section 28 and unequal age of consent – and created new rights – the Equality Act, civil partnerships, the Gender Recognition Act, the right for LGBT couples to adopt – to name just a few. All these things turned British society from one that was outwardly hostile to our community to one of tolerance and occasionally one of acceptance.
When LGBT people won the right to marry, so many in our party patted themselves on the back and thought that a certificate meant we had reached equality. They ignored that many in our community were still marginalised and brushed away the fact that even legally, we are still not equal. Now with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as two of the most powerful leaders in the world we face the largest threat to our community’s rights globally. While these threats might feel abstract to some in the UK, let us not forget, that closer to home we have a prime minister that voted against the repeal of section 28 and a chancellor that voted against the equalisation of the age of consent. We have a party in government that until the very recent past have at best tolerated our right to exist and at their worst actively organised and voted against our rights.
There is no denying that with the rise of far-right rhetoric in our politics, and the spike in hate crimes after the Brexit vote, a growing space for hate speech and violence is creeping up upon us. We are now in a different era where the need to defend our rights is just as real as the desire to extend them.
With all of these challenges facing our community it seemed right that LGBT Labour met for their annual general meeting last weekend. I joined hundreds of LGBT Labour activists from across the country to discuss the challenges that we face, and more importantly how we are going to organise going forward. We spoke about the need for LGBT Labour to be a broad church, one that brings all parts of our party together to ensure we have a collective strength. Critically to speak truth to a power in our own party, not just the actions of those on the treasury benches: Labour members of parliament who have consistently voted against equality should be given gongs by the party leadership and, despite a good personal voting record, outdated ideas that being gay is a ‘choice’ cannot go unchallenged. This need for broad collective action is why an organised hard-left Momentum takeover was out right rejected by the AGM. Calling yourself the ‘United Left’ and excluding good comrades from all wings of our movement is insulting and not the unity party members are looking for. I am pleased that I stood as an independent, on my record, and now serve with those equally as comfortable in Compass, Open Labour or the party’s traditional left. Together we are stronger. Our liberation and the fight against our oppression cannot be boxed up or dominated by just one faction within the party.
It was an inspirational day and it was one that made me realise that we now need real solidarity from the rest of our party. It is not good enough to think that equality has been reached, to just write that you are an ally on your manifesto, or to think that a retweet is going to changes the lives of LGBT people across the country.
We need a Labour party that does not just talk about being ‘the party of equality’. We need one that actually starts to deliver on this again.
Our newly elected co-chairs, Sarah Kerton and Ian Thomas, made their priorities for the year ahead very clear. LGBT Labour will be training our members on the skills and knowledge needed to get elected across all levels of the party and selected as Labour candidates. Olivia Bailey’s the Ideal Candidate research and subsequent report for the Fabian Society show the work there still is to do. Ensuring that those leading and running to represent our party and our country are representative of our diverse community. They will also be running campaign days for LGBT candidates right across the country ensuring we are returning Labour councillors, AMs, MPs and MSPs. Only when in power can we again radically improve the lives of LGBT people across the UK.
This sets a positive road forward, but more can be done. When I say this, I am talking to the wider party membership, and set you this challenge. Make it your responsibility to show real solidarity to our community – ask questions, give political education platforms to LGBT groups within the party and your local community and join us in taking action to keep and extend our basic rights.
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Stephanie Lloyd is national treasurer of LGBT Labour. She tweets at @stephanielloyd1
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