The CEO of the LGBT Foundation calls on the LGBTQIA people across the UK to register for the upcoming general election
BY PAUL MARTIN OBE, IMAGE BY GETTY IMAGES
Welcome to Queer Election Watch, a collaboration between DIVA, QueerAF and Trans+ History Week. We’re here to help you cut through the noise and make sense of the issues that really matter to you, so that you can make a more informed vote in the upcoming general election.
“No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.”
— Marsha P. Johnson
In 2021, the England and Wales census began asking questions around sexual orientation and gender identity and meant that for the first time LGBTQIA communities were seen in official statistics on a scale never seen before. Personally, it gives me hope and joy to say that our communities are at least 1.5 million strong and expected to grow over the coming decades. Furthermore, this landmark achievement will ensure that our communities have critical evidence to inform the thinking of local and national decision makers and be factored into the planning and funding of community services like education and healthcare.
It is in this spirit that we at LGBT Foundation call on the over 1.5 million LGBTQIA people across the UK to register and utilise their vote in this and all upcoming General Elections. I, along with other LGBTQIA charity sector colleagues and leaders, have long fought for our communities’ rights to equal participation in public life and equal access to life saving services. Our communities’ refusal to be quiet and our determination to seek liberation for all has resulted in landmark legislation like the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 and the Equality Act 2010, both enshrining some of the foundational LGBTQIA rights and freedoms into law. I highlight these examples because they show what can be achieved when we empower each other to make positive change, especially when we use our power at the ballot box.
Unfortunately, we know that there is still plenty of work to be done, particularly when supporting our trans and non-binary siblings. In recent years, hardworking community activists and journalists have shone spotlights on the inequalities still faced by our communities, including:
- attempts to curtail the rights of younger LGBTQIA people to explore their gender identity without fear of stigma or discrimination
- discriminatory fertility policies preventing LGBTQIA adults from having a family
- the erosion of older LGBTQIA peoples’ rights to live with dignity and respect within social care settings
We will continue to push for positive change; however, we cannot do this alone. We need the voices of LGBTQIA people across the country to affect change that will be felt long into the future. That is why we need all LGBTQIA people to register to vote by 18 June and to “Vote With Pride” on 4 July. Help us achieve our vision of a world where queer liberation creates meaningful change and a fairer society for us all.
Stay tuned to Queer Election Watch for more on the issues that matter to you from DIVA, QueerAF and Trans+ History Week.
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