Strong Support for LGBTIQA+ Rights shown at Spring Conference

1 March 2016

FIVE motions improving policy to support members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex, Queer, and Asexual community were passed at the Green Party's Spring Conference (26-28 February 2016).

At conference, the Green Party overwhelmingly voted in favour of improving the Gender Recognition Act, the Equalities Act and Equal Marriage Act to better respect the rights of trans people.

The party also adopted a range of policy designed to improve LGBTIQ and wider sexual health including a policy on making Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), which helps protect people vulnerable to HIV from developing the disease, available on the NHS, the extension of the HPV vaccines to boys and an increase of funding to HIV prevention.

The calls come after sexual health charities recently slammed the government for the impact of cuts on HIV prevention. Huge local government cuts have starved many organisations of public health funding.

Following on from the Death of Leelah Alcorn in December 2014, the Party also passed policy to ban all LGBTIQA+ ‘cures’ including Conversion Therapy.

During Conference, Equalities (LGBTIQ) Spokesperson, Aimee Challenor, signed an open letter to the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), calling on them to sign a memorandum of understanding to prohibit trans and asexual Conversion Therapy, following a BACP fellow revealing that the BACP were planning not to sign the new memorandum of understanding.

Challenor said;

"It is wonderful to see Conference support the rights of LGBTIQA+ people through passing our new policies this weekend. The Green Party has a history of pushing for LGBTIQA+ rights, and the passing of these motions helps further our support for the LGBTIQA+ community. By working together, we can improve our future.”





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