LGBT+ History Month - Liberal Democrats are proud to celebrate Medway's diversity
February is LGBT+ History Month and this year's theme is 'Politics In Art: The Arc Is Long', an opportunity to commemorate the many achievements of LGBT activists and artists.
Five artists have been selected (one each to represent the L,G,B,T and '+' of the community) who have used their talents for "political" ends, or expressed their orientation through their work. Keith Haring's dancing figures are a perfect example as they were used to draw attention to the growing AIDS crisis of the early 1980s. Doris Brabham Hatt and Fiore de Henriquez both fought against fascism in the 1930s. Jean-Michel Basquiat began as a graffiti artist and Mark Aguhar's life "and mere existence was an act of confronting white hegemony".
Locally, it's a month to promote equality and diversity and raise awareness about matters that affect the LGBT+ community. Medway Liberal Democrats are proud to celebrate the activism, strength and spirit of our entire LGBT+ community across our towns. We have consistently been on the right side of history on LGBT+ issues, and have been unequivocal in our support for equality, championing diversity and strengthening efforts to give meaningful attention to LGBT+ history.
Key historical Liberal Democrats moments on LGBT+ issues
· Opposing Section 28: We opposed Section 28 (a discriminatory law which prohibited the so-called promotion of homosexuality) right from the start.
· Trans Rights & the Gender Recognition Act: We were the first political party to support trans people changing their legal gender, today we are still campaigning to streamline the law to allow individuals to self-identify without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles
· Same sex marriage: We fought hard for the introduction of same sex marriage in coalition government. Because of our campaigning more thousands of same-sex couples have been able to get married.
Paul O'Neil, Diversity Officer for Medway Liberal Democrats said, "Significant strides have been made over the past 50 years, and we have progressed from a climate of illegality and fear to much more positive and open times. But must never forget we still have to defend those achievements as well as facing new challenges in our daily lives, today we are fighting campaigns for not just equal treatment but appropriate treatment, respecting the diversity within our LGBT+ communities.
Last August, Medway Liberal Democrats stood side by side with other organisations to take part in Medway's first Pride event last August and helped to help us to highlight our campaign to ban conversion therapy. While it is wonderful to be out at Medway's first Pride event, we in the Medway Lib Dems are mindful that Pride has its roots in protest against oppression. We asked attendees at Pride to support our national campaign to end the morally-bankrupt practice of conversion therapy.
Conversion therapy is a blight on people's lives. It is offensive, abusive, and dangerous, preying on vulnerable people who all too often are young. Being LGBT+ is nothing to be ashamed of, and no-one should be made to feel they are other, or lesser, or somehow less worthy than the rest of us because of that. The government have made promises about banning this awful practice, but so far this has just been empty words. Liberal Democrats demand action. We had a tremendous response to our petition at our stand at Pride and clearly this sends the message that conversion therapy has no place in Medway, or the United Kingdom. Our party has always been there for LGBT+ people and we always will be.
For all the progress that has been made, there is still undoubtedly more to be done. Increases in hate crimes, worrying levels of transphobia in mainstream media and disparities in social and health care provisions are proof that the battle for equality is far from over. Liberal Democrats will continue to fight until everyone is able to live without fear of hate or discrimination."
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Additional Information from the LGBT+ History Month website on this year's theme
We then looked for five artists (one each to represent the L,G,B,T and '+' of the community) who had used their talents for "political" ends, or expressed their orientation through their work and decided on our Five Faces for 2022. Keith Haring's dancing figures are a perfect example as they were used to draw attention to the growing AIDS crisis of the early 1980s. Doris Brabham Hatt and Fiore de Henriquez both fought against fascism in the 1930s. Jean-Michel Basquiat began as a graffiti artist and Mark Aguhar's life "and mere existence was an act of confronting white hegemony".
Finally, as this year's anniversary is one on a continuing and often winding journey towards full equality, which has suffered many setbacks while still moving forwards, we took 'the arc is long' as our tagline, from Dr Martin Luther King jnr's quote "The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice". lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk