Carrie Johnson to give speech on protecting LGBT+ rights at Conservative Party Conference
Boris and Carrie Johnson at the G7 summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall. (Getty)
Carrie Johnson will give a speech on LGBT+ rights at this weekend’s Conservative Party Conference.
The prime minister’s wife will discuss the importance of protecting and upholding the rights of LGBT+ people, according to the The Independent.
At the time of writing it remains unclear whether Johnson will address the government’s failures to ban conversion therapy, reform the Gender Recognition Act and address the crisis in trans healthcare.
Johnson has also been named guest of honour at a conference Pride event, organised in partnership with Stonewall. Elena Bunbury, chairwoman of the LGBT+ Conservatives, described her as a “long-standing ally” to The Times.
“Carrie has always been a good sport to LGBT+ Conservatives,” Bunbury said. “She even judged our virtual lip-sync last conference. We’re thrilled she’ll be joining us in person this year in Manchester.”
The virtual lip-syncing event saw some of the most prominent political figures in the Conservative Party face off in order to raise money to elect LGBT+ Tories.
Funds raised were also to be funnelled into efforts to pass reforms to the Gender Recognition Act (GRA), which were soon after binned by equalities chief Liz Truss and prime minister Boris Johnson.
The LGB Alliance will also be at the Conservative Party Conference
The news of Johnson’s speech comes after it emerged that the anti-trans pressure group the LGB Alliance will also be in attendance at the Conservative Party Conference, which will be held in Manchester between 3 and 6 October.
According to ITV News the organization, which gained charity status in 2021 to the dismay of the LGBT+ community, has paid around £6,000 to have a place in the conference’s exhibition hall.
The move has sparked outrage, with London Assembly member and LGBT+ Conservatives patron Andrew Boff telling PinkNews: “Allowing the LGB Alliance into the conference is an enormous mistake and I want the party to remove their permission to exhibit.
“Hatred of a vulnerable minority is at the very core of that organisation’s existence and their attendance has the potential to create an unsafe environment for our trans members.
“LGBT+ Conservatives will continue to stand up for trans people and their rights.”
Speaking about the invite the former head of women at LGBT+ Conservatives, Jessica Zbinden-Webster, told ITV News: “It is disappointing to learn that the LGB Alliance has been offered a prominent stand at the 2021 Conservative Party Conference. In my view – a view many other cisgender women share – there is no LGB without the T.”
