RMT LGBT Conference 2013 and Executive Report

Attached below is the conference agenda, slide show from the conference and minutes from 2012.

Conference report

This year’s conference was the first two day LGBT conference in its 15 year history. It was held in sunny Blackpool in a hotel on the promenade. From Skyping Ugandan gay rights activist Frank Mugisha, to our General Secretary Bob Crow telling us of his pride at marching alongside members at London Pride it was a conference to remember.

Bob Crow
The Conference opened with General Secretary Bob Crow detailing that our union rule book states we are a union free from discrimination in all areas including LGBT matters. Bob referenced the smear campaign of Simon Hughes versus Peter Tatchell 25 years ago saying how he believes attitudes are generally much improved and such a homophobic campaign would not be tolerated by the majority now. Bob then went on to express his Pride at opening the unions annual LGBT conference and also how he looked forward to joining us at the upcoming London Pride demonstration. He then went on to discuss matters including government attacks on workers’ rights, a new union app, and a dispute with MITIE which is currently ongoing.

Kath Talboys
Kath Talboys runs ‘Renaissance’ the Lancashire sexual health and substance misuse service. Kath gave an interesting account of the history of her organisation and how they are currently like many other charities feeling the squeeze. Later in the conference we passed a motion on another charity – ‘Gay Men Fighting Aids’ – which finds itself in a similar situation.
Kath went into detail about the different groups in Blackpool that used the services, and how these groups’ needs differed. This detail is important as it is crucial to identify people at greater risk of sexually transmitted disease in order to assist them.
Kath also highlighted that there is no middle class within the Blackpool community unlike other areas of the North West and she felt this has an impact on the way that locals viewed opportunities in life since there were no clear role models.
Describing the area as being like one large council estate – and herself as a proud local – Kath said that they have evidence suggesting that LGBT people are suffering the effects of austerity more than the wider community.

Janine Booth
Executive Member Janine Booth gave a report updating us about the progress of resolutions from previous conference and those that had passed through the advisory on LGBT matters. Janine also gave a presentation prior to our voting on motions to explain to delegates how the process of debating and voting on motions worked. Delegates found this very useful as for some it was their first conference. It also set the tone for a passionate but orderly debate. Janine prepared a slide show for this and for use throughout the conference.

Patrick Strudwick
Patrick, an award winning journalist, gave an amazing speech on how he went undercover 4 years ago to investigate so called “gay cure” therapy.
Patrick explained that 1 in 6 therapists had tried to convert/cure their clients. He attended a conference in London to approach some therapists to see if they would be willing to treat him. Two therapists agreed to do so.

Patrick described the approach used by one therapist of being a ‘wound hunt’ to explain why you are homosexual - looking for a trauma that led to your sexual orientation “deviation” describing it as cannibalistic e.g. you are attracted to someone who has something you lack in yourself. The therapist also spoke of the four intimacies – God, self, men and women.
A second therapist - Lesley Pilkington’s - approach also started with ‘wound hunting’. Patrick described how he was asked if he had been sexually abused. He replied no. The therapist said that he had repressed the memory and prayed to God to ask him to bring the memory back for Patrick. She advised him to stay away from gay friends.

Patrick raised a complaint and after a long drawn out process therapist Leslie Pilkington was found guilty of malpractice and struck off. Patrick told conference “If we become complacent things can return to how they used to be. This is why it’s important”.

Tawseef Khan

Tawseef is Chair of Imaan an LGBTQI Muslim support group. A founder member of Imaan was also present at the conference as an RMT delegate. Imaan aim to build community so that LGBTI Muslims feel part of a family that understands them. They offer support in terms of social support and mentoring. Activism in the sense of advocating; providing a presence at Pride events and providing inspiration.
Tawseef explained how Imaan’s 2012 conference was the most inspirational one he had attended. It was fully British Sign Language (BSL) signed and offered scholarships for asylum seekers and the unemployed. They established ground breaking links with straight Muslim business as allies and used social media to connect with others around the world.

