Thread by @Thomas_Atkin_1

I am considering leaving the Green Party. Transpobia is a real problem and it really isn't being delt with. There are many more brilliant, lovely people who find it abhorrent, but for one reason or another, find it difficult to speak up.

I have seen elected greens comparing LGBTQIA+ people to cultists, rapists and paedophiles. And yet they have faced no consequences. Despite this being a miniscule minority in our party, many in leadership positions are scared to do anything about it.

2 weeks ago I, along with fellow LGBTQIA+ Greens and some councillors, attended a march campaigning for trans people to be included in the ban on conversion therapy. 2 transphobic councillors egged on a mob of people attacking one of those councillors for attending.

They haven't and likely won't face any consequences of their actions. People are scared to raise formal complaints, people don't want to have to deal with the abuse, the looks, the whispers. People don't want to be shunned.

In the elections last week, we lost the Nether Edge and Sharrow seat to Labour. This seat is home to one of the Transphobic councillors, and the former home of the other.

While LTNs and Bus Lanes played a role, many members didn't want to campaign in NE&S due to the two transphobic councillors. I turned up to leaflet myself to find them there. I made up an exuse and left, I didn't feel safe around people who want trans people tortured.

Despite what some in the party would like to think, members of the public aren't oblivious to this. They can see it and that will have played a role in them not voting for us. And it will continue to eat away at us unless we nip it in the bud.

There are people who would rather us be quiet about this issue, and pretend it doesn't exist. To them I say a quote from 'The seeker's mask':
"That which can be destroyed by the truth, should be."

We shouldn't be remaining quiet when there are people becoming legitimate safeguarding concerns within our party, people who are advocating for pseudoscientific torture. We cannot and will not stand for it. For if we remain quiet, we give up our souls.
#TransRightsAreHumanRights