Answering a great need

Many LGBTQIA+ people are isolated and marginalised at the best of times. They can suffer from poor self-esteem, depression and anxiety. Whereas some people can turn to faith groups for support during difficult times, LGBT+ people often cannot. Places of worship are not guaranteed places of welcome for LGBT+ people.

Here are some examples of research which shows why we need to create communities for LGBTQIA+ people:

• 59% of LGBT+ young people interested in joining a religious organisation have stopped or reduced their involvement owing to their sexuality or gender identity (Youth Chances, METRO 2016).

• A third of lesbian, gay and bi people of faith (32 per cent) aren’t open with anyone in their faith community about their sexual orientation. One in four trans people of faith (25 per cent) aren’t open about who they are in their faith community. Only two in five LGBT people of faith (39 per cent) think their faith community is welcoming of lesbian, gay and bi people. Just one in four LGBT people of faith (25 per cent) think their faith community is welcoming of trans people. (LGBT in Britain - Home & Communities, Stonewall 2017).

• Members of our communities are significantly more likely to experience poor mental health, which research has shown relates explicitly to discriminatory pastoral practices of local churches, and the Church’s substantial contribution to negative attitudes in society (In the Name of Love, Oasis Foundation 2017).

• 'LGBQ+ Christians surveyed rated their mental and emotional health and well-being as significantly lower than their heterosexual peers, especially those who had undergone 'conversion therapy' in an attempt to alter their sexual orientation' (National Faith & Sexuality Survey, Ozanne Foundation 2018).

• Only a third of UK LGBT+ Christians ‘feel safe to be out’ in their local churches, and just one in five feel ‘safe to be out to the wider Christian community’ (Safeguarding LGBT+ Christians Survey, Ozanne Foundation 2021).

The impact of Covid:

• Between April and July 2020, a survey of LGBT+ people’s experience during the pandemic 69% of respondents suffered depressive symptoms, rising to about 90% of those who had experienced homophobia or transphobia. One in six (17%) faced discrimination during the Covid pandemic because of their sexuality. The rate rose to more than a third among those living in homes where they were not open about their identity. Almost 10% reported they felt unsafe in their homes. (Queerantine study, University College London UCL & Sussex University 2020).

• In the same period, the volume of calls to Switchboard, the national LGBT+ helpline, was a third higher than the same period in 2019, including 44% more conversations where people were struggling and 57% more conversations talking about isolation. Many of these callers report they have had no choice but to isolate in hostile home environments. The LGBT Foundation, whose helpline received 25% more calls about suicidal thoughts during lockdown, said demand for support continued to rise, despite pandemic restrictions easing. The charity said mental health crisis calls had increased by 123%, calls about abuse by 86%, those about domestic violence by 65%, and substance misuse by 50%. (The Guardian, 5th August 2020).

• 64% of LGBT people surveyed in May 2020 about the impact of coronavirus said that they would rather receive support during this time from an LGBT-specific organisation (Hidden Figures, LGBT Foundation 2020).

Protected Characteristics:

We support people across England and Wales who experience disadvantage because they are living with discrimination around one or more of the protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010.

These include:

• biological sex (female, intersex, and male)

• disability (people with disabilities experience barriers to support in the LGBTQIA+ community

• gender reassignment (trans & non-binary)

• marriage and civil partnership LGBTQIA+ people do not have equal access to these in every faith community

• race (LGBTQIA+ people in BAME communities may require additional support)

• religion and belief (different Christian traditions)

• sexual orientation (bisexual, lesbian, gay).

READ MORE about our impact, in on our Research & Case For Support.