Tawseef also explained how Imaan and the RMT had been involved in preventing the EDL backed East London Pride from going ahead.

It was explained to delegates that many asylum seekers had a lack of knowledge or understanding of the important of safe health and Imaan helped with sexual health education. Tawseef is working on a PhD - Rethinking Asylum for LGB people.

Themes Tawseef’s work will explore are whether the current process is fair, does it understand the complexities involved in sexual orientation cases and whether the process needs changing and if so, how. In 2011 the UK Border Agency had no stats on how many of its refused cases were sexual orientation cases, so it is hard to know how many people have been affected but the group believes the numbers are far higher than those identified.

Frank Mugisha
Frank Mugisha from Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), a Ugandan group fighting for LGBT people’s rights – and very survival - addressed the conference via Skype.
Frank opened by explaining the key aims of SMUG and the wide range of cases dealt with.
LGBT people already face many dangers both from society and government, but the ‘Kill the Gays Bill’ which is passing through parliament is a constant and real danger of being passed resulting in homosexuality being punishable by death.
We’ve got a further story explaining the issues in Uganda and the heroic work being done by SMUG and Frank Mugisha in this newsletter.

Motions
This conference had eight motions covering issues on LGBT asylum, Stonewall, Thatcher’s legacy, Support for GMFA, Vladimir Yakunin, Steven Simpson, LGBT ‘Champions, and eradicating transphobia. All were passed after great debates and the motions on transphobia and LGBT asylum will be debated at the unions AGM, whilst the others will be discussed by the union’s executive.
Have a look at the article on these resolutions for more detail.

Social
All delegates received a warm welcome from Blackpool & Fylde branch. The regional organiser and branch chair both spoke at the conference, and a buffet and drinks were provided in the evening for which all delegates were very grateful.

Executive Report by Janine Booth

THE BIG NEWS: RMT LGBT CONFERENCE AND TUC LGBT CONFERENCES

Before reviewing what happened to the resolutions that were passed at last year’s conference, there are two major shift changes that have occurred over the year to support LGBT members in the Union. Firstly, as you are aware, this conference has been increased in length of time from 1 day, to 2 in line with the other equality conferences. Secondly, the union now wishes to send full delegations to all the TUC equality conferences. These are major steps in increasing the involvement and visibility of all our members and showing the importance that the union gives to promoting equality and fighting discrimination.

THE RESOLUTIONS

There were six resolutions carried at last year’s Conference all of which are set out in the 2012 Minutes already circulated to delegates. Two of these were submitted to the Annual General Meeting where they were carried. Each will be dealt with in turn.

All resolutions carried at Conferences or the AGM are considered by the Council of Executives in order for them to assess how best they can be implemented. In order to fully consider the resolutions, the process adopted by the Council of Executives is to refer the resolutions to a Sub-Committee, usually the Equal Rights Sub-Committee. The Sub-Committee then drafts a report which is again placed before the Executives. All the reports arising from the resolutions need to be noted and adopted for them to be carried out.

International LGBT Rights

This resolution was voted to go to the AGM where it was carried unanimously. The Council of Executives noted and adopted the following report from the Equal Rights Sub-Committee (5 September 2012):

“That we note and fully support this AGM Resolution. The General Secretary is instructed to implement this Resolution and further place an item on the LGBT Advisory Committee to advise us on what program of events we could mobilise on. We refer to the ETF/ITF Subcommittee this policy so we can take up specific items at these bodies. Finally, the General Secretary is to ask the LGBT Advisory Committee for a Volunteer to write an article for the RMT News.”

Paul Penny kindly volunteered to write the article for RMT News and also assisted in drawing up a program of events which was considered by the Advisory Committee and passed to the Council of Executives. The Equal Rights Sub-Committee report was noted and adopted on 4 March 2012:

“That the General Secretary is instructed to circulate this report to all branches and Regional Councils and this matter to be kept on the agenda of the LGBT Advisory Committee.”

This has been carried out.

