Cataloguing advocacy, support and empowerment in the Lothian Gay and Lesbian Switchboard archives
In April 2022, Lothian Health Services Archive (LHSA) launched a new project, ‘Speaking Out’, which involves cataloguing and promoting the archives of the Lothian Gay and Lesbian Switchboard.
As the UK’s first gay helpline and Scotland’s first gay charity, Switchboard was a key source of support to LGBT+ people across Scotland and the UK, campaigning and advising on sexual health, mental health, and equality issues, as well as working with the NHS and Scottish Government in health education and social and economic research.
Get involved
As part of the project, we are looking for participants from both LGBT Age and LGBT Youth Scotland, to join a series of creative writing and zine making workshops, where you will discuss and create new works in response to the LGBT+ experiences reflected in the Switchboard archive. Your creations will then be included in a digital exhibition and displayed alongside archival records!
The workshops will be informal, inspirational, and intergenerational! We aim to bring together different age groups to look at the past, the present, and in to the future. Through writing exercises, we will explore questions such as, who is included in history and who is erased? What was it like to be a member of the LGBT+ community in 1974, and how have things changed?
You are not required to have any previous creative writing or zine making experience! Each workshop will help you develop new skills and will provide you with the confidence to share your voice through writing. You will learn about the history of the LGBT+ community in Edinburgh and the vital role Switchboard played during the struggle for legal and social equality. You will also learn about exhibition design by helping us identify items to include in the exhibition, and explore how to describe and display items.
Come along to our two sessions which will take place on:
Wednesday 12th October (1pm – 3pm)
At LGBT Health and Wellbeing
4 Duncan Place (EH6 8HW)
Wednesday 19th October (1pm – 3pm)
At LGBT Health and Wellbeing
4 Duncan Place (EH6 8HW)
October marks Black History Month and so we wanted to take this opportunity to update Community Members on our work in strengthening our position as an anti-racist organisation.
LGBT Health and Wellbeing strives to provide inclusive services and to be proactive to the evolving needs of our community.
Following the tragic death of George Floyd in May 2020, we began to more explicitly reflect on the role that we can play in the fight for racial equality.
The Board of Trustees issued a statement in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and in it stated our aims to be explicit on our stance on anti-racism. The board recognised that this is not the individual responsibility of any one person and that collectively we must use our platform within the LGBT+ community to make structural change.
As we emerge from the restrictions associated with the pandemic, we are reviewing our organisational strategy. This is to ensure that we can continue to best meet the needs of all members of our community and includes a focus on those who face particular challenges because of their identity, e.g. race, age, disability etc.
Being an anti-racist organisation is everybody’s responsibility. We have defined specific responsibilities within our governance structure and have made progress in our mission, though there is much more to do. So far, we have received advice and support from CEMVO (a national intermediary organisation and strategic partner of the Scottish Government Equality Unit), established an operational Anti-Racism Working Group, and are in the process of developing a new Equalities Strategy.
We will soon be recruiting a Sessional Worker to Co-Chair our Anti-Racism Working Group. This post will be restricted to Queer, Trans, and Intersex People of Colour, and will join the CEO in leading this important work. This post will be advertised on our website soon. Sign up to our newsletter or follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) @lgbthealthy to know as soon as we open applications. You can also follow updates on our Anti-Racism work at: www.lgbthealth.org.uk/about-us/anti-racism
We are working with Public Health Scotland and Homeless Network Scotland to ensure the voices of LGBTQ+ people are heard in the upcoming review of Public Health Scotland’s Equality and Diversity Training Guide. This will help to improve access to appropriate services and treatments for everyone, regardless of their personal characteristics and identity.
Public services have a legal duty to ensure that they do not discriminate against members of the communities they serve, because of their age, gender, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religious belief or disability. This means that services will ask for information relating to these characteristics to monitor how well they are doing.
Public Health Scotland, Homeless Network Scotland and University of Strathclyde are working together to host some sessions to support the creation of a resource to support healthcare staff to ask questions about a patient’s personal characteristics, in a way that builds confidence and supports the patient to answer fully. They hope to better understand the range of reasons that people have for not answering these questions, this may include a lack of trust, fear of discrimination or differential access to treatment and services.
Sessions in partnership with LGBT Health and Wellbeing will take place in Glasgow towards the end of October, and will be facilitated by Derek from Homeless Network Scotland alongside a member of the Health Improvement Scotland Team and a Lived Experience associate.
I’m Joanna (she/her) and I’m excited to take on the new role of Development Worker for community groups in Edinburgh! In this job, I will be working closely with leaders of current groups and developing new groups that meet varying community needs. LGBT Health and Wellbeing is an organisation I’ve been aware of for a while, and I’m now pleased to be a part of the important work going on here.
Prior to this role, I’ve been a student and I have also worked in a variety of fields. While at university, I studied English and Film. During this time, I was a devoted audience member at film festivals and screenings and even put on my own event for Women in Horror Month. In spaces like this I developed a passion for community and discussion. I put this passion into practice during my Masters in the Digital and Public Humanities by exploring queer inclusion in online spaces and on dating apps. While studying, I worked in hospitality, travelled, and volunteered as a teacher for The Big Issue and in the women’s wing of HMP Edinburgh.
After finishing my degrees, I began working for a social care charity in Scotland. In this role I have been instrumental in creating and running an LGBT network for staff and the people we support. A highlight of this was the charity attending Pride in Glasgow for the first time! This network has also been a great space for bringing people together to benefit LGBT staff and the people we support. I’m excited to now be working with an organisation that has the interests of the LGBT community at its heart.
I’m looking forward to getting to know the community groups currently running and I’m excited to see where we can go from here!
You are invited to attend an event with the Scottish Government’s Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Kevin Stewart to discuss the mental health and wellbeing of the queer community, and what the Scottish Government should be doing to improve the situation for queer people.
When:Thursday 8th September 2022, 14.00-16.00, followed by a debrief from Claire Black (Counselling Coordinator) 16.00-17.00.
Why: This is an opportunity for LGBTQ+ people to share their opinions, thoughts, needs, wants, frustration (and anything you feel you’d like to share) with the Minister for Mental Health and three members of his team who are responsible for developing the laws and policies that control healthcare, mental health support and relevant funding streams.
What will it be like, who will be there and why?
This event will consist of two sessions; 1 LGBTQ+ session (45 min) and 1 trans specific session (1 hr).
The trans specific session will be a space for trans voices only, facilitated by a trans staff member (from LGBT Health/STA) to allow for discussion and to monitor the space.
You can attend any or both sessions should you wish. The minister and three members of his team will be present during both sessions to take notes and listen to opinions/experiences.
