Often fearing staff, residents and visitors will discriminate against them or abuse them, when they are at their most isolated and vulnerable. Many older LGBT+ people, including those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia moving into residential care, are fearful of revealing their gender identity or sexual orientation.
This impacts on people’s health including presenting at later stages of illness and disease. Many LGBT+ people fear experiencing discrimination when they seek help. LGBT+ adults can and do experience negativity in a range of health, care and other settings, including social care, which can impact negatively on health and wellbeing. In some cases, this abuse is perpetrated by those working in the schools, including by teaching and support staff. Often this happens at school, or on the journey to and from school. Many children and young people, who either are LGBT+ or perceived to be LGBT+, are subjected to homophobic, biphobic and transphobic abuse and bullying from their peers. Many same-sex partners are afraid to show affection, to even hold each other’s hands in public, fearing verbal and physical attack, or worse. There is a significant level of underreporting of all types of violent crime, and a lack of help-seeking among LGBT+ people including those in violent and abusive relationships. There is a lack of understanding and awareness of domestic violence and abuse in same-sex relationships, often remaining invisible. Stonewall estimate over 80% of hate crimes and hate incidents against LGBT+ people go unreported. Violent crimes against LGBT+ people are on the increase, many hate crimes and hate incidents go unreported. There is still much work to be done in terms of social reform.
IS FEBRUARY GAY PRIDE MONTH FULL
Towards almost full legal equality – with the advent of reforms including gender recognition, civil partnerships, equal marriage, anti-discrimination and equality laws and protections. From decriminalisation of homosexuality in the late 1960’s, through to the liberation movements of the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s.
Here, in the UK, and across Europe, we have seen huge strides in legal and social reforms. Without the fightback of these activists, gay liberation may have gone at a much slower pace.ĭata published by the International Gay and Lesbian Association (ILGA World) shows there are many countries throughout the world that continue to criminalise and oppress LGBT+ people including 49 countries which punish homosexual acts with imprisonment and 11 countries that use the death penalty against LGBT+ people. Marsha, a black drag queen, and Sylvia a Latinx transgender woman. The pioneering activists of the Stonewall Inn include Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. It was the first-time queer communities fought back against the regular police raids on the city’s gay bars and clubs. The weekend of rioting is acknowledged as the birthplace of the modern gay liberation movement. These celebrations mark the anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which began outside the Stonewall Inn, Greenwich Village, in New York City in late June 1969. The silhouette of a person seen through a semi-transparent LGBT+ pride flag which they are holding up in front of themselves in the sunshine.Įvery year, throughout June, there are gay pride festivals and events across the world.