LGBT History Month helps us challenge prejudice

February is LGBT History Month – a chance to celebrate LGBT lives and culture in order to challenge prejudice and build equality. This year sees the 30th anniversary of the UK government passing Section 28, the notorious piece of legislation that prohibited local authorities from “promoting homosexuality” in schools. It left unable to help distressed young people – and not even knowing whether they could mention Oscar Wilde. Forty years ago Harvey Milk, the first out gay councilor in the USA, was murdered. but on a brighter note, the rainbow flag is also 40 years old, while Sarah Walter’s lesbian classic, Tipping the Velvet, is 20. This year’s theme for history month is Geography: Mapping the world. If those anniversaries provide us with a snapshot of progress in a short time, then there is no shortage of information around to remind us that, while equality is spreading – from marriage to adoption and much more – there are also large parts of our world where LGBT people live in fear. Being LGBT is criminalised in 72 states, In eight of those, it is punishable by death. There are plenty of resources to help you start a conversation this month. On LGBT global equality, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association publishes a series of maps showing sexual orientation laws around the world. You can find them here at the ILGA website. Transgender Europe has produced similar work on transgender rights here. Two new books, published in ...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: Article News equality lesbian gay bisexual and transgender LGBT Source Type: news