Parents Of LGBTQIA+ Children Urge British Parliament To Scrap Harmful Policies
Image: Image: Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Parents of LGBTQIA+ children gathered in Parliament this week to raise urgent concerns about the current climate for queer youth in the UK.
Five volunteers from the charity Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (FFLAG), led by chairwoman Sarah Furley, met with MPs to advocate for their children’s rights.
“We had hoped the days of needing to lobby Parliament for the rights and dignity of our children had passed, but sadly here we are again.” said Furley.
“Our parents are scared of what is now happening, and we will not stand quietly by as new barriers are put in the way of our children’s happiness, health, and success.”
Controversial education policy rolls back rights in schools for LGBTQIA+ children
FFLAG members urged the new Labour government to scrap two controversial education policies proposed by the previous Tory government, and to reverse the nationwide ban on puberty blockers for trans kids.
The previous government had set out draft guidance that recommended gender-questioning children be outed to their parents. FFLAG warned this move would “destroy trust, and only do harm to both child and parent”, calling it “bad guidance”.
It had also proposed changes to Relationships, Sex, and Health Education (RSHE), which FFLAG described as “the equivalent of a new Section 28″ – Margaret Thatcher’s policy that banned discussion of homosexuality in classrooms for more than a decade.
The Tory government’s changes to education included a ban on sex education for children under the age of 9, a ban of discussing sexual acts, sexual violence and domestic violence until year nine (age 13-14), and the official position that there are only two genders.
Support for trans rights sharply declines in the UK
Recent YouGov data has revealed declining support for trans rights, with opposition to gender-affirming healthcare, legal rights, sports participation and social transition rising across all sections of society. Hate crimes against trans individuals have also increased.
Only 37% of women supported the right of trans people to legally change their gender in 2023, down from 44% in 2022. Only 50% of 18-24 year olds say it should be allowed. From 2022 to 2023, opposition to people socially identifying as a different gender than the one they were assigned at birth rose from 8% to 25%.
57% of people in the UK opposed trans healthcare being funded through the National Health Service (NHS). 75% of survey respondents were against puberty blockers for people under the age of 16 (even though puberty usually starts before the age of 16), and 78% opposed hormone treatments for minors.
Support for trans sportspeople was particularly low, with 74% of respondents saying trans women should be banned from participating in women’s sports.
However, those with trans friends or family remain more supportive than the general population.
FFLAG continues campaigning
As one the UK’s largest organisations advocating for LGBTIAQ+ youth, FFLAG has shifted its focus to supporting parents of trans children, who now make up the majority of families attending its meetings.
While FFLAG initially focused on campaigning, the group shifted to directly support parents of LGBTQ+ children. However, rising hostility has forced them to once again take up advocacy.