Other details
You will be reimbursed for your travel expenses to and from the session
Tea, coffee, juice and snacks will be provided for attendees
Email our staff member Rebecca on rebecca@lgbthealth.org.uk or phone 0131 564 3970 if you would like to attend the session, to discuss access needs, or if you require further information.
I’m Michelle (she/her) and I’m excited to be taking over as Edinburgh Service Manager. This role works across all of our fantastic Edinburgh-based projects, which means I get to work closely with our whole team. I’m hugely impressed by the breadth and depth of work that LGBT Health and Wellbeing do and very pleased to become part of it.
I have worked in the voluntary sector in Scotland for over 20 years and have been lucky to work in a range of organisations, including in the fields of disability, information and advice services and organisational capacity building, as well as social enterprise and social investment. Working and volunteering in the third sector has provided some of the most memorable experiences of my life (from dressing up as a skunk, to visiting India; from putting on fireworks displays for 5000 people, to meeting ex-Blue Peter presenters!)
At the heart of all of the work and volunteering I have undertaken is a desire to advance equality for all. I feel privileged to join an organisation with so many passionate and committed staff and volunteers, dedicated to improving LGBTQIA+ health and wellbeing in our community.
I’m looking forward to meeting lots of community members and learning about what we can do to ensure we respond to what our community needs from us. I will be in and around our premises at Duncan Place a lot of the time and am always keen to meet people for a coffee and a catch-up: drop me a line at michelle@lgbthealth.org.uk to get in touch.
Wednesday 29th June saw Pink News host their Summer Reception at Scottish Parliament, and we were delighted to be chosen as their 2022 Charity Partner. This annual event sees Members of Scottish Parliament (MSPs), charities, and community members reflecting on LGBTQ+ equality, progress achieved, and the inequalities that remain.
It was a powerful evening celebrating the unity of our community along a range of partners in the equality sector.
The theme of the reception was ‘rainbow families’ and so our team used this platform to highlight the experiences of LGBTQ+ families in Scotland.
Jules Stapleton-Barnes (Development Worker at LGBT Health and Wellbeing) addressing the Pink News Summer Reception, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh.
Jules Stapleton-Barnes (Development Worker) used her own experience as an LGBTQ+ parent and of delivering our Rainbow Families services to call attention to the inequalities and barriers faced by LGBTQ+ families.
“I stand here because there are still significant disparities impacting the lives of LGBTQ+ families, and the lives of LGBTQ+ children and young people, linked to societal stigma, discrimination and denial of their civil and human rights.”
She talked about the need for greater inclusion in fertility, reproductive, adoption and fostering services, to make them adequate and relevant to a range of family structures and prospective parents.
“The journey to parenthood as an LGBTQ+ person can be extremely tough, as I know first-hand. For anyone looking to start a family through pregnancy, but particularly for LGBTQ+ people, it is often years of gate-keeping, long waiting lists or unsustainable costs, ongoing emotional and physical stress and distress, perhaps with access to ill-equipped counsellors, and often in the confines of a care system that is faulty.”
She went on to explain the needs of LGBTQ+ families and what role service providers can play in meeting those needs:
Safe, accessible events to meet other LGBTQ+ families, and for parents and children to connect and see themselves in others. Bringing families together creates better support networks and help educate and celebrate the intersectional identities within the family
1:1 and family support to create a space for LGBTQ+ parents, prospective parents and the whole family to be heard, understood, supported and thrive on their journey
Events and support for trans and gender diverse children and young family members, who aren’t yet old enough to access youth services but are old enough to know how they’re feeling about themselves and what feels safe
Accurate, up to date information on fertility, reproductive, adoption and fostering services, ensuring LGBTQ+ people know what is available for them to help them create the families they want to have
Capacity building and awareness raising to ensure heartfelt and professional inclusivity really drives a service supporting families, including safe, inclusive and accessible perinatal and mental health care for anyone birthing a baby. Prioritising prevention of barriers and disparity rather than a fire-fighting response to insurmountable waiting lists and faulty systems.
Community members who use our Rainbow Families services also had a chance to tell their stories.
Susan Lancaster (Edinburgh Service Manager at LGBT Health and Wellbeing) addressing the Pink News Summer Reception, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh.
Susan Lancaster (Edinburgh Service Manager) read a poignant testimonial from a parent whose child was bullied at school for being trans.
“It takes a village to raise a child (…) My son is trans and the village doesn’t like that at all (..) The village has a lot to say about things it just doesn’t understand but wants to contain and control anyway.”
“The statistics for trans kids are not good…more likely to hurt themself, more likely to experience suicidal thoughts, more likely to have an incomplete education, more likely to be attacked, assaulted, targeted.”
“But the village doesn’t want to teach children about gay stuff (a direct quote from our parent council) so my child has grown-up explaining himself to the disbelieving and the curious and sadly the hateful too. We have to talk about diversity, yes in front of our kids, for our kids. This is our world, bigger than a village and it’s filled with extraordinary people, look at the myriad ways we exist! It’s a beautiful, life-saving truth and one I am proud of, are you?”
Nicola Johnston (Rainbow Families community member) addressing the Pink News Summer Reception, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh.
And Nicola Johnston (community member) shed a light on the challenging journey that queer adoptive parents often go through.
“We as queer adoptive parents were surprised at how rare it is to have social opportunities to meet other families with a similar make up.”
“It is extremely important for us that Sophie has experiences with families that look like hers to help guide her through her own journey of feeling different and negotiating her own identity.”
“Queer applicants are likely to have first-hand experience of negotiating feeling different and embracing their identity, which is a very common challenge for children living with care experience. Having workers be able to look past perceived gender roles and antiquated family values would go a long way.”
“The adoption process has its challenges, as does any conception of a family, but the possibility of being able to give a child love, opportunity and a secure family home far outweighs any ignorance we experienced.”
Members of the Scottish Parliament from across the political spectrum also took the opportunity to affirm their commitment to LGBTQ+ equality, including reform to the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) and a fully inclusive ban on conversion therapy (inclusive of trans people).
Christina McKelvie MSP addressing the Pink News Summer Reception, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh.
Christina McKelvie (SNP Equalities Minister) acknowledged the challenging journey to reform the GRA in Scotland and re-affirmed her commitment to banning conversion therapy for all LGBTQ+ people: “We don’t care how you define yourself. You will be protected under that ban.”
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Labour MSP) addressed the toxic debate surrounding trans rights affirming the need for a fully inclusive ban on conversion therapy: “Your rights are human rights, not because you’re trans but because you’re human.”
Patrick Harvie (co-leader of the Scottish Greens) talked about his experience of growing up gay in the 1980s, and how it tears his heart to see the same moral panic he observed during the section 28 campaign, being weaponised by politicians and the media against trans people.
Jamie Greene (Scottish Conversatives’ shadow justice secretary) also shared his own experience of growing up gay and being bullied at school. He then challenged the UK government’s failure to ban conversation therapy for all LGBTQ+ people and to reform the GRA: “We made a commitment to the LGBTQ+ community that we would ban conversion therapy. We should fulfil that promise and the Scottish government should do exactly the same. We should do it here, we should do it in Westminster, we should do it in Wales, we should do it in Northern Ireland.”
Alex Cole-Hamilton (leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats) also asserted the need for reform to the GRA to make the process more human. He also criticised the current debate around trans lives and challenged the UK government to look at its decision to send refugees to Rwanda.
NHS report reveals significant health and social inequalities faced by Scotland’s LGBT+ communities.
LGBT+ people across Scotland are continuing to face health inequalities across every measure of wellbeing, according to a major new report by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian and Public Health Scotland.
The findings of the Health Needs Assessment, commissioned by the Boards, found that the COVID pandemic has exacerbated issues, with significant numbers experiencing loneliness and isolation, while almost a half of LGBT+ people in the survey said they had experienced discrimination in the previous year – with trans and non-binary communities experiencing higher levels of abuse.
The assessment also revealed significantly high levels of mental ill-health, with more than half of all respondents reporting issues such as depression, anxiety and stress, with the highest rates experienced by trans and non-binary individuals.
The comprehensive assessment was undertaken to better address gaps in knowledge about the health and wellbeing of LGBT+ patient groups, to better inform approaches to public health for LGBT+ people, across seven groups: lesbian and gay women, gay men, bisexual women, bisexual men, trans women, trans men (trans masculine) and non-binary people across the Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Lothian areas.
Nicky Coia, Health Improvement Manager at NHSGGC said: “This report should serve as a wake-up call for everyone involved in the health and wellbeing of LGBT+ communities. Too many continue to suffer from discrimination and abuse, are experiencing social isolation and loneliness and suffering the impacts of poor mental health. This, combined with the poor socio-economic situations many find themselves in, contributes to a substantial health inequalities on every measure of wellbeing.
“While there are positives to be taken in terms of how LGBT+ experience healthcare, particularly from the GPs, there is still work to be done to improve access to, and experience of, person-centred healthcare, that treats the individual, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.”
Dona Milne, Director of Public Health and Health Policy at NHS Lothian said: “We interviewed more than 200 people and over 2,500 people took part in the online survey as part of this research. Their experience is in stark contrast to the progress that many of us may feel has been made in achieving equality in Scotland.
“I want to thank everyone who took part and express our shared desire to highlight this as a key public health issue and deliver real improvements in health and wellbeing for LGBT+ communities.”
Some of the key findings include:
Nearly three in four (73%) survey respondents said they ever felt isolated from family and friends and nearly two in five (38%) had felt lonely all of the time or often in the previous two weeks. Trans and non-binary people showed the highest levels of isolation and loneliness.
The survey showed that overall more than half (54%) of respondents said they had mental health problems e.g. depression/anxiety/stress, but this was higher for trans masculine (75%), non-binary people (72%) and bisexual women (61%). Only one in four (25%) survey respondents rated their general mental and emotional wellbeing positively – but this was lowest for non-binary (9%) and trans masculine (12%).
Of those who answered the question in the survey, nearly one in three (31%) said that they had ever made an attempt to end their life. Although the prevalence of suicide attempts was high across all LGBT+ groups, it was highest among trans masculine and non-binary people, with nearly half of respondents in these groups saying they had made a suicide attempt.
Overall, nearly half (44%) of LGBT+ people in the survey said they had been discriminated against in the last year, but this was highest for non-binary (65%), trans masculine (62%) and trans women (55%).
The survey findings show that 37% of LGBT+ respondents had ever experienced an abusive relationship; identity groups with the highest proportion reporting abusive relationships were trans masculine (48%), non-binary (45%), bisexual women (43%) and trans women (38%).
Only 59% overall rated their general health positively. Gay men and gay/lesbian women were the most likely to rate their health positively, while trans masculine and non-binary people were the least likely. A third (33%) of LGBT+ people had a long-term condition or illness that substantially interferes with their day to day activities.
Most (88%) survey respondent had financial worries at least some of the time. One in six (18%) had experienced food insecurity in the previous 12 months. One in eight (13%) had ever been homeless.
The report’s authors have made 41 recommendations, including an immediate request that all Scottish local authorities should provide or fund at least some, community-led groups or activities for LGBT+ people, with provision for cultural, sport and physical activity and social interest groups, as well as targeting specific identity groups. Other recommendations call for improvements in LGBT+ education in schools, improved LGBT+ training and awareness for health and other staff, improvements in mental health and gender identity clinics and more visibility of LGBT+ inclusive services.
Professor Nicola Steedman, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Scottish Government, said: “The assessment lays bare the fact that too many LGBT+ people are subject to significant inequalities which impact every aspect of their lives. I’m grateful to everyone who took part in the research and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian for carrying out this important work.
“The Scottish Government is committed to reducing inequality – in all its forms – and we welcome the report. We will continue to work with, and across our partners, to improve the health and wellbeing of our LGBT+ communities.”
Mark Kelvin, Chief Executive of LGBT Health and Wellbeing, said: “This report highlights what many of our community members experience in their daily lives.
“Whilst many people believe that LGBTQ+ people have achieved equality, this report reminds us that there is still a lot of work to do. Scotland is celebrated as being a welcoming and inclusive country and whilst that is true, almost half of LGBTQ+ respondents experienced discrimination in the past year. The report also highlights the health inequalities that still exist for many of us and provides very useful and realistic recommendations that will help LGBTQ+ people to live well.
Speaking specifically on how COVID-19 has impacted the LGBTQ+ community, Mark pointed out the dependency on LGBT nightlife for socialisation. He added: “Whilst the closure of pubs and clubs can be seen by many as an inconvenience, for LGBTQ+ people queer-friendly spaces provide an important place of safety and belonging. This meant that during the months of closures, people were shut-off from contact with others like them. I’m hopeful that this report can restart conversations with local authorities and other interested parties to open LGBTQ+ Community Centres, where people of all ages can access a place of safety, information, support, and importantly connection.”
Mhairi Crawford, from LGBT Youth Scotland, said: “LGBT Youth Scotland notes the publication of the health needs assessment of LGBT research findings report. We know from our own recently published research that health care remains a significant issue for LGBTI young people in Scotland. In particular, we welcome the recommendations for healthcare providers and other public bodies to undergo training, which is a key part of our LGBT Charter, in which we also support organisations to undertake reviews of policies and practice to ensure that they are as welcoming as possible for the LGBTI community, whether they are staff, clients, pupils or wider stakeholders.
“We know that alcohol free spaces are highly valued by young people we work with in our youth spaces – so we welcome the recommendation for more LGBT spaces that don’t have alcohol.”
“Finally, we also welcome the recommendation that schools should undertake the LGBT Charter as we know this can have a massive impact on daily lives of LGBTI young people.”
Hello everyone! Rebecca (Policy and Research Officer) here.
LGBT Health and Wellbeing have been in conversation with the Scottish Government’s Dementia Policy Unit discussing the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ people who have lived experience of Dementia. As our previous work on the LGBT Dementia Project highlighted, there are additional challenges those of LGBTQ+ identity experience when they themselves, a loved one and/or family member has dementia.
The Scottish Government’s Dementia Policy Unit are in the process of developing Scotland’s Fourth National Dementia Strategy. The new Strategy aims to take a human rights-based approach which is trauma informed and understands the inequalities of experience those with protected characteristics (such as gender, sexuality, race, disability) can have in relation to living with / supporting a loved one with dementia.
To aid the development of a Dementia Policy Strategy which is informed by the lived experience of folks most marginalised, the Scottish Government is forming a Dementia Lived Experience Panel. This panel will allow for LGBTQ+ people with the lived experience of dementia, or those whose lives dementia has touched, to share their experiences, opinions, thoughts, wants and needs in regards to a new strategy. The Lived Experience Panel will provide space for LGBTQ+ people to highlight the ways in which our experiences are different because of our gender and/or sexual identity and will allow for an opportunity to highlight the acute needs of (often) older LGBTQ+ people or LGBTQ+ carers and informal carers.
The Panel is interested in hearing from any LGBTQ+ people, their families (including chosen) and friends whom:
Have lived experience of dementia
Are LGBTQ+ carers to a person with dementia
Are carers to an LGBTQ+ person with dementia
Provide informal care to a person with dementia
Are LGBTQ+ and have concerns related to dementia and their identity
Are academics and/or medical professionals
Have an interest in dementia and LGBTQ+ identities
Applications for the Dementia Lived Experience Panel are open until 20th June 2022. If you think you might be interested in applying to join the Panel, but are unsure of your eligibility or would like more information contact Rebecca on rebecca@lgbthealth.org.uk.
To apply directly, you can send:
a short (2-3 minute) video
a written piece
a text message
a talking heads or voice recording
by email to dementiapolicy@gov.scot or by text to 0777 028 2221, explaining what and how you will contribute to the panel. If there are any community members who would like support with an application, we are very happy to provide this – just reach out to rebecca@lgbthealth.org.uk or 0754 173 9819.
Hello! I am Louise (she/her) and I have just joined the LGBT Health and Wellbeing team in Glasgow as the Counselling Coordinator for the Mental Health Project. I am really excited for this new role, which will involve overseeing the day to day running of the counselling service, working with our fantastic team of counsellors and offering mental health support to individuals in the LGBT+ community.
I have worked as a counsellor in a bunch of different services and I find it so rewarding. I have a firm faith in the difference it can make to have a warm, non-judgmental space to explore your thoughts and feelings in. I am happy to say that I have witnessed this process of growth time and time again as a counsellor but as a client too. The therapeutic relationship is a very special one!
As Counselling Coordinator, I will be the go-to person in Glasgow if you are looking for counselling support. More information about accessing the service can be found here. After a short initial form is completed, I will meet with you to learn more about what challenges you are facing, what changes you would like to see in your life, and to discuss together what support would be most beneficial for you. Everyone is different, and that is a beautiful thing!
And what about me in my free time? I enjoy spending quiet hours crafting and making jewellery, and active hours swimming and doing Boxfit. I love to travel and have been fortunate to have lived in lots of different parts of Scotland, but also New York and Malta. I am a total water baby so living by the sea was perfect for me. In a future life I would like to come back as a mermaid… or I would be delighted even to be a fish!
So far, I am thoroughly enjoying my new life at LGBT Health. Staff and volunteers alike have been so friendly and welcoming, and are all so passionate, energetic and knowledgeable about the work that they do. It’s a privilege to be part of the team and I really look forward to meeting more of the community as I settle in to this new role.
You may have heard about a rare viral infection called Monkeypox being talked about in the news recently. For many in our community some of this reporting has been hurtful and is reminiscent of how HIV/Aids were reported in the 1980’s. So what is Monkeypox and why are some people connecting it with our community?
Monkeypox is a rare viral infection and as of May 23rd, one case was confirmed in Scotland and this person was isolating in hospital.
We are aware that some sensational media reporting on Monkeypox reinforces homophobic and racist stereotypes. We are working in partnership with the Scottish Government, Public Health officials and other LGBT+ organisations to fight harmful clickbait narratives, and share the facts about Monkeypox. Public health officials are warning against the risks of portraying Monkeypox as a ‘gay disease’ and United Nations officials condemn homophobic and racist reporting.
If the situation today is causing you worry or distress, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for support. Our LGBT Helpline Scotland is open Tuesdays & Wednesdays (12-6pm) and Thursdays & Sundays (1-6pm). Phone 0300 123 2523. Email helpline@lgbthealth.org.uk. Live chat during opening hours on www.lgbthealth.org.uk
Information on Monkeypox
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a viral infection. It is related to Smallpox but is not as severe. In the past, infections were seen in central or west Africa and only occasionally in the UK, usually in people who had travelled to Africa.
Why are the media reporting that it is passed on by Gay, Bi and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM)?
There have been a much larger number of infections than usual in the UK. Most but not all of these cases are in GBMSM who have no link to Africa.
What illness does it cause?
Monkeypox is usually a mild self-limiting illness that causes painful skin lesions, with a high temperature and fever. A blistering rash usually starts 1 to 5 days after other symptoms – the rash may start on the face or in the genital area and may spread to other parts of the body.
How is it spread?
Monkeypox is spread by contact with the blisters or ulcers and by respiratory droplets. It isn’t thought to be sexually transmitted, but it is passed on by any close contact, including during sex. So touching, hugging, kissing or sharing a bed without sex could pass on the infection. This means condoms do not offer protection against Monkeypox.
Coughing and sneezing when you have monkeypox can also pass on the infection to those close to you, as could sharing towels or handling the bedding of someone with Monkeypox.
So just how easy is it to pass on?
It is transmitted through close contact, especially skin to skin, including but not limited to sexual contact.E.g. Topless hugging etc. As sex usually also involves a lot of skin-to-skin contact this is one of the situations where the virus could transmitted.
Why is it affecting GBMSM?
Whilst GBMSM are currently over-represented in cases this is not a virus that exclusively affects this population. It seems that the current cases are linked to GBMSM networks (socialising, apps, dating etc) mean that numbers are currently higher in this population.
How serious is it?
Monkeypox is usually a mild illness but can be fatal in some people. Most previous cases have been seen in Africa, where more people were susceptible to severe disease and treatments may be less effective. The current cases in GBMSM in the UK are a milder form or ‘clade’ of the virus. Whilst we’re still finding out more about this strain, it is thought that the fatality rate is likely to be less than 3% – possibly less than 1%.
Am I more at risk of serious disease if I get Monkeypox?
People who may be more at risk of serious disease include children, pregnant people and people who have low immunity (immunosuppressed).
Does it affect people with HIV differently?
We don’t know for certain how Monkeypox will affect people living with HIV, but the current advice is that treatment and care should be the same as for people who are HIV negative.
Most people living with HIV in the UK are on treatment and well. We think that the risk of severe illness might be greater for people with a CD4 count<200, a recent HIV related illness, or a viral load over 200 copies/mL. BHIVA has released a statement on HIV and Monkeypox
Why all the fuss?
Monkeypox is currently categorised as a ‘High Consequence Infectious Disease’ – that’s the same category as something like Ebola virus, so this series of cases is being treated as a very high priority by governments, Public Health bodies and the medical community. So if a person believes they may have the virus, strict protocols will be followed to minimise the risk of transmission. Healthcare staff will use protective equipment (PPE) similar to that used for COVID-19.
Is a vaccine available?
Smallpox vaccine gives some protection against Monkeypox (Smallpox was eradicated from the world in 1980). Supplies of vaccine in the UK are currently limited. Some contacts of Monkeypox may be offered vaccine and it has been given to some healthcare staff who have cared for people with Monkeypox.
What should I do if I think I might have it?
Phone your local sexual health clinic if:
You have genital lesions (for example a blister or sore) and:
you think that you may have monkeypox
you’ve been in close contact with someone who might have monkeypox
If your sexual health clinic is closed, phone your GP. If your GP is closed, phone 111. In an emergency phone 999.
It is advised that until you are assessed you stay home and avoid close contact with others and that you make contact medical services by telephone.
Hi everyone! My name is Eve (she/her) and I’ve just started in my new role with LGBT Health and Wellbeing on the Community Project in Glasgow. I’m really excited to be here and I will do my best to help develop the community, and combat isolation. I look forward to meeting all you wonderful people and see how I can get involved.
Prior to starting as Development Worker I worked as a sessional staff member on the project’s Rainbow Nights events, as well as on events for both the Glasgow and Lothian Trans Support Programmes. Going back before my sessional work, I started volunteering for LGBT Health and Wellbeing in January 2019.
What got me involved?
Coming out in my late 20s, I really struggled to find the language to talk about my identity, and the headspace to allow myself to process it. I attended my first events in 2018 and remember meeting our wonderful Development Worker in charge of the Glasgow Trans Support Programme: Katrina. I would come to meetings and sit in a corner, in absolute awe of these wonderful trans folks, just like me. They were all beginning to accept themselves and to process who they truly are, and I found this inspiring.
After maybe six months of coming to meetings and sitting in a corner, just talking to Katrina and the other staff members, I finally had the courage to be me at an event – something it had taken me years to build up to. So when everyone else was having their lunch, I went to the bathroom and changed into my clothes. I remember re-emerging into the room in a starry dress rather than the jeans and t-shirt I’d arrived in. A huge weight lifted from me. And as always, staff and attendees so positive and affirming.
What do I get from working with the community?
After eight to ten months of attending occasional events, I became a regular and would stay behind at the end to help tidy up and thank the staff. This soon turned to volunteering, and from there I realised this is my true passion.
For the last two years I have enjoyed running Rainbow Nights – hosting online games for the community over Zoom, helping people play everything from Trivial Pursuit and Family Fortunes to the Crystal Maze, and my own game – Pride.
OK but who am I?
In my spare time, I enjoy nothing more than time on my couch either catching up on TV (most recently watching Breaking Bad again, Pose, Deep Space 9 and American Horror Story) or occasional gaming. I also enjoy hillwalking but haven’t been up a Munro in three years now. I also have passions for makeup, Star Trek, heavy metal music, professional wrestling and vegetarian food.
What do I hope to achieve?
I’ve achieved a lot working with the community over the past three years but I feel I have only scratched the surface of the ideas I have. I’m keen to facilitate events centred around music, culture, art and film – things I feel bring people together and help drive community development. Before starting, I’d drawn up a huge spider diagram of all my ideas, so I definitely have a lot to work on, but ultimately it depends on what the community wants from me.
Moving on
I’m so excited to be working with the organisation and to have the chance to continue to help support and develop the community, and I look forward to catching up with you all. You can contact me at eve@lgbthealth.org.uk or leave a message for me on the admin phone at 0141 255 1767.
It’s only a week until I join LGBT Health and Wellbeing as the new CEO (I start on 25th April) and I’ve been invited to use this space to share a bit more about myself as we begin to get to know each other better. Camille, our fantastic Communications and Evaluations worker has kindly suggested a few things that you might be interested to hear about over the next few weeks, and for this blog I am answering the question ‘What does Pride mean to you?’. I’m very keen to get to know our community members more and hope to attend some of our groups and events over the coming months. Of course, I respect the privacy and value of these spaces and will be making myself available in other ways too. I’m excited to hear your thoughts and ideas for our future.
So, what does Pride mean to me?
As we get to know each other, you’ll learn quickly that I’m a big fan of therapy, and I’m very happy to speak openly about some of my experiences in various types of therapy. I think one of the reasons that I’m such a big fan is that when people are ready, it can be a great space for healing. We can heal from recent events and wounds that we’re aware of, as well as those lying a bit deeper, or from our past. It’s also a unique space where we can get to know our true selves better and as such, navigate our relationships with the world from a whole new perspective.
As members of the LGBT+ community, many of us experience othering from an early age and our ‘difference’ isn’t always celebrated. Often these messages are negative, and we’re told, directly or indirectly, that we’re wrong, broken, or abnormal, and we can feel shame for who we are.
We still see this today, especially towards Trans members of our community. I identify as queer, and I’m comfortable identifying as a gay man as that’s how most of the world receives me. I’m now at a place where I’m comfortable in my own skin and can hand-on-heart say that I’m proud of who I am. So what’s changed? Some people still feel hate towards me just because I exist, but I’ve learned that’s not about me at all, and I’ve developed a non-stick coating so that dirt doesn’t stick. That stuff washes right off (so long as I take care of my non-stick coating).
