Working with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Young People

1
Working with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans
Young People
Berkeley Wilde Sarah-Louise Minter
2
About Diversity Trust

• We work across all sectors
• We work with all Protected Characteristics and
  Groups
• Key Legislation Equality Act (2010), Public
  Sector Equality Duty and the NHS Equality
  Delivery System
• We provide engagement, research and training

3
About LGBT Bristol

• A membership based organisation funded to
  provide a voice for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
  Transgender people in Bristol to challenge
  homo/bi/transphobia and to advise and challenge
  statutory organisations on policy and procedure
  with relation to sexual orientation and gender
  identity.
• We have a team of active and skilled committee
  members, staff and volunteers as well as a
  comprehensive network of LGB and Trans support
  and social groups. As well as this LGBT Bristol
  has a number of projects
• Providing the LGB and Trans specialist caseworker
  for Bristol Hate Crime Services
• Offering educational projects to increase
  capacity, reach and subject delivery to all
  educational establishments for the preventative
  side of homo/bi/transphobic bullying and hate
  crime
• Bringing valuable experience in teaching,
  childcare, fostering, schools governance and
  experience in equality, diversity and inclusion.

4
Session Aims

• Overview of key legislation relevant to gender
  identity and sexual orientation
• Local research on the experiences of LGB and
  Trans young people
• Best practice guidelines to help the school
  improve delivery to LGB and Trans young people
• Practical ideas on other issues including how to
  support LGB and Trans staff and parents

5
Definitions Activity

• Sexual Orientation
• Lesbian
• Gay
• Bisexual
• Heterosexual
• Homophobia
• Biphobia
• Heterosexism
• Gender Identity
• Transgender
• Cisgender
• Cisgenderism
• Transphobia

6
Definitions Sexual Orientation

• Lesbian Females who are intimately, emotionally
  and / or sexually attracted to someone of the
  same sex
• Gay Male Males who are intimately, emotionally
  and / or sexually attracted to someone of the
  same sex
• Some Lesbians identify as Gay
• Bisexual People who are intimately, emotionally
  and / or sexually attracted to people of both
  sexes
• Heterosexual People who are intimately,
  emotionally and / or sexually attracted to
  someone of the opposite sex

7
Definitions Sexual Orientation

• Homophobia Irrational fear and hatred of people
  who identify as Lesbian or Gay, or are perceived
  to be Lesbian or Gay.
• Can include emotional, verbal and physical
  abuse. In some cases can result in violence and
  death (i.e. hate crime)
• Biphobia Irrational fear and hatred of bisexual
  people
• Heterosexism Assumption every one is
  Heterosexual (also heteronormativity)

8
Definitions Gender Identity

• Trans (Transgender) an umbrella term for people
  whose gender identity and / or gender expression
  diverges in some way from the sex they were
  assigned at birth
• Transgender community prefers the abbreviated
  term Trans
• Cisgender term for people whose gender identity
  and / or gender expression is the same as the sex
  they were assigned at birth.

9
Definitions Gender Identity

• Cisgenderism is a prejudice similar to
  heterosexism, racism and sexism. It denies,
  ignores, denigrates, or stigmatises non-cisgender
  forms of expression, sexual activity, behavior,
  relationship, or community.
• Transphobia Irrational fear and hatred of Trans
  (Transgender) people.

10
Lesbian and Gay Population

• According to the UK Government /Stonewall
  estimate, what percentage of people identify
  themselves as Lesbian or Gay?
• 2 6 10

11
Lesbian and Gay Population

• In 2005 the Government, when analysing the
  financial implications of the Civil Partnerships
  Act, concluded there were 3.6m Lesbian and Gay
  people in Britain.
• Around 6 of the population.

12
Trans Population

• Would anyone be able to tell us the estimate
  percentage of the population is Transgender?

13
Trans Population

• The Gender Identity Research in Education Society
  (GIRES) estimate the population of Trans or
  Gender variant people in the UK to be 1 of the
  population.

