Another Brick in the Wall: Community Discussion

A report created by LGBT Youth Scotland named Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People: Education (2012) found that educational institutes are where LGBT young people face most discrimination. With this in mind, LGBT Health and Wellbeing hosted a community discussion in May 2017 to gain a greater understanding of the experiences, both past and present of LGBT+ people whilst learning within educational environments.

This community discussion was attended by 40 people from LGBT+ communities in Edinburgh. It formed part of the ongoing series of community discussions hosted by LGBT Health and Wellbeing to provide a safe space where LGBT+ people can feel empowered and supported to have a say on topics and matters that affect their lives.

At this discussion, participants had an opportunity to share their experiences of being in educational settings, with stories shared from the 1950’s to present day. We aimed to reach a diverse age range of participants in order to provide a platform for intergenerational discussion, engaging with youth groups but also LGBT Age, to create a united sense of community. Having a wide age range also allowed for an opportunity to examine differences and commonalities, taking stock of what has changed in educational settings, what issues still remain and what we can learn from one another’s experiences. Importantly, the event brought to light issues that have recently affected young people, providing feedback and information to share more widely and a means of direction for moving forward.