Category: 2022 LGBT+

LGBT+ awards make a welcome return in Edinburgh

For the first time since the start of the COVID pandemic, the weekend’s UNISON LGBT+ conference in Edinburgh saw the return of the group’s recruitment and organising awards, with vice president Amerit Rait making the presentations.

Members have been promoting the work that the union does for LGBT+ equality in the workplace, together with its wider work and the importance of being in a trade union.

This year’s caucus winner was the trans caucus (pictured above with vice president Amerit Rait), which has been right in the middle of UNISON’s LGBT+ main campaign for the year, working with the national committee to make sure that trans equality is in the work plans of every part of our union.

Northern Ireland delegation receiving their award for recruitment and organising from UNISON vice president Amerit Rait at the union's LGBT+ conference in Edinburgh

The Northern Ireland delegation receiving their award from UNISON vice president Amerit Rait

 

The regional recruitment and organising award was shared between the North West, which tied the wider union’s work into Pride events, and Northern Ireland, which showed why UNISON is the union for LGBT+ people working in the local community.

And finally, having all gone back to their seats, the North West delegation had to return to the rostrum to pick up the photographic award.

Northern Ireland delegation receiving their award for best photograph from UNISON vice president Amerit Rait at the union's LGBT+ conference in Edinburgh

The North West delegation receiving their award from UNISON vice president Amerit Rait

The article LGBT+ awards make a welcome return in Edinburgh first appeared on the UNISON National site.

‘We need to continue the fight … let’s join the winter of solidarity’

“We need to continue the fight … we can’t let our hard-won rights” be stripped away. That was the central message from UNISON president Andrea Egan today, when she addressed the union’s LGBT+ conference in Edinburgh.

Saying that she had been privileged to attend the union’s trans ally training, she told delegates that the subject was “close to my own heart”, particularly since her nephew started to transition three years ago.

“Education is key to countering transphobia,” she noted and said that she was hoping to ensure that all members of the national executive council also did the trans ally course.

“We have a collective responsibility to encourage everyone to do the training … and to continue to fight for a ban on conversion therapy and to reform the gender recognition act.”

More generally, the president said that the “Tories are on a renewed war path,” with services already struggling, with schools having to cut off the heating and “councils facing a £3billion shortfall.

“In recent days, we’ve heard that two councils, Kent and Hampshire, fear going bankrupt,” she said, noting that all that adds to the lack of vital services for LGBT+ people.

In a damning indictment of the state of the UK, she said that doctors are treating record numbers of malnourished patients, children are attending school with damp uniforms as their homes have nowhere to dry them, and head lice is rampant.

“We need inflation-busting pay rises,” she stated and urged anyone who is eligible to vote in the current NHS to do so, and to encourage others to do the same.

On top of this, “they [the Conservative government] have our rights in their sights” with the Retained EU Laws Bill.

“Let’s join the winter of solidarity … now is the time for all hands to pump,” urged Ms Egan.

The article ‘We need to continue the fight … let’s join the winter of solidarity’ first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Terfs, ‘toxic opinions’ and an obsession over who’s in what toilet

Moving a motion on combatting anti-trans narratives in the media at UNISON’s LGBT+ conference this afternoon, Jenny said that, until 2016, it was largely either a case of having to “put up with Germaine Greer and her toxic opinions” or a sort of British Carry On humour.

Then came Brexit, which emboldened bigotry. Across all the British media, she said, there has been a constant stream of anti-trans opinion, portraying trans people – and trans women in particular – as a danger to others, and displaying an obsessive interest in what “bits” other people in public toilets have what they do with them.

“We’re even responsible for the national HRT shortage, for goodness sake!” she exclaimed.

And to reinforce the point, she quoted leading British gender critical commentator Helen Joyce who stated, earlier this year, that “every trans person is a problem in a sane world”.

Delegates also heard of the links between ‘Terfs’ (trans-exclusionary radical feminists) and very un-feminist anti-abortionists, racists and fascists.

Hannah told conference that “the demonisation of trans people is constant and exhausting. It paints us a threat simply for existing.

“Gender essentialism was at the heart of fascism in the 1930s and is now,” she added, citing how the Nazis destroyed Magnus Hirschfeld’s institute, which carried out the first advocacy for LGBT+ rights,in 1933, as soon as they came to power.

And Simon, a trained psychologist, mentioning intersex and other non-binary people, pointed out: “Nature is not binary.” The hippocampus is different sizes in men and women, but research shows that its size tends to match the identity of trans and non-binary people.

“All are free to be who we were born to be” and conversion ‘therapy’ is “immoral, unethical and extremely harmful”.

Gail was speaking to a motion that saw delegates from across the community movingly discuss the harmful nature of attempts to change a person’s sexuality or gender identity.

She went on to describe how, after coming out at her evangelical church, she was told: “You were created perfect, you became flawed” and sent to a form of conversion ‘therapy’.

