Councillors mark LGBT History Month
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The Rainbow flag was raised at Aberdeenshire Council’s Woodhill House headquarters in Aberdeen to commemorate LGBT History Month.
Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Equalities Strategy Board, Laurence Findlay addressed councillors, senior council officers and staff in attendance on Thursday.
The theme of the month-long awareness campaign is ‘What have we learned’ as it is 20 years since the abolition of Section 28 of the Local Government Act, which discriminated against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.
The law was abolished by the Scottish Parliament, one of the first pieces of legislation passed by the then fledgling parliament, and then by the UK Government three years later.
Director of Education and Children’s Services Laurence Findlay said: “It is right that the repeal of Section 28 is commemorated and remembered. "We all have a duty to challenge intolerance when it arises and that whilst we live in a generally accepting society there are communities and groups who still suffer abuse.
“We as a council aim to be an inclusive employer.
"We have policies and procedures that protect LGBT rights along with other defined characteristics.
"There are also diversity training courses that employees are encouraged to take both as part of the induction process but also to refresh and to remind them that all forms of prejudice and abuse are not acceptable.”
There are events taking place across Scotland in February to mark the awareness month.
More information is available by visiting: https://www.lgbthistory.org.uk/
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Aberdeenshire Councillors mark LGBT History Month at Woodhill House in Aberdeen
