Rainbow flag to be raised at National Assembly to mark LGBT history month

The Presiding Officer, Dame Rosemary Butler AM, will be joined by Assembly Commissioner for Equalities, Sandy Mewies AM, as well as members of the Assembly’s LGBT staff network, Assembly Members and staff allies to mark the hoisting of the flags.

The Assembly’s staff network will mark LGBT History Month by displaying a presentation of LGBT role models in the Senedd and doing internal awareness-raising for staff and AMs.

This follows further recognition of the Assembly’s work in this area from LGBT-rights group Stonewall.

The National Assembly for Wales was ranked fourth in the UK in Stonewall’s 2014 Workplace Equality Index.  The Assembly was also named the top public sector gay-friendly place to work in Wales.

“I am proud that the Assembly does so much positive work to make the workplace more inclusive”, the Presiding Officer said.

“That work has been recognised by Stonewall UK whose Workplace Equality Index demonstrates that the Assembly is one of the top performers in the UK in terms of tackling barriers.

“But we cannot rest on our laurels; there is still much work to be done.

“Part of that work is to proudly support LGBT History Month by flying the rainbow flag across our estate.”

Sandy Mewies AM, the Assembly Commissioner with responsibility for equalities issues, added: “The National Assembly continues to excel in terms of its work in the equalities field.  Once again we have been recognised as one of the top employers in the UK.

“The LGBT History Month is all about celebrating diversity and cultural pluralism and I am delighted that once again the Assembly is marking LGBT History Month.”

Photo by Benson Kua [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons