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| Stonewall chief: 'It’s a better time to be gay than it was. But not for all' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Stonewall has its offices on the 13th floor of a condemned block by Waterloo station, but its chief executive has a particular reason to be fond of the crumbling edifice that houses the LGBT rights organisation. | Stonewall has its offices on the 13th floor of a condemned block by Waterloo station, but its chief executive has a particular reason to be fond of the crumbling edifice that houses the LGBT rights organisation. |
| “This building used to be occupied by the Department of Education,” explains Ruth Hunt. “Section 28 was devised in the place that Stonewall now works out of – there’s something satisfying about that.” | “This building used to be occupied by the Department of Education,” explains Ruth Hunt. “Section 28 was devised in the place that Stonewall now works out of – there’s something satisfying about that.” |
| Even more so with the organisation rolling out a groundbreaking anti-homophobia campaign in schools, including faith schools, funded by the DoE, nearly 30 years after the passing of the Conservatives’ controversial law to prevent what they saw as the promotion of homosexuality. | Even more so with the organisation rolling out a groundbreaking anti-homophobia campaign in schools, including faith schools, funded by the DoE, nearly 30 years after the passing of the Conservatives’ controversial law to prevent what they saw as the promotion of homosexuality. |
| Almost half a million pounds will go towards training local groups to become “education champions” and deliver training on LGBT equality in schools, where, says Hunt, “we have a very big problem”. According to Stonewall research, 75,000 young people were bullied last year for being gay; 90% of secondary school teachers have witnessed homophobic bullying in schools, but only 17% have received training to tackle it. | Almost half a million pounds will go towards training local groups to become “education champions” and deliver training on LGBT equality in schools, where, says Hunt, “we have a very big problem”. According to Stonewall research, 75,000 young people were bullied last year for being gay; 90% of secondary school teachers have witnessed homophobic bullying in schools, but only 17% have received training to tackle it. |
| “So many young lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people have an awful time at school,” Hunt says. “Teachers don’t necessarily feel equipped to deal with this bullying either. It’s essential that teachers get the right training so they can stop and prevent homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying. We need to teach young people about diversity – including different families – so they can live, work, and socialise in 21st-century Britain.” | “So many young lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people have an awful time at school,” Hunt says. “Teachers don’t necessarily feel equipped to deal with this bullying either. It’s essential that teachers get the right training so they can stop and prevent homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying. We need to teach young people about diversity – including different families – so they can live, work, and socialise in 21st-century Britain.” |
| It has been a frenetic first six months for the head of the UK’s largest LGBT-rights organisation. In that time, Stonewall has begun to represent trans people after years of dispute and resentment – a move Hunt describes as “a real joy”. In its dealings with the transgender community in the past, Stonewall, as she bluntly puts it, “cocked up”. | It has been a frenetic first six months for the head of the UK’s largest LGBT-rights organisation. In that time, Stonewall has begun to represent trans people after years of dispute and resentment – a move Hunt describes as “a real joy”. In its dealings with the transgender community in the past, Stonewall, as she bluntly puts it, “cocked up”. |
| Originally, the organisation was wary of dwarfing smaller trans groups, but worked alongside Press For Change, a gender identity organisation. “It was about doing what we could to empower the trans community by not doing T,” she says. But she is clear that – whatever the original intentions – Stonewall let the trans community down. | Originally, the organisation was wary of dwarfing smaller trans groups, but worked alongside Press For Change, a gender identity organisation. “It was about doing what we could to empower the trans community by not doing T,” she says. But she is clear that – whatever the original intentions – Stonewall let the trans community down. |
