Donna Dee, Southampton Socialist Party
Socialist Party members in Southampton will be supporting the protest organised by trans rights activists against Tory home secretary Suella Braverman, outside the Conservative offices in her Fareham constituency on 21 October.
Braverman and other Tories used their party conference at the start of October to continue to attack trans, intersex and non-binary people.
Rather than working to actively address existing inequalities so that trans people are safe to live their authentic lives as valued and respected members of society, this government chooses to see the community as a convenient polarising social issue rather than as people.
These attacks suggest to some that it is legitimate and appropriate to undertake harassment of trans, intersex and non-binary people.
In addition to denying the existence of trans people in his conference speech, leaked footage has also shown prime minister Rishi Sunak appearing to openly ridicule trans people. Trans, intersex and non-binary people are being used in the so-called culture war – mocked and inaccurately portrayed as a threat to others. Furthermore, people who support trans people as friends, colleagues and family members are called ‘bullies’, and those questioning the government’s new narrative in this area are removed from conversations.
If the government can target one group of innocent people, devaluing their rights, then it can do the same to anyone else. The Tories are manufacturing a moral panic against one of the most marginalised communities in our society, putting their health, safety, and lives at risk. It is a sign of the Tories’ weakness, not strength.
Part of the fight for trans rights is the fight to build a new workers’ party which unites working-class people and campaigns for: fully funded services, a mass programme of council house building, a £15-an-hour minimum wage and benefits that people can actually afford to live on. It means taking on capitalism itself, with its greed, poverty, and oppression – and fighting for a socialist future.
Support the protest at midday, Saturday 21 October. Conservative Association, 14 East Street, Fareham, PO16 0BN
