South of Scotland Labour MSP Colin Smyth joined LGBT Youth Scotland at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday (February 4) to mark the start of LGBT History Month.

This year also marks 20 years since Scotland repealed Section 28, a piece of UK Government legislation which banned teachers in schools from lessons or using materials that “promoted the teaching of…..the acceptability of homosexuality”..

The theme of this year’s LGBT History Month, What Have We Learned?, will reflect on the multi-generational impact of the legislation which silenced teachers, preventing them from talking about LGBT issues in schools, and left thousands of young people without the support they so badly needed.

South of Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said: “The abolition of Section 28 was a huge step forward and I’m proud that it was a Labour-led government in Scotland which helped move it forward.

“However, it’s important that we continue to campaign for equality and promote the message that activism never stops.

“As an elected member, I will continue to do my utmost to ensure that message is carried with me throughout my duties both in the Scottish Parliament and in my constituency.

“At the launch event in Holyrood last week we were reminded of the words of Scotland’s then First Minister Donald Dewar at the opening of the Scottish Parliament. He said ‘this is about more than our politics and our laws. This is about who we are, how we carry ourselves’.

“This message remains as powerful today as it was then.”

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