 Yr eobod yn y linell y byddai yn y gweithio gyda'r bydd o Mosiwn 5857 yn fy hyn o GFITYL Patrig o le fontul LGBT+. Mae'n mewn gyhoeddiant i gyfoethaf wedi bod yn cymryd i gweithio gwaith mae gyda'r byddai yn gwybod i gyhoeddu'r ei gweld cweliad yr eobod i'r byddai ac i gyhoeddu'r byddau i gweithio gyhoeddiant i gwybod i gweithio gyboethaf sydd sy'n golygu. Mae'n myfyrwyr i gweithio'r byddai i gweithio gyda'r byddai i gweithio gyda'r byddai Thank you, Presiding Officer, and thanks to colleagues from all parties for their support, which have allowed this motion to be debated tonight. I begin by saying how great it is to see several members wearing the rainbow colours on what is the last day of the LGBT plus history month and follow us on from Purple Friday last week, where folk were asked to wear purple in support of young LGBT plus people. Like Purple Friday, LGBT plus history month is co-ordinated in Scotland by LGBT youth Scotland, who worked to promote health and wellbeing among LGBTQIA young people across the country. Their goal is to make Scotland the best place to grow up for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex young people. I am sure that we all share their desire and I certainly wish that they were there when I was that age. However, although I am wearing the rainbow tie of the Fantastic Tie campaign, I have not joined colleagues in wearing a bright-coloured jacket or shirt. However, in contributions for LGBT history month, it is customary for queer politicians to say a little bit about their own journey and a combination of Purple Friday last week and an event at the end of last year celebrating the National Union of Student Scotland's 50th anniversary helped me in this. For me, as a young student studying at Inverness College, the NUS provided the first environment that I felt safe to be myself. That safe and welcoming environment did not happen by accident but was a result of sustained campaigns to battle against societal homophobia, which was pervasive at that time. That brings me to why I am wearing a denim shirt. One of the campaigns led by the NUS was Denham Day. Denham Day was a campaign held in colleges and universities across the UK. The ask was that you should wear a piece of denim to show your support for LGBT rights. Obviously, most students wore denim every day. The campaign was turning things on their head, so as well as allowing allies to do their best James Dean impersonation, those who opposed the qualities had to go out of their way to find those cords that they had never worn since they left school. Although I am happy to reminisce about my time in the NUS, I think that LGBT Youth Scotland's Purple Friday is an improvement on Denham Day, and it is an indication of how far we have come. The theme for LGBT plus history month 2023 is behind the lens, which aims to celebrate LGBT plus people's hard work and contributions made to the production of film cinema from behind the lens, such as directors, producers, cinematographers, screenwriters, costume designers, music score composers, choreographers, special effects artists, make-up artists, set designers, lighting specialists, sound specialists and support staff such as caterers. Design officer representation matters. It matters to all communities, and there has been significant progress in this Parliament, but there is still work to do. In film and cinema, there has been an incredible shift from when I was growing up. Most of the gay characters were mocked at best or very often portrayed in a sinister way. A couple of exceptions that come to mind are the film My Beautiful Laundrette from 1985, and that first gay kiss on EastEnders in 1989, which was watched by an estimated 17 million people. The significance of now MP John Nicholson's coming out when he presented BBC Breakfast cannot be overstated. Looking back, it seems incredulous that in 1999 he was the first BBC One network news presenter to do so. Representation matters, and it is critical that we are all recognised and work to ensure equality for everyone in our society across all sectors. As we see worrying political developments as close to home as Italy and Poland, it is a reminder that our rights are not guaranteed and must be protected and respected. The election of a far-right Government in Italy, the most right-wing Government in the country since World War II, has led to real fears that the already fragile LGBT plus rights could be eroded. I want to pay tribute to Marco Maras, who confronted the now Italian Prime Minister on her LGBT plus views at a rally during the election campaign. Marac stated afterwards that we are not monsters, but normal people who want basic rights. The now Prime Minister said at a rally, you want a lot of things, everyone wants things, you already have civil unions. While civil unions are legal in Italy, equal marriage is not, and without progressive leadership at the top, that is unlikely to change anytime soon. In Poland, neither same-sex marriage or civil unions are recognised, and in recent years we have seen a horrific growth of the so-called LGBT-free zones in Poland. Around a third of the times and regions in Poland, past resolutions declare themselves free of what they call LGBT ideology. Despite legal challenges and action from the European Commission, many of those zones remain active. We cannot be complacent. Examples from across Europe prove that nobody's rights are guaranteed. The day's debate is a welcome reminder that Scotland is an open, welcoming, loving country. However, we must learn from what is happening in other countries and ensure that human rights in Scotland are never questioned or threatened. Leadership matters. In this Parliament, I believe that we all have a responsibility to demonstrate that leadership, to represent Scotland in all its diversity, to be welcoming, to be inclusive and to not only stand up for but to speak out to advance the rights of all. In closing, I want to thank LGBT youth Scotland for their incredible work, not only for co-ordinating LGBT plus history month and purple Friday but for the work that they do every day in improving the lives of so many people within our community. I also want to thank colleagues from all parties once more for their support and look forward to hearing contributions from across the chamber. Thank you very much, Mr Fitzpatrick. Understandably, there's an awful lot of interest in this evening's debate. I want to get everybody in, but I'll therefore have to ask everybody to stick to the four minutes so that everybody gets an equal opportunity in this debate. With that, I call Jamie Greene to be followed by Emma Roddick up to four minutes. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I'm grateful to Joe Fitzpatrick for bringing this debate today on the last of LGBT history month. I'm afraid to say that my denim days are far behind me, so I apologise. I do want to start with a positive. I start with a positive because let's face it, I think it's been quite a grim year for many in the LGBT community this past year, in my view. Behind the theme of this year is behind the lens. Behind the lens shines an optimistic and quite a positive light on the everyday lives of everyday people. I say that as someone who used to work in TV production. The power of the lens to tell a story, in my view, is a force for good. If you haven't seen the film in from the side, from the director, Matt Carter, then I thoroughly recommend it. Of course, there are those people out there who say that we don't need LGBT history month. Just as those out there who say that we don't need Black History Month, there are people who say that we don't need to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day or Disability Awareness Month. Of course, the answer to all of the above is the same. We do so because we have to, because disability prejudice still exists as does anti-Semitism, as does racism, as does homophobia and transphobia. It's not just talking about the tragedies of the past that matters. History is what happened just a few years ago, a few months or even just a few weeks ago. Of course, we commemorate the personal sacrifices of those in the past, but we must also acknowledge the living today and all those still facing prejudice, danger and abuse. I'm afraid to say that the LGBT community still faces all of the above in abundance. I hear a lot. People say, I don't mind what you get up to in your private life, but there's no need to wave flags in my face. There's no need to wear rainbow ties or badges or parade down the streets or flaunt in the media or teach it in our schools. I know this because it's been said to me more times this past six months than in any time in my 42 years on this earth. History month isn't just about the pioneers of the past or the freedom fighters on the fringes. It is about us here today, our family, our colleagues, our friends, our neighbours who are still suffering at the hands of bigotry, day in, day out. Be they past or present, be they near or far, be they the young people who were having a good time in club Q in Colorado Springs one Saturday night last November. Five of them shot dead, 25 injured and all the day before transgender day of remembrance. Do you know what, colleagues, the next day, one so-called ally of the gay community tweeted, I quote, that we stand in solidarity with LGBT people worldwide against the senseless hatred. It's as if the T and the LGBT just didn't exist. It's as if Daniel Aston, a young trans man or Kelly Loving, a young trans woman, didn't exist. It's as if they were not shot dead too, but they were. Be they near or far, be they Brianna Guy, a 16-year-old trans girl stabbed to death in a park in Cheshire just a few weeks ago. Of course, the circumstances of which are yet to be confirmed, but we do know that Brianna was abused on a daily basis according to her friends and not happy enough that she was murdered, mourners holding a vigil in her name in Birmingham just two weeks ago were met with crowds chanting, and I won't use the word F-U-C-K LGBT rights, chanting abuse at people mourning the death of a 16-year-old. They must be so proud of themselves. We have to ask ourselves if words used in this place or outwith have inadvertently fuelled in atmosphere, where it has once again been acceptable and normalised to abuse people because of their sexuality and their gender. The events of the six months last bear witness to some of that, something I have painfully learned myself, because on the issue of gender never before has so much been said of so few. When we use words like threat and danger and risk in the same sentence as a tiny cohort of people in our society, whether we like it or not, it sticks. Words matter because words have consequences, Presiding Officer, and this is why we have LGBT History Month. We do it because we have to. No one chooses to be murdered, no one chooses to be abused and assaulted. We can, however, choose to live unapologetically, and that's exactly what we'll do. Thank you very much, Mr Greene. Again, a further encouragement to stick to the four minutes. We'll have Emma Roddick next to be followed by Pam Duncan Glancy. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I don't really have the words to tell you how important it is that the work of LGBT Youth Scotland and others is carried out, or that projects like LGBT plus History Month happen and seek to bring us closer to equality, or that we have MSPs like Jo Fitzpatrick and others who will be contributing to this debate, raising awareness and speaking out, because it's vital and it's not easy. I know there are people who believe that it is and think that it's fun, and I know that there are folk who think that I got into politics to talk about queer stuff all the time. I didn't. I would much rather be in a position where I feel that we're equal in society and I know that we're not under attack and won't face discrimination or harassment just for being who we are and that I can then go and bang on about social security and transport and mental health for the Highlands and Islands in peace, but we're not there yet. In July, I'll be speaking at Highland Pride, the first Highland Pride since Covid, and I don't know yet what I'll be saying. I hope that it's that political discourse has really taken a turn in the last four months and improved and that it's great that we're seeing progress again, but I don't know if that's going to be true. I'm going to be as positive as possible today in the hope that it is. The theme of this year's History Month is fascinating to me, because I think that art and culture has a cut through that is hard to replicate, especially in places like this. I know now that growing up, my love of sci-fi and fantasy, particularly anything with strong queer female characters, taught me a lot more about morality and ethics and myself than I appreciated at the time. Enjoying art created by LGBTQ people is a fantastic way to understand more about our experiences, something that no matter how great your intentions are, cisgender or heterosexual people can't completely convey with accuracy. I've really loved reading about incredible LGBTQ creatives throughout history whose stories have been boosted by this year's theme, and one that really stuck with me is a poem written by a Scottish noble woman, Marie Maitland, a sapphic poem written over 400 years ago and currently hosted by the National Galleries of Scotland. The blog on the National Galleries website written by Ashley Douglas is well worth a read, and given how difficult life can still be for queer people in Scotland and how hostile so many still are to our existence, it is quite incredible that this poem was both written and that it then survived until now. It serves as a reminder of how normal and natural it is to be LGBTQ and that we've been here, queer and writing poetry for longer than anyone can remember. Those are all things that we don't hear enough when we talk about LGBTQ history. We hear about things like having to hide away, the often intentional lack of education around AIDS and safe sex, and about art and resources, including that created by queer people, whether 400 years or four days ago, being banned in schools. Sadly, not a bit of that is confined to history. We're still making art and we still have people desperate to pretend that we don't exist. A petition this year asking the UK Government to ban LGBTQ inclusive education from schools got twice as many signatures as it needed for debate. Hundreds of thousands of people are willing to put their name to a call for schools not to be allowed to tell kids that I exist, or that their peers who have two dads or two mums deserve acceptance and respect and to know that it's just as normal as heterosexual appearing families. As folk age pretending that LGBTQ is shameful or only for adults becomes more dangerous, young folk lack the language to tell someone about abuse. Young gay men don't know how to use a condom. Queer people don't know how to test for HIV or how they would go about doing that. They also think that they are wrong and should hide. We need to get over that. It is 2023 and people are still hiding who they are. We all have a responsibility to change that and it starts with listening to us and learning from history, not repeating it. Thank you. This year's theme encourages us to look behind the lens and celebrate LGBT plus people's contribution to film and cinema. First, it is important to think about what we would see if we looked through that lens at Scotland today. We would see hard fought and hard won LGBT rights. I am proud to say that we got there and that my party and Government did a lot more to advance LGBT rights than any other in history, the abolition of section 28 and section 2A. Its repeal being one of the first acts of the Scottish Parliament, the ability for trans people to have their gender legally recognised in the UK for the first time and, of course, the equality act that protects LGBT plus people from discrimination. The next Labour Government is committed to matching that record. Colleagues here and in chambers like ours lead the charge in Parliament, but it is LGBT people themselves that always deserve to claim wins. It is organisations such as Stonewall, Trans Alliance and LGBT Youth Scotland that have been fighting the fight and making the change for years. It is their lives that are impacted by the decisions that we make and by the things that we say. We as legislators must be loud and proud in our support of LGBT rights, which means unapologetically and unequivocally standing up for and protecting the rights of all LGBT people and pushing for more progressive Scotland. LGBT people should certainly never have to fear a regression of their rights, but we would see another worrying picture through that lens, too. Colleagues have spoken of that passionately already. In recent months, LGBT people's lives have been used to build false narratives and stoke fear. They have been politically weaponised. The result is that most are feeling let down, exhausted and hurt, and some have died. We have come so far, and yet we have made so much progress, but we must never be complacent. We cannot make the mistake of thinking that Scotland cannot do more and do better, and as allies we must challenge anti-LGBT sentiment at every turn. Just last week, Police Scotland issued a warning that it is preparing for targeted attacks on LGBT people to increase. Last year, sexual orientation aggravated crime was the second most commonly reported hate crime, rising by 10 per cent on the previous year, with trans hate crime seeing a disturbing 87 per cent rise in the same period. Those figures are shocking, but is it really any surprise that trans hate crime has risen exponentially over a period where trans people are being vilified? I think that if we are honest, if we were looking down a lens at Scotland now, we would see fractures in long-enjoyed rights, despair and toxicity. Today, we can see all too clearly that our gains are fragile. Despite how hard it is now, I am an optimist, and I believe that we can and will overcome it. One of the ways to do this is to celebrate the contribution of LGBT people, and this year's theme could not have come at better time. Who among us can forget the way that film pride made us feel, the way it showed that communities can come together? We cannot underestimate the impact that having representation in Parliament has meant to policy change, and we cannot underestimate the value of having LGBT people behind the lens to improve representation in front of it. Lived experience is invaluable, but ultimately, until the arts represent us all, that is only ever a proxy for equality. We need more LGBT directors, cinematographers, screenwriters, producers, animators, costume designers, makeup artists and beyond, bringing their reality to the job. Channel 4 has long been a leader in LGBT representation on and off the screen, and there is a real fear that privatisation could have posed a real risk to their freedom to support independent production. That could mean that that representation and diversity would suffer, and that is why I continue to support public service broadcasts. It is also why fighting for funding for the arts is key. We need a screen industry that is fully representative with equal opportunities for all. As we reflect on the fights one, which are many, we look through the lens of 2023 and see that there are still many to fight. Today, I reiterate my promise to always stand shoulder to shoulder with the LGBT community through the battles that lie ahead. Thank you to my friend and colleague Jo Fitzpatrick for bringing this debate to the chamber in his very passionate speech to open it. February is referred to as LGBT plus history month, a month where we have the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the experiences of the LGBT plus community in Scotland and across the UK. As we have already been talking about this year's theme as behind the lens, celebrating the contributions of LGBT plus people in cinema and film from behind the scenes directors, musicians, artists, screenwriters and so on. We are fortunate to live in a country that is known for incredible art and culture and to be surrounded by diverse talent. It is important to recognise those behind the lens who are telling the story and bringing their ideas and experiences to the final production. I want to put that into the context of this Parliament as well. Some of my colleagues have been able to, as representatives, talk about their own experiences in Jo Fitzpatrick and others have done that very eloquently. I am unable to do that in this debate, but what I would like to say is that there is a similar theme behind the scenes of the Parliament. I want to give a shout out to anybody behind the scenes of the Parliament who is from the LGBT plus community and the work that they do for us want to recognise them as well. Currently LGBT plus lives, particularly those of trans people, is a prevalent topic in the news. We have heard that already. How difficult must it have been for trans people to have to listen to some of the commentary said about their community over the last few months and even years? That theme is a reminder for us to look behind the lens in our own lives as well. Listening to and respecting all constituents is an important aspect of my work and one that I take very seriously. I am proud to represent Co-Bridge and Crescent. I am committed to defending the rights of all my constituents regardless of gender or sexuality. Fostering welcoming communities is vital in providing people with a support network. Unfortunately, LGBT youth Scotland has found that in the last five years far fewer young people describe Scotland as a good place to live for LGBT plus people, dropping from 81 per cent in 2017 to 65 per cent in 2022. Over two thirds of young people surveyed in that report described transphobia in Scotland as a, quote, really big problem. Clearly, we have very far to go in terms of progress. Recently, the UK media has dragged the name of the trans community through the mud, misrepresenting an old-ready marginalized community and contributing to a hostile culture. Words and stories matter and we must prioritise trans people telling their own stories. A report from Stonewall Scotland found that almost half of trans people, 48 per cent, have experienced a hate crime or incident because of their gender identity in the last 12 months. Those incidents more often than not go unreported. More over half of trans people are apprehensive about using public toilets because of fear of discrimination, and that is particularly prevalent in younger people who are largely unaware of their rights regarding discrimination. The Scottish Parliament must continue to educate and promote a culture of empathy and inclusivity. Taking the opportunity to look back in Scotland's history, the LGBT plus history month, it is clear that we have come a long way. I am proud to be a member of a party that prioritises equality and human rights regardless of identity. Just over 20 years after repealing section 20, Scotland became the first country in the world to embed LGBT plus inclusive education across the curriculum. Currently, there is a process for our party leader and First Minister. I know that, as a membership party, we will continue to be progressive despite any media commentary. A young LGBT plus people should be able to see themselves in their education like their peers. The Scottish Government's commitment to involving this representation in everyday life is a standard that should be followed elsewhere. The 2014 marriage and civil partnership act saw the legalisation of same-sex marriage, a landmark policy improving the rights of thousands of Scots. Policies such as the Gender Recognition Act and the period products are actually a strong commitment to gender equality, something that I will continue to strongly support. There is no place in Scotland for prejudice or discrimination that the Scottish Parliament should continue to fight against this and promote progress. Looking forward, we must widen the lens to incorporate often-hidden and misrepresented identities, such as transgender, non-binary, asexual and intersex people. In my roles as a representative, I will always do what I can to defend the rights of others. Again, an appeal for members to stick to their four minutes. I call Karen Adam, who joins us remotely to be followed by Maggie Chapman, up to four minutes. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Congratulations to Joe Fitzpatrick for securing this debate. With this year's theme of LGBT history month being behind the lens, I want to begin by paying tribute to the writers, actors, directors, producers, composers, choreographers, costume designers and so many others who have played a part in telling the stories and histories of LGBT plus people through the medium of film and television. I particularly want to thank those screen journalists who have taken the time and care to learn the too often tragic stories of our diverse community, particularly those who have given trans people the space to tell their own stories in their own words. Cinema and television play crucial roles in telling our stories on-screen representation matters and has the power to change our communities for good or do serious damage. How our stories are told can change how we feel about ourselves, they can alter what we feel capable of being and becoming. Positive representation has the power to create positive change and the opposite can lead to tragedy. I don't think we need reminding of how much the media has capitalised on fears of trans people in recent months, so I want to take a moment to remember Brianna Guy, a 16-year-old transgender girl whom my colleagues have mentioned and whose name we cannot say enough. Her brutal killing is being possibly investigated as a hate crime. Her parents described her as a larger-than-life character who would leave a lasting impression on all that met her. The dead naming and misgendering of Brianna and the wake of her death were unacceptable and must have caused unnecessary anguish to all who knew and loved her. I hope that the society that we hope to build will respect the dignity of all, especially in the walls of the Parliament where we should be an example. Since devolution, Scotland has been building its reputation for liberal values and human rights on the world stage. Our Scottish Government delivered the most progressive and extensive equal marriage legislation, opened up adoption and IVF to same-sex couples and reformed blood donation rules. Scotland was the first in the UK to approve the provision of PrEP by the NHS and to deliver a pardon for historical homosexual offences. The First Minister herself gave a categorical, unequivocal and whole-hearted apology for this wrong committed by the state. After years of scrutiny, several public consultations and an avalanche of disinformation, our Parliament voted to reform the Gender Recognition Act, making the process of obtaining a GRC simpler and less evasive. It was a historic vote, one which was welcomed by the United Nations Human Rights Office, and I am proud of the work that we did scrutinising the bill on the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, and of course of the supermajority who voted for the final legislation. Scotland continues to forge a distinct identity of unapologetic progressiveness on the world stage. It is for this reason that Westminster has invoked section 35, once again, denying democracy and stifling progress. Come what may, I promise to continue to do all that I can to defend the rights that we have won and to fight for those rights that we have not. LGBT History Month is an opportunity for us to look back and I hope to take some comfort in the knowledge that, just as we prevailed with decriminalisation, with the age of consent, with section 28, with equal marriage, we will prevail again. Presiding Officer, it is the responsibility of all of us to advance our human rights. In the words of LGBT freedom fighter Marsha P. Johnson, history is not something that you look back at and say that it was inevitable. It happens because people make decisions that are sometimes very impulsive enough of the moment, but those moments are cumulative realities. Thank you very much, Ms Adam. I call Maggie Chapman to be followed by Paul MacLennan up to four minutes, Ms Chapman. Thank you, Presiding Officer, and thanks to Joe Fitzpatrick for securing this important debate. There is never space for complacency when we celebrate this month, and we know that truth, those of us who are listening, more acutely this year than we have for a very long time. For LGBT QIA plus history, isn't a gentle story of steady progress, of education followed by awareness, of recognition leading to rights, of a joyful journey out of the wilderness and into the sunny uplands? No. There is a reason why we speak of liberation struggles, because they truly are a struggle. There are times of progress, times when overlapping interdependent, mutually supporting communities feel as though we are really moving forward. The first LGBT history month in the US in 1994 and the first in Scotland in 2005 felt for some, like those times, whether LGBT QIA plus community could relax a little, breathe a little, take some time to look back at transformative moments and the people who made them happen. But those good times are interspersed with times of regression, of oppression and hatred, of cruelty and ignorance, of damage which, once done, takes generations to heal. Those times, by no coincidence, so often happen within periods of social anxiety and strife, of tension, fear and conflict. They are times when Governments, ideologically committed to austerity and division, to the enhancement of the rich and the immiseration of the poor, seek scape goats for the anger they have shaped, and they find them. They find them among people of colour, in black and gypsy traveller communities, among migrants and refugees, in neighbourhoods of high deprivation, among those entitled to social security, those with experience of homelessness and care and incarceration. They find them over and over again among LGBT QIA plus people. That is why, wisely I think, the learning resources from LGBT Youth Scotland are this here focusing on the legacy of section 28. We need to remember not only those who courageously campaigned against it, against the deliberate damage to children so cynically framed as their protection, but also those who did not, those many who did not. I thank LGBT Youth Scotland for their on-going, tireless work. We have woeful memories sometimes. We imagine or are told or comfort ourselves with a lie that this has not happened before. We pretend that rights we now accept were always uncontroversial, except among those we dismiss as the enemy. We conveniently forget how contested they were, perhaps within our own tradition, how uncomfortable they made people feel. We forget that there is no human right to feel comfortable. So, this year, as we stand in solidarity and love with our trans friends and relatives, those bearing the brutal burden of today's moral panic, media obsession and political opportunism, LGBT plus history month matters more than ever before, not as a sort of celebration, but of challenge. The challenge of solidarity, of resistance to the shameful attempts to divide, to set one group against another, as though our rights to live and love and flourish were a thin purse of tawdry coins. We are rightly shocked when we hear those dusty old arguments against same-sex marriage dredged up once again from history's filing cabinet, but we should be just as horrified by attempts to normalise transphobic rhetoric, especially as we know heartbreakingly that it does not end with rhetoric alone. There is no end to history, as Fukuyama learned, and certainly no end to this one. The struggles go on. There is work to be done in this chamber, as in the world outside. We have learned some bitter lessons from the past few months about the ephemerality of easy promises, about the collapse of consensus when the going gets tough, for many with whom we share both grief and hope, the going has never been harder. We in the Scottish Greens stand resolutely with you, with all of you. I thank Joe Fitzpatrick for bringing in this important debate today. Between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 LGBT plus people have experienced the hate crime monstint due to their sexual orientation or gender identity in the last 12 months, almost half a trans people, 48 per cent, have experienced the hate crime or instant because of their gender identity in the last 12 months, and that figure is increasing. More than 4 in 5 LGBT plus people, 87 per cent, have experienced the hate crime or instant because they do not report the incident to the police. In 1 in 8 LGBT plus people, who visit the cafe, restaurant, bar or night club in the last 12 months, have been discriminated against because of their sexual orientation and other gender identity. Pam Duncan-Rancy mentioned about the report that was sent out, or a statement that was sent out by Police Scotland only two weeks ago, and it read community tensions and concerns, methods to communities. Police Scotland is aware of increased community tensions and concerns within our LGBT plus communities for only events and incidents across Scotland and the United Kingdom. That is the context that we find ourselves in today, so we still have a lot to do. The LGBT plus history month is an on-going narrative, claiming our past, celebrating our present and creating our future. The LGBT plus history month is marked across the UK throughout February as an opportunity to connect and reflect on the past and present of the LGBT plus community, celebrate LGBT plus culture and progress towards a quality over time and to explore what lessons of the history can teach us in the future. Over the past few decades, we have seen a steady increase in social acceptance of lesbian, gay and bi relationships and a steady increase in the percentage of the population who identify as lesbian, gay, bi or trans. Stonewall's Britain rainbow Britain report last year shows that many in Scotland and the UK are a country that is fiercely proud to be inclusive. Many are free to be themselves in every area of their lives. The report goes on and focuses on the start differences between the generations, with more younger people identifying as lesbian, gay, bi and trans. I remember last year when we were talking about this debate, I was contacted by a 75-year-old gay man who had been feared to speak out about his identity and who he was over a long number of years. I met him for a coffee and was just impressed by how long he's had to put up with that and how he's dealt with it over that issue. In Gen Z, only 71 per cent of people identify as straight compared to 91 per cent of baby boomers. 