Lynne Featherstone MP supports UK Black PrideI am delighted to be supporting UK Black Pride 2011.

Equality sits firmly at the heart of this Government. While we celebrate the real progress has been made towards equality in recent years, we must not be complacent and we are working hard to achieve more. We must celebrate the diverse nature of Britain – our race, our sexual orientation, our gender and we must celebrate that we are all these things and many more.

In March 2011 the Government published Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality: Moving Forward where we outlined steps to tackle homophobic and transphobic bullying, to encourage the reporting of hate crimes and to see how legislation can develop on equal civil marriage and partnerships, to name just a few.

But we cannot do this alone. It is only through people like you, here today, that real change can happen.

So I encourage everyone to get involved.

This could be as simple as signing up to our Charter against homophobia and transphobia in sport on facebook, (www.facebook.com/lgbtsportcharter ).We have seen real progress over the last 20 years when it comes to tackling racism in sport and I firmly believe we should work to remove all forms of discrimination from all sport, including homophobia and transphobia.

I’m sorry I can’t be with you, but I hope that everyone has a great day of celebration at UK Black Pride 2011.

Lynne Featherstone MP
Minister for Equalities