‘Never been more needed’ - Kate Osborne MP on the importance of LGBT History month

LGBT History month has never been more needed than it is right now, with politicians of all political stripes, here in the UK, in Europe and of course in America trying to tear down the few protections LGBTQ people have, attack our rights and rewrite history.

Our history and our activism needs to be remembered, recognised and yes shouted about.

Our LGBTQ community will not be silenced, we will not be erased, we will not be pushed back in the closet and our history will be celebrated

Our diversity is what makes us wonderful, it gives us strength - ‘dyke’ is no longer an insult but a badge I wear with pride.

It has been more than 40 years since I came out and moved to the North East and at that time I never would have imagined that I would be an out lesbian Member of Parliament 40 years on… but I also would not have imagined that I would still be having the same arguments about LGBTQ people being a threat to kids.

This week alone I have blocked four people on social media people for calling me a groomer and a threat to kids.

Over the last few years I've been asked why we need LGBT History month, surely a specific pride isn’t needed anymore, hasn’t equality gone too far - my responses seemed to go unheard - yet now people are starting to understand why we still need these events - the fight to protect our rights never ends.

Yet even this week, there are far too many people who are still making those types of comments.

Too many people are woefully uneducated on LGBT History, on June 28, 1970, on the one year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, the first Pride marches were held in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Pride has always been a protest. Pride events are where our community in our diversity make ourselves visible, stand up for our rights, our identities, and our very existence - it is where we use our voices and where allies speak up in solidarity.

LGBT History month and specific pride events are needed for LGBTQ+ visibility and solidarity, to celebrate the milestones achieved in the fight for equality and reminding us of the struggles that remain.

Last year, the ward I live in Hebburn, held its first ever local pride, thanks to Peter from Out North East, local business leaders like Wendy Stead and others.

They faced a barrage of abuse, they had their flags ripped down, and our own social media posts about the event had thousands of abusive comments and both Peter and I received some horrific homophobic and lesbophobic abuse online and in real life.

I’m proud to say Peter, Wendy and the team are ensuring the local pride goes ahead again this year and I will be there - but we need to see more solidarity from people in the face of this hatred and we need to ensure events like this across the borough.

We must tackle the rise in LGBTQ hate crime and in particular the huge explosion in transphobic hate crimes over the last few years.

Under the last Conservative Government, the number of hate crimes committed on the basis of sexual orientation increased from around 4,000 in 2011/12 to nearly 23,000 by 2023/24 - this is a disgrace and I am pleased our Government has promised to tackle hate crime and ensure that LGBT+ hate crime constitutes an aggravated offence.

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Previous Labour Governments have ensured equality was at their heart removed the terrible Section 28 law from the statute books, passed the law that allowed trans people to legally change their gender, and introduced the Equality Act that protects LGBT+ people from discrimination.

Labour lifted the ban on lesbians, gay men and bi people serving in the armed forces, introduced civil partnerships and laws to allow unmarried couples, including same-sex couples, to apply for joint adoption.

I am so pleased that it was a previous Labour Government that had our first ever out Lesbian Minister, Angela Eagle and she is still fighting for Equality as a Minister in this Government alongside Nia Griffiths our Minister for Equalities - we will continue to ensure equalities are at the heart of our work.

We will bring forward a fully inclusive ban on conversion therapy - and despite media reports to the contrary we will be bringing forward our manifesto commitments to modernise, simplify and reform the intrusive and outdated gender recognition law and remove indignities for trans people as well as ensuring all discrimination and financial barriers are removed from same sex IVF provision.

Our collective efforts can, do, and will continue to make a difference.

By standing together, advocating for change, and supporting organisations that champion LGBTQ+ rights, we can create a more inclusive and just world for all.