| “We made a series of cockups, so it didn’t look like we were trying to support people, it looked like we were a bit crap,” she says. “We invited speakers with a transphobic history, we nominated them for awards, we made a film for secondary schools which included the word “tranny” unhelpfully [...] we were often in positions of privilege and opportunity with ministers where we could have talked about trans issues. By not doing, we were doing more harm.” | “We made a series of cockups, so it didn’t look like we were trying to support people, it looked like we were a bit crap,” she says. “We invited speakers with a transphobic history, we nominated them for awards, we made a film for secondary schools which included the word “tranny” unhelpfully [...] we were often in positions of privilege and opportunity with ministers where we could have talked about trans issues. By not doing, we were doing more harm.” |
| Winning back that trust has been “bloody hard”. In an initial meeting with about 50 of Stonewall’s fiercest critics, she told them the organisation was weaker for their absence. “It was never about, ‘don’t worry Stonewall is here and we can help you’, it was about ‘we are all weakened by this and actually we all have something to gain’.” | Winning back that trust has been “bloody hard”. In an initial meeting with about 50 of Stonewall’s fiercest critics, she told them the organisation was weaker for their absence. “It was never about, ‘don’t worry Stonewall is here and we can help you’, it was about ‘we are all weakened by this and actually we all have something to gain’.” |
| Hunt worked for Stonewall for nine years before becoming chief executive, taking over from Ben Summerskill, who was in the role for a decade. Since taking up the top job, she has had to rapidly develop a thick skin. She’s been criticised for being too timid – for example for not joining a boycott of the Dorchester hotel, owned by the Sultan of Brunei, who gave approval to Brunei’s new penal code, which urges death by stoning for same-sex sexual activity. | Hunt worked for Stonewall for nine years before becoming chief executive, taking over from Ben Summerskill, who was in the role for a decade. Since taking up the top job, she has had to rapidly develop a thick skin. She’s been criticised for being too timid – for example for not joining a boycott of the Dorchester hotel, owned by the Sultan of Brunei, who gave approval to Brunei’s new penal code, which urges death by stoning for same-sex sexual activity. |
| Sometimes, doing the right thing for campaigners on the ground and being seen to do the right thing by her own UK base can clash. | Sometimes, doing the right thing for campaigners on the ground and being seen to do the right thing by her own UK base can clash. |
| “We have now bred a generation of campaigners who think hashtag bring back our girls, hashtag boycott, is in some way contributing to that social movement internationally, but it isn’t always the most helpful way of going about things,” she says. “It’s a constant stretch internally when I’m going, ‘come on, let’s get out there and say stuff’ and our team is saying ‘well, actually that’s not helpful’.” | “We have now bred a generation of campaigners who think hashtag bring back our girls, hashtag boycott, is in some way contributing to that social movement internationally, but it isn’t always the most helpful way of going about things,” she says. “It’s a constant stretch internally when I’m going, ‘come on, let’s get out there and say stuff’ and our team is saying ‘well, actually that’s not helpful’.” |
| Hunt is only 35 (“I lack gravitas. But I’m all right with that,” she says) and, of course, she’s a woman. Does that bring its own challenges? | Hunt is only 35 (“I lack gravitas. But I’m all right with that,” she says) and, of course, she’s a woman. Does that bring its own challenges? |
| “Yes. But I think that it is generally a different experience for women in leadership,” she offers. “I get accused of running a dyke mafia – by virtue of me being a lesbian. I have to work harder to demonstrate that I get it – people expect me not to be as effective as I am sometimes. But we have a very traditional support base. They love Stonewall and they worked with Ben for 10 years and it is going to take time to gain their trust.” | “Yes. But I think that it is generally a different experience for women in leadership,” she offers. “I get accused of running a dyke mafia – by virtue of me being a lesbian. I have to work harder to demonstrate that I get it – people expect me not to be as effective as I am sometimes. But we have a very traditional support base. They love Stonewall and they worked with Ben for 10 years and it is going to take time to gain their trust.” |
| She’s also had comments on her style and hair and has been told she is “too designer”. “I don’t think Ben ever got such observations about his style or his glasses, his hair, and it’s new to me,” she says. “It’s not something I’m comfortable with, or used to, and I am toughening up fast.” | She’s also had comments on her style and hair and has been told she is “too designer”. “I don’t think Ben ever got such observations about his style or his glasses, his hair, and it’s new to me,” she says. “It’s not something I’m comfortable with, or used to, and I am toughening up fast.” |