RMT National LGBT Advisory Committee

As a first step the Council of Executives noted and adopted the following report from the Equal Rights Sub-Committee during the Statutory meeting June 2012:

“That we note the resolution and would expect the Council of Executives members to include this item when they do their Council of Executives report. Further the General Secretary to place a new item in front of the Council of Executives to have a “common strategy in eradicating homophobia.”

That we remind the Regional Councils that it is a legitimate use of the Regional Council fund if they require a speaker from the LGBT advisory committee to give a report at the Regional Council on LGBT activities and filling of vacancies on that committee.”

The second step was to work on a strategy to eradicate homophobia. The Council of Executives noted and adopted the following report from the Equal Rights Sub-Committee on 22 November 2012:

“That we note the full Council of Executives has asked us to prepare a “strategy to eradicate homophobia”. We instruct the General Secretary to prepare this work based on a non exhaustive list of ideas, e.g.

1. Challenging homophobia within the RMT;
2. Responding to homophobic instances in the workplace;
3. Provide support to members who are “coming out as LGBT”;
4. Insuring employers have policies that practise full equality;
5. Supporting anti homophobic campaigns;
6. RMT to provide new materials for our LGBT members that challenges homophobia in the workplace
Finally that we continue to campaign throughout society to eradicate homophobia.”

This was discussed with the Advisory Committee in February 2013 along with the motion which was presented and carried to the Council of Executives from that meeting:

“We note and strongly support the resolute message of RMT’s “Homophobia in the Workplace: Let’s Stamp it Out” poster campaign. We believe that campaigns such as this are very important so long as LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people face discrimination in the workplace because of their sexual orientation. We think it important to educate and explain the issue of homophobia and the problems many LGBT people continue to face dealing with the prejudice of anti-gay workers. We note that although laws have changed, many people's attitudes haven't and homophobia still exists - mostly due to ignorance, but also because of an irrational hatred of LGBT people.
We ask the union to extend and follow-up the current campaign with new posters and materials for national distribution to as many workplace locations as possible.”
The Equal Rights Sub-Committee have provided the following report, although it has not had the chance to be noted and adopted by the Council of Executives:

“That we note the resolution from the LGBT Advisory Committee. The General Secretary is to write to all of the committee members asking for ideas and also this will be raised in reports to the LGBT Conference starting on 17 May 2013.”

The Advisory Committee members and conference delegates have been emailed in advance of ratification so that ideas can be pooled at the conference.

Diversity Role Models: tackling homophobia through education

This resolution was voted to be sent to the AGM where it was carried unanimously. The Council of Executives noted and adopted the following report from the Equal Rights Sub-Committee on 9 September 2012:

“That we note the Resolution from the AGM and to prosecute this Resolution, the General Secretary is instructed to:

1. Contact the charity Diversity Role Models and ask for a presentation from them to a Council of Executives and ask to give a presentation to the LGBT Advisory Committee; their views will be tabled for the Council of Executives to consider.

2. Write to the NUT; NASUWT; UCU; ATL and the EIS for their policies on the subject and when we have collated all this information the Council of Executives will then consider what political campaigns we can run or be part of to oppose cuts in funding to anti-bullying initiatives.

Diversity Role Models were written to but they declined providing a presentation due to their level of commitments.

The teaching unions affiliated to the TUC were written to and their replies were considered by the Equal Rights Sub-Committee. Their report was noted and adopted by the Council of Executives on 5 February 2012:

“That we have received replies from the teachers’ unions we wrote to. The General Secretary is to ask “Schools Out” to a give a presentation to the Council of Executives.

Further the General Secretary is instructed to write to “Diversity Role Models” informing them we would like to work with them over these common objectives between them and us.”

Schools Out have been invited to attend the Council of Executives meeting in June and Diversity Role Models have been written as instructed.

iv) Aviation industry forced gay flight attendant into a sham marriage

The Council of Executives noted and adopted the following report from the Equal Rights Sub-Committee during their statutory meeting in June 2012:

“That we note and support the resolution and as a first step ask the ITF and the Russian airline unions affiliated to the ILF for their views.”

