Over the past 40 years, significant headway has been made in relation to LGBT+ rights and equality, from the decriminalisation of male homosexual acts in 1967, to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 which legally recognised the right of same sex couples to marry.
There is a prevailing perception that LGBT+ people ‘have never had it so good’ with increased opportunities, rights and visibility in the media. However, this masks the reality. Many LGBT+ people still face discrimination in the workplace, at schools and other educational establishments, prejudice and hostility is still ever present, and recorded violence against LGBT+ people in London and across England and Wales has more than doubled in the past five years.
Our own independent research, Still Out There: An exploration of LGBT Londoners’ unmet needs, also provided a snapshot of the unmet needs of LGBT+ Londoners in terms of financial hardship, safety, prejudice and access to appropriate services, particularly those related to health and mental health.
Despite the need for investment in services and rights of LGBT+ people, the Trust still receives relatively few applications for funding in this area, particularly from groups in London’s outer boroughs where LGBT+ people are often more isolated.
We welcome applications that fit with our current funding programme areas in seeking to improve the rights of LGBT+ people and strengthening their voice on the social issues that affect them, as well as work which makes services more inclusive and responsive to their, often complex, needs.
Take a look at some examples of the LGBT+-led work we have funded under our current funding programme, running from 2018-2022, below.
Additional information on LGBT+ issues can be found at:
- Stonewall
- Always Out There (map of LGBT+ services in London)
