South Gloucestershire Council has reaffirmed its commitment to improving equality, inclusion and wellbeing for the LBGTQ+ community, following the publication of new research carried out in partnership with The Diversity Trust.
The report, called Living Proud in South Gloucestershire: Understanding and improving the lives of LGBTQ+ communities, was adopted by the council’s cabinet in December.
The study details the experiences of LGBTQ+ people living and working in South Gloucestershire and beyond. It found widespread experiences of discrimination, harassment and exclusion, alongside significant inequalities in life outcomes, including in health and wellbeing, education and housing.
Many of those who took part in the research described feeling unsafe or unwelcome in everyday spaces, with reports of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic behaviour having a serious impact on mental health. LGBTQ+ young people were particularly affected, with bullying in education settings and social isolation highlighted as key concerns.
The report has provided a series of recommendations to change these experiences and deliver positive, practical steps to strengthen inclusion, enhance services, and ensure local LGBTQ+ people feel safe, heard and supported. The council is already delivering on recommendations and is urging other services, providers and partners in the area to do the same.
These include:
- Improving LGBTQ+ inclusion and anti-bullying practice in schools
- Strengthening access to inclusive healthcare and mental health support
- Support for LGBTQ+ people within homelessness services, particularly for young people at risk of familial rejection
- Embedding accountability and LGBTQ+ representation within local decision-making.
Councillor Alison Evans, Cabinet Member responsible for equalities at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “We are extremely grateful to everyone who took part in this research and shared their experiences. The recommendations give us a clear and practical route to continue improving the way we serve and support LGBTQ+ people in South Gloucestershire. We want everyone who lives, works or studies here to feel included and valued, and we are taking meaningful action to make that a reality.”
Berkeley Wilde, chief executive of The Diversity Trust, said: “The body of work was co-produced with LGBTQ+ people and rooted in lived experience. That matters, because the evidence shows that too many LGBTQ+ residents still face poorer health outcomes, barriers to safe housing and employment, and heightened exposure to discrimination and harm. These are not abstract issues, they are daily realities for people living and working in our communities.
“At The Diversity Trust, we believe equality is not achieved through statements of intent, but through measurable action. This research shows what needs to change and how it can be done, when institutions work alongside communities rather than speaking for them. This report must be a catalyst for change so that LGBTQ+ people in South Gloucestershire can live safely, freely, openly and with the dignity and respect the law promises.”
The council will continue working with community partners, service providers and local residents as these improvements progress, and will publish regular updates as further actions are delivered.
Read the full report here: http://www.southglos.gov.uk/living-proud
