Great Atmosphere at Llanelli’s LGBT Day

Llanelli’s Spring Gardens was alive with music, minions and zumba demonstrations yesterday as Llanelli’s second LGBT Day got underway, bringing fun and vitality to Llanelli town centre.

 

The event follows on from last years inaugural day and was set up by a local social enterprise (CETMA) that is dedicated to community engagement via modern technologies, media and art, making this the second LGBT day to be held in the town since 2015.

 

The group spearheaded by Jonathan Williams manages a number of highly successful and critically acclaimed local projects such as Wales Wildlife Watch,  Llanelli Music Scene and the PC3R’s computer recycling scheme.

 

In addition to fun and frivolities the event had a very serious agenda of raising awareness about how far Carmarthenshire and Wales has come and how far it has to go in regards to equality and to celebrate achievements in the areas of LGBT.  

 

In a statement Jonathan Williams stated that he hoped that there would be enough support within the local community to run the event every year, and in addition to events like this the LGBT Support project aims to set up a regular drop in session held at the CETMA offices and training rooms in Trostre Road Llanelli.

Local Plaid Cymru campaign manager Sean Rees began the speeches and was followed by speeches on behalf of both Nia Griffith MP and Jeremy Miles AM who was elected for Neath in 2016 as one of three openly lesbian and gay Assembly Members.  

 

(Jeremy’s statement in full follows along with Sean’s speech).

 

Cetma would like to thank everyone that participated on the day, including Lyn Davies (Asda), Sherilyn Hamilton Shaw, Red Total Fitness, Fighting Fith Husky and the Big Bad Blues Band for their efforts in making Llanelli’s second LGBT Day a roaring success!

 

Statement from Jeremy Miles AM for Llanelli LGBT Day.

Friends, firstly, please accept my apologies for not being able to join you today. We must celebrate the love and diversity of the LGBT community all across Wales and I know you will do it with pride in yourselves, and pride in Llanelli today.

 

It is an honour to be an elected member of the National Assembly. It is a greater honour still to stand in the chamber as one of the first out LGBT Assembly Members in our history.

 

The path here hasn’t been easy, or the result of the work of one person. It has taken years and decades to secure for ourselves the rights and freedoms enjoyed by the majority of people in this country. Every pride, every protest, every time someone stood up to abuse against LGBT people has brought us to today. And so we thank those that came before us. Those heroes of the LGBT community who stood true, stood strong and stood proud.

 

Even as we celebrate today, we know that there is so much more to do:

 

Young people continue to be bullied in our schools.

 

Trans people do not have access to life changing and lifesaving healthcare.

 

LGBT people are still victims of hate on our streets.

 

A few weeks ago, I had the sad task of addressing a vigil to remember the victims of the attack on the LGBT nightclub in Orlando Florida. It was one of the toughest moments so far in the Assembly.    

 

But my message on the steps of the Senedd was clear. We must challenge the hurt and bullying caused by harmful language. Being ‘gay’ should be a badge worn with pride and we must take power away from those who would use it to cause harm.

 

We all have a shared duty to support each other. We must share our strength with those LGBT people struggling with their true selves. We must talk to our friends and families about our experiences and invite them to be allies in supporting our rights.

 

Friends, we must continue in the way of so many others who came before and stand in pride here in Llanelli, here in Wales and around the world. I wish you all fun, love and laughter today and for the days to come.

 

Sean Rees’s Speech to Llanelli LGBT Event

 

Can I firstly just take this opportunity to thank Jonathan, Mark, Keith and everyone else at CETMA for pulling together and organising this event today. Can I also thank you for your work all year round.

 

This morning, I like many of you I’m sure watched the highlights of the Olympic opening ceremony from Rio. At the London Olympics four years ago 23 LGBT athletes competed from across the World, it was great to hear that at this years games that number has increased to 42. It is proud moments like these that underline the great achievements and progress made in recent years. It also shows that anything is possible when we truly believe.

 

Although we have come a long way in our fight for equal rights, there are of course still many barriers to overcome. We all want to see a confident, outward looking and prosperous Wales where the LGBT community play a full and active role in our society at all levels.

 

In order to tackle the current stigma, a range of measures must now be introduced. Let’s prioritise the development of a Gender Identity Clinic, let’s end the twelve month blood donation ban for gay men and let’s work with our schools to end homophobic bullying.

 

Llanelli is a proud town, Wales is a proud nation. Our communities are full of people with different backgrounds and beliefs. To strengthen your rights, it will take every one of us to make a difference for all of us. Being brave enough to start a conversation that really matters in every family in every household in every community.

 

Just a few months ago, we witnessed the largest terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11, I’m referring of course to the shootings in Orlando, an evil act of homophobic hatred. Our thoughts today are with all the victims and families of that horrific attack.

 

Every person should be able to live their lives without fear of harm.

 

Compassion is one of the hallmarks of a civilised society. I want every young person in Wales to grow up in a nation where there is hope, in a nation where no-one is left behind and a nation where we have equality at the very heart of our agenda.

 

I’m not gay but I have close friends who are, I stand here today for them, I stand here for equal rights, your rights. Why? It’s because I firmly believe in the freedom of love.

 

In the words of President Obama, if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.

 

Love is Love and don’t let anyone tell you anything different.

 

For those in our society who are intent on spreading their fear and hate, let them be overcome by our positive message of fairness and hope.

 

Friends, it will be our actions here today, tomorrow and in the weeks ahead that will affect future generations who are yet to be born.

 

Just recently we have witnessed the great success of our national football team. It’s now time to capture their spirit for after all by us all coming and working together, we are indeed stronger!

 

You can find out more at:

https://www.facebook.com/events/540876269394090/

https://www.facebook.com/LlanelliLGBT/

https://www.facebook.com/CETMAWales/?fref=nf