14
Legislation Sexual Orientation 1954 Over 1000
men were in prison for homosexual acts 1967
Sexual Offences Act - partial decriminalisation
of homosexuality 1989 Section 28 of the Local
Government Act (1989). The law made it illegal
for a Local Authority to intentionally promote
homosexuality or promote the teaching in schools
of the acceptability of homosexuality as a
pretend family relationship 1994 Sexual
Offences Amendment Act age of consent for gay
men reduced from age 21 to 18 2000 British
Government lifts ban on Lesbian Gay people
serving in the Armed Forces 2001 Age of
consent equalised for gay men
15
Legislation Sexual Orientation 2002 Equal
rights granted to same-sex couples applying for
adoption 2003 - Repeal of Section 28 of the
Local Government Act 1989 2003 - Sexual
Orientation Regulations providing protection in
employment and vocational training 2003
Criminal Justice Act tougher sentences for hate
crime, motivated by hatred on grounds of gender
identity and/or sexual orientation 2005 Civil
Partnerships Act 2006 Goods Services From
April 2007 Made it unlawful for providers of
goods and services, and public authorities, to
discriminate on the grounds of sexual
orientation 2014 Marriage (Same Sex Couples)
Act becomes law in England and Wales
16
Legislation Gender Identity 1999 Sex
Discrimination (Gender Reassignment)
Regulations Trans people protected in employment
and vocational training 2004 Gender
Recognition Act Trans people are able to obtain a
'Gender Recognition Certificate' which enables
them to get a new birth certificate of their
chosen gender identity
17
Legislation Equality Act 2010

• Strengthening, harmonising and streamlining 40
  years of equalities legislation
• Strengthening improving the effectiveness of
  equality legislation
• Harmonising providing the same levels of
  protection from discrimination across all the
  protected characteristics and all sectors, where
  appropriate
• Streamlining simplifying and consolidating
  approximately 116 pieces of separate equality
  legislation

• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

18
Public Sector Equality Duty

• To have due regard to the need to
• Eliminate discrimination, harassment and
  victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the
  Equality Act.
• Advance equality of opportunity
• Foster good relations

19
Public Sector Equality Duty

• Due regard
• Remove or minimise disadvantage
• Take steps to meet diverse needs
• Encourage participation

20
Where does the Equality Act apply?

• Applies to the public and private sectors
• Services and public functions
• Premises
• Work
• Education
• Associations, including political parties
• Buying or renting a property

21
Young Peoples Experiences

• Lack of specialist and targeted information
• Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in school
• Lack of support, for example families and
  friends, isolation and confusion
• Help-seeking through informal networks
• Higher levels of anxiety and depression,
  self-harm and suicidal ideation
• Higher levels of substance misuse
• Exploitation and unsafe sex
• Lack of culturally appropriate and sensitive
  services cultural competence
• Intersectionality, for example BME and Disabled
  and LGB and / or Trans
• Homo/bi/transphobia can affect any young person

22
Becoming an Inclusive School

• How can the school become more inclusive and
  improve experiences for LGB and Trans young
  people and their families?

23
How to improve inclusion

• Assumptions e.g. heterosexism
• Atmosphere of acceptance and celebration
• Challenge biphobic, homophobic and transphobic
  bulying
• Be knowledgeable of LGB and Trans experiences
• Inclusive language
• Pronouns of choice e.g. he, she or they
• Its ok to ask

24
How to improve inclusion

• Use posters and displays to communicate positive
  messages throughout built environments on
  equality and diversity for LGB and Trans people
• Research and display local LGB and Trans
  resources
• GIRES has a useful website with access to
  resources www.gires.org.uk
• Stonewall has a useful website with access to
  resources www.stonewall.org.uk

25
(No Transcript)
26

• ? Policies and procedures are up to date and
  inclusive of current legislation
• ? Staff training on LGB and Trans issues
• ? Information is provided on LGB and Trans issues
• ? A policy with effective procedures in place
  that protects LGB and Trans people from bullying,
  harassment and discrimination
• ? The school consults with LGB and Trans
  communities e.g. LGBT Bristol

27
Further Training

• We have developed a series of training modules
• You can access the training modules online
• www.lgbt-training.org.uk
• You can find out more about how we can support
  you in delivering the training for your
  organisation

28
Contact Us

• Diversity Trust
• PO Box 5189
• Somerset BA6 0BN
• Phone [phone]
• Email info_at_diversitytrust.org.uk
• Web www.diversitytrust.org.uk
• Follow us on Twitter _at_DiversityTrust