Lesbian and Gay Foundation in Manchester

14 March 2011

This speech was given by the Equalities Minister, Lynne Featherstone .

Paul, thank-you very much for that kind introduction. And thank you for inviting me to spend some time with you.

I’ve actually just come from Sheffield where I attended a very special Rugby League Match between the Sheffield Eagles and the Widnes Vikings. All the players to mark LGB&T history month wore these amazing shirts with the words ‘Homophobia: tackle it’ written across the front.

And as I was watching these big burly blokes running across the pitch making such a strong stand against homophobia it struck me that something really deep is changing – something really spectacular is happening here.

Someone once said to me that the sports fields of Britain are one of the final ramparts of overt, vicious homophobia. But yesterday I believe I witnessed those ramparts begin to crumble.

It is symbolic of the much wider journey LGB equality has taken in recent years – a journey from fear to understanding, from legal stigma to legal recognition.

In short, I do not believe there has been another social justice movement which has made as swifter or profound progress as the LGB movement has.

And how did this happen? Well, although I probably shouldn’t say this, I can assure you it wasn’t politicians waking up one day and saying, “I know, let’s do something good for the gay community!”

No, all of this happened because of the work of organisations like the LGF.

So nothing gives me greater pleasure than to be here in the heart of Manchester’s gay village to mark the opening of your magnificent new premises.

Congratulations. It is a fantastic, fantastic achievement and hugely symbolic of how far you have come as an organisation. I have no doubt we will continue to see your organisation grow from strength to strength.

But as we all celebrate, I know there is not one person in this room who somewhere in the back of their mind, is not thinking about all the work we still have left to do.

All of us know here that despite the extraordinary battles we’ve won, the journey towards full equality is far from complete.

I want to use today as an opportunity to talk to you about the Coalition’s commitment to completing that journey, and the real action we are taking right across Government to take us there.

I know that there were concerns; there were doubts - as there would be when any new administration comes to office - let alone a Coalition - as to whether there would be any room for LGB&T issues of equality.

But I can promise you that we have no intention of slowing down in the pursuit of equality and social justice.

And we made that clear last year when we published the first ever cross-Government work plan setting out  a new, comprehensive and integrated approach to tackling LGB&T inequality. 

It is based on the simple understanding that LGB&T people are not a society living apart from the rest. They don’t go to gay schools or gay hospitals. And they don’t ride on gay buses…although that would be quite fun!

They are parents, businessmen and women, pupils, teachers, pensioners, fire fighters, police officers living in every city and town. They save lives in hospitals. They fight for our country, and sometimes even die for our country.

And they are entitled to enjoy the same rights, freedoms and opportunities as any other citizen.

And that means setting our sights beyond just fairer immigration or tackling hate crime to ensure LGB&T equality is reflected across Government policy – that it is interconnected across every sphere of society – and that it makes a difference to everyone of every age and at every stage of life.

To take that approach forward, I am very excited to announce that today we’re publishing a detailed action plan laying out clearly the action we are taking right across Government on LGB&T equality.

But before I continue, I’d like to take a moment to briefly explain where trans equality fits into all of this. For I know there will be trans members of the audience today who are probably wondering where they fit into all of this, sceptical of whether this action plan really includes them? 

As you know I have been a proud campaigner for transgender equality for many years – way before I became a Minister.

And I haven’t left that commitment on the backbenches. The ‘T’ is not an afterthought in LGB&T.

There are measures in this action plan that will deliver real and practical changes to your everyday lives.

Nevertheless, because we recognise transgender issues are often distinct and sometimes need to be addressed separately, in addition, we will be publishing the first ever Government transgender action plan later in the year.

It will highlight where distinct action is needed, in addition to the measures outlined in the document we’re publishing today.

If I turn back to that document, while I don’t have time to run through it in detail, I’d like to talk you through its main points.

It makes clear that where the law is still unequal, we will correct it. 

That includes a commitment to deleting all convictions for consensual gay sex.

And a commitment to amend the relevant legislation to enable religious organisations that wish to do so, the opportunity to host civil partnership registrations.

But we’re not stopping there.

Having listened to our partners it is clear there is a desire among some to move toward equal civil marriage and partnerships.

So we have also committed to consult further on how legislation can develop, working with all those who have an interest in this area.

