Birmingham LGBT

 

Between December 2009 and January 2010.Birmingham LGBT community trust carried out two consultation events with members of the LGBT community who are living or working in the city of Birmingham. The aim of the consultation events was to provide information for Birmingham city councils equalities and diversity department to support the development of their single equality scheme and to provide information to the Health and well being partnership about the health needs of the LGBT community.
 

The first event was held on December 2nd 2009 at the Nightingale club lower Essex street .The event was facilitated by the health and well being partnership and Birmingham LGBT community trust and the focus was LGBT health with the following areas being consulted on Transgendered health, GPs and access to primary care, mental health, prevention and age The second event was held on the 23^rd January 2010 and was organised and facilitated by Birmingham LGBT Community Trust. The areas consulted on were community engagement community cohesion, housing and social care and community safety in total 50 people attended the events and input into the consultation process.
 

A number of themes were explored with participants

Tran’s health

Under the theme of Transgendered health the following issues were identified

·        Access to services is a post code lottery

·        In Birmingham there is a problem with people not being referred to gender specialist clinics for diagnosis and treatment

·        Recognising the risks of cancer: cervical (Transgendered men) , prostate (Transgendered women)and providing access to screening

·        Sexual health promotion work does not take account of the needs of the Transgendered community or provide services

·        Self medication many  Transgendered people are self medicating with hormones and there are associated health risks

·        Puberty blockers are not available in the United Kingdom despite the evidence that supports their use.

·        There is a need for research into Transgendered health

·        Mental health issues and suicide risks

·        Post  operative  packages which could include social care packages

Mental Health

Under the theme of mental health the following issues were identified

·        Coming out to family and friends work colleagues ext can have a negative effect on emotional well being

·        The effect of homophobic bullying in schools

·        Distrust of services

·        The effect of Homophobic and Tran phobic hate crimes and domestic abuse

·         The effects of Internalised homophobia and internalised hetrosexism on emotional wellbeing

·        Post Traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders self harm and substance misuse

 

·         The need to correctly advertise support services, especially to vulnerable members of our community.

·        The need for better awareness of the needs  of hidden communities, e.g. BME/LGBT people

·        GPs’ lack of knowledge and understanding of LGBT issues and mental health issues e.g. “take these pills, you’ll be alright”

·        The need to address the underlying issues

·        Better balance between sexual orientation awareness and mental health awareness

General Practise and access to primary care

Under the theme of GPs and access to primary care the following issues were identified

·        The participants felt that it would be better if their sexual orientation/gender identity could be identified when you first access services i.e. on the registration form to prevent assumptions that you are heterosexual and having to come out.

·        LGBT monitoring information to  be included on all forms

·        Positive imagery of LGBT people in all organisations, creating a safe environment.

·        Appropriate information about services including leaflets, (e.g. domestic violence, drugs and alcohol), which address LGBT issues that lead to Health problems.

·        Addressing LGBT issues in ongoing professional training.

·        One-to-one training for all health professionals so that they can respond appropriately to the individuals presenting.

·        Organisations should empower LGBT people with information on how to complain when they have experienced unacceptable services.

·         Empower LGBT individuals to be able to follow up complaints, so people feel they have been heard, and services improve.

Under the theme of age the following issues were identified

Older people’s health

·        Older LGBT men and women have a history of living with illegality and have had to deny their sexual orientation so are unlikely to come out to service providers.

·        Older LGBT men and women may have undergone aversion therapy, possibly elective and have been traumatised by this process which can lead to fear of professionals

·        Professional staff need to change their assumption that the patient is heterosexual

·        There is a need for positive images of LGBT people including older people in GP/primary care settings.

·        There is an emphasis on sexuality, rather than sexual orientation which leads to older LGBT men and women becoming invisible

·        This results in compound prejudice: older people don’t /shouldn’t have sex

·        There were anecdotal reports of a good response from health care staff when visiting partners in hospital

·        Sexual orientation monitoring should be standard. Will help:

o   Understanding of health care needs of LGBT community

o   LGBT people feel more comfortable about confirming their sexual orientation

o   Acceptance and awareness by wider community

·        Older /more vulnerable people have to expose more of their private lives

·         The Invisibility of gay and lesbian people in care homes / care services

·        While there is a long way to go to eliminate discrimination it’s Important to recognise the progress made over the last decades

The participants at the event felt that while it was important that LGBT health needs are identified and addressed it is also important to look at prevention. Key recommendations were

·        Media campaigns that  challenge homophobia and Tran phobia and influence people’s attitudes

·        Monitoring across the board for sexual orientation and gender identity

·        More in depth research into the needs of the LGBT community

·        Capacity building in the LGBT community so they can self organise to provide support

·        Strategic voice and influence

·        Programmes of education that address homophobia and Tran phobia in schools

·        Need for diversity training for health and care professionals

 

A second consultation event “Are you being served” was held on 23^rd of January at the Nightingale club Lower Essex Street Birmingham. The event was attended by 25 people and covered a number of themes

 The first session was around community engagement /involvement Steve Ball gave a short presentation on the theme and then the group split into smaller groups for workshops.

 The following issues were identified

·         Lack of resources for the LGBT community in Birmingham (money, funding, Community Centre, etc) compared to other groups and other cities.

·        A lack of influence at higher levels. Do our voices get heard by decision-makers?

·        Lack of a resource centre or community hub.

·        Lack of cohesiveness as a community – there are hard to reach LGBT people i.e. the LGBT BME community, parents and older people and young people.

·        There is a need to take strategic decisions as to how to announce our presence – whether to be dotted all over the city or segregated in one part.

·        Specific event funding is needed

·        There is a community but it is not funded properly or sustainably.

·        More support is needed for families

·        Recognise that people aren’t individuals – most come with families and relationships. Need to view LGBT people holistically.

·        There is a lack of internal cohesion between lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and Transgendered people. 

·        Need non-sexual health services to meet the holistic needs of the community.

·        Diversity education should be delivered to everyone

·        Grassroots community cohesion comes from lots of grass roots involvement and this needs to be funded from above

The participants suggested the following solutions

·        Education in the broadest sense educate the general public about LGBT issues

·        Training for all professionals working with the community,

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·        Increase funding for the LGBT sector.

·        Produce a community guide

·        A resource/community centre.

·        LGBT positive messages to be sent out from the Council and other statutory organisations.

·        More publicity at libraries for the community.

·        Diversity education delivered to everyone.

·        Sports events to help engage the community.

 

 

The second session explored community cohesion which looked at how the LGBT community gets on as a community and how the LGBT community gets on with different groups in the city. The following issues were identified under this theme

·        There is a lack of respect between L-G-B and T

·        Need more visibility; there is a lack of positive role models.

·        Need to recognise there can be a culture of racism and ageism in the LGBT community.

·        Better and more dialogue is required to talk, listen and fight for one’s rights by using the law and public forums

·        Need more communication and understanding; there is a lack of dialogue with different groups.

 

·        Invisibility as a community and fear of others’ perceptions.

·        There are divisions in the community – between lesbians, gays, bisexuals, Transgendered people, race, age, gender, etc. Need to look for our common strands.

·        Need to engage with other communities that have done well – learn from them.

·        There is a lack of platforms for diverse communities.

·        There are not enough events which bring people together

·        Need to be more generous in our invitations – invite other groups to group’s events.

·        We need to think about faith it is an issue for many people in the LGBTcommunity. 

The following solutions were suggested

·        Be proactive. Create multi-faith platforms and events.

·        Contact local churches to discuss LGBT issues. Dialogue has started with the West Midlands Faiths Forum.

·        Need more community activism and courses on subjects such as how to do things in the right way; leadership training, emailing letters re: homophobia, how to start a group, develop individuals

·        Resourcing for capacity building for the community.

·        Work with other communities, building on our similarities.

·        Education and information is needed. Start by tackling homophobic bullying and promoting LGBT awareness within schools. 

·        Need to provide more information for the community. Ask the community what they think. Printing the results would lead to education. It would also give evidence for funding.

·        More regular training, education and development are required for the LGBT voluntary and community sector.

·        Dialogue should be encouraged – talking, listening, using the law, fighting for rights, using public forums.

·        Support parallel issues in other communities.

·        Dialogue with other communities is a priority.

·        We need to be respectful and understand it may be difficult for some people to be out.

·        Need to engage with other communities that have done well and learn from them.

The third session involved consultation on the theme housing and social care the following issues were identified

·        Older LGBT people in care homes are in a vulnerable position, there is no specific support, no separate space for partners, inappropriate care for non-op Transgendered people, the caree must come out, heterosexual carers may feel uncomfortable. There is no specialist service.

·        There is the fear with housing associations that LGBT people may be evicted if they are out.

·        Bi people in opposite sex relationships need to be better recognised.

·        Bisexuality is not recognised as a valid reason for asylum.

·        There is little understanding of LGBT homeless issues

·        LGBT asylum seekers have no recourse to public funds.

·        Adoption of children. We recognise the situation is better now for LGBT people but is it equal Is it easier for two women to adopt than for two men

·        Adoption of children. We recognise the situation is better now for LGBT people but is it equal Is it easier for two women to adopt than for two men

·        Speed of change within the Council is very slow around LGBT issues

·        Training is needed for LGBT homeless issues.

The following solutions were suggested

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·        More resources are for LGBT homeless young people.

·        Research the need for LGBT specific care homes.

·        Monitoring needs improvement.

·        If individuals are vulnerable, they would benefit from a choice of safe space in which to live.

·        Better, more and clearer information is needed.

·        More training required.

·        Further research is needed.

·        Co-operatives can be positive experiences particularly for older people.

·        Homophobia from tenants should be treated with tenancy agreements and ASBOs

·        Monitor across the board to ensure evidence of need is collected

·        Safer living environments need to be created.

·        More funding is needed.

·        Better resources required.

·        Further work required in order to determine whether social partnerships work.

·        Housing co-operatives can be a good idea for older LGBT people, particularly as many don’t have blood/next of kin/family to care for them.

·        Specific LGBT diversity training for people working in care homes housing departments and with young people

The session on community safety covered homophobic and Tran phobic hate crime, homophobic and Tran phobic bullying in schools and same sex domestic violence

The following issues were identified

Hate crime

·        Hate crime provides many challenges.

·        There is continual under-reporting of hate crime.

·        The CPS has logged some inappropriate responses to reported hate crime; there is a good reaction for the Police when reported but there have been issues with assessments and court processes.

·        In the Village, people drive past in their cars shouting abuse which, together with the continual rebuilding of the area and poor lighting, contributes to individuals feeling unsafe.

·        The Village is also a thoroughfare for different communities who have different interests and this can also cause tension.

·        During Pride 2006, Police Officers gave a look of horror when asked for Transgendered support, displaying Transgenderdphobia.

·        There are many aggressive beggars in the Village.

·        There are high numbers of Transgenderdphobic hate crimes committed within the village area by other LGB people. This needs to be addressed

Same sex domestic violence

·        Difficulty for people to deny or admit same sex domestic violence – for the victim, LGBT community and wider society.

·        Abusive behaviour is not always recognised or dealt with appropriately.

·        Massive underreporting

·        Same sex domestic violence is not based on stereotypes.

·        There is power and control within same sex domestic violence.

·        There are very few services for same sex domestic violence and no specific refuges.

·        Abuse is often externalised.

·        The victim and perpetrator often share the same friendship group, increasing the threat of isolation.

·        Women in same sex domestic violence relationships are more likely to hit back so the blame is spread more equally by the authorities, even if violence is always initiated by the same partner.

·        There is an internalisation of self-blame.

·        There is a lack of appropriate police responses.

·        Need to look at forced marriage and honour killings.

·        There are no refuges for gay men. Stonewall has 15 beds for the entire country.

·        There needs to be more talking within the community

Homophobic and Transgenderdphobic bullying

·        The law doesn’t protect children against bullying.

·        Need to speak to governors to raise awareness in schools.

·        If a child feels vulnerable, they are an easy target for bullies.

·        High level of homophobic and Transgenderdphobic bullying schools

·        Children are being bullied because their parents are gay

·        No programmes in school addressing sexual orientation and homophobic bullying

·        People are also bullied in the workplace because of their sexual orientation ,Transgendered status

Recommendations /solutions suggested

Hate crime.

·        Create a culture  based on respect

·        .Develop a campaign targeting verbal abuse and encouraging reporting

·        Commence an anti-Transphobia campaign.

·        Continuous campaigns and education for the victims and offenders of hate crime as well as the Police.

·        There is a need to increase confidence in order to increase reporting of hate crime

·        Establish Gay Liaison Officers in West Midlands Police.

·        The Trust could set up surgeries so if individuals are unsure whether they are being bullied or experiencing hate crime, they can check.

·        The Trust to sit on the Safer Birmingham partnership

Same sex domestic violence

·        Further training is required.

·        It’s not just a case of having the right attitude, it is also necessary to recognise specific risk factors for same sex domestic violence.

·        Need to look at forced marriage and honour killings.

·        There are no refuges for gay men. Stonewall has 15 beds for the entire country.

·        There needs to be more talking within the community.

·        For repeat or volume crimes, risk indicators need to be recognised.

·        There is a lack of awareness from within the community.

·        Further training is required.

·        It’s not just a case of having the right attitude, it is also necessary to recognise specific risk factors.

·        Need to look at forced marriage and honour killings.

·        There are no refuges for gay men. Stonewall has 15 beds for the entire country.

·        There needs to be more talking within the community.

·        For repeat or volume crimes, risk indicators need to be recognised.

·        Training is required for the police and groups as to how to make a safety plan for individuals and the probation services.

·        There is a lack of awareness from within the community.

·        LGBT people need to report homophobic or Transphobic bullying in the workplace.

·        Need to increase reporting and support for victims

·        Need specialist service provision?

Homophobic and Tran phobic bullying

 

·        Make sure ofsted have LGBT issues within their school remit and monitor performance.

·        If religion can be taught, why not also LGBT training in schools around sexual orientation required

·         Further training is required for youth workers and teachers.

·        need to develop programmes that address homophobic  and Tran phobic bullying

·        LGBT people need to report homophobic or Transphobic bullying in the workplace.

·        A television campaign could be initiated looking at LGBT representation in the media.

·        A twitter campaign could be started against homophobic and Tran phobic bullying.

·        During events like Queer Question Time, invite the media as well as politicians. Create more awareness and interest.

·        Need to speak to governors and head teachers to raise awareness in schools.

 

 

Following two consultation events with Birminghams LGBTcommunity

The following are the top ten priorities recommendations they are not in order of priority

1.   A resource/community centre providing a safe non alcohol based focal point for the community

2.   Resources for capacity building the LGBT voluntary and community sector

3.   Training in LGBT issues for all professional staff

4.   LGBT positive images in professional enviorenments,to include leaflets and literature

5.   Effective monitoring in recruitment and service delivery to include sexual orientation and Transgender  status

6.   Research into the needs of the LGBT community

7.   Funding

8.   Imbedding LGBT issues into mainstream services and where appropriate developing specialist services to meet need

9.   Ensuring the LGBT community is represented on key strategic partnerships in the city

10.To develop an evidence base

 

This report is a summary of two consultation events with the LGBT community in Birmingham prepared to support Birmingham city council in the development of their single equality scheme. The report outlines the issues identified in the following areas health, housing and social care, and community engagement community cohesion and community safety. The report also makes suggestions and recommendations in all of the above areas. Finally the top ten priorities for the LGBT community have been identified many of these areas came up in all of the areas consulted on for example training for professionals, recourses, monitoring and research. The top ten priorities have not been listed in order of importance