- Conference
- 2024 National LGBT+ Conference
- Date
- 17 July 2024
- Decision
- Remitted
A unique strength of UNISON is the key role played by the self-organised groups – women, Black members, disabled members and LGBT+ members.
UNISON provides us with the opportunity to bring the whole of ourselves into our workplaces and our activism. Self-organised groups are a foundation for activism, pushing UNISON forward in the campaign for jobs, services, fair pay and to eradicate social inequalities. Self-organisation allows us to turn a spotlight on the way that structural inequalities, prejudice and discrimination impact us as individuals. From there we can decide how we translate that knowledge into solidarity and collective action.
This motion calls for us engaged in LGBT+ organising, not only to recognise and acknowledge our own identity within the diversity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Plus. But to go further.
We need to recommit to respect the intersection.
The Black African American woman law professor, Kimberlé Crenshaw, coined the term intersectionality to describe the way that aspects of people’s identity can overlap. In the Black LGBT+ network we use the lens of intersectionality to understand how being both Black and LGBT+ carries the impact of cumulative and layered structural inequalities that is more than the sum of its parts. For example, we know that Black LGBT+ workers are especially vulnerable to experiencing prejudice, discrimination, homelessness, job insecurity, violence, health inequalities and mental health issues. All forms of inequality are mutually reinforcing: we cannot separate out the inequality we face because of our Blackness from that we face because we are LGBT+.
It is crucial we strengthen the work between the Black LGBT+ network, the trans, non-binary and gender diverse network, the bi+ network, including our asexual and aromantic siblings and lesbians within our wonderful group. We are stronger together.
We should eradicate any notion or perceived splintering caused by racism, lesbophobia, transphobia or bi+ phobia within our beautiful ranks. We need to refresh, renew and invigorate our understanding of all our diverse intersectional identities. We must link the work carried out between Year of Disabled Workers, the Year of Black Workers and the Year of LGBT+ Workers.
We must return to our political roots to reflect the diversity, solidarity and history in our movement. The first noises of uprising at Stonewall were by Black Trans Women and Black non-binary people from a diverse range of intersectional identities.
Why are we seeking to tear that seam now?
We need to – CELEBRATE the diversity of our Blackness, the diversity of the L, the B, the T and the plus and hold each other up in solidarity, as a paramount principle throughout LGBT+ work and activism.
Conference calls on the national LGBT+ committee to:
Seek to engage with all sections of UNISON at branch, regional and national level to develop action plans appropriate to each section, on how to demonstrate intersectionality awareness and engagement, which reflect the work between the Black and the ‘lesbian’, the ‘bisexual’ the ‘gay’, the ‘transgender’ and the ‘plus’.