The Network is very pleased to share the news that its submission earlier this year to the UK Parliament’s Women & Equalities Select Committee’s Inquiry into Covid 19 impacts on Diverse Communities.
This is the third time that Network submissions on major national inquiries to this very important — for LGBT+ and other Diverse and Minority Communities — Parliamentary Select Committee (WOMEQ), have been accepted and published. We have also had submissions made to other Select Committees such as the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), accepted and published, demonstrating our national level expertise and policy change & evolution record, of which we are very proud.
In the case of acceptance of our submission for the WOMEQ Covid 19 impacts inquiry, this is particularly significant given the shadow of negative impacts that Coronavirus is having especially on sections of our LGBT+ and also BAME communities.
Covid 19 has been the ultimate stress test of Diverse Communities treatment by those elements within public service organisations such as the NHS where their still largely all pervasive ‘going through the motions’ ‘tick box’ organisation cultures where true, meaningful LGBT+ inclusion/acceptance/respect, safety and good working environments, and service users who are LGBT, and especially LGBTs who are not Out as LGBTs in their places of work are concerned. On this very serious issue and unacceptable phenomenon the Network has drawn on extensive Dorset area NHS organisations experience of those in directing & reinforcing and protecting positions of influence in the latter, engagement and communications, and of representative oppressed LGBT+ staff members of those organisations, victims of tick box culture.