CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june 2021 :: RMTnews 18 "Diversity has got to be celebrated, not repressed, it’s got to bloom in our union,” RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said in his address to the union’s LGBT+ conference. “The union must come together, because what unites us - with all our diversity - is more important than what divides us.” Meeting online for the second time thanks to Covid- 19 restrictions, delegates resolved to stamp out homophobia, transphobia and prejudice in the railways, in Britain, and across the world. The conference unanimously endorsed a motion calling for a total ban on “gay conversion therapy”. The resolution, which will be put before RMT’s AGM, requests that the union work with the wider movement to pressurise the government to ban the practice. Janine Booth, Finsbury Park said: “It’s an incredibly important issue. A lot of LGBT people are being subjected to mental and sometimes physical torture. “The Queen’s Speech made matters even worse - the government just procrastinated over it. What the bloody hell do you need to consult on? This really is a live issue. We need to pile into the fight to get these so-called cures banned.” Daniel Lill, Bletchley & Northampton asserted: “People do need to realise this still goes on, and there is help out there for people put in these situations. The cure is: you don’t need to be cured. We need to stand together and say we don’t accept this.” Ebony Kingston, Neasden said: “Cured of what? For being themselves? This is the problem with some people. They think you can wave a magic wand and it just disappears. For me, that’s homophobic in itself.” Delegates spoke movingly about their own experiences of coming out - and a lack of understanding from their families. Laurence Coles, Wimbledon said: “When you come from a background like mine, where my family didn’t really understand what being gay was, it’s just who I am.” Sarah Schaffer, Southampton Shipping said: “One of the things I did go through was attempted conversion attempts by family, in the first year when I came out. A lot of it is down to people’s perceptions, lack of education, lack of knowledge. “What are you going to cure at the end of the day? We could go through a year of it, we’re still going to be there, we’re just going to be a bit CELEBRATING DIVERSITY RMT LGBT+ conference opposes “gay conversion therapy”