How will you vote in this election? Do you know where your candidate stands on LGBTI+ issues?
BeLonG To would like you to ask your election candidates to protect and advance the rights of LGBTI+ youth.
They have set out 10 commitments that the new government could include in their programme for government to improve the lives of LGBTI+ youth. With a rise in hate-crime and hate speech towards the LGBTI+ community, this is needed more than ever.
Ask your candidate to pledge support to these 10 commitments:
- Fully implement the LGBTI+ Youth Strategy 2018-2020.
- Roll-out timely appropriate national trans health services.
- Support and fund schools to implement LGBTI+ inclusive relationships and sexuality education.
- Review and update hate-speech and hate-crime legislation, to ensure it is fit for purpose and uses up-to-date terminology.
- Take action on the health inequalities faced by LGBTI+ people, by requiring and resourcing all national and local health and social care organisations, to ensure their services are safe and supportive for the LGBTI+ community.
- A sustained financial investment in LGBTI+ specific youth work, to ensure it is safe and supports the needs of LGBTI+ young people.
- Resource LGBTI+ led non-governmental organisations, to provide services and supports for LGBTI+ people across Ireland.
- Implement the recommendations in the Gender Recognition Act review report, to provide legal gender recognition to non-binary people, and extend the act to legal gender recognition for trans people under 18.
- Review and update the National Action Plan on bullying (2013) and provide specific prevention initiatives for LGBTI+ identity-based bullying in schools.
- Ensure schools are safe supportive spaces for LGBTI+ students, free from anti-LGBTI+ bullying, by implementing the recommendations from the School Climate Report 2019.
As a voter, you can share BeLonG To’s manifesto with your networks online and on social media, and #VoteWithPride on February 8th.
