It may be the largest LGB rights charity in the UK (and, apparently, in Europe), but Stonewall is hardly immune to controversy. In fact, for LGBT activists, it’s a little bit like Marmite. As a member of the LGBT network at my workplace, I am involved with Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme, and that gets me the occasional sneer from other activists outside of work. When I mentioned on Twitter that I was attending last Friday’s annual Stonewall Workplace Conference, I got a link to this call to protest Theresa May’s appearance as a keynote speaker at the event. (I must admit I myself found Theresa May an… interesting choice of guest speaker, and wanting to hear what she had to say on the subject of LGB rights was a major factor in my decision to attend the event.)
The controversies that surround Stonewall range from their on-again, off-again relationship with the trans community (Stonewall Scotland include trans rights in their remit, Stonewall GB don’t; they came under fire for nominating Julie Bindel, who is known for transphobic comments, for a journalist of the year award) to them being rather late to the party when it comes to campaigning for full marriage equality. Chief Executive Ben Summerskill himself openly admits that Stonewall is not a democratic organisation and does not speak for all lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Frankly, given the diversity inherent in the LGB community, I’d be much more worried if he claimed otherwise.
What Stonewall does do very successfully is present the “respectable” face of LGB activism. It’s a bit like putting on a tie makes you trustworthy enough to give financial advice: wearing a suit, getting banks to host your champagne receptions and schmoozing with politicians suddenly makes you look like you’re part of the mainstream. And once you look like you’re part of the mainstream, people are a lot more willing to engage with you. It is not a reflection on Stonewall but on the way our society values conformity.
And so on the train back from the Workplace Conference I reflected on Stonewall’s modus operandi and their achievements. This was after all the day I had heard Theresa May – a woman with an absolutely appalling voting record on LGB rights – declare that the government she was part of was considering introducing full marriage equality for same-sex couples. She sounded a little bit like someone was holding a gun to her head, but let’s face it – this government is talking the talk, and we’re beginning to see evidence of walking the walk. Ms. May had to leave the event before the Q&A session to be in the House of Commons for the Prime Minister’s statement on Libya, so I never got to ask her what made her change her mind. With hindsight, I am glad I didn’t get the opportunity, as I was not in the right frame of mind.
See, the conclusion I have reached since is that if someone like Theresa May is both saying the right words and backing them up with the right actions, even if they’re screaming on the inside, I should perhaps not challenge them. I would still like to know what made Ms. May change her mind – not in order to be contrary but because I would like to learn from this success how to persuade others with a similar history of opinion to hers.
I do believe Stonewall’s work in reaching out to political and business leaders, making the business case for equality with employers, and making LGB activism appear cozy and safe has a lot to do with some of the conversions we have seen. Combined with being prepared to challenge discrimination in the courts, for instance on LGB people serving in the armed forces, this carrot and stick approach has allowed us to make massive progress in the area of LGB rights over the last ten or so years.
Did you know that until eight years ago, teachers could not talk about homosexuality in schools – and most of them took that to mean they could not intervene in homophobic bullying cases? Only eight years ago you could be sacked from a job just for being lesbian, gay or bisexual. Until seven years ago there was no legal recognition for same-sex couples. And four years ago it was still legal to deny someone the provision of a good or service (even when they were paying you!), again, just because of who they were. These are not things which Stonewall has achieved single-handedly – but their contribution towards the rapid change in the legal situation of LGB people in the UK is highly significant.
Do I want Stonewall to embrace trans rights across the UK? To be honest, I’d like Stonewall to listen to trans people and do whatever is right for them, whether that is backing out of the space entirely or embracing it in a way that is truly constructive. Do I think they get every single thing right in their campaigns? No, but what organisation ever does? Do I believe they should have a more collaborative approach to other LGB charities in the UK? Oh yes. But do I also believe that Stonewall does extremely valuable work on behalf of lesbian, gay and bisexual people across the UK? Unequivocally, YES.