It is coercive practice that is linked to an increased risk of mental health issues. Gail described how people end up “hating who they are, as I did for many years.

“There is no debate to be had. Condemn – and fully, not partially, ban conversion therapy.”

Michael said that, of those trans people offered conversion ‘therapy’, “one in 25 had undergone it”.

Some religious groups will continue to fight against any ban on the “perceived protection of religious belief”, he added.

Another delegate explains how he looked into conversion ‘therapy’ for research. Just 20 minutes into one session in, he realised he wasn’t confident comfortable and walked out.

“Stop this abhorrent practice. It can ruin lives and it can end lives,” he said.

In a motion on the need to defend LGBT+ rights won via the Human Rights Act, which Conservatives have longed sought to scrap, Louise said: “Human rights have been demonised by the Tories.

“Based on shared values”, they “should belong to everyone. Why has the Tory government got such an issue with human rights?” adding that home secretary Suella Braverman has already made comments on LGBT+ people that breach human rights, as she called on delegates to be vigilant.

 

• This report has been edited to correctly apportion a quote to Helen Joyce. It had previously and incorrectly named Kathleen Stock, and we apologise for any confusion or hurt caused by this.

The article Terfs, ‘toxic opinions’ and an obsession over who’s in what toilet first appeared on the UNISON National site.

‘Living legend’ Jackie Lewis given LGBT+ lifetime achievement award

In a busy afternoon at UNISON’s LGBT+ conference in Edinburgh today, delegates took time to celebrate one of the union’s own LGBT+ stars – the redoubtable Jackie Lewis from Lambeth.

Introducing a lifetime achievement award, Eileen Best from the national LGBT+ committee said that Jackie was a stickler for detail, telling of an occasion at one conference where she had spent three hours discussing the importance of a single punctuation mark in a motion.

Initially with Nalgo, before it joined with Cohse and Nupe to become UNISON, Jackie was closely involved in the formation of a lesbian and gay group in the union, and since then, has remained utterly committed to the struggle for LGBT+ rights both in – and beyond – the union.

She has also campaigned for the rights of Palestinian people facing persecution by the Israeli state, including against efforts at ‘pinkwashing’ by Israel.

But Jackie is known beyond UNISON.

In her address to conference earlier in the afternoon, Dr Julia Ehrt of ILGA World had already referred to Jackie as “a living legend”, noting that, when she had first met her, some years earlier, she had been incredulous that “Jackie has had coffee with me!”

On accepting her award, a stunned Jackie promised to mete out revenge on those who had planned the surprise.

The article ‘Living legend’ Jackie Lewis given LGBT+ lifetime achievement award first appeared on the UNISON National site.

‘Being inclusive is not only the right thing … it is a strategic necessity’

“It is safe to state that trade unions – including and in particular UNISON – have had a huge impact on global LGBTI organising,” delegates to UNISON’s annual LGBT+ conference in Edinburgh heard this afternoon.

Addressing conference, Dr Julia Ehrt, the executive director of ILGA (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) World, said that she was especially proud that her first keynote speech was to an organisation that had been so important in the fight for rights.

Yet this came “despite the fact that I have been doing this work for two decades”.

So why had such a major speech taken so long? This formed the cornerstone of her speech, as Dr Ehrt sought to explore the reasons for that.

It was not, she explained, about herself,“but a story of trans representation in queer movements”.

ILGA is the largest international, membership-based LGBT+ organisation in the world, with more than 1,800 member organisations in 169 different countries.

But Dr Ehrt asked delegateswhether there were other trans and non-binary people in the hall and whether there were other trans and non-binary people holding workshops and speaking at the event.

“Those were very odd questions to ask – weren’t they?” she said.But it revealed how much had changed.

“My first ILGA Europe conference was the one in Vienna in 2008: there was one workshop on ‘trans issues’ – and if I remember correctly, it was the only workshop in the whole four-day conference about trans [issues].

Since then, though, “things have drastically improved when it comes to trans organising”.

What was needed to achieve this was to first establish the issue as a human rights one.

“What gay and lesbian organisations had understood quiet early on was that we are fighting the same fight – today we would say issues pertaining to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristicsare connected – we are in essence fighting the same fight.”

Time had been crucial, said Dr Ehrt. Time to emancipate trans people, time to build them and time to heal, after the experience of many trans activists within mainstream gay and lesbian organisations was “quite harsh and painful”.

Clarifying, she told delegates: “It is time for LGBTI movement to learn – trans exclusion weakens your own cause.

“If we fail to embrace the diversity of the movement we seek to serve – it makes us and our legitimate case vulnerable,” said Dr Ehrt.

“Being inclusive is not only the right thing to do from an ethical and moral point of view – it is a strategic necessity: because if we do not do it ourselves – if we fail to walk the talk – this weakens our own cause. It makes us and our legitimate case vulnerable.

“And I think we shall never forget that.”