Before I began my therapeutic journey, my coping mechanism had been to block out the negative past experiences, and ‘forget about them’. That served a purpose at the time but looking back now I can see that it stopped me flourishing. Imagine a tree; we can’t just lop off the roots that we don’t like, that would stop it growing. I’ve learned to grow down into those roots in order to be able to continue to grow, and to reach a point where I can flourish – for me that’s true Pride.
Political commitments to our community are being rolled back and hate crime and negative press coverage are on the rise. These things wear out our non-stick coating before we even consider our personal circumstances and challenges.
So my short answer to Camille’s question is ‘Pride is the absence of shame’.
That’s one reason that I’m so excited to take up this post. We have an increasing need to connect across the LGBT+ community and support each other to flourish. Despite funding challenges being more difficult than ever, we need to offer the right services that meet the right needs at the right time, and in the right place.
Our community is diverse, resilient, and powerful. I’m excited to get to know you all better and work to offer the services, activities, and opportunities that will help us all to flourish.
Each of us should be able to look in the mirror and hand-on-heart say out loud that we’re proud of who we are. If I can be a small part in enabling that, I can think of no place I’d rather be.
We conducted our annual service evaluation in late 2021 to find out more about who used our services (online and in person) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and what you think of them.
291 community members at LGBT Health and Wellbeing took the time to tell us what they thought about our services.
You told us what you gained using our services:
“I’ve made new connections with people, have gained the confidence to be more open about who I am, and just in general feel much more connected and part of the LGBT community overall.”
“Being connected with others like me, not feeling judged for who I am. Having been in the closet for decades I’m coming out slowly but surely.”
“Friendships, fun and strong sense of solidarity in times of worry and difficulty. Social spaces have brought me comfort, joy and a place to be reminded that my identity is wonderful, cherished and evolving.”
“A feeling of comfort in knowing that I’m not alone in what I’m going through. The chance to speak to someone who has gone through similar struggles and can be empathetic, not only sympathetic.”
“All in all, my engagement with LGBTH&W has really been tremendously beneficial – helping me navigate through a really challenging time in my life.”
Key Findings
87% of you rated our staff and volunteers as very good or excellent
84% of you said that you found the quality of our services excellent or very good
84% of you rated your overall experience with us as very good or excellent
The difference LGBT Health and Wellbeing has made to you
77%reported feeling less lonely after engaging with our services
73% of you felt more connected to your community through LGBT Health
72% of you feel more aware of services
70%of you report that you have better mental and emotional health
What you enjoy and value
“Having connections to parts of the community I’ve had little contact with – being able to hear people’s experiences, see/hear their art, etc.”
“Being able to attend online events is definitely helping me cope with the isolation my chronic illness & shielding cause.”
“Feeling accepted for who I am, not having to justify my presence in LGBT spaces. Opportunities to expose my child to LGBT people and families.”
Social connection with your community throughout the pandemic
The sense of belonging and pride
Welcoming, accepting and safe environment
The opportunity to make LGBT+ friends
Access to educational resources and community conversations
Our approach to accessibility
Your suggestions for improvements and our response
We are aware that at the start of the pandemic all of our services moved very quickly to online delivery. This has been a learning curve for all of us, and whilst this has opened up some new opportunities, we realise that for some this has meant that they have not been able to connect with us as before.
Now that restrictions are easing we are now able to look forward to the range of services that we can provide longer term.
A return to in-person services
There were many requests for a return to in-person events and services. Now that the Scottish Government have published their strategy for living with the virus, we’re looking forward to introducing more in-person events in Glasgow and Edinburgh. We’ll continue to deliver online services to reach those who are unable to attend in-person to ensure people continue to feel connected to their community.
Publicity, Promotion and Access
Many of you highlighted some logistical issues with accessing our website via tablets and mobile phones. We are continuing to work on the accessibility of the website and we have already made some practical changes to this
We are aware that some people felt that some of the events we advertised too close to the date they were happening – as a team we will continue to look at how and when we promote our events.
Thank you for completing our survey
Our teams are now reviewing all the detailed feedback you gave us and this will be really helpful in shaping our plans going forward. As we do we will continue to seek your views on how you experience our services. This will help us continue to shape our services for the future. Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback.
As our current Chief Executive Maruska Greenwood prepares to step down, we’re excited to confirm Mark Kelvin as our new Chief Executive
Mark (he/him) will join us in April 2022 and will lead on the strategic development and management of our charity throughout this exciting next chapter as we continue to develop and deliver support services for LGBT+ people in Scotland, as well as raising awareness of the barriers and inequalities that the LGBT+ community face in Scotland today.
Mark began his career as a Health Advisor in a young people’s health clinic where his focus was on sexual health and substance use. During this role, Mark became increasingly aware of structural barriers and inequalities that directly impacted on people’s health and wellbeing. Since then he has dedicated his career to mitigating the impact of health inequalities. He has previously served as CEO of Disability Snowsport UK, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Glasgow Watersports, and joins us from the Glasgow Alliance to End Homelessness, where he has responsibility for leading an alliance of organisations to end homelessness in Glasgow by 2030.
Keep an eye on our website and social media over the next few weeks as we get to know more about Mark, his background, and journey into LGBT Health and Wellbeing
As I prepare to step down as Chief Executive of LGBT Health and Wellbeing, I’ve been asked to share a bit of my reflections about my journey with the organisation, and some of the challenges and achievements. As it’s LGBT History Month, it seems appropriate to try to capture some of the history of my early rather pioneering days with the organisation, and some of how we got to where we are today
My journey with the LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing -as it was then called- started in 2008 when I applied for the post of Manager. The post was advertised as temporary, a five-month contract, something which, whilst not unusual in the voluntary sector in general, is more so for a leadership position. What I did not however realise is that the Centre had in fact shut its doors some months previously, making all the staff redundant. And that the staff in the organigram provided as part of the application pack were in fact, at this stage, merely aspirational. That all became clear at interview, and when I met the last member of staff standing, the Manager who too would soon be departing.
How had it come to this? Like other Healthy Living Centres set up right across the UK to address health inequalities in disadvantaged communities, the organisation had launched in Edinburgh in 2003 with 5 years of Lottery funding. That Lottery funding had come to an end and the organisation was being wrapped up. However, at the eleventh hour, there was the chance of a reprieve, with an invitation to apply to the Scottish Government for some transitional funding. Thus, at the time of my interview the future of the organisation hung in the balance, as an application had been submitted -the outcome of which was not yet known.
In short, accepting the job was a very big gamble. It’s a gamble I would not have taken without the strong drive I had to make a difference to the LGBT community. A drive which had earlier led me to work in the lesbian and gay bookshop West and Wilde for a number of years, as well as volunteer with Lesbian and Gay Switchboard, and campaign against Section 28. It is also a gamble I could not have taken without the unwavering support of my partner, Kate Fearnley, also a longstanding community activist.
