Today marks a very special occasion in the history of LGBT rights in the United Kingdom. On this day 50 years ago, the British government passed a law to decriminalise homosexuality.
Many of our colleagues and friends will be too young to remember the challenges LGBT+ people faced before the law was changed. Similarly, many more of us often forget the struggles LGBT endured before the ban was lifted and take for granted the lifestyles we enjoy today. However, we should never forget the many courageous individuals who fought for LGBT+ equality and influenced the changes we enjoy today, we have much to thank them for.
Whilst we mark five decades of LGBT equality here in the UK, let us also recognise that in many countries in the world, life for LGBT+ people is very different and they do not enjoy the same levels of equality and freedoms that we have here. Changes announced in the USA yesterday also underpin how quickly things can change, so its important that each of us continues to champion diversity, inclusion and equality in as many ways as we can. 