LGB Alliance argues that the casual use of the acronym LGBT+ conflates Sexual Orientation, a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010, with ‘transgender identity’, a concept which does not exist in the law. This is in response to the government’s announcement that it will accept an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill to classify hate crimes targeting LGBT and disabled people as aggravated offences.
It’s instructive to ask who advised the proposers of this amendment to replace the actual protected characteristic of Gender Reassignment with the nebulous notion of identity. Who benefits from this concept creep? And to consider why has it been tacked onto LGB? It would be unthinkable to refer to DisabilityT+, or ReligionT+ but the open house of gay rights is expected to welcome all-comers, even if those new arrivals hold views which are antithetical to the homosexuality of its unwilling host.
It is time for our law makers to get to grips with the Equality Act 2010 and its nine protected characteristics. They must understand that Sexual Orientation is not an open category and that lesbians, gay men and bisexuals must have the right to campaign when we are discriminated against as a consequence of our same-sex attraction.
Let the T be protected, along with any group that faces disadvantage or discrimination outside of the law. But leave LGB alone to fight our own battles and protect our own rights.
LGB Alliance calls for the disaggregation of LGBTQIA+, in all realms of public life, and we object in the strongest terms to its introduction in law.
For LGB Alliance’s full article click here Gay Rights Are Not For Everyone – LGB Alliance UK
LabourLGB members have also made the case to disaggregate LGBTQIA+ Why we need to disaggregate LGBTQ+ – LabourLGB
It’s time that law makers realised that we are not all the same!
