By Press Release
The Island has played its part in contributing to the LGBT+ History Month during February.
The LGBT+ Network group, from St Mary’s Hospital and Ambulance Service, Michael Jones and Katie Bond, recently organised an awareness event for History Month and its NHS members. It promoted diversity and inclusion, within the hospital community, with ‘Stone Crabs’ and ‘Out on an Island’ in attendance.
Cllr Karl Love, of East Cowes and the cabinet member for adult social care and public health, said: “I learned that one of the hospital employees, Keannu Arnoco, also works as a volunteer for the Terrance Higgins Trust.
“In my time of working for the NHS in the 1990s, everything was a battle just to be heard and the hatred of LGBT+ had so many negative impacts causing suicides, blackmail and hurt.
“It gives me great pleasure to witness and see today’s inclusion with spectacular colour and participation.”
He added: “HMP Isle of Wight also held a celebration for LGBTQAI+. Life behind these high walls continues, be it in a very different and controlled way.
“The fact such an event took place was an achievement and extremely important for the residents and prison service.
“Equality and change have been happening for many years but, especially now, it is a time of huge moral debates and political exchanges over transgender rights and life behind prison walls.
“I was invited into Albany and Parkhurst prisons, by the Diversity and Inclusion team, as an advocate of our Island’s LGBT+ communities. I was delighted to see and hear about the progressive nature of the work prison officers do.”