14 per cent of young people identify as bi or bisexual, conserved just 2 per cent of baby boomers. When we look beyond the label and ask ourselves what people are attracted to in the picture, it's even more dramatic. The report goes on to say that just 53 per cent of Gen Z are exclusively straight and 40 per cent of a pattern of attraction that can be described as queer. That suggests that in a single lifetime we may have travelled from being a world in which lesbian, gay, bi and queer relationships were hidden and LGBT plus people were criminalised to one in which we are a thriving and growing community. Presiding Officer, in conclusion, there were a few statements in the report that resonated with me and made me very proud to speak in the debate. This is the statement. This is our rainbow nation, a society in which LGBT plus people are coming out to ourselves and the world around us and even greater numbers, and a world in which every community and every family is building bonds of love and friendship with LGBT plus people. Our rainbow nation is the present and the future. We are here, we are proud. Thank you. I want to get every member that is expressed an interest in speaking in the debate to get an opportunity to do so. There are still a number who want to contribute, so I'm minded to accept a motion without notice under rule 8.14.3 to extend the debate by up to 30 minutes, and I invite Joe Fitzpatrick to move that motion without notice. Are members agreed to extend the debate? We are all agreed. That's not an invitation to go beyond the four minutes, but with that, I call Marie McNair to be followed by Paul O'Kane up to four minutes please. It's a pleasure to speak in this debate to mark LGBT plus history month. I congratulate Joe Fitzpatrick for securing the debate and for his thoughtful and passionate opening speech. I pay tribute to his work as convener of the equality human rights in civil justice committee. LGBT history month is marked across the UK throughout February as an opportunity to connect and reflect on the past and present of LGBT plus community. Celebrate LGBT plus culture and progress towards equality over time and explore what lessons of history can teach us for the future. This year's UK theme is behind the lens, which celebrates LGBT plus people's contribution to cinema and film from behind the lens. In my constituency, the rainbow flag was raised at Solidarity Plaza in Clydebank to mark LGBT plus history month. This is something that we've been doing since 2008. It's an initiative that recognises cross-party support of the need to keep the momentum of equality going. In speaking in this debate, I pay tribute to all LGBT plus constituents, groups, organisations and campaigners for equality. We know that much has been achieved by strong determination and resolute campaigning. Now Scotland is considered one of the most progressive countries in Europe in terms of LGBT plus equality. That equality has been hard fought and a difficult journey for so many. The journey has secured the abolition of the section 28, the adoption and children's Scotland act, which has tended the law on adoption to allow same-sex couples to adopt jointly. The marriage civil partnership Scotland bill has been passed on 4 February 2014, when the first same-sex marriage was taken place on 31 December 2014. It is considered one of the most progressive such laws in the world. The passing of legislation to pardon men with a conviction for historical same-sex activity is now legal. It also put in place a system for men with such convictions to have them removed from their record and disregarded. The census amendment Scotland bill introduced in Scotland census questions on sexual orientation and trans status for the first time. Scotland has been the first country to embed LGBT inclusive education across the Collicle. We must celebrate the progress made and remember those who did so much to achieve it, and the lessons learned show that we can't be complacent. The LGBT network highlighted that our LGBT community experienced high levels of hate crime, so we must drive on with that message that shows zero tolerance of this behaviour. It is also the case that the current impasse with gender recognition reform must be fixed. We must move to end conversion practices in Scotland and strive instead to support and celebrate people for who they are. It is clear that Scotland has made significant progress since way back when the decriminalisation of homosexuality came into force in 1981, but we must keep going to ensure that we don't take a step backwards. Let us all be honest, recent debates have created a difficult atmosphere for our LGBT plus community that should be a real cause for concern. Even more than ever, Parliament's message must be loud and clear that we want to secure equality for our LGBT plus community. The journey is not finished, and in the contributions we made in this debate to LGBT plus history month, we can show that we have learned the lessons of history, that we promote an inclusive and progressive Scotland that secures the talents of all our people. