TL;DR
- St Helens Borough Council stops supporting Pride events.
- Leader George Woodward cites concerns over transgender ideology.
- Community backlash against the council’s decision.
- Reform UK councils are scaling back LGBTQ+ visibility.
- Opposition parties unite to support the LGBTQ+ community.
In a shocking move that has sent ripples through the LGBTQ+ community, St Helens Borough Council, under the leadership of Reform UK’s George Woodward, has announced it will no longer support or promote Pride events. This decision, which has been widely criticized, stems from Woodward’s belief that Pride has become tainted by what he calls “harmful transgender ideology.” Talk about a buzzkill!
In a Facebook post that read more like a manifesto than a council announcement, Woodward declared, “St Helens Borough Council won’t be supporting or promoting Pride. I have instructed officers to cease engagement with all aspects of the event.” The audacity! He went on to say that the council does not consider celebrations of sexuality—especially those with left-wing political leanings—to be appropriate for the borough. Sounds like someone needs a lesson in inclusivity.
Woodward’s comments didn’t stop there. He expressed deep concern over transgender healthcare, claiming it “results in lifelong medical harm” to children. Seriously? He added, “As a council, we have a duty of care towards young children in the borough. Being affiliated with a movement that often results in lifelong medical harm in young impressionable children is not the direction in which I want St Helens Council to travel.” Talk about a slippery slope!
But hold on—this isn’t just a one-off incident. Woodward’s decision follows a disturbing trend among Reform UK councils, which have been actively working to restrict LGBTQ+ visibility. Just last week, under the leadership of councillor Chris Hossack, 74 libraries in Essex were told to scale back the promotion of LGBTQ+ content and Pride events. Essex Pride didn’t take this lying down, condemning the move and reminding everyone that “Pride isn’t about saying the LGBTQ+ community are better than anyone, it’s about us saying that we are proud of who we are despite people often telling us that we should be ashamed.” Preach!
And if you thought it couldn’t get worse, think again. Following the May elections, it was announced that councils under Reform UK’s control would no longer display Pride flags in local authority buildings. In Havering, the only Reform UK council in London, the annual Pride celebration was canceled, and the Pride flag was notably absent from the Town Hall. But the community isn’t taking this lying down—protesters gathered in defiance, stating, “It will not erase the LGBTQ+ community in Havering.” You go, queens!
As the LGBTQ+ community rallies against these regressive moves, it’s clear that the fight for visibility and acceptance is far from over. In a world that seems to be backsliding on LGBTQ+ rights, it’s more important than ever for allies and advocates to stand together. Because let’s face it, Pride is about love, acceptance, and being unapologetically yourself—no matter what anyone else says.