Ending the rainbow badge scheme signals a worrying apathy towards LGBTQ+ people

Earlier this year the Conservative government chose not to renew funding for the NHS rainbow badge scheme, which aimed to foster LGBTQ+ inclusivity within the UK’s healthcare system.1 The scheme has now fizzled out, without much backlash or uproar. While organisations involved in running the scheme report that they’re exploring new avenues to continue its work,2 this quiet end signals a worrying and lingering apathy towards the LGBTQ+ population in the UK.It is, in part, difficult to prove the value of the rainbow badge scheme. How do we quantify the reassurance that a young person experiencing gender dysphoria feels when they see a doctor wearing a rainbow symbol? Or a doctor reconsidering a homophobic joke when they see a colleague with a rainbow badge? The lack of objection to the defunding announcement may suggest indifference about the scheme or a perceived lack of effectiveness. Wearing my rainbow lanyard during my…
Read Original Article: Ending the rainbow badge scheme signals a worrying apathy towards LGBTQ+ people »