Rainbow Project welcomes DUP leader’s apology
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said people can hold “deeply held views'' on social issues in a respectful way.
The Rainbow project has welcomed DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's apology to the LGBT community over hurt caused by past remarks made by members of his party.
The party has opposed gay marriage which was legalised in Northern Ireland in 2020 following legislation passed by Westminster while the Stormont Assembly was collapsed.
Yesterday evening (Thursday), the party’s deputy leader Paula Bradley said that some of the things said by the party over the past 50 years had been “absolutely atrocious''.
Speaking at a Pink News event, Ms Bradley said: “I can certainly say I apologise for what others have said and done in the past, because I do think there have been some very hurtful comments and some language that really should not have been used.''
Today (Friday) Sir Jeffrey backed her comments, adding people can hold “deeply held views'' on social issues in a respectful way.
John O’Doherty, Director from The Rainbow Project said he hopes the DUP’s new leadersship “ will be the first step towards significant change within the DUP.”
He said: “We welcome the apologies by Paula Bradley and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and hope that these comments by their new leaders will be the first step towards significant change within the DUP. What we now need to see is action.
“For over 50 years the DUP has stood in opposition and actively sought to stop every LGBTQIA+ step towards equality; whether it be decriminalisation, age of consent or equal marriage.
“Northern Ireland and Ireland as a whole has seen significant progress in recent years towards LGBTQIA+ equality and inclusion, with changes in legislation in regards to equal marriage, adoption rights and the blood donation ban being lifted. There are still significant inequalities experienced by LGBTQIA+ people around Trans Healthcare, the rise in both homophobic and transphobic hate crime and that some LGBTQIA+ people are still facing discrimination in their schools and workplaces.
“The Northern Ireland Assembly has consistently failed to ensure equality and equity for the LGBTQIA+ community and the DUP have been pointed to as the barrier to change.
“We are therefore, once again, seeking to establish a two-way respectful engagement with Democratic Unionist Party on these issues and more.
“We hope that Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, unlike his predecessors, will be the first DUP leader to meet with the LGBTQIA+ community and show leadership where is has been sadly lacking.”
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster that Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said : “There is no doubt that in the past things have been said that should not have been said across a whole range of issues, and not just by the DUP, I have seen people on marches and at rallies say things about the DUP that have been hurtful to us and our members as well.''
“I have seen things said about people from faith communities that have been hurtful and should not have been said.
“I think it is right to apologise when we have said things that have been hurtful to others.
“There are differences in our society, differences and deeply held views on social issues, and what I want to see in Northern Ireland is a discourse that is respectful of difference.
“People can hold their sincerely held views without the need to say things that are hurtful to others. We can disagree but we can disagree well.
“Where we have said things that have hurt others then it is right that we say sorry for that. Sorry needn't be the hardest word.''
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