Do ‘pro-gay’ Tories really care about lesbians?
January 11th, 2010
For years it was unthinkable to be both Tory and gay. Even today to be a member of both the Conservative party and the LGBT community still causes raised eyebrows, especially for lesbians, who have been woefully underrepresented in the political world, writes Daniel Sperling.
But despite this perception, opinion polls and surveys show that there is substantial support for the Conservatives amongst the LGBT community. The party apparently just as appealing to gay voters as their more liberal rivals, with 39% of respondents to a survey of 600 LGBT people conducted by Pink News last June saying they would vote Conservative in the next election.
Clearly the Conservative party of 2009 is not the same one as the days of Section 28, but how much of a radical change has the party really undergone?
A reason to feel blue?
Margot James is an openly lesbian Tory parliamentary candidate and vice chair of the party.
“I was selected to run by a group of party activists in one of the most conservative - conservative with a small ‘c’ - parts of the country,” she says. “They selected me knowing I was a gay woman and that’s the kind of change that David Cameron has brought.”
But in reality, deducing whether or not the Conservatives relatively recent pro-gay stance is genuine, or just designed to pull in more LGBT votes at this year’s general election, is difficult. For example, David Cameron may have done some good by formally apologising for Section 28 last July, but he voted to retain it in 2003 and the Conservative-run Kent County Council still has a watered down version of the policy in place today.
Likewise, the LGBT community may be pleased with some of the Conservative party’s stances, such as their support of gay marriage and the extension of marriage rights to cohabiting same sex couples, but less reassured by other acts – such as when all but one Tory MP voted against Clause 58, which outlaws homophobic hate speech, last March.
The whole issue is a minefield of contradiction that provides no definite answer and is leaving LGBT voters uncertain as to whether they feel comfortable voting Tory. But while the authenticity of the Conservatives’ pro-gay stance may be up in the air, the argument that any advancements made by the party have benefited gay men more than lesbians and the rest of the LGBT community, is rather more concrete.
Forgetting about gay women
David Henry, founder and secretary of the Queer Youth Network and member of Outrage!, took part in a protest against the well-publicised Tory Pride night in Manchester last October, during which they called attention to the party’s chasing of the pink pound and perceived preference to gay men.
“There tends to be a heavy focus on gay men’s issues right across the political spectrum,” he says. “Those in the LGBT community who no longer have to worry about not having any legal rights may be more inclined to vote Conservative than in the past, but the most vulnerable and socially marginalised LGBT people have as much to be concerned about as ever.
“Quite a few people at the protest were worried the Conservatives’ hard stance on welfare reform and social justice would affect them adversely. Alpha-gay men with disposable incomes may have slightly less to worry about.”
Margot James believes that the party has made great strides under David Cameron’s leadership, but a difficulty in recognising the different needs of the people of the LGBT community may be behind the perception. “I’d say on balance the party is well ahead of many other organisations and institutions but I don’t think the party really discerns the difference in terms of issues between gay women and gay men yet.”
IVF and ‘the need for a father’
The Conservatives’ opposition to IVF treatment for lesbian couples has been held up as another example of their bias, with many questioning why a party that supports same-sex marriage would be so against letting those couples start a family.
Matthew Sephton, a prospective Conservative MP and chairman of LGBTory, a group working to promote equality within the party, provides an explanation. “The reason that many Conservatives voted against parts of the bill were not homophobic ones, but genuine concern that a child benefits from a father figure in life,”he explains.
However, David Henry believes this is exactly the problem. “The vast majority of Conservatives still believe same-sex couples cannot provide a child with a stable home and that heterosexual marriage is the only proper way to raise a family. The traditionalist values of the family and marriage often put women’s rights second over the dominance of men.”
Lesbian representation in Parliament
Nowhere is the dominance of men more evident than in parliament, where women are outnumbered and lesbians are virtually non existent. Although the Conservatives have the most openly gay male MPs, there are currently no lesbians amongst their ranks. But Margot James insists the party is trying to change that.
“I’d be the first to agree that that’s an issue, but that’s not really the party’s fault,” insists Margot. “There’s not much the party can do about that. It’s one of those unfortunate facts of life.”
Margot looks to be the Tories’ best shot at having a lesbian voice in the Houses of Parliament by the next general election, but while her victory would be a step forward, the lack of lesbian influence in the party means that inevitably their views and needs will take a back seat to those of men, gay or straight. But as Matthew Septhon points out, this problem is not unique to the Tories.
“There have only ever been two openly gay male MPs from the Liberal Democrats and only two lesbians from any party, Labour” he says. “The Liberal Democrats have not selected any lesbian candidates in winnable seats, unlike the Conservatives. This is a step in the right direction.”
Clearly the Conservatives have taken many positive steps forward, but it is up to each individual to decide whether they have done enough to make up for their horrendous history and past oppression. What isn’t up for debate though is that all across the political spectrum, lesbians, bisexuals and trans people are struggling for position and presence.
Our political parties may have moved forward in terms of equality, but unless they start taking the LGBT community one letter at a time and become more attentive to the specific needs and rights of all people within, a pro-gay stance could soon refer to men only.
Hard to know how to respond to this- I just shudder at the idea of a Tory Government as the memories of the last Tory devastation are very clear in my mind. Look at all the new legislation that has come in with Labour - at least that’s a start. the only answer is to be active and vote for Labour.
louise evan-wong ∼ January 13th, 2010 6:08 pmI don’t think the Tories are very “with it” when it comes to women, of any sexuality. After all, the traditional Tories round here all yearn for the 1950s idyll of their imaginations, where hubby went out to work and little wifey stayed at home with the kids and was there with his slippers and pipe when he came in from work.
They’re probably not anti-lesbian, per se, they just haven’t noticed us, like they haven’t noticed a lot of things.
Anastasia ∼ January 24th, 2010 12:31 pm