LGBT History Month offers an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come in the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights, and to celebrate the lives of LGBTQ+ people who, for too long and too often, have been hidden from history. But, we don’t just need to reflect on our past; we need to learn lessons from it. We will not forget the harm that discrimination, hate and exclusion have caused to so many LGBTQ+ people. Nor will we forget the progress and achievements that we've made over the past 40 years, thanks to the activists and allies that paved the way.

But we cannot be complacent. LGBTQ+ people can still face discrimination and harassment. We’re in an age when it can feel like we’re under attack and our rights at risk of being rolled back, with LGBTQ+ communities routinely weaponised in the name of so-called political and media debate. We remain absolute that the Welsh Government stands together with and within our LGBTQ+ communities in Wales. We want to create a Wales where everyone feels free, supported and safe to be and live their lives as their authentic selves. That’s why LGBTQ+ rights are embedded in our programme for government, are a key component of the co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru, and why we have developed a bold and ambitious LGBTQ+ action plan.

I am proud to be able to announce the launch and publication today of our ambitious and wide-ranging LGBTQ+ action plan for Wales—the first of its kind. This plan strengthens protections for LGBTQ+ people, promotes equality for all, and helps co-ordinate actions across Government, communities and the country, in order to achieve our ambition of making Wales the most LGBTQ+ friendly nation in Europe. Whilst publishing this plan is a key step in this journey, our work to improve equality for LGBTQ+ people has already begun. Just last month, I set out our next steps in our work to ban conversion practices. Support services have been expanded across Wales, and a working group of experts has been formed. The group will provide us with the advice and expertise that we need to consign these abhorrent practices to history, and the first meeting has already taken place. Alongside this, our anti-hate crime communications campaign, Hate Hurts Wales, will have an increased LGBTQ+ focus this year, and will signpost to the Wales hate support centre, which offers confidential support to victims.

Progress has also been made in sexual health through the forthcoming HIV action plan for Wales, and we renew our commitments to tackle late diagnosis in Wales and HIV-related stigma, and improve the quality of life of people living with HIV. In the past year, we have provided funding to local Pride organisations around Wales. The grass-roots Pride fund supported north Wales Pride in Bangor, Pride in the Port in Newport, Swansea, Cowbridge, Barry Pride, and Glitter Pride, connecting communities across the country. We know the value of this and the difference it can make to the LGBTQ+ community, and this coming year, we will build on this success by expanding the grass-roots Pride fund. We hope to reach out further, embracing more rural areas and smaller towns, enabling Welsh language events and ensuring that there are opportunities for people to come together and be their true selves right across Wales.

Dirprwy Lywydd, I stated earlier how, sadly, all too often in the current climate, it feels like our rights are under attack, none more so than that of the trans community, from the toxicity of Twitter, to so-called populist politics and a media narrative designed to pitch people against one another. We recommit ourselves to supporting trans and non-binary people, and our starting point is that trans men are men, trans women are women, and non-binary identities are valid. The Welsh Government stands with all of our LGBTQ+ communities and, as politicians and public figures, we can and must be better.

That’s why we’re committed to doing all that we can to improve the lives of trans people in Wales, and to seeking any further power to do this, including our programme for government and co-operation agreement commitment to trigger a request to devolve the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and support our trans community, and preliminary work on this has already started. Work has also begun on developing guidance for local authorities and schools to support transgender children and young people, so that they can be confident and comfortable in supporting trans students in all aspects of school life.

Dirprwy Lywydd, I must acknowledge the support of so many in the making of this plan. A significant number of stakeholders, individuals and organisations have contributed to the plan’s development. People generously gave their time and many shared their experience of discrimination and hostility as citizens in Wales. They also shared their achievements as advocates, workers and leaders, as researchers, experts and professionals, and as communities. I want particularly to put on record my thanks to the LGBTQ+ expert panel, who provided help, advice and challenge, which allowed us to focus on what we could do to make a difference to people’s lives. I'd also like to thank the top team within the Welsh Government, whose hard work is behind me, being able to stand here and launch this plan today.

Indeed, it is a plan that reaches across Government, and I am grateful for the steadfast cross-Government support of my ministerial colleagues. This ongoing collective support will be vital in turning the plan from words on a page into practical actions that make a real difference. As they say, actions speak louder than words. It’s about changing lives not just changing legislation, it's about people, not policies alone. But words matter too; what we do and what we say has an impact. So let’s be clear, as we publish this LGBTQ+ action plan today, that, here in Wales, we stand for unity over division, inclusion rather than exclusion and hope not hate. Together in pride—making Wales the most LGBTQ+ friendly nation in Europe. Diolch.