Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch has received an invitation to meet with a number of leading LGBTQ advocacy groups.
The invitation from the Peter Tatchell Foundation is in response to reports that Badenoch has had little or no engagement with most LGBTQ organisations.
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This is despite her claiming to have met “extensively’ with “numerous” LGBTQ groups.
“Badenoch’s lack of engagement is blamed for faltering government progress on LGBT+ rights and declining trust in the Government by many LGBT+ people,” said human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
The invitation letter states that “Badenoch has reportedly never met the trans charity Mermaids but has met one-sidedly with trans-critical organisations. There has been a two-year hiatus in meetings with Britain’s leading LGBT+ group, Stonewall. The Minister should at least listen to a range of viewpoints. The safety and well-being of LGBT+ citizens should be the Minister’s goal.”
The foundation’s letter continues: “There is a majority consensus among LGBT+ people that the Government needs to do more to support trans people, tackle homophobic hate crimes and ban LGBT+ conversion practices.
“Regrettably, reported instances of homophobic and transphobic hate crime are on the rise, propelled by often inflammatory, divisive and intolerant rhetoric.
“Under successive Conservative governments, the UK’s ranking in the European LGBT+ rights league table has fallen from first to 17th place. This is very disturbing and merits urgent rectification. A similar decline in health or education would rightfully be deemed a national disgrace.”
A memo from Tatchell added: “By listening to the perspectives of a range of LGBT+ organisations, it will, I hope, help inform you and your policy making, as well as shape your input to the Conservative manifesto for the upcoming general election.”