Following this a letter was sent to David Cockroft, General Secretary of the ITF asking for their views and also details of how best to campaign on behalf of LGBT employees within the Russian aviation industry. David raised the article about Aeroflot forcing a marriage on a gay flight attendant with the Aviation Workers Union of Russia and also offered to put forward a statement for the ITF to adopt. The article was discussed on 19 October 2012 at the ITF Coordinating Committee in Russia. Nikolay Nikiforov, Trade Union President, ITF EB Chair wrote back stating that due to lack of names or any facts they decided it could not be true and considered it as a “defamatory comment” addressed to the airline.

Campaign for Equal Marriage

The Council of Executives noted and adopted the following report from the Equal Rights Sub-Committee in June 2012.

That we note the resolution and instruct the General Secretary to:

1. Urge the RMT parliamentary group to campaign for a lift of the ban on same sex marriage and opposite-sex civil partnerships
2. To organise a campaign for members to lobby their MPs to vote in favour of the proposed equal marriage bill.
3. To sign up to the Equal Marriage Pledge as organised by the Equality Network in Scotland http://www.equalmarriage.org.uk/
In addition, the General Secretary is to write to the Equal Love Campaign and ask for their structures and what the campaign stands for.”

The Equal Marriage Pledge was signed and Equal Love Campaign was written to as instructed. Following a reply from the Equal Love Campaign the following report was adopted:

That after receiving the reply to our letter from ‘Equal Love’ we note from their letter they have no formal structure. We therefore support the principles of their campaign as they stand at present but as they have no structure we will not affiliate. We are happy to work with this campaign while they have these shared objectives.

“Gay Cure” adverts on TfL buses

The Council of Executives noted and adopted the following report in June 2012:

“That we note the resolution and the General Secretary is instructed to write to TfL and express our disgust that such a situation had arisen and ask who ultimately blocked the adverts.”

The reply from Peter Hendy read:

“The decision to block the advertisements was made by Vernon Everitt, Managing Director of Customer Experience, Marketing & Communications at TfL.”

Other news

Network Rail – Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Representatives from all our advisory committees have been involved with a programme by Network Rail to go through their HR policies.

Training weekend

Training weekends have been brought in for all the union’s equality groups, with the syllabus agreed with each advisory committee.

Motions to 2013 conference

All motions passed and will now be discussed by the executive commintee. The motions on LGBT Asylum and a Strategy to tackle transphobia, were chosen by vote to be debated further at the upcoming RMT Annual General Meeting.

LGBT Asylum in the UK

Submitted by Central Line East Branch:

“This conference notes:

1. In 2010, the UK coalition government pledged, ‘We will stop the deportation of asylum seekers who have had to leave particular countries because of their sexual orientation.’ David Cameron personally promised that: “Those Africans seeking asylum on the basis of sexual orientation and at real risk of persecution in their home countries should be allowed to stay in the UK.” However, despite these assurances, human rights groups continue to document cases where LGBT asylum seekers have been deported back to countries where they face persecution, torture, and death.

2. This union recognises the success of some campaigns against deportation for asylum. For example, 22-year- old Linda Nakibuuke won her appeal for refugee status in the UK following a high profile campaign by rights activists. Linda had been detained by the UK Border Agency who planned to deport her despite being told that she had been tortured for being a lesbian in Uganda. Other campaigns, however, are unsuccessful and deportation results in death. For example, on 8th March 2013, news was received of the death of lesbian asylum seeker, Jackie Nanyonjo, following her deportation from Yarls Wood Detention Centre to Uganda in January. In October 2012, Olalekan Ayelokun, a strongly built gay Nigerian man, was deported back to Nigeria after a judge at Bradford’s Immigration Court stated he was not convinced that he was gay. The judge ignored evidence from three former intimate partners who testified under oath. Homosexuality is illegal in Nigeria and punishable by 14 years imprisonment in southern states, and flogging and death by stoning in twelve of the northern states.

