A FORMER equalities advisor to the Boris Johnson government has slammed the new Rishi Sunak-led government reorganisation of ministerial appointments, condemning it “as one of the most divisive and alarming in recent years”.
LGBTQ+ activist Jayne Ozanne left the government’s own LGBTQ+ Advisory Panel, due to the ignorance shown by Liz Truss and her junior ministers including Kemi Badenoch on key LGBTQ+ issues and creating a hostile environment.
She claimed the appointment of Badenoch to the Equalities role was virtually like a slap in the face for organisations that seek to promote gender equality and transgender rights.
“When she held the role previously she sought to fuel gender wars and speak against the need for a full ban on ‘conversion therapy’ rarely meeting with those she was tasked to protect”, Ozanne thundered.
She was not the only critic of Badenoch who is a known figurehead for the right of the Conservative Party.
Cleo Madeleine, communications officer for the transgender advocacy group Gendered Intelligence, also felt her appointment was a move in the wrong direction.
This, is, “a huge step backward for LGBTQ+ rights in the UK,” she declared reacting to the appointment on Tuesday (25).
She added: “Her appointment suggests at best a lack of sincere commitment to the equalities portfolio and at worst a move towards an anti-trans agenda.”
Stonewall, the LGBTQ+ organisation made a call during the Conservative leadership race last week to respect Rainbow Britain (a report published by Stonewall using data from Ipsos UK showing a picture of a Britain that is becoming a Rainbow Nation, with more young people identifying as lesbian, gay, bi, and trans) on Friday (21).
Stonewall said: “As the Conservative Party enters a leadership election, Stonewall is calling on all candidates, their supporters, and the media to ditch the divisive ‘culture war’ and promote values that bring Britain’s diverse communities together.
“A more inclusive Britain is good for communities and businesses across the country and important for Britain’s position as a global leader.”
When Badenoch worked for Truss at the Government Equalities Office (GEO) under the Johnson administration, she said that she felt “empowered” to oppose trans rights. Truss held the combined post of Foreign Secretary and Equalities chief under Johnson.
The GEO failed to implement substantive reform of the Gender Recognition Act during her tenure as a junior equalities minister, in addition to failing to outlaw conversion therapy, both of which were pledged by Boris Johnson prior to the 2019 general election.
According to certain reports, during her first term as an equalities minister, Badenoch met in private with both the anti-trans campaigner Keira Bell and the organisation LGB Alliance. Also, the LGB Alliance contacted Badenoch to make a case against the United Nations’ designation of conversion treatment as “torture.”
Badenoch supported Sunak in the most recent battle to succeed departing leader Liz Truss. Earlier this year, Badenoch ran for the Conservative Party leadership to succeed then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
She succeeds Liz Truss’s minister for equalities, Nadhim Zahawi.
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