Organisers of Anti Section 28 Demo Edinburgh 1987 (Maruska: right hand side)
So my time with the organisation had quite a desultory start. I found myself in an empty privately rented 3-storey building on Howe Street (that came with the financial challenge of its eye-watering New Town rent), with as yet no colleagues and the monumental challenge of turning the fortunes of the organisation around, with possibly no more than 5 months to do so.
As it turned out, happily the gamble paid off! The relatively modest short term funding from the Scottish Government came through, just enough to recruit a small team and get the wheels in motion. A few months later, in October 2008, we relaunched with a programme of community activities, and have not looked back. Gradually I was able to start securing further funding. The first multi-year funding came from NHS Lothian to support our community programme. Later on, funding came from the Scottish Government for our mental health programme, and I was able to identify trusts and foundations willing to support our work with older people, and our trans programme. In time, we took over what had been the volunteer-run Lothian Gay and Lesbian Switchboard when after 35 years it faltered. It was a much valued long-running community self-help initiative which, like so many others over the years, I’d volunteered with -so to ensure the survival of the service felt especially fitting.
Not just Switchboard, but many of the areas of work we focused on drew on my previous work and volunteering experiences and contacts. For example, the early focus on older people was driven by my many years of working in the dementia field, and awareness of the lack of LGBT visibility and inclusion in mainstream older peoples’ services. And equally other staff within our small team brought their own experience, interests and contacts, which proved instrumental in enabling us to develop initiatives around arts, physical activity and LGBT parenting.
Lothian Gay & Lesbian Switchboard
However, there was surprisingly little community engagement and service delivery to build on from the earlier phase of the organisation. Work seemed to largely have been focused on improving LGBT inclusion and raising awareness of the issues within mainstream services, such as the NHS. There had been relatively limited community-facing work, other than short-term programmes. Valuable work had however been started in relation to trans people, with initiatives like T time and trans swimming, initiatives we were determined to try to continue.
This lack of community-facing work meant two things. Firstly, that the organisation had a very low profile within the LGBT community, and there was therefore a great deal of publicity and community outreach work needed. And secondly, that there simply wasn’t a track record to evidence need. This was especially challenging when approaching funders, given that the general awareness around LGBT issues, health inequalities and needs was so much lower than it is now, and we were often having to make the case not just for the organisation and the value of our work, but also for the very need for any of it.
Howe Street: Head Office until 2020
It was however very evident there was lots of work to do! The LGBT community has historically been significantly under-served in terms of support organisations, with most initiatives being led by the community itself and reliant on the time, energy and resources of often just a few individuals, making them precarious and sadly frequently short-lived. Where funding had been available, it had by and large been HIV related and focused on the sexual health of gay and bisexual men. We were therefore keen to not duplicate work being done with that arena, and instead looked to focus on more under-represented groups and issues. This meant an early emphasis on improving mental and emotional health, as well as a weighting of our work towards trans wellbeing and older people.
The work in Edinburgh developed quite rapidly over those first few years, and as I succeeded in securing funding for new areas of work the team, and the programmes we were able to deliver, grew. But growth wasn’t always linear and, in spite of best efforts, some important areas of work and pilot initiatives simply could not be sustained, such as our exploratory work focused on drug and alcohol issues, and our pilot project supporting LGBT people with learning difficulties.
However, having the experience of building up our services from ground zero in Edinburgh meant we had a lot of valuable learning to hand when it came to establishing the organisation in Glasgow. This geographical expansion had never previously been part of the plan, but over the years we’d become increasingly aware of the dearth of service provision for LGBT adults in Glasgow.
Our involvement in trying to support others to re-establish an LGBT Centre in Glasgow, after its demise in 2009, brought us closer to the issues and the need that clearly existed in Scotland’s largest city. This sense was strongly confirmed when, in 2012, as part of our first Scotland-wide project, we started to provide support for trans people in Glasgow.
A couple of years later we had the chance to extend our work with older people beyond Edinburgh, and decided to use this as an opportunity to get more of a foothold in the city and for the first time base a small staff team in Glasgow. And the rest as they say is history.
LGBT Age launch in 2014
The work of the new Glasgow team grew rapidly from supporting older community members to a much wider offering to the community. The community itself very much welcomed our services, and we saw engagement grow rapidly. Our experience of developing and delivering community services in Edinburgh provided an invaluable roadmap, but we also wanted to make sure our programmes were shaped in a way that responded to local need, and to that aim consulted widely. So for example, our increasing engagement with asylum seekers and refugees led over the course of a few years to establishing a key distinct new strand of work focused specifically on this section of our community.
Other things about the local context proved very different too, not least the challenge of securing statutory funding for our work. Relationships with statutory partners have taken time to develop. In Glasgow we didn’t have the strong links with the NHS that had been made in the earlier phase of the organisation’s history, and these connections were sorely missed. And more generally we realised there were simply a huge number of new relationships we needed to forge at all levels and across so many of the thematic areas our work spans, and we successfully managed to do that, to ensure the organisation was well networked and able to effectively collaborate with key partners.
Through the years, what I’ve set out to do is to shape an organisation that is very much about community, and that operates from within the community it serves. For me it has never been about big personalities, but about creating an organisation where LGBT+ people from all walks of life can feel recognised, represented, supported and included.
Glasgow Pride 2019
A big part of that community development approach has been finding ways to harness the tremendous skills, energy and talent within that community by providing opportunities for individuals to volunteer with an organisation that promotes their interests. And it’s been great to see more of those volunteers and community leaders have now also joined our staff team.
It’s of course a huge privilege to have the opportunity to do what I’ve done, to rebuild and shape an organisation from the ground up. And to have been able to do this in an area I’m so passionate about. But to be honest, without the huge passion I felt and still feel for the importance of supporting our community, and the ambition, drive, determination and resilience it has required to take the organisation from that one member of staff to the robust organisation it is today, it would simply not have been possible. That passion drove me to take on the challenge in the first place, and it is what has motivated me to continue driving the organisation forward for nearly 14 years, to enable us to achieve what we’ve managed collectively to achieve.
Edinburgh Pride 2019
Heading up the organisation has undoubtedly been massively rewarding, but the challenges have also been monumental, and have at times felt pretty insurmountable. And even when surrounded by such a fantastic team, being at the top can at times be a very lonely place to be!
So it’s definitely been a pretty action-packed adventure; and a journey bookended by two major global events. At the start, taking over the charity at the time of the 2008 financial crisis, when its survival looked exceedingly doubtful. And more recently, ensuring that, as a by now well-established charity, we have been able to successfully navigate the impact of the pandemic.
