- Conference
- 2006 National LGBT Conference
- Date
- 25 July 2006
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
This conference expresses concern about some of the findings and recommendations that The Equalities Review published in its Interim Report for Consultation.
In particular, conference considers that:
1.The report’s rejection of a ‘strand-based’ approach is merely a fig-leaf to ignore or downplay certain strands especially gender identity;
2.It relies too much on academic research and not enough on listening to the authentic voices of the communities that experience prejudice and discrimination;
3.It lays too much emphasis on ‘trigger episodes’ and takes them out of their context; and,
4.It fails to discuss models for empowerment such as community development and self-organisation but relies largely upon the target-driven approaches of state agencies.
Conference notes that the review’s final report is due about the time of conference. It will influence priorities for the Commission for Equality and Human Rights and feed into the Discrimination Law Review and, in turn, the Equality Bill promised for later in this parliament.
In the context of these developments, conference instructs the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Committee to continue to assert:
A.No hierarchy of equalities – equal consideration for all seven strands;
B.The value of self-organisation and self-advocacy; and,
C.People live their lives as a whole not as a series of discrete episodes which may be taken in isolation.
Conference further instructs the National LGBT Committee to work with the other self-organised groups, young and retired members, the NEC and Labour Link for representation for equality strands in the forthcoming Commission for Equality and Human Rights.