In an unprecedented move, six UK Prime Ministers have written to i on the 50th anniversary of Pride to praise activists who have changed attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights.
The six leaders who write for i, who have occupied Downing Street for the past 32 years, reaffirm their commitment to equality laws.
Their words come ahead of a parade in London on Saturday, when more than one million people will line the streets to celebrate LGBT equality, 50 years after the first official march.
Responding to the historic remarks by three decades of British leaders, Tom Daly, the Olympic gold medalist and LGBT activist, told i: “It’s amazing. If you go back 50 years and try to get six prime ministers to talk about this, nobody would.
“Promoting the conversation about LGBT inclusion starts at the top, and that can be incredibly impactful.”
Haven Thorne from Pride in London said: “On Saturday 2nd July, London will come together for the 50th anniversary of that first historic protest in the UK in 1972 to protect and honor those veterans who paved the way and to march forward for the continued progress of the LGBT+ community.”
“There are still hurdles to overcome”
Sir John Major, Conservative from 1990 to 1997
Sir John says tolerance and understanding has grown since he was in power but that “there are still hurdles to overcome” (Image: AP)
Social progress in the protection of minorities is often painfully slow, but I warmly welcome the progress that has now been made – and continues to be made.
I remember being shocked by the bigotry and intolerance that followed a meeting I had with Sir Ian McKellen more than thirty years ago when, as Prime Minister, I was trying to better understand the difficulties facing the gay community.
Sir Ian – whose brave advocacy I admired – was one of the reasons Parliament voted to lower the age of consent in 1994.
Slowly but surely, tolerance and understanding have grown since that time – although, alas, there are still hurdles to overcome.
“It’s important to remember how we got here”
Sir Tony Blair, Labor from 1997 to 2007
Sir Tony is proud of the progress seen in the UK over the past 50 years (Image: Getty)
There may still be a way to go, from tackling hate crime to challenging outdated views in some communities, but after half a century I am so proud of the progress our country has made.
One of the things that stands out to me the most is the consensus that has now been established among the main political parties.
Advancing LGBT rights is seen as important and the right thing to do. This is in stark contrast to the prejudice that was all too common when I was first elected to Parliament in 1983.
But it’s important to remember how we got here. Change only happened because people stood up and made it happen, with progressive values leading the conversation.
Building consensus for change was a key priority. And it was these values that shaped New Labour’s approach to reform.
Section 28 is just one example of the dire situation in the 1980s and 1990s. It epitomized the bigotry that was all too common among much of the political class at the time, and its abolition was always a priority for my government.
With this and all the other reforms we’ve been able to push through, from equalizing the age of consent to introducing civil partnerships, showing strong leadership and taking the country with us has been key.
It is important to remember – our belief in a tolerant, open and equal society means nothing if it cannot be translated into real tangible change.
Creating a Britain where everyone is treated equally was, is and always will be the right thing to do.
“I’m proud that Labor repealed the disastrous section 28 of Thatcher’s laws”
Gordon Brown, Labor 2007 to 2010
Gordon Brown said the changes would not have come without the courage, determination and activism of the LGBTQ+ community (Image: Getty)
The road to equality is long and never easy. It is often said that in Britain the first five hundred years of any institution’s history are always the most difficult.
So we should all be proud that in just fifty years of Pride, this brave, relentless campaign for human rights has succeeded in making Britain a more equal and tolerant country today.
Appalled by the blatant discrimination against homosexuality legalized by Section 28 under Margaret Thatcher in 1988, I am proud that one of Labour’s first acts in government was to repeal this pernicious legislation and create civil partnerships.
And from the Treasury, we made sure that these civil partnerships were also designed as equals, by insisting on creating equal rights for civil partners to inherit and share pensions.
I was pleased to be able to remove another area of discrimination when, as Prime Minister, our Government decided to extend these rights by removing the ‘need for father’ clause when considering whether to allow IVF.
While there are several areas where my successor David Cameron and I have found common ground, I applaud his government for securing marriage equality for same-sex couples, despite fierce opposition from some of his own backbenchers.
More about Pride
But I also know that the policy changes made by Parliament would not have come without the courage, determination and activism of our open and proud LGBTQ+ community.
So it’s only right that you not only celebrate turning 50, but also celebrate your achievements: you changed laws, you changed lives, you changed the world.
“At first I wasn’t really a supporter of equal marriage. My wife Sam convinced me
David Cameron, Conservative from 2010 to 2016
David Cameron said legalizing gay marriage was a bitter battle (Image: Getty)
Wedding season is upon us, and after so many postponements during the pandemic, this summer seems to have seen a record number of weddings—joyous unions between men and women, men and men, and women and women.
One of the achievements I am most proud of as Prime Minister was changing the law so that these same-sex couples could marry.
It’s something we take for granted now, just a few years later, but at the time there was a fierce battle. I was not a true believer at first.
I supported gay rights and civil partnerships, but I wasn’t immediately sold on the case for full marriage equality. It took time, a lot of thinking, and conversations with my wife Sam and other friends to become so committed to politics that I was willing to fight for it.
And it was a fight. The opposition was fierce – from constituents, voters, religious organizations and many in my own party. There was enormous pressure to turn it down. But we continued the fight – and we were right. Equal marriage is absolutely necessary. People should be able to marry whoever they are and whoever they love.
It’s easy to take these things for granted now and assume that society is simply becoming more equal over time. The truth is, gay rights have never been a given.
They happened thanks to brave and dedicated men and women in the gay community and in society as a whole. Pride played a huge role in this progress.
In the year I was born, homosexuality was still illegal in Britain. Today I live in a country where people of all sexual orientations proudly fly the rainbow flag.
My children’s generation talks about their LGBT+ friends and sexuality as something that is completely invisible.
Of course, there is still a way to go to ensure full equality. But as we celebrate fifty years of Pride, I’ll take a moment to celebrate how far we’ve come.
“Trans debate has become more, not less, divisive”
Theresa May, Conservative from 2016 to 2019
Theresa May, as we recognize the progress that has been made, we must remember that there is still a long way to go (Image: Getty)
Five decades ago, campaigners endured abuse and ridicule as they marched to raise awareness of the discrimination they faced in law, employment and society at large.
Fifty years later, thanks to people like Peter Tatchell and the commitment of many other long-time activists, we can be proud of how much, and how profoundly, attitudes have changed.
I include myself in this – looking back now, there are issues I would have voted differently on if I were voting on them today.
But as we recognize the progress that has been made, we must remember that there is still a long way to go.
I was proud, as Prime Minister, to launch the country’s first National LGBT Survey. More than 100,000 people responded.
Some of the results were encouraging. Most gay and lesbian people told us they feel comfortable living in the UK, and the majority of LGBT people – almost 60 per cent – feel able to talk openly about their sexuality or gender identity at work.
But at the same time, two in five LGBT people said they had experienced verbal or physical abuse because of their sexuality or gender identity. And nearly two-thirds avoid holding hands with same-sex partners for fear of a negative reaction.
Few who read the stories of trans people in our survey would disagree that they still face humiliation and prejudice when they deserve understanding and respect.
It’s been almost five years since this study was launched, and in that time the trans debate has become more, not less, divisive.
We should strive for better understanding on both sides of the debate. Just because an issue is controversial doesn’t mean we can avoid addressing it.
To this end, the government must honor its commitment to address the issue of transgender conversion therapy. If it is not in the forthcoming bill, then the matter should not be allowed to slide.
Because whatever our sexuality or gender identity, we all equally deserve to be accepted; LGBT rights are human rights. That was the lesson 50 years ago, and although we’ve come a long way, it’s something we still need to remember today.
Add Comment