The article ‘Being inclusive is not only the right thing … it is a strategic necessity’ first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Delegates discusses tackling hate and persecution around the world

The first plenary session of UNISON’s LGBT+ annual conference in Edinburgh this morning saw a strong emphasis on continuing persecution of LGBT+ people, in the UK and around the world.

Delegates debated a number of motions on trans equality – including the need to combat anti-trans narratives in the media, negotiating trans equality with employers and supporting gender neutral toilets and changing facilities.

Gail from the North West pointed out that trans people – particularly trans women – have been harassed, verbally and physically abused for being perceived to be in the ‘wrong’ toilet. “The right to access for safe toilet spaces” is crucial to inclusivity, she said.

Alex from Eastern region went further, saying they’d been harassed for the same issue – in a gay club.

For the national committee, Sophie praised the trans ally training that has been developed with LAOS, the union’s learning and organising services section.

Feedback has been very positive and it helps to create pressure for policies to support trans and non-binary people in workplaces.

Another delegate in a local council talks of their experience of transitioning, comparing the lack of a problem staff had with clients coming through the system who are trans and non-binary, with the apparent problem they then had with colleagues who are trans and non-binary.

And they pointed out: “Transitioning is not a linear process … you don’t just wake up one morning and think: ‘I’m trans!’”.

Wally from Scotland said that headway had been made in how hate crime is addressed by the police, but it was rising. The Office of National Statistics has, since 2020, reported hate crime on the basis of sexuality to have risen 41%, with a rise of 56% in transphobic hate crime.

“We must stand firm against hate,” he said. “We can’t be complacent … and must act now to renew this union’s fight against hatred in all its forms.”

This was illustrated by Katrina, from West Mercia police branch, who related how one retail worker telling her that he couldn’t call the police every time he was abused.

Yet to government will tell the police to “prioritise a garden shed break in over someone who has been abused horribly online”.

In a further motion, Amanda from the North West introduced the idea of developing a new approach to offensive behaviour that was based, rather than on misconduct charges, education before situations escalate.

“I’d much rather learn from my mistake, apologise and move on,’ she said, adding that it makes speaking up against prejudice far fairer.

In a series of international motions, delegates condemned the government’s Rwanda deportation scheme, and also raised the particular issues facing LGBT+ people as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Anu Prashar called on delegates to “imagine if we’re having this conference in Ghana.”

Anti-LGBT+ laws originating from the period of British colonialism have a created a hostile situation for LGBT+ people, but the situation is worsening, with MPs putting forward even more regressive legislation – with support fromright-wing groups in the US and Europe.

“Christina McAnea could get up to five years just for being an LGBT+ ally” under the plans, she said.

At the end of the session, delegates joined with Ms McAnea and the union’s president, Andrea Egan, to make a show of support for trans people.

The article Delegates discusses tackling hate and persecution around the world first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Christina McAnea: ‘It’s great to be loud and proud’

“It’s great to be able to be loud and proud – and I will continue to be loud and proud against homophobia and loud and very proud to be a trans ally, and I will ensure that UNISON always remains the best trade union for LGBT+ workers.”

That was the pledge from UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea this morning, when she addressed the union’s LGBT+ conference in Edinburgh, as she applauded the fact that being “loud and proud” was the event’s central theme.

“You have done so much to be loud and proud about,” she said.

“2022 – our biggest Pride season ever, from the Shetlands to London, Brighton to the Isle of Man.”

UNISON, she continued, had “always strongly advocated for trans rights.” The union’s “brilliant” trans equality campaign helps “give our activists the tools to combat the divisive political weaponising of trans issues,” which is damaging to trans people , but also to the “whole of society”.

The past year had seen over 400 members trained on how to be a good trans ally, while there’s also been a “bump in members taking part in UNISON’s trans caucus.”

But Ms McAnea was clear that such things were needed precisely because anti-trans discrimination is “not going away and we have to be ever more vigilant.”

“Today we will be launching an updated trans inclusion policy,” she told delegates: “Practical applications and outcomes”.

The general secretary stressed that fighting inequalities is at the heart of what the union does, adding: “That fighting trans inequality should somehow be seen as different is unacceptable.

Her broader messages to delegates was that the country faces the “same old, same old, failed Tory economic policies”.

It had been like the “Dallasdream season”, with the Conservative Party now trying to pretend that the chaos of the few months hadn’t really happened.

She also warned of a “bonfire of rights coming,” as the government seeks to ditch any and all legislation and regulations with a whiff of EU involvement about them – unless specifically saved by campaigning.

“United, we’ll be facing these issues,” said Ms McAnea, and before concluding, she reminded delegates working in the NHS to in the ongoing strike ballot – and to persuade their colleagues to vote too. It was vital to do so, she said, as “I want UNISON to be at the heart of our fight back against the Tories in Westminster”.

The article Christina McAnea: ‘It’s great to be loud and proud’ first appeared on the UNISON National site.