Talk from leaders is putting rights at risk
They noted the increase in discriminatory speech about LGBT+ people by politicians
February was LGBT History Month in the
UK, a time to remember the community’s experiences and historic milestones. There is much to celebrate across the decades: the decriminalisation of homosexuality, equal marriage, adoption rights, the founding of Pride, and the introduction of legal protections against discrimination.
We have been on a journey towards creating a society where we are all able to live true to ourselves, and to be accepted and supported by our families, friends and communities. But LGBT History Month is also a good opportunity to take stock of where we are now. Campaign group ILGA Europe published their annual review of the state of LGBT+ rights across the continent. It unfortunately didn’t make for happy reading. They noted the increase in discriminatory speech about LGBT+ people by politicians. Of course, in any democracy people should be able to speak freely, including saying things that are offensive, that some people find upsetting, and with which some profoundly disagree.
But the things that people say tell us about the values they hold. It is always worrying to hear people in positions of power speak negatively of any community, and I’ve written about the impacts of this on LGBT+ people previously.
But what’s more important is that the choices people make about how they speak about communities tell us about a bigger picture. That bigger picture is one of increasing hostility towards LGBT+ people, of stalling progress for equality, or in some cases, of countries going backwards in terms of how inclusive they are.
ILGA Europe’s summary of the past year highlights the continuing high levels of hate crime experienced by LGBT+ people. It also refers to the Home Office’s statement in their own report on hate crime that this may be partly explained by media and political discussions around trans lives. Reflecting on just how much has been achieved over the years shows us that there is always a path forward. It’s important that we don’t take for granted positive changes, and instead keep working together towards a fairer and more equal future.