I’ve never voted Tory in a general election. They’re not known as The Nasty Party for nothing – and history shows that they’ve been massively lagging behind other parties when it comes to LGBT+ rights. But what does last night’s election result mean for trans and queer people now?
I didn’t vote Brexit. All the economic experts agree that even the best possible deal will result in the UK being worse off. And while some idiots may say that’s all “Project Fear”, I’d prefer to listen to them – and not thick Little Englanders.
Likewise, I didn’t vote Labour yesterday either. This was the Brexit Election, and Corbyn’s sitting-on-the-fence position did nothing for me. I voted Green. I knew they wouldn’t win, but at least my conscience is clear.
Another reason for not voting Labour was because their manifesto contained what has been described as a “TERF Dogwhistle” – you can read more about that here.
Labour wants a reform of the Gender Recognition Act, but this manifesto line…
… ensure that single sex-based exemptions contained in the Equality Act 2010 are understood and fully enforced in service provision.
… has been seen as meaning that trans women could be excluded from ‘women-only’ services, such as shelters and crisis houses.
I wasn’t going to vote Labour anyway, but this only served to reinforce my position – even more so when I saw the TERFs crowing about it on Twitter.
The Tories are historically no friends of trans people. Look at MPs like David TC Davies, who allowed a bunch of TERFs to hold an event in one of the committee rooms of Parliament. I was actually verbally attacked by Posie Parker at the same event. Badge of honour much?
But people like Davies are thankfully in a massive minority. Far more Tories these days are openminded, and I am a massive fan of Maria Miller, who hosted the trans inquiry.
As chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, she is pushing for reform of the Gender Recognition Act. Maria was re-elected as MP for Basingstoke last night, and I fully expect her to continue as committee chair and to keep fighting for trans people’s rights.
I didn’t pay much heed to the LGBT+ part of the Tories’ manifesto before the election, as I had no intention of voting for them. Never have, never will.
But Pink News reports today what Johnson’s election win means for LGBT+ people living in the UK over the next five years.
While there’s not much of a nod to people like me (queer rights were mentioned just three times), what there actually IS in the manifesto is quite reassuring.
Pink News reports:
Johnson’s government will continue to “help teachers tackle [homophobic] bullying”, continue tackling LGBT+ hate crimes and form an international “LGBT conference”.
Although, in a Q&A with PinkNews, Johnson stated that the Tories remain “committed to the LGBT+ Action Plan, including ending the practice of gay conversion therapy”.
And then there’s this:
Alongside that, the crucial reforms to the Gender Recognition Act will be announced “in due course”.
Now, I know these reforms have been “kicked into the long grass” by numerous Tory Ministers for Women and Equalities – people like Amber Rudd and Liz Truss.
And I don’t trust the Tories as far as I could throw them in terms of getting a decent post-Brexit deal that won’t destroy the economy and, with it, public services. There will be job cuts, there will be shortages of foods and medicines. I’m resigned to that. It’s horribly depressing.
But the very fact that the manifesto mentions that the Tories want to “get the Gender Recognition Act Reforms done” (even if it will probably take a while) is at least some small solace for trans people.
And there’s no TERF dogwhistle either.
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Zoe says
I did vote Conservative because their economic policies might harm my financial position while Labours economic policies most likely would harm my financial position and, selfishly, I prioritise my financial position over any rights that may or may not happen. I find it easier to tell people I am transgender than that I am a Conservative.
I am actually more worried that they achieved the majority by taking the northern working class seats and that this could cause a repeat of what happened to the US Republican party where the gain of the southern states transformed it from the party of the business elites to the party of Trump 😐
Andie Pas de Deux says
“I find it easier to tell people I am transgender than that I am a Conservative.” Wow, that says a lot! Thank you, Zoe, and welcome to the blog. xxx
Zoe says
I know, Cameron was taking the party down a more liberal path, then the referendum happened, people like Rees-Mogg popped up and years of progress were undone in an instance 🙁
Thank you, I have read many of you past posts and they have been very imformative xx