An LGBTQ+ youth charity has issued an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging him to champion equality and inclusion at a time when many young LGBTQ+ people feel their rights and safety are under threat.
Rachel Williams, chief executive of The Proud Trust, praised Burnham's long-standing support for LGBTQ+ communities in Manchester, saying his leadership had helped establish the city as a place where LGBTQ+ people are "welcomed, celebrated and valued".
In the letter, Williams said Burnham's public backing of equality, including his participation in Pride events and support for diversity, had provided hope to generations of young people seeking acceptance and community.
However, she warned that many LGBTQ+ young people now feel that progress once seen as secure is beginning to reverse.
"The time for political courage is now," Williams wrote.
The charity said it had witnessed growing anxiety among young people as debates around LGBTQ+ rights become increasingly hostile and polarised. Concerns highlighted in the letter include changes to school guidance, uncertainty around healthcare and what it describes as an increasingly negative tone in national discussions.
According to The Proud Trust, the impact of those debates is being felt directly by the young people it supports.
Williams said referrals to the organisation rose by 171% following the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers, which she said reflected a growing need among LGBTQ+ young people for reassurance, support and safe spaces.
"That wasn't simply an increase in demand for a service," she wrote. "It represented hundreds more LGBTQ+ young people reaching out because they needed reassurance, somewhere they felt safe, or simply someone to tell them they still belonged."
The charity said many of the young people it works with face challenges including bullying, poor mental health, isolation and fears about coming out to family members. Increasingly, Williams said, young people are also expressing concerns that society is becoming less accepting of LGBTQ+ people.
The letter argues that young people often feel they are the subject of political and media debate without having their voices heard.
"They watch adults debate their identities on television, read headlines questioning their existence, and hear politicians discussing their futures, yet too few people stop to ask the simplest question of all: 'What do you need?'"
Williams called on the Prime Minister to ensure all young people have access to safe schools, respectful healthcare, welcoming communities and properly funded youth services before they reach crisis point.
She also urged Burnham to remember Manchester's history of solidarity and support for LGBTQ+ communities as he leads the country.
"Equality is never something we achieve once and keep forever," she wrote. "It has to be protected, defended and strengthened, especially when doing so becomes difficult."
The letter concludes with a direct appeal to the Prime Minister, urging him to stand alongside LGBTQ+ young people and build a society where their rights, dignity and identities are not treated as matters for political debate.
"Please, be that leader," Williams said.
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