Tackling transphobia will become a priority in Sefton with a number of measures taking place to improve equality.
Southport councillor Jennifer Corcoranm who represents Kew Ward, will speak about the issue at tonight’s full Sefton Council meeting at Bootle Town Hall.
She will ask fellow councillor to agree that the council as a whole should:
- State publicly that trans rights are human rights
- To continue to tackle prejudice, recognise and celebrate awareness days and share resources
- To encourage councillors to attend relevant training, particularly around terminology and respect and challenging transphobia
- To commit to continuing to be welcoming, inclusive and respectful and ensure the Trans community have a voice so all needs are met, with a view to redressing inequalities faced as well as acknowledging the role of intersectionality
- To support more schools to become Stonewall Champion Schools
- To echo celebration events throughout Sefton.
She said: “Hate crimes against the LGBT community are ever increasing, including those committed against trans people, and those perceived to be trans – research in 2020 from Galop found four out of five respondents had experienced this.
“Trans people face physical and mental health inequalities – two in five young people who identify as trans have attempted suicide.”
Sefton Council will tonight also be asked to celebrate the fact that Chesterfield High School in Crosby has become a Stonewall Champion School; that Sefton Council is a borough for everyone and regularly recognises significant days such as IDAHOBIT; and that Trans Health Sefton was launched in November 2017 and developed into Cheshire and Merseyside Area Gender Identity Collaborative (CMAGIC) covering the Liverpool City Region.
Cllr Corcoran will ask Sefton Council to endorse her views that: Trans men are men, trans women are women and non-binary genders are valid; Trans people deserve respect and autonomy; Transphobia is not only a violation of law but has a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of individuals; Trans rights and gender-based rights can co-exist; and also in the dignity of all people and their right to respect and equality of opportunity.
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