LGBT+ History Month, observed in February each year, is a chance to increase visibility and celebrate the lives and achievements of our diverse LGBT+ community.
UNISON looks back on our own LGBT+ history to see how far we have come, remind us of the progress made in pursuit of LGBT+ equality, and to recommit to the campaigns ahead. As same-sex marriage finally becomes law in Northern Ireland, we think of LGBT+ people in the 167 countries where it remains illegal (source: ILGA).
UNISON recognises the importance of its LGBT+ members and its responsibility for paying particular attention to our needs: that LGBT+ rights are trade union issues.
UNISON’s commitment to equality and to tackling discrimination is written into the union’s rules. But this support for LGBT+ rights has not come out of thin air. It is the consequence of many years of work and lobbying by our activists. Their work, collectively, is the legacy on which we all continue to build. We thank and think of them as we look back, and forward.
