IDAHOBIT 18th May 2022

Our community is under attack.

In the last year since the country has unlocked the number of reported LGBTQ+ hate crimes have increased.

In America many states are introducing laws banning the trans athletes competing in their chosen sports, laws are being introduced to ban support of young Trans people seeking medical support and help.

In this country its not clear that that clinics will be allowed to carry on supporting young Trans people.

Every day our community is being told we are too Woke, to much Woke in the UK today, Woke is making our kids gay, Woke is making our children change their sex. This Woke seems to have amazing powers. If the UK being Woke means that 17 year old professional footballers like Jake Daniels can speak openly about his sexuality, if it means that the UK becomes a better more open, more welcoming, more caring country then I’m all for that.

 

In 2022 we still have children in Schools in this City who are being bullied because of their sexuality, we still have Schools who won’t let pupils self-identify their gender.

In the UK we have Schools who still think it’s illegal to teach about same sex relationships.

The current Government’s policy for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers instead of sending a message that all citizens are to be treated fairly and equally, regardless of their sexual orientation, the message currently being sent is that it is acceptable to exclude people on the grounds that they cannot prove they are LGBTQ+ and therefore in danger from their own Governments. If LGBTQ+ people manage to get to the UK to seek asylum they are now faced with being deported to an openly hostile country.

Demonstrating, petitioning, arguing, lobbying does bring change and in the last 30 years the lives of LGBTQ+ people in the UK have changed hugely.

In our community we are standing on the shoulders of giants, countless thousands of LGBTQ+ people before us fought for the rights we have today but be in no doubt these freedoms are under attack.

Stonewall estimates that there are nearly 40 thousand LGBTQ+ people living in Sheffield, they also estimate that 1 in 5 LGBTQ+ people have suffered verbal bullying from colleagues or customers.

1 in 4 LGBTQ+ employees are not out in the work place.

1 in 8 LGBTQ+ employees would not be confident in reporting homophobic bullying in the workplace.

Do we stand by and do nothing or do we all stand up for our rights?

But there is hope.

When I was growing up there where no visible LGBTQ+ people in the media, on TV, in films, in my community, we all lived in the shadows, now we have brilliant TV series like Heartstopper, my favourite TV programme at the moment.

I think every School should be showing it. It’s a message of hope for every young LGBTQ+ young person.

I spoke to the son of a friend of mine at the weekend, he’s 12 years of age.

He was telling me about his friends, he said my best friend is Finn.

Finn and I like running around, playing football, climbing trees and going out on our bikes.

Then he said to me Finn used to be a girl but now he’s a boy but he’s still the same he’s still my friend Finn.

It struck me that if our young people can be so accepting then why cannot all of society, if children see nothing to fear or worry about why do people have a problem.

Ending homophobia and transphobia is a matter of personal security, dignity and even survival for countless individuals. It is also a long-term endeavour – one that I believe is critical to the future of the whole community.

Someone once said all it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing.

Let us not be the people who stand by and do nothing, let us stand up and defend all members of our community, an attack on one is an attack on us all.

I thank you for your commitment to the cause of equality and fairness with the force of our conviction; let us continue fighting discrimination against our community and work for a city and a country of true freedom and equality for all.