James Graham: Britain feels more divided than ever. Here’s why I’m asking LGBTQ+ people to speak up
How’s your mood right now? Not great? Well, same…
By James Graham
I’m very lucky that, as a writer for theatre and TV, my work takes me to different communities across the UK, and – as you’ll know yourself – the mood, the “vibes”, the spirit in our nation (whatever you want to call it) is very low, and increasingly dark right now…
That’s why I’m taking part in something called the National Conversation – don’t roll your eyes. Hear me out. It’s a sincere, good faith, urgently needed scheme with broad support that asks people to complete a short survey and leave voicenotes to have their say on the kind of change, for the kind of country they want to live in.
I’m asking Attitude readers to join me and take part too
When polling shows that three quarters of us feel our country is divided, there’s clearly something wrong. Is it because progress is often promised, but never seems to arrive? Is it because local services aren’t working as they should? Closer to home, is it because LGBTQ+ communities are feeling more at risk, with Pride events cancelled and the Pride flag becoming politicised?
Whatever you think the problems are, the solution will require every single one of us to make our voices heard – even more, to make our voices count. It will mean pulling together rather than pushing each other away. It will mean having an impact where it can do the greatest good.
Why I’m encouraging you to take part in the National Conversation
Look, I get that you might be fed up with the flood of petitions and surveys that pop in your inbox and never achieve anything. But the National Conversation is different. This survey was developed by the University of Oxford for the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion. It isn’t affiliated with any political party, and it isn’t about one viewpoint or one way of thinking.
The National Conversation is about everyone in the UK sharing their experiences of community life, from belonging to divisions, and everyone having their say on how we can live well together.
It takes just a few minutes to complete, and your response will help to create a shared vision for the UK. The Commission will then make policy recommendations in a report, published at the end of the year, to turn that vision into reality.
In other words, this survey will have an impact whether we get involved or not. And as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I want as many of us to play a role. After all, we know through bitter experience that the only way change ever happens is to make it happen ourselves.
I won’t pretend that a survey will fix everything by itself. It won’t immediately stop harassment in the streets or divisions in our communities. But it’s a crucial first step. It will reveal what people across the country really think – what unites us and where there’s work to do.
When does the survey close?
If, that is, we show up. The survey closes on 31 August, so that means we’ve got just a few weeks to make sure the LGBTQ+ community is fully represented. I’m asking you to take the survey yourself, share it with a friend, tell a family member about it, and put it in a group chat.
Whatever you do to spread the word, your contribution means our community won’t just be spoken about – we’ll be speaking for ourselves. So whatever version of ‘us’ comes out the other end will actually include us. To start your survey visit the National Conversation website.
James Graham is an actor and contributor to the National Conversation, a nationwide project by Together.org.uk and Stonewall gathering LGBTQ+ perspectives to help shape the future of community life across the UK.