Why we need allies more than ever

At the end of LGBT History month, UNISON has issued new guidance for those who want to act as ‘allies’ to LGBT+ people The union’s efforts come in the light of increasingly disturbing figures that show a rise in discrimination against the LGBT+ community. However, while the rate of prosecution has dropped from 20% to 8%, the number of homophobic attacks has doubled and the number of transphobic attacks has tripled. The Home Office’s own hate crime statistics for 2018/19, released in October last year, also showed a 10% increase anti-LGBT attacks in England and Wales, compared to the previous year. The UK’s specialist LGBT+ anti-violence charity, Galop has also issued a report – Hate Crime Report 2019: Attitudes to LGBT+ people in the UK – that makes sobering reading. In his introduction to the report, Galop head of hate crime services, Nick Antjoule, stated: “Despite most people in this UK poll voicing support for LGBT+ people, a significant proportion still think we are dangerous, immoral or that we can be ‘cured’. “More importantly, it offers a sobering reminder that progress achieved in recent decades can easily be reversed. Young people polled tended to hold more negative views toward LGBT+ people than other age groups.” Specifically, the research found that one in five people described being LGBT+ as ‘immoral or against their beliefs’. Perhaps the finding of greatest concern is that this rose to one in four among 18-24-year olds – h...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article LGBT LGBT history LGBT members Source Type: news