3. It is not uncommon for LGBT asylum seekers to be incarcerated in UK detention centres for up to three years and longer because of the backlog of cases being processed by the Home Office. The use of detention in the UK has increased in the last ten years. There is no time limit on detention and there is no need for detention to be sanctioned by a court. Asylum seekers can be deprived of their liberty for indefinite periods on the say-so of an immigration officer.

4. Detention centres in Britain are run by private security companies, others by the Prison Service. People in detention cannot leave and have very limited freedom of movement within the centres. Security levels are similar to prisons.

5. UK immigration authorities continue to subject LGBT asylum seekers to inhuman and degrading pressure to “prove” their sexuality and gender identity. Officials continue to make stereotype assumptions that a feminine woman cannot be a lesbian or a masculine man cannot be gay, or somebody who has been married cannot be homosexual. In some cases, desperate asylum seekers have filmed themselves having sex with a same-sex partner to avoid being deported to their home country and prison or death.

6. UK immigration officials typically evaluate evidence using Western benchmarks as to what constitutes ‘typical’ LGBT behaviour. Only recently, a Pakistani Muslim lesbian reported she was subjected to intense cross-examination because she had not attended a Pride event. Another lesbian from Uganda was asked if she had ever read Oscar Wilde. This conference believes that the UK’s current policy and practice of detention is an infringement on the human rights of asylum seekers. LGBT people seeking safe-haven should not be locked up, and the current backlog and delays processing cases is intolerable.

This conference calls on the RMT to:

1. Remind David Cameron of his 2010 promise to LGBT asylum seekers and call on him to stand by his words and his government’s pledge and stop deporting LGBT people back to countries where they face persecution, torture, and death.

2. Call on the UK coalition government to end the arbitrary, inhuman and degrading asylum system that puts perverse and unreasonable pressure on LGBT people to ‘prove’ their sexual orientation.

3. Call on the UK government to guarantee fairness and justice for LGBT asylum seekers and end the homophobic and transphobic bias of the current asylum system and provide greater transparency from immigration and asylum courts on how LGBT asylum seekers are treated and how judges come to the conclusions they do.

4. Call on the UK government to address the ignorance and prejudice among
immigration officials dealing with LGBT asylum cases and ensure all Home Office asylum officials and immigration court judges receive sexual orientation and transgender awareness training.

5. Petition the UK government to end the current policy of unlimited detention of asylum seekers under immigration powers, and uphold its human rights obligations to all asylum seekers regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Stop Pinkwashing Employers

Submitted by Central Line East:

“This conference notes that:

1. Every year, Stonewall, the lesbian, gay, and bisexual charity, publishes its top 100 employer in Britain for LGB people, and employers clamber to appear on the list.

2. In England and Wales, Stonewall does not directly lobby or campaign on transgender issues.

3. Stonewall does not inquire of trade unions and their LGBT sections what they think when compiling the top 100 listing. Instead, employers are invited to submit written responses to the criteria set by Stonewall, accompanied by supporting evidence. Stonewall then assesses
and awards them marks out of a maximum of 200 points.

4. Just because an employer is ranked on the Stonewall list does not mean all is well. The Home Office was ranked number 2 on the Stonewall 2012 list. In January 2013, the Home Secretary faced a storm by LGBT rights activists over police visits to the homes of gay men with historic convictions of gross indecency (under laws introduced in 1895 and only repealed in 2003) being told they must put their DNA on the sex offender's database.

5. Nine police forces from across the UK appear on the 2012 Stonewall top 100 employers listing.

6. The Scottish Government was also ranked 90 by Stonewall. At the same time, Brian Souter, the outspoken homophobic co-founder of the Stagecoach Group, is one of the SNP Government’s biggest donors. In 2000, Souter spent over a million pounds on the ‘Keep the Clause’ campaign, funding billboard advertising around Scotland with homophobic messages opposing the scrapping of the controversial anti-gay Section 28 law.

7. ' Pinkwashing' is the cynical use of LGBT rights by businesses, institutions, and governments, to present a public facade of progressiveness and equality, to cover up the opposite reality on the ground.

