Pride advocates hope Portsmouth council's new LGBT+ champion team will be 'life changing' for young people

PRIDE advocates are hopeful a new champion team will act as a 'life changing' support system for LGBT+ young people in Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Pride 2019. Picture: Colin FarmeryPortsmouth Pride 2019. Picture: Colin Farmery
Portsmouth Pride 2019. Picture: Colin Farmery

Following a heated Portsmouth City Council debate last year councillors agreed to help both teachers and students as mandatory lessons on LGBT+ relationships were set to start in September 2020. As part of that they ruled an LGBT+ champion should be selected.

Pupils and members of diversity groups, including LGBT+ youth club 4U, attended a hustings style event to vote for the 'face' of the project last week.

Read More
LGBT teaching - Portsmouth's council warns it will 'not tolerate' any protests a...
Cllr Claire Udy was selected at the LGBT+ champion for Portsmouth. Picture Ian Hargreaves  (180470-1)Cllr Claire Udy was selected at the LGBT+ champion for Portsmouth. Picture Ian Hargreaves  (180470-1)
Cllr Claire Udy was selected at the LGBT+ champion for Portsmouth. Picture Ian Hargreaves (180470-1)
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Councillor Claire Udy was selected, although voters agreed the other candidates, Cllr Suzy Horton and Cllr Chris Attwell, should also act as champions and form a team.

Queer trans-rights activist Cllr Udy said: 'The main thing is to go into schools and give talks and show that there's support there as well as offering support outside of schools for any young people who need it.

'I would never have imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be going back to my old school in this role.

'I hope children will feel validated and help people find a safe space to come out and have someone they can approach and talk to.

'We will all stand up for their rights.'

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jake Kelly, lead adviser for 4U, welcomed the democratic approach to electing the champion. He said: 'I think the council wanted to create this champion but didn't want it to be just a token thing, they wanted to really listen to LGBT+ young people in the city.

'In the current climate I think a lot of homophobic and transphobic views are heard.

'I think that's it will be life changing for young people to know there's someone there for them.'

Council education boss Cllr Suzy Horton added: 'I initially raised this at full council to make sure we said we wouldn't stand for protests against LGBT+ relationship education in schools.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

'This champion role says that we're acting on our inclusion views and making sure they have a voice in a more strategic way.'

It comes after the council was given a silver award by charity Stonewall in recognition of its work on LGBT+ inclusion.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.