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I begin by thanking Jo FitzPatrick for bringing this debate to the chamber this evening as we mark LGBT plus history month 2023. It is good once again to have an opportunity to speak about the rich and diverse history of LGBT plus people here in Scotland and around the world. Our story is often marked by pain and struggle, but also by love, solidarity and joy. I am sure that, like so many, we are thinking of our own histories and our own moments on the journey—the good and the bad, the painful and the joyful. On the progress that we have made here in Scotland and around the world, we take stock with pride, but we also look forward to what we still have to do to create a more equal society for all LGBT plus people. As we have heard already, the theme for this year's history month is behind the lens, not only a celebration of LGBT plus people's contribution to creating cinema and film but also a call to look behind the lens and listen to all LGBT plus people's lived experience, particularly when their lives are in the media and so sharply and so darkly, I think, as we have heard already in this past year. I think that that is a really good way to approach this month, to get behind the lens of the world that we live in and understand how we created this Scotland that we live in, a Scotland where LGBT plus people can be accepted for who they are, a Scotland where section 2a lies in the dustbin of history, a Scotland where I could say I do to my husband, surrounded by our friends and family, joined together legally by the state and for us, blessed by the love of God. Behind the lens of this happy image, we must remind ourselves of the struggles to make it a reality. Those in this place who stood up and spoke out, those outside who marched and wrote and persuaded, and we should remind ourselves that it wasn't always this way and that for too many in the world it still isn't and that we have more to do because it is not so long ago that being gay was a crime in this country, not so long ago that the state actively sought to imprison people for who they were and who they loved. Deputy Presiding Officer, one of my favourite poets is Edwin Morgan, the first macker who addressed this Parliament in verse as this building was opened in 2004 and a man who came out at the age of 70. Edwin Morgan wrote some of the most beautiful love poetry I think I have ever read. I have a copy of strawberries on my wall in my office upstairs. The taste of strawberries in my memory. Lean back again, let me love you. Let the sun beat on all our forgetfulness. One hour of all, the intense heat and summer lightning on the Kilpatrick hills. Let the storm wash the plates. I read this poem through the lens of the love between two men, finding love in the simple things of everyday life and everyday relationships, but Morgan didn't gender his poem and of course that adds a universality, but I think it also speaks of a different time. A time in our history where the love that he so beautifully describes was hidden and had to be hidden and those days may seem distant for so many in Scotland today, but they are all too real for many LGBT plus people around the world. I think that it is a reminder to all of us that rights are hard fought for and hard won, but they are also fragile and it is on all of us in this place to protect and enhance them, to roll forward and build that more equal society that we would all wish to see. As this LGBT plus history month comes to a close, it has all acknowledged the past, stand up and speak out in our present and seek to build a more equal future. Thank you very much Mr O'Cain and I now call the final speaker in the open debate, Jackie The bar, up to four minutes please, Mr Dunbar. I am pleased and honoured to speak in this important debate this evening and congratulate Joe Fitzpatrick on securing it, but also just to use this moment to thank him for his continuous work and support for equality. Given the rise of the political right across the globe, there is no more important time to promote LGBT plus rights and to reflect on the long, drawn out struggle to achieve LGBT plus equality both here and indeed across our planet. Scotland, under the leadership of Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP, is a world leader in promoting equality, fairness and respect. The present Scottish Government has these values at heart and this must never change. Scotland is a diverse country with welcoming communities where we value diversity and Scotland's LGBT plus community and this must always be the case. In preparing for this debate, I reflected on some of the history of tackling LGBT plus discrimination in Scotland and I think that this is worth highlighting. I recalled that in 2005 discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender was made illegal then in 2009 equal rights were given to same-sex couples who were applying for adoption. Just in 2019, this Parliament unanimously passed the historical sexual offences, pardons and disregard Scotland Act which allows for gay people to be pardoned from their historic convictions based on outdated legislation which targeted the community simply because of their sexual orientation. We have also enshrined the tie campaign into Scots law. Through all of these measures we have taken Scotland far on the journey to be a fairer, accepting and inclusive nation. However, around the world it is sad to say that LGBT people still continue to face widespread stigma, exclusion and discrimination. Although here in Scotland and the UK we are not seeing discrimination on the scale, as is seen in many other countries, the rights of LGBT plus people indeed their very existence is still a topic of debate and this is quite frankly unacceptable. Today and always I want to be clear that I do not in any way debate LGBTQ rights and agree that society should not either. In me the LGBT plus community will always have an ally and I also appeal to Aberdey to really carefully consider the language used in these discussions. For something so simple as falling in love, I take for granted that I will not be judged. Yet the LGBTQ community are unable to have that same simple privilege and still today have to fight for the right not to be judged. Last night I watched a video that Mary Black MP posted on social media where she was asked about representation and role models and also who her lesbian heroine is. Well my lesbian heroine is and I'm proud to say my strong independent fun loving daughter who has to fight every single day to be accepted in the eyes of some but thankfully not most. Eyes who have no right to judge her sexuality as it does not and will not affect them in any way. I will fight to my dying day for her right to be who she is and to protect that right. Today I reaffirm my support for the progress that this Parliament has made in bringing about equality for all across the LGBT plus community. This progress must be built on and we must continue to stand up for LGBT plus rights across the globe. I thank members for sticking broadly to the time limits I imposed at the start and in that spirit I invite the minister to respond to the debate for around seven minutes. Thank you very much Presiding Officer. It is indeed an honour to close tonight's debate, not least for just that last contribution from my friend Jackie Dunbar, but I'll cover everybody's contributions as I move on. Today we mark LGBT history months for this year and I found the contributions