Liz Truss, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has been a controversial figure when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. See more of her here.
During her time as equalities minister, she oversaw a government decision to exclude trans people from a planned ban on conversion therapy. While she did make the process for gender recognition simpler and cheaper, she also scrapped proposals to allow for gender “self-identification”, which would have let trans people change their gender on official documents without having to go through a medical approval process.
Truss’s stance on trans issues has been a point of contention. When asked last month whether trans women are women, she said no. She has also argued that “transitioning is not a neutral act” and “therefore it should not be officially sanctioned before a young adult has the full decision-making capability to understand the consequences at the age of 18”. Following her departure as Prime Minister in October 2022, leading LGBTQ+ activists noted that she would be remembered for her “silence and inaction” on LGBTQ+ rights.
Despite her controversial positions on trans issues, Truss has a voting record that generally supports LGBTQ+ rights. She voted in favor of gay marriage when the law was passed in 2013, with a further nod for same-sex marriage among members of Britain’s armed forces a year later. According to TheyWorkForYou, a website that tracks lawmakers’ voting records, she has never voted against LGBTQ+ rights.
However, Truss’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues has shifted over time. In 2021, while serving as minister for women and equalities, she described herself as an LGBTQ+ ally in order to vocally oppose gender self-ID and keep LGBTQ+ supporters “on side”. But in a recent interview with GB News, she expressed regret at using the term “ally”, saying she “probably shouldn’t have done” and that she was trying to “keep all of the conservative parliamentary party on side”.
Truss’s comments at the launch of the Popular Conservatism movement in February 2024 further highlighted her shifting stance on LGBTQ+ issues. She described supporters of LGBT people as “left-wing extremists”, arguing that leftists are “taking power away from families and giving it to the state and unelected bodies”. She also criticized the government for “pandering to the anti-capitalists”.
Despite her controversial positions, Truss’s actions as Prime Minister and equalities minister have had a significant impact on LGBTQ+ rights in the UK. Her decision to exclude trans people from the conversion therapy ban and her opposition to gender self-ID have been particularly contentious issues within the LGBTQ+ community. As the UK continues to grapple with questions of LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion, Truss’s legacy on these issues is likely to remain a subject of debate and discussion.