‘It doesn’t take Harvey Milk to realise we must stand up and be counted’
In the latest column for our ongoing Bite the Ballot voter registration campaign, Young Labour’s LGBT Officer Jack Falkingham shares his journey to political engagement – and the effect it’s had on his dating life…
Politics is hardly sexy. In fact I could try and use it as the reason why I’m still single. The inevitable date conversations of: ‘so what do you do?’ followed by me being ‘political’, normally doesn’t leave much room for dessert. However, unlike awkward dates, politics isn’t so avoidable.
The fact is, you’re already political. You proved that the last time you complained about the cost of travelling into town, or about struggling to pay your rent, or the last time you went out with your friends to a gay bar. Whether you like it or not, politics provides a basis for much of your life.
That’s the reason I got actively involved in politics. If it shapes my life to such a level, then I wanted to make sure I was shaping it in turn. Voting is the easiest way to do just that. Taking a few minutes to register, and casting your vote, helps ensure you’re shaping your future. It’s the reason why I’ll be voting in the General Election on 7th May.
Furthermore, as members of the LGBT community its even more important we have that voice. It’s easy to feel that there’s not much left to fight for as a young gay man in the UK. From growing up with Paul O’Grady whilst I ate my dinner after school, to seeing gay relationships on the soaps, today can feel far removed from the years of illegality or Section 28. Hey, I can even get married now (in some places).
However, it doesn’t take a Harvey Milk to realise we must still stand up and be counted. There’s still so much we need to call for. For instance, did you have great LGBT sex and relationship education at school? Or, do you always feel comfortable walking down the street, never mind holding hands with a partner? No me neither. The fact is we may have won lots of legal victories, but we are still not equal.
I’ll be voting in May to make sure those changes can be won. I want my country not to ignore the problems we face as LGBT people, and to be led by those who are going to make our lives better. If we all register to vote now, then come the election in May, we can shape the future we want.
What’s more, the base of any wedding cake can easily crumble. So whilst we rightly celebrate Equal Marriage, lets not ignore that there are always people fighting to take our rights, or prevent them. Even our very own Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, didn’t see it fit to allow us to marry the person we love.
This election will affect us as LGBT people as much now as ever before, whether you’re ‘political’ or not. Don’t wait for someone else to stand up for you. Join me in registering to vote today, casting your vote in May, and ensuring our voices are heard for the future.
– Jack Falkingham is Young Labour’s LGBT Officer and Assistant Secretary.