Both these momentous global events have had their impact. Trying to ensure the very survival of the organisation, at a time when public finances were being so dramatically impacted on, undoubtedly added to the challenge of achieving financial sustainability. And of course it made the effort needed to both sustain good work, and secure funding to continue to develop, that bit more difficult. But having climbed what at times felt like an unclimbable mountain in those early years certainly made the struggle to get our Glasgow services and team established feel, if still quite a daunting challenge, at least a bit more possible. And having got as far as we’d got, in early 2020 there was a real collective determination to continue to deliver the support the LGBT+ community so clearly needed. I’m very proud that we immediately switched to remote working and delivery, with no hiatus in service. No-one was furloughed, and I was able bring in short-term Covid-related funding to allow us to further develop our services to reach people isolated by the pandemic, including extending the Helpline and developing the Telefriending Service, as well as work to address the digital exclusion and hardship faced by asylum seekers and refugees.
The organisation is now widely known and highly respected, both for the quality of services we deliver and for the credible way we represent the voices, needs and interests of our community. As part of our local and national policy and influencing work, we’ve been able to position the organisation as a strong advocate and a reliable source of expertise. This has encompassed my work to get LGBT needs included in national policy in relation to mental health and older people.
Our integrity has always been critical to that recognition. I’m proud that we’ve consistently set out to be very transparent about what we do, and that in our reporting we’ve showcased our work truthfully and with integrity.
Looking back over the years, I’m truly astonished at the pace of change and at everything we’ve managed to achieve. What I discovered along the way is that I have a really strong entrepreneurial spirit, which has enabled the organisation to proactively seek new horizons, maximise opportunities, develop and innovate. The pace of change in the organisation has been a huge strength, and it undoubtedly really helped us weather the pandemic.
The other thing I discovered along the way is how unexpectedly good I am at raising money. It’s unusual in an organisation our size for fundraising to remain entirely within the brief for the CEO. However, in this case, given the consistently phenomenally high success rate of our bids, it made complete sense. The organisation is now in a stronger financial position than it has ever been, and its income is now more than 5 times what it was that initial year when I took over the organisation. It’s quite an achievement to have secured over £8 million in contracts, grants and awards over my time with the organisation, particularly when I think back to how hard it has often been to argue the case for funding for LGBT-focused work.
Maruska at Edinburgh Pride 2017
Whilst I’ve focused here on my journey with the organisation, that journey has of course been one that many people have over the years contributed to. It has been a real pleasure to work with such a driven and committed staff and volunteer team. Again and again, I have been delighted and impressed by the calibre of people who want to work with the organisation, and the commitment, creativity and energy they each bring to our collective endeavour. They should be rightfully proud of what we have built together, and the difference the organisation makes to the LGBT+ community.
There are so many reasons to be proud of what the organisation has achieved over the years, and continues to achieve, and I’m delighted to have played such a pivotal role in its journey. The decision to step back has needless to say been a huge wrench – there is undoubtedly so much I’ll miss about being part of LGBT Health and Wellbeing!
However, it does very much feels like the right time, both for me personally, and indeed for the organisation. And I very much look forward to witnessing what the next chapter will look like for this fantastic organisation, and hope to see it very much continue to develop and flourish.
On 31st January, with colleagues at Stonewall Scotland, LGBT Youth Scotland, Scottish Trans Alliance and Equality Network, we wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government -Shona Robison MSP- about the letter she received last week from the Equality and Human Rights Commission about Gender Recognition Act reform.
We are writing to you in response to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s recent letter to you on gender recognition reform.
We are aware that the EHRC have called for “more detailed consideration” on a range of issues before proceeding with reform.
This position is incoherent, considering reforms to the Act are one of the most consulted on policies in the Scottish Parliament’s history. In the last five years, there has been two high-profile public consultations on reform, including on a draft Bill. When a Bill is introduced to the Scottish Parliament this year, there will be a lengthy period of detailed scrutiny of its provisions through the parliamentary process, allowing for the more detailed consideration the EHRC have called for.
We would note that EHRC Scotland responded to both of those previous consultations, supporting reform, and identified the simplification of the gender recognition process as one of their key policy priorities going into the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.
Several of the issues they have raised requiring “more detailed consideration” they have previously spoken directly to, asserting that they do not present barriers to reform, and in fact advancing the exact opposite assertion. For example, in their response to the UK Government’s consultation on reforming the Gender Recognition Act, they said that:
“The process for seeking legal gender recognition should not perpetuate the false assumption that being trans is a mental illness, and should therefore not rely on any medical diagnosis or intervention.”
We would also highlight that whilst their letter states that they look forward to “working with you and others” on improvements to gender identity services in Scotland, the significant change in their position on gender recognition reform has been reached without any direct consultation with trans people in Scotland, or organisations advocating for their equality and human rights.
We think that this lack of direct consultation with trans people is a central reason that they have been able to come to a position so far removed from previously publically stated ones, in line with well-established international human rights principles. We regret that this change in position would seem to fundamentally undermine their role to uphold and protect the equality and human rights of all people with protected characteristics, and has understandably seriously damaged the confidence that many LGBT+ people, particularly trans people, have in the Commission to do so.
We would welcome assurances that the Scottish Government still intends to progress with legislation to reform the Gender Recognition Act in this first year of the parliamentary session, and that this will not be subject to any unnecessary delays.
Hey everyone! I am Rebecca (she/her) and I have just started this month my new role here at LGBT Health and Wellbeing, as Policy and Research Officer. My role will largely involve supporting the development of equitable and inclusive policy here in Scotland, informed and shaped by the experiences of LGBTQ+ folks. This means I will be engaging with colleagues, those who access services and many, many others I am sure.
It was my passion for our LGBTQ+ community which led me to the role here at LGBT Health. With a background in policy and research, as well as humanitarian aid and community development, I am committed to human rights and ensuring access to human rights for all, particularly those most marginalised and/or bypassed by systems.
I am originally from Fife, but have lived in Ontario, Canada and Cordoba, Spain. I also did a stint in Glasgow when completing my Masters degree, how I love Dear Green coffee.
In my free time I enjoy reading, my favourite book last year was probably On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. I have upped my reading challenge this year, so if you have any good recommendations do let me know! I also volunteer with my local community-funded foodbank in Kirkcaldy and place value on community engagement and people to people solidarity. I am also a keen baker and love to try my hand at veganizing all the things I loved pre-vegan.
I am so excited to be here with you all at LGBT Health and Wellbeing and am looking forward to getting to know you all more as I settle into my role. I am very keen to engage with our community here and would encourage anyone to reach out if they wish to know a bit more about my role, or if they would like to discuss anything policy related. You can reach me here: rebecca@lgbthealth.org.uk
