Pride: Scottish Greens will always stand for equality
The Scottish Greens will always stand in solidarity with LGBTQIA+ communities, with no ifs and no buts, says the party’s equalities spokesperson Maggie Chapman.
Addressing a crowd of thousands of people at the start of Edinburgh Pride this afternoon, Ms Chapman called for politicians and campaigners to work together to overturn Westminster’s undemocratic veto on Gender Recognition Reform and ensure a comprehensive ban on conversion practices.
Ms Chapman said: “Pride is protest. And protest demands solidarity. And you can rest assured you will always have my solidarity and the solidarity of the Scottish Green Party. No ifs. No buts.
“Such solidarity will be increasingly important, as we stand together to challenge the suggested return of section 28 – restricting what schools can teach about family life, gender identity and sexual orientation.
“We will have to stand together in solidarity and demand justice and equality for our trans siblings who have had their right to self expression in Scotland blocked by one man.
“And we need to stand together in solidarity to ensure we get the comprehensive ban on conversion practices that we so desperately need to see.”
Ms Chapman also stressed that while Pride is a protest, it is also a celebration of diversity and a moment of hope.
Ms Chapman finished “Just as we come together in protest, we come together to celebrate the wonderful diversity of our world, to celebrate how that diversity enriches all of us. Because Pride is Celebration too.
“For all the darkness in our politics, we must remember that there is much to celebrate – much to give us hope. The vibrant, beautiful protest today is part of that hope.
“And that hope will give us the strength and energy to keep fighting for justice. For equality. Because together, we can – and we will – defeat the forces of darkness. Together, we can – and we will – create the fairer, more equal world we all want.”
