At this year’s LGBT+ Conference, we celebrated the successes of our Year of LGBT+ Workers including the growth of our national LGBT+ young workers network (now over 300 members strong), the engagement of more young members at conference (nearly 20% of attendees were young members), and the growth in numbers of members joining regional groups as well as more members taking on LGBT+ officer roles. This year, our national LGBT+ committee also set an ambitious goal to train at least 5,000 members as trans allies by the end of 2024 – we heard that this goal was smashed with over 6,000 members having been trained as trans allies, with more members now equipped to challenge the anti-trans narrative that is being heard across the media and in workplaces across the country.
During the weekend, there was a welcome emphasis on the ‘+’ with speakers and sessions focused on ensuring the inclusion of asexual, aromantic (ACE/ARO) and other sexual identities in our conversations. UNISON is now the first UK trade union with an ACE/ARO network, and conference saw its first ACE/ARO network meeting this year. Our keynote speaker for the conference was Yasmin Benoit, an ACE activist and model, who spoke about what it means to be ACE (asexual) and about her own experience being ACE. Asexuality refers to the experience of little to no sexual attraction, while being aromantic refers to experiencing little to no romantic attraction, with Yasmin explaining that she identified as both ACE and ARO, although it’s possible to identify under just one or the other identity as well. “When you’re asexual, people think there’s something wrong with your body and when you’re aromantic, people think there’s something wrong with your soul,” she told the conference, addressing the misconceptions faced by the ACE/ARO community. She also spoke about her struggle to be accepted as ACE because she didn’t fit the stereotypically white portrayal of someone who identifies as asexual, as a Black woman. If you’re interested in hearing more about Yasmin and her experience, check out this interview.
Over the course of the conference, we heard motions submitted from regional groups from across the UK which will guide the work of the national LGBT+ committee for the year ahead. One of the most hotly debated motions was on solidarity with Palestine and ending pinkwashing. The motion highlighted the continued occupation and bombardment of Palestine by the Israeli government which has killed over 30,000 Palestinians and has displaced over one million from their homes, and called for the continued showing of unwavering support and solidarity with the Palestinian people. Despite attempts by two speakers who stood up to argue against the motion, the motion was passed nearly unanimously.
Another motion that attracted many speakers was one on the importance of preventing young suicide. Conference heard from a long line of members who spoke passionately – and tearfully at times – about their own personal experiences struggling with their mental health or being affected by the loss of friends. There was overwhelming support from members in the room for better mental health support for young people, with one member saying, “The importance lies in talking about it and knowing you’re not alone.”
A motion calling for attention to trans rights and the new UK Government also heard from many passionate members who spoke about their own concerns and experiences with worsening transphobia and with several members calling for the Cass Review’s implementation to be scrapped. One member from our own Greater London region, Emmie Bathurst (they/them) spoke in support of an amendment to the motion which specifically asked for the implementation of the Cass Review to be removed from our LGBT+ committee’s lobbying work with the UK government, and instead be replaced with action to improve the availability and accessibility of gender identity services throughout the UK.
In their speech, Emmie said, “UNISON must not support the implementation of The Cass Review. This is not just my opinion, but that of many international health bodies, unions and human rights organisations.
“As stated in Dr McNamara et al 2024, one of the many peer-reviewed studies published this year about the quality of the Cass Review: ‘The review repeatedly misuses data and violates its own evidentiary standards by resting many conclusions on speculation.’
“I will share a list of some of the organisations who have voiced concerns about the Cass Review:
- The British Medical Association
- The Australian Professional Association for Transgender Health
- The World Professional Association for Transgender Health
- The Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa
- European Professional Association for Transgender Health
- Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology
- Therapists Against Conversion Therapy and Transphobia
- The Endocrine Society
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- Along with University and Colleges Union, Amnesty International and Liberty and almost all LGBTQ+ and transgender led organisations.
“As The Dyke Project puts it, ‘Trans youth don’t need to be studied, managed or saved. They need the same opportunities and quality of care that their cis friends and family receive.’
“I’d like to finish with The Trans Solidarity Alliance’s statement on the Cass Review: ‘In the world the Cass Review imagines, a trans child will be seen quickly but not given the care they need. They will still wait for years if they want to access gender affirming healthcare. While they wait, they will be expected to engage with therapy that risks becoming conversion practice. While they wait, they will go through a puberty they may find profoundly distressing. They will be treated for every other condition they have. They will be treated for conditions they develop as a consequence of denial of trans healthcare and living in a transphobic world. But they won’t get the care they need to feel comfortable in their own skin. This is a model of care that works for cis people who are upset by the idea of a trans child existing.’”