from members both insightful and thought-provoking as a cis, straight, privileged white woman. I never ever underestimate the impact of my privilege and how I can get to use that in ways to support my colleagues community and our nation. I commend my friend and colleague Jo Fitzpatrick for indeed his debate today, but certainly for all of his work and advancing equality, not just in this place but everywhere he goes. Many of our colleagues today have highlighted why it is so important to protect and advance the hard-won equality and rights of Scotland's LGBT communities. Jo Fitzpatrick told us about his NUS denim day. I just wonder how many of us are thinking about the denim jacket or the pair of jeans that are hiding in the back of the wardrobe and whether we should dig them back out. We never know, we could have addressed down day in Parliament for the denim day, but first of all I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the courage and dedication of organisations and individuals working to improve LGBTI equality across Scotland. It's a rough place we are in right now, but we will prevail. So to LGBT Youth Scotland, the equality network, the trans-aligns, Stonewall and all of the other LGBT organisations, we, your Parliament and your Parliamentarians stand with you. Today is a day for celebrating our achievements as a nation and reaffirming our commitment to making Scotland a country where LGBT people feel safe, respected and free to be themselves in our rainbow nation. As MSPs such as Mary McNair and Jackie Dunbar have heralded our progress, same-sex marriage, adoption, historic pardons, our census and many many more. This year's LGBT History Month theme of behind the lens highlights the hard work and achievements of LGBTI people in Scotland, both on and off the screen, who provide role models and much-needed representation across a fast range of jobs in the creative arts. Like that that Emma Roddy spoke about in the National Poetry Museum or the wonderful strawberries that Paul O'Cain blesses with today. Or Karen Adams called to our creative sectors to keep continuing telling the stories. We recognise that the screen sector can lead the way in promoting equality for LGBTI people whilst also highlighting historic issues for the LGBTI community. Media can play a key role in breaking down the cultural and social barriers that contribute to social inequality. The significance of my friend Lord Michael Cashman and his kiss on EastEnders in 1989 was not lost in any of us, but it was at a time when homophobia and transphobia was rife, when section 28 was on our minds and brought in just in 1988. I think that Paul O'Cain reminded us that that's what we should remember and we should remember the progress we have made from that but we should never regress back to it. So I'd like to outline some of our current activity that is aimed to improve the lives of LGBTI people because LGBTI people don't really need our words, they need our actions. As Pam Duncan-Glassey and Maggie Chapman reminded us, we must not ever be complacent and I agree. That's why we are embedding LGBTI education across the school curriculum. Doing that improves the learning environment for all children and young people so that they learn and understand tolerance, respect and equality and it helps them to build healthy relationships and prevents prejudice. The issue that Marie McNair and others brought us up in their contributions, I'm sure they will welcome, through legislation to end conversion practice we are taking definitive action to protect LGBTI people from harmful, damaging and destructive acts that seek to change or suppress sexual orientation or gender identity. There is no place in a modern Scotland for such abhorrent practices and ensuring those vital protections, Scotland will rightly be a part of global momentum against those practices. We are also committing to improving NHS Scotland specialist gender identity healthcare and NHS gender identity services strategic action plan. Published in December 2021 sets out some of the work that we are taking forward to improve those services. We have got much work to do. We also recognise that we have to do more for non-binary people in Scotland. We are working to bring about real, positive and lasting change for the lives of non-binary people through the upcoming non-binary equality action plan, which is due to be published in the coming months. Fulton MacGregor praised the work of this Parliament on human rights, and he is absolutely right. Our new human rights bill to be introduced during this parliamentary term follows on from the recommendations of the national task force for human rights leadership and will include provisions to ensure equal access to everyone to the substantive rights contained in the bill, including LGBTI people. We will shortly publish our new hate crime strategy, which will set out our priorities for tackling hatred and prejudice in Scotland. We know—and there are many who spoke of it today—all too well the damaging and corrosive impact that this behaviour can have. We remain absolutely resolute in our commitment to tackle hatred and prejudice in all of its forms. For Danny, Kelly, Raymond, Derek, Ashley and Brianna, and so many other LGBTQI folk who face so much hatred as highlighted by Jamie Greene and Maggie Chapman, Paul MacLennan gave us the disgraceful statistics about homophobic and transphobic hate crimes. Some groups seem to be aligned with fascist and racist organisations, and that should cause us all concern. We recognise that some people have reason to doubt the representation of history or to feel left out of Scotland's story. So, LGBT History Month provides an opportunity to set that right, and we have done that today, and I am so proud of our Parliament for doing that. We recognise the vital contribution that LGBTI-creative people make to Scotland. We have come a long way in our work to make Scotland a more inclusive and equal country. All colleagues today have said that we still have much more to fight for, and I agree. However, we know that there is still much, much more to be done, and the Scottish Government is absolutely committed to working with members across the chamber to make Scotland a truly inclusive country for all LGBTI people, where everyone feels safe to be themselves. As we go into pride season, because we seem to be stretching over many, many months now, which is absolutely fantastic, we need to remember that pride is a protest, but we really should use our collective voices to reassert the meaning of pride, professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence. We have much work to do, Presiding Officer, so let's do it with pride. Thank you. Thank you very much, Minister. That concludes the debate, and I close this meeting of Parliament.