Brexit and LGBT community

Hello people!

I never expected the UK to go Brexit aka leaving the EU! I was wrong. Personally I think this is not the right choice but I am not from England, do not live there, so maybe I am missing something from the whole story. I do read a lot and watch the news. Till now my opinion is the same: I am still convinced this was not the best choice the UK could have made. However this is NOT Armageddon!! 😉

A normal voice aka realistic imo over this after that we go to the LGBT community.

Diva.mag.uk had an interesting article about this concerning the GLBT community:

By the early hours of this morning, it was clear that the UK had voted decisively to leave the EU.

Despite sharp divisions emerging across the country, with Scotland and London voting largely to Remain, Leave won 17,410,742 (51.9%) votes across the UK as a whole, beating Remain’s 16,141,241 votes (48.1%).

The reverberations are being felt across the country. This morning, Prime Minister David Cameron tendered his resignation while MPs tabled a motion of no confidence in Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. And Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, whose country voted unanimously to Remain, told a press conference that a second independence referendum was now “on the table” and legislation was being prepared to stop Scotland being dragged out of Europe against its will.

And as the country attempt to come to terms with this seismic shift in UK politics, we wonder, how do the LGBT community feel about today’s decision?

Angela Eagle, Shadow Secretary of State, described the Leave surge in some of Labour’s heartlands as a “protest vote” by those frustrated with Tory austerity. She later retweeted Brendan Cox, the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, who said: “Today Jo would have remained optimistic and focussed on what she could do to bring our country back together around our best values.”

Ruth Davidson, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives and the woman some are tipping as a potential successor to David Cameron, praised the Prime Minister for offering “stability while the country plots its course” and said he was “honourable to the last”.

Margot James, a Conservative MP voting to remain, also praised Cameron and said she had tears in her eyes following his resignation.

Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Director of UK Black Pride, this morning said she was feeling “concerned” about the result and asked: “The trajectory of our future, what does that look like now UK vote to leave the EU?”

And it wasn’t just politicians and activists voicing their opinions. Comedian Jen Brister tweeted: “I’m sick of this ‘proud to be British’ bullshit. I’ve never felt less proud,” while fellow funny woman Suzi Ruffell wondered if Leave supporters popping the Champagne knew their tipple of choice was French.

Not all LGBT people were disappointed with the result, though. Former UKIP MEP Nikki Sinclaire tweeted a picture of her with former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and said: “We did it Maggie, We did it, We got our country back. I never gave up,” before adding: “We are getting out of the EU and getting rid of David Cameron in one go RESULT.”

Adam Lake, Director of Out and Proud UK, was also jubilant – and somewhat shocked – by the result, tweeting: “Fuck. We won. I can’t believe it. I’m scared but excited. So much to prove, but if we all work together on this my god we will prove it.”

But it seems most of the LGBT community, like wider society, are still letting the result sink in and feel uncertain about what the future will hold.

A Stonewall spokesperson told DIVA: “Clearly this decision will have a far-reaching impact throughout the UK and Europe. We don’t know what that impact will be at this stage, but Stonewall will be focusing on how any changes in the coming months and years affect the rights and equality of LGBT people.

“Our core mission – to improve and protect the rights of LGBT people and ensure that everyone, everywhere, is free to be themselves without fear of discrimination – remains the same regardless of today’s result.

brexit“We will continue to work with the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments to ensure that LGBT people are accepted without exception wherever they live, shop, work, study and pray. We will continue to work with the government to reform the way trans people are treated in the law, and we will continue to work by the side of LGBT campaigners across the world until every LGBT person, everywhere, is accepted without exception.”

And ILGA-Europe, who expressed concern about a Brexit before yesterday’s vote, today released a statement called for unity.

A spokesperson said: “From ILGA-Europe’s perspective, the message that must be taken from the UK referendum result is the need for more solidarity, not less. For greater compassion, not concentrating on what divides us. For celebrating our common humanity, not withdrawing to an insular worldview.

“Human rights organisations must come together to articulate a clear vision for the sort of Europe we want, one that is based on our shared vision of social justice, equality, freedom and diversity.

“We are not just talking about the LGBTI movement, but all human rights and equality groups, whether that is the women’s rights movement, environmental initiatives, development organisations, or sexual health and reproductive NGOs. More than ever, we all need to come together, standing stronger and more unified in our resolve to translate this vision into reality.

“Predictions about what will happen as a result of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union are fanciful at this point. But our commitment to working with our members in all parts of the United Kingdom to drive forward equality there, and across the entire continent of Europe, is one thing that will never be in doubt.”