from Gay Star News
‘I don’t want to wait until it gets better, I want it to get better now!’ said Sue Sanders, an impassioned member of a panel debate about whether life really does get better for LGBTI people.
Sanders, LGBTI education specialist who helped to create the UK’s LGBT History Month, was speaking at discussion called ‘Does It Really Get Better?’ held at Kings College London on 21 February, and was among various panellists discussing an idea surrounding the ‘It Gets Better’ project started by US columnist and author Dan Savage in 2010.
Sanders spoke about putting the focus on the here and now and not telling people to wait for years until their lives improve.
‘We need to make an ‘It Gets Better’ for today’ she said.
‘Telling a ten-year-old that it’s going to get better in 20 years is not enough. It’s our job to make sure it gets better every day.’
Sanders also spoke about the education system and what needs to change.
‘A teacher can be fully qualified to teach without having undergone equality training. It’s so important they know how to deal with LGBTI students.’
Vernal Scott, activist and author, spoke about issues relating to HIV/AIDS.
‘The 80s was a conveyer belt of death and bereavement. Young people were going to funerals of their friends every week’ he said.
‘But in 2011, 6000 men were diagnosed with HIV, compared to 2,500 men at the end of the 90s. We need to be concerned about loving ourselves enough to confine HIV to history.’
On a positive note, transgendered model and singer Miss Sahhara said that for her living in the UK ‘is like a dream’ compared to her life before in her native Nigeria.
‘In Nigeria I got attacked for my feminine ways. So when I came to UK I enjoyed freedom to walk the streets, dress the way I wanted and there are laws here to protect you’ she said.
‘Anyone who is going through difficulties should not give up. It does get better.’
Also present on the panel were queer Muslim activist Maryam Din, lecturer Mark McCormack, retired lecturer and activist Taz Din and author and comedian VG Lee chaired the debate.
The event coincided with LGBT History Month in the UK and Gay Star News supported the event as a media partner.
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/%E2%80%98we-need-%E2%80%98it-gets-better%E2%80%99-today%E2%80%99-says-panel-debate-lgbti-issues220214