What's next for LGBTQIA+ rights?

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell recently visited the Centre at the invitation of our LGBTQIA+ community group to share his experience, insights and vision from over 55 years of campaigning.

Peter revisited the era of the 1960s and 70s in his talk, when medical professionals treated any LGBT+ identity as an illness and, he reminded the audience that, shockingly, right up to mid-1970s, LGB and trans people could be subjected to electric shock aversion therapy.

 “Thank you @PeterTatchell for an inspiring talk. As an openly gay teacher and senior leader, it was just the pick me up I needed after some soul searching in recent weeks” 

Although a lot of progress has been made, Peter brought the talk up to date when he referred to the current level of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crime.  Research shows that a third of all LGBT+ people in Britain have been victims of hate crime. He stated that “there are still a large portion of people that just hate that we exist and this speaks to the fragility of our society.

“LGBTQIA+ covers many different people from diverse backgrounds which is why it’s important to stand together in solidarity.  And it’s not ‘just’ the LGBTQ community we need to protect”, he said. “we need to protect women by tackling tackle toxic masculinity and we need to face down racism. We need to stand together.

“No child is born prejudiced.” he continued. “That is learned behaviour. We need to educate against prejudice. And where schools do it well, the levels of bullying and hate crime go way down but there is a lot more that could be, and should be, done.”

Peter concluded his talk by reminding the audience that the annual Pride events are the most celebrated globally and the Pride flag is the most significant worldwide flag today. This is extraordinary for a movement that only really got started around 50 years ago.

“Nowhere has made quite the gains in terms of reform than the LGBTQIA+ community but there is still a long way to go and many countries worldwide where it is illegal to be gay.

“To move forward – we need to stand together” he concluded, something we know well in the Bromley by Bow community

To join our regular LGBTQIA+ community Friday group in a safe and friendly space on

Fridays, 12-1PM at the Bromley by Bow Centre

Contact Ricky to sign up: 07507 556908 or 020 8790 9700 ricky.sian@bbbc.org.uk