Leaflet produced by Socialist Feminist Alternative ahead of this year’s Pride season
Pride in 2023 comes amidst a wave of reactionary hatred from the right-wing press and politicians, led by the Tory government.
The Tories started off the year by blocking Scotland’s Gender Recognition Reform, and are now looking to follow this up with attacks on trans children in schools. The transphobic murder of trans teenager Brianna Ghey in February was one awful example of the horrifying human cost of right-wing ‘culture wars’ politics.
Pride this year should be a call to action in resisting and pushing back all these attacks – for mass struggle to fight for trans and LGBTQIA+ liberation.
Solidarity and struggle
More and more people are looking toward Pride’s true traditions of struggle as an alternative to corporate Pride, including organising various ‘reclaim Pride’ events.
At the same time, we have seen a mass fightback in the form of strikes and protests against the cost of living crisis. There exists a long tradition of solidarity between LGBTQIA+ people and the trade union movement, rooted in a common struggle against the capitalist establishment that thrives on oppression, division and exploitation. Today, we need to build a mass campaign against the Tories’ attacks on all of us – in schools, in the workplace and on our own bodies.
Massive, militant reclaim Pride demonstrations with strong trade union contingents could be part of a wider fight back – particularly in schools. Socialist Alternative is calling for protests, school walkouts and occupations by students to defy the Tories’ attacks on trans and non-binary children.
In the unions, we fight for a strategy of non-compliance with these policies, and a united fightback of students and staff. We believe a fighting approach has the power to push the government back and bring them down. We need to get organised, building organising groups in towns and cities, on campus and in schools to discuss and carry out a strategy to take the movement forward.
No to rainbow capitalism!
Capitalism has rigid gender roles baked into its DNA, and attacks anyone who it sees as not fitting into such roles. Whipping up hatred against LGBTQIA+ people benefits this system by dividing working-class people and distracting attention from those responsible for the hardship millions are experiencing: the super-rich capitalist class.
Yet the strike wave has proven that workers – united and fighting together – have huge potential power. From Britain to the US, we are seeing how even the limited rights we can win under this system are under threat. That is why we fight for socialist change, for a society based on democratic public ownership, the solidarity of working-class people and an end to capitalist oppression. If you agree, and want to continue organising, join us!
What we fight for
- Pride is a protest! No to corporate Pride events. Build a grassroots, mass movement for LGBTQIA+ liberation
- Defend trans rights at school – no to the new Tory guidance! For a trade-union led campaign for alternative guidance in schools to defend LGBTQIA+ youth, and student walkouts against any anti-trans measures
- For fully-funded inclusive sex and relationships education – reverse attacks on school funding and staffing levels and kick the market out of education.
- For trans-inclusive healthcare, as part of a fully- funded, publicly-owned NHS. End the crisis of waiting lists for gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers and mental health services. Support health workers fighting to defend our health service!
- For a socialist society free of homophobia, transphobia and all forms of oppression