8. Many large companies have set up LGBT networks to purposely circumvent trade unions and their LGBT sections. The principle aim of many of these networks is to get the employer on the Stonewall ‘top 100 list’.

This conference believes:

1. The Stonewall top 100 employer list allows big businesses, institutions, and
governments, to exaggerate their support for LGBT workers, and cover up infringements of LGBT rights in the workplace.

2. It is time that Stonewall reviewed the value of their annual top 100 employer listing

3. Stonewall should consult workers and trade unions rather than bosses to ensure working procedures are in place to prevent homophobia and discrimination.

4. Stonewall should stop perpetuating the exclusion of transgender people and campaign on trans issues in England and Wales, not just LGB issues.
This conference calls on the RMT to communicate with Stonewall on the issues raised in this resolution.”

Thatcher's Legacy of homophobia

Submitted by Jubilee South Branch.

“This Conference notes that Margaret Thatcher’s Tory regime pursued many homophobic laws and policies, including:

- ‘Section 28’, which banned the ‘intentional promotion’ of homosexuality and described us as having ‘pretended family relationships’
- An inadequate and judgmental response to AIDS, which fuelled anti-gay prejudices
- ‘Paragraph 16’ and other attacks on gay parenting

- criminalisation of same-sex affection
- maintaining an unequal age of consent and refusal to legislate against
Homophobic discrimination

With an openly anti-gay government, it is no surprise that ‘queer bashing’ and homophobia rocketed during the Thatcher years.

Although Thatcher herself is now dead, and the current Tory Party leadership tries to present itself as more progressive, the Conservative Party remains riddled with homophobes, and in government, it is cutting the services we rely on and offering comfort and protection to homophobes, often using ‘religious freedom’ as a pretext.

We resolve to not let people forget the Thatcher government’s record on LGBT issues nor to allow the Conservative Party to ‘pinkwash’ is bigoted and anti-working-class politics.”

Support for 'Gay Men Fighting AIDS'

Submitted by Jubilee South Branch:

“This Conference notes with concern that the charity 'Gay Men Fighting AIDS' is having to reduce services and possibly worse as a result of a funding crisis.

This long running charity works with gay men in preventing the spread of AIDS through education and promotion of the causes and effects of this and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The AIDS crisis of the 1980's was inadequately tackled by the homophobic Thatcher government of the time. The current Tory government pushes the idea of a 'big society' o support such causes, but at this time of imposed austerity, we see there is ten million pound to spare for a Tory funeral whilst GMFA and other vital charities face cuts.

We resolve to support GMFA financially, and by offering assistance both in their call for financial support and in their current process of investigating how better to support gay men in future.”

Homophobic outburst of Vladimir Yakunin

Submitted by Jubilee South Branch:

“This Conference utterly condemns the recent homophobic outburst of Vladimir Yakunin, the director of the Russian Railways RZD, a staunch ally of President Putin, and one of the most powerful men in Russia, who ranted at a recent trade fair in Germany, that "gays should just shut up" "the only rights they have is not to be beaten to death with sticks".

We call upon the RMT to send a message to the ITF affiliated Russian Railways Union Rosprofzhel reaffirming RMT's solidarity with Russian LGBT workers in their struggle against the current onslaught of state and religious sponsored homophobia.”

Justice for Steven Simpson

Submitted by Central Line East Branch:

"In the early hours of 23rd June 2012, Steven Simpson, a gay autistic student, was set on fire by 20-year-old Jordan Sheard, who gate-crashed his house party in Cudworth, near Barnsley. Steven was verbally abused, stripped of his clothes, and his body was scrawled with the words “I love dick” and “gay boy”. He was then doused in tanning oil and Jordan Sheard set fire to his crotch with a cigarette lighter. The flames quickly engulfed his body. Those involved in attack on Steven fled as neighbours tried desperately to put out the flames. Steven died the next day suffering 60% burns to his body.

Steven was murdered because of his sexuality and his disability. He was bullied, dehumanised and then killed.