| Hunt has also been criticised for her faith. She is a Catholic who still goes to church, but was “naive” enough to imagine it wouldn’t come under scrutiny. “It’s been harder for me to come out as a Catholic than it was to come out as a lesbian – easily,” she says. “At least I had the backing of a community when I came out as a lesbian.” | Hunt has also been criticised for her faith. She is a Catholic who still goes to church, but was “naive” enough to imagine it wouldn’t come under scrutiny. “It’s been harder for me to come out as a Catholic than it was to come out as a lesbian – easily,” she says. “At least I had the backing of a community when I came out as a lesbian.” |
| Faith can still be a real barrier to gay people being able to exercise their rights, despite historic legislation that enabled gay couples to marry last year. “It is doing significant damage to people’s mental health – we have to do something about it,” she says. “There are also many faith leaders who are gay and many faith leaders who are distressed by the constant exclusion of LGBT people from their communities and parishes.” | Faith can still be a real barrier to gay people being able to exercise their rights, despite historic legislation that enabled gay couples to marry last year. “It is doing significant damage to people’s mental health – we have to do something about it,” she says. “There are also many faith leaders who are gay and many faith leaders who are distressed by the constant exclusion of LGBT people from their communities and parishes.” |
| As for the pope, Hunt says he needs to decide on his message and exactly what he wants to achieve. “I think he oscillates wildly between different positions,” she says – though she is realistic about the chances of her getting his attention. | As for the pope, Hunt says he needs to decide on his message and exactly what he wants to achieve. “I think he oscillates wildly between different positions,” she says – though she is realistic about the chances of her getting his attention. |
| “I think there is more Stonewall can do, but then I don’t think Pope Francis is going to be tweeting me directly anytime soon for top tips on how to run the Vatican,” she says. “Still ... we’re happy to help them set up their LGBT network as soon as they say the word.” | “I think there is more Stonewall can do, but then I don’t think Pope Francis is going to be tweeting me directly anytime soon for top tips on how to run the Vatican,” she says. “Still ... we’re happy to help them set up their LGBT network as soon as they say the word.” |
| With the passing of major legislative landmarks in the UK – the gay marriage bill, equal parenting rights, rights in the workplace – one of the major challenges facing Stonewall today is not the establishment, but apathy. | With the passing of major legislative landmarks in the UK – the gay marriage bill, equal parenting rights, rights in the workplace – one of the major challenges facing Stonewall today is not the establishment, but apathy. |
| “We are a movement that has been motivated by individual interest in our own rights and we have a challenge now to shift to a place where we are interested in other people’s rights – and that’s hard,” she says. Although one of Stonewall’s aim should be “to stop functioning one day”, Hunt thinks there is still much to fight for. | “We are a movement that has been motivated by individual interest in our own rights and we have a challenge now to shift to a place where we are interested in other people’s rights – and that’s hard,” she says. Although one of Stonewall’s aim should be “to stop functioning one day”, Hunt thinks there is still much to fight for. |
| Hate crimes against LGBT people remain stubbornly high – one in six LGBT people have experienced a hate crime but three quarters did not report to police, according to Stonewall research. | Hate crimes against LGBT people remain stubbornly high – one in six LGBT people have experienced a hate crime but three quarters did not report to police, according to Stonewall research. |
| “Reporting rates are still as low as ever, conviction rate is still as low as ever – it’s the one area where we have made no impact.” | “Reporting rates are still as low as ever, conviction rate is still as low as ever – it’s the one area where we have made no impact.” |
| Hate is a long way from being obliterated, she says. “It’s a better time to be gay than it was. But only for some, not for all,” she says. “There is still so much going on that we don’t know the half of, so we’re not stopping yet by any means, even if it doesn’t lend itself to the side of a bus like it once did.” | Hate is a long way from being obliterated, she says. “It’s a better time to be gay than it was. But only for some, not for all,” she says. “There is still so much going on that we don’t know the half of, so we’re not stopping yet by any means, even if it doesn’t lend itself to the side of a bus like it once did.” |