Kate Osborne MP made history this week – leading the first ever debate in parliament to mark Lesbian Visibility Week.
Kate Osborne: making history during Lesbian Visibility Week
The Jarrow MP made history on Thursday 25 April by leading a debate in the main chamber in parliament marking the importance of Lesbian Visibility Week – expressing solidarity with LGBTQIA+ Women and Non Binary people.
Last Monday night the MP held the first ever parliamentary reception for the week, saying it was the most Lesbians in parliament at the same time ever.
The debate focused on the issues Lesbians still face today including discrimination and unequal access to IVF as well as highlighting and celebrating iconic women.
Osborne stated:
I’m proud to have made history today for holding a debate on Lesbians in the gayest parliament in the world.
Weeks like this matter, they show solidarity, they enable us to support each other and help us celebrate our differences, embracing the whole LGBTIA+ community. I’m really proud that 40 years after coming out to my family, I was able to stand in the main chamber in Parliament to lead this debate – it’s something an 18 year old me could never have imagined.
It was disappointing that in this debate, which was celebrating the diversity of LGBTQIA+ women, that the SNP spokesperson used problematic language and sought to sow division.
In a debate that was unified and joyful with constructive commitments on IVF from the Government for the SNP opposition to behave this way is disappointing.
Too often people seek to divide us, but we are here today to show that we are unified – not uniform.
I will continue to make sure there is LGBTQIA+ visibility – lifting up and celebrating all achievements, as we continue in the fight for equality.
Until we have won equality for all – the fight goes on.
Kate Osborne MP debate saw cross party MPs share their own experiences, celebrating all things LGBTQIA+, and the government commit to writing to Osborne to follow up on her asks re IVF:
