This new report on homophobia and transphobia carried out in South Yorkshire represents a collaborative piece of work between Sheffield Hallam University, Chilypep and the Centre for HIV and Sexual Health. Chilypep as a youth participation agency has worked for a number of years in supporting and developing the voice of LGBT young people. Through their development of GLOBAL (Gay, Lesbian and Others Becoming Active Leaders), a young people’s forum that challenged homophobia, they learnt more about how homophobia impacts on young people’s lives in so many ways. The organisation witnessed the lack of support for many LGBT young people leaving them often isolated, unheard and unsafe. At the same time they saw how young people took responsibility for challenging that homophobia and worked to change it. Sadly – and somewhat ironically in light of this report – the work of GLOBAL eventually came to an end due to a lack of funding.
The Centre for HIV and Sexual Health in Sheffield, which is a part of the NHS, has worked for almost 25 years in the area of sexual health promotion – at both a local level and national level. The Centre has consistently recognised the importance of issues such as homophobia and transphobia and the significant impact they have on the health and well-being of members of the LGBT communities. The Centre has produced resources, arranged events and delivered conferences and training courses designed to highlight the health impacts of homophobia and transphobia.
Programmes of outreach work and group work with members of the LGBT communities have continued to inform practice and raise awareness within the team of the extent and level of homophobia and transphobia in our communities – and in institutions such as schools and the workplace.
This report makes salutary and upsetting reading. In both schools and youth work settings LGBT young people still face prejudice, misunderstanding and on occasions the threat of physical violence. The report highlights the full spectrum of homophobia and transphobia and its multi-faceted manifestations; ranging from the denial of the existence of LGBT young people in school (and the dismissive attitude that their experiences are just part of a phase), through to examples of shocking acts of abuse.
There is still so much more to do to ensure that LGBT young people can live fulfilled, safe and happy lives in which they are able to be open and engaged with the communities in which they live. We need to continue to develop the support groups and campaigning organisations that young people need to challenge the homophobia and transphobia faced by LGBT young people in their schools, in youth settings and in their communities. It is simply not acceptable that young LGBT people should continue to experience much of the abuse which is outlined in this report.
We welcome this report and hope that we will all use its findings to push for more resources to challenge homophobia and transphobia and ensure the voices of LGBT young people are heard. It is vital that this document is widely distributed and acted upon.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge the dedication, hard work and commitment shown to this study by its author Eleanor Formby, with the support of Ben Willis.
Sara Gowen, Chilypep and Steve Slack, Centre for HIV and Sexual Health
November 2011