And next month the new single public sector equality duty contained in the Equality Act 2010 will come into force.

The Duty will require all public authorities in this country for the first time to think about, and act upon, the needs of LGB and T people in everything that they do.

This could see vast improvements for gay people in a range of key services, from policing to education, from housing to health services.

All of us here were shocked and heartbroken by the news from America of several young people taking their lives after being harassed and bullied for being openly gay – or because their peers thought they were gay.

I say this not only as a Minister, but as a parent – I cannot begin to fathom the pain – the terrible grief – of losing a child – and especially in such a needless way.

And yet we know this is a reality that confronts our LGB&T youth here in the UK, where we know so many subjected to this type of bullying contemplate taking their own lives.

This is just one of the many areas where the Duty could make a real difference.

I say ‘could’ because of course the Duty will only be as effective as the desire behind those responsible for implementing it.  

In the past too often public bodies have been sidetracked by centralised targets - distracting them from the real goal- serving their local community in the best possible way.

Under our proposals, these organisations will be freed up to focus on the communities they serve. But in return we want them to be transparent. We will ask them to publish information on how they have demonstrated compliance with the Duty, allowing their performance to be challenged which we believe will act as a driver for change.

I know many of the public sector partners LGF works with are already taking active steps to ensure the services they provide are fair for all, focused on practical outcomes that make a difference. The Duty will see such good practice expanded.

However, as important as legislative action is in providing rights and preventing discrimination, legislation alone will only take us so far.

Legal equality is not the ceiling, it is the floor.

The struggle for LGB&T equality is about so much more than any policy we can enshrine into the law.

It’s about achieving transformative cultural change. It’s about opening hearts and minds, and transforming behaviours.

And so a massive focus of our work is aimed at reaching out to key leaders, key decision makers and key opinion formers as never before. Speaking out about the importance of LGB&T equality, making it clear that they have a role to play, and giving them the support they need to carry that role through.

We are taking the strongest stand against homophobic and transphobic bullying – working with schools to help them understand their new obligations under the new Equality Duty.

We are insisting on action against all forms of hate crime – working with the Police to improve the collection of hate crime data and publishing a refreshed Hate Crime Manual offering guidance to police officers on how to tackle and respond to specific types of hate crime.

We will not be afraid, when abroad, when talking to our fellow governments and partners, to promote and stand up for the values of equality and tolerance we subscribe to here in the UK.

We are promoting equality in the workplace by ensuring good quality advice on employees and employers rights and responsibilities is easily available and easily accessible.

We are working with the NHS to increase awareness of LGB&T health issues and how medical staff can work more sensitively with their LGB&T patients – using a national network of LGB&T champions to spread good practice. 

And we are showing leadership in demanding action against all abusive behaviour on the playing fields.

Things are already changing in this area.

I spoke earlier about the excellent example set by the Rugby League.

A few weeks ago we also saw Surrey and England cricketer Steven Davies become one of the first British sportsman to come out as gay.

But we need these examples to be echoed across the sporting industry. That is why we have been working with a whole range of Sports Governing Bodies and the London Organising Committee of the Olympics to draw up a Charter which we are launching today.

It is aimed at anyone and everybody involved in sport – from the big national bodies to the five aside local community clubs, from players to spectators; from referees to coaches - the idea being to bring all these people together in a common cause to tackle homophobia and transphobia in sport.

This morning the Rugby League signed up. And they have been joined by representatives from the Football Association, Tennis, Rugby Union, LOCOG, Pride Sports and Cricket.

To keep the momentum going, we’ve created a special facebook group which I encourage all of you to sign and link to your status! And over the coming months we will be stepping up work to make this Charter really huge.

So, as you can see a lot is taking place. But this is by no means where it starts and ends.

This action plan is a living document, which we don’t want to see stop evolving until we reach the point where every lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individual is accepted for who they are - where being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender will be no more remarkable than being left-handed or right-handed.

And we will look to organisations like the LGF to help us develop our work further to help us get there.

Next year we will access our progress through a call for evidence which will enable you to tell us what progress we’ve made, where we are succeeding and where we need to do more.

I really believe with your input, challenge and support we can make this the era in which we make new history, and new milestones for LGB&T people.

Thank you.