Wrekin’s Yasmin Caldwell on the LGBTQ+ Movement
At Wrekin, we believe in equality, diversity and inclusion. That’s why this week, we’re bringing you staff stories to raise awareness of current challenges for LGBTQ+ members and how we can do more to support more people in society.
Wrekin’s Project Support Administrator Yasmin Caldwell, speaks passionately about her experiences as an LGBTQ+ member and discusses different ways we can be more inclusive.
“I feel that fundamentally, as a community, we have dealt with a lot of harassment and oppression. While it may seem to be getting easier to everyone else, the oppression is still palpable. You can’t go outside, looking like I do without at least getting some sneers and for me I just think, whilst some people are completely fine with it these days, there’s so much further to go. I imagine the average person doesn’t have to think twice about booking a holiday, but people like me have to consider holiday destinations a bit more carefully you know, like can I really go to Dubai? I don’t think I can.
“I do feel that this country has made some progress, for example when I was in primary school I would have short hair, but I grew it out for secondary school because I didn’t want to get bullied. I think nowadays, kids can go to school and be themselves and their peers seem more accepting, so things are definitely changing.
“The younger generation seem to be much more forward thinking than their predecessors, because homophobia is generationally taught, if you have homophobic parents and grandparents, you are far more likely to be homophobic yourself. So, teaching younger generations is the way to phase it out and maybe in 30 to 40 years’ time it might not be so prevalent in society.
“About a year ago I was personally attacked for being a lesbian. I was walking with my ex-girlfriend and a man approached her, she wasn’t interested, I stood up for her and he beat me up because of it. The police were unable to do anything as there was no CCTV to pick it up so it was an event that I just had to deal with. I have heard other stories about people being harassed and seen it too, it’s just the reality of being this way.
“I think a lot of organisations and different people want to appear as inclusive and I feel like a lot of British people are pretty accepting towards the gay community, but there’s plenty left to do. I believe many industries try to appear inclusive to increase sales, but they aren’t really and there needs to be more done, whether it’s funding more LGBTQ+ charities, introducing more policies, protecting LGBTQ+ people, more actions must take place.
“I do also think my race and culture impacts how some LGBTQ+ members interact with me; they think it’s impossible for me to be both Muslim and LGBTQ+ and I feel like sometimes my specific characteristics make it easier to attack me from all sides and from all groups.
“To further the movement, we need to make a conscious effort to normalise homosexual relationships, in the media, outside of this too. More needs to be done because I’m tired of the lack of progress and just constantly talking about it to be honest, after being beaten up for it, I’ve realised it’s not on me, it’s on other people to change their behaviours. We are made equal and that is the way it should be.”
23rd June 2021