However, at Sheffield Crown Court, Judge Roger Keen dismissed the crime as “good-natured horseplay” that had “gone too far”. Jordan Sheard was sentenced to only three and a half years in prison. Sheard’s defence lawyer described what happened to Steven as a “stupid prank that went wrong in a bad way".

This union demands justice for Steven Simpson.

We believe that the sentence given to Jordan Sheard does not reflect the serious nature of the hate crime committed. We call on the RMT to support campaigns to raise awareness of this type of hate crime and the issues involved. We believe that due to his appalling comments Judge Roger Keen is unfit to hear cases such as this. We demand that his description of this attack as “good natured horseplay” is legally overturned."

TOCs promoting LGBT Champions

Submitted by Blackpool and Fylde:

“This conference calls upon the General Secretary, to investigate the following:

• The Role and responsibilities of TOC's promoting ambassadors/ champions, on LGBT issues within the workplace and in the wider arena.
• Also what conflicts this may arise from this, with RMT elected reps.
• Whilst we understand that many of these Ambassadors/champions are members, what will be the union’s position if they challenged whilst out promoting their TOC's agenda?”

Strategy To Eradicate Transphobia

Submitted by Central Line East:

“This conference notes:

1. Transgender is an all-encompassing, umbrella term, used to describe the range of gender identity and expression of people who do not conform to stereotypical gender norms. This includes transsexual people, intersex people, cross-dressers, gender-variant people, genderqueer people, androgyne people, or anyone who chooses, for whatever reason, to self-identify as transgender.

2. Transgender people face severe discrimination in many areas of life, not least in employment, education, health care and leisure activities.

3. Transphobia is the irrational, negative, often extreme, reaction towards transgender people.

4. Transphobia is based on prejudice, disgust, fear and/or hatred directed against individuals or groups who do not conform to or who transgress societal gender expectations and norms.

5. Transphobia particularly affects individuals whose lived gender identity or gender expression differs from the gender role assigned to them at birth.

6. Transphobia manifests itself in such ways as direct physical violence, murder, bullying, abuse, humiliation, discrimination, ridicule, harassment, insulting speech, marginalisation, and social exclusion.

7. Transphobia is similar to homophobia, which is prejudice against someone who is gay, lesbian or bisexual. However, transgender people may identify as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, or asexual. Therefore, transgender people also experience homophobia from people who associate their gender identity with homosexuality.

8. Transphobic violence is probably one of the most under-discussed forms of hate crime. Transgender people regularly experience transphobic violence.

Conference further notes:
1. Transgender Europe (TGEU) is a third sector, umbrella organisation, which works towards the full equality and inclusion of all trans people in Europe.

2. Transgender Europe's Trans Murder Monitoring project (TMM) started in 2009 and systematically monitors, collects and analyses reports of murders of transgender people worldwide. Results are published two to three times a year on the website of the Trans-respect versus Transphobia Worldwide project in the form of tables, name lists, and maps.

3. TMM March 2013 results revealed a total of 1,123 reported killings of transgender people in 57 countries worldwide between 1st January 2008 and 31st December 2012.

4. In 2012, 265 transgender people were murdered across the world - a 20 percent increase on the previous 12 months.

5. Transgender Europe organises activist training on a regular basis.

This conference believes that every person should be free to choose to live in whichever gender they prefer, without interference, discrimination, or violence.

Conference calls on the RMT to:

1. Develop a common strategy to eradicate transphobia.
2. Challenge transphobia within the RMT.
3. Respond to transphobic instances in the workplace.
4. Provide support to transgender members.
5. Ensure employers have policies that practise full equality.
6. Support anti-transphobic campaigns.
7. Provide materials for our members that challenge transphobia in the
workplace.
8. Affiliate to Transgender Europe (TGEU).
9. Support the important work of TGEU in it’s lobbying, research, and
transgender advocacy work.
10. Support the campaigns of TGEU in our capacity as a union that is
politically active for transgender people.”

Attached is the conference agenda, slide show from the conference and minutes from 2012.