On 20 May 1989, on my terrace in Limehouse, a small press conference announced a rebellion against Section 28, which had made it illegal to ‘promote homosexuality’ in schools. Stonewall was born.

Today Stonewall has achieved more than we could have dreamed possible. But it’s crucial we don’t become complacent. We need your help to pass the Equality Bill now before Parliament.

All too often lesbian, gay and bisexual people receive second-class treatment from key public services such as health, education and policing. Stonewall believes that lesbian, gay and bisexual taxpayers should be able to confidently access the public services they help to fund. The Equality Bill is the missing piece of the jigsaw to gain full legal protection for lesbian, gay and bisexual people across Britain.

‘I do not feel that the police take homophobic hate crimes seriously (even though I work for them) … People who try to report homophobic crimes are generally treated as a joke.’ (Philip, 28, Wales)

Nine in ten secondary school teachers say pupils experience homophobic bullying, even if they aren’t gay. The Bill would mean schools would have to proactively devise strategies to ensure an end to homophobic bullying.

One in five gay people have been the victim of a hate crime in the last three years, but three in four never reported it to police. The Bill would require the police to proactively promote safety and raise awareness and encourage gay people to report hate crimes with the certainty they will be handled fairly.

Twice as many lesbian and bisexual women over 25 have never had a cervical smear test compared to the general female population. The Equality Bill would improve the health of lesbian and bisexual women requiring health providers to proactively target screening specifically for them.

• £100 allows us to research the voting history of ten MPs and persuade them face-to-face.

• £50 will keep people on our phones for half a day, calling MPs before key debates, encouraging them to back gay equality.

• £35 covers the cost of two briefing packs, compiling all the legal, moral and practical arguments for introducing a single public duty to ensure fair services. We need 650 packs – one for every member of the House of Commons.

The achievements of the past 20 years wouldn’t have been possible without supporters like you. Please give as generously as you can to put the missing piece of the jigsaw in place. 

Ian McKellen
Stonewall Co-Founder

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