A report examined the opportunities and barriers faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in public and political participation. The participation of LGBT people in both wider and formal public and political life needed to be 'normalized' through national and local awareness campaigns, and assertive outreach to LGBT communities by public and political bodies.
Source: Iain Ryrie, Sarah McDonnell, Kate Allman and Robert Pralat, Experiences of and Barriers to Participation in Public and Political Life for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People, Government Equalities Office
Date: 2010-Dec
A new book examined social work practice with lesbians and gay men, and suggested ways to include them in assessment and the provision of services.
Source: Helen Cosis-Brown and Christine Cocker, Social Work with Lesbians and Gay Men, SAGE Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Dec
An article examined Conservative Party policy and rhetoric on social and moral issues, particularly gay rights and family policy. It noted that a significant divide remained in the Conservative Party between 'social liberals' and 'traditionalists': in this respect Cameron's modernization project remained far from complete.
Source: Richard Hayton, 'Conservative Party modernisation and David Cameron's politics of the family', Political Quarterly, Volume 81 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Nov
An article examined intersectionality (the interaction of different modes of discrimination) in relation to lesbian, gay, and bisexual equalities initiatives in local government.
Source: Surya Monro, 'Sexuality, space and intersectionality: the case of lesbian, gay and bisexual equalities initiatives in UK local government', Sociology, Volume 44 Issue 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
An article examined how sexual orientation might impact on concerns about, and experiences of, end-of-life care and bereavement within same-sex relationships.
Source: Kathryn Almack, Jane Seymour and Gary Bellamy, 'Exploring the impact of sexual orientation on experiences and concerns about end of life care and on bereavement for lesbian, gay and bisexual older people', Sociology, Volume 44 Issue 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
A report examined the key issues affecting different groups of lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual (LBT) women. There were very few services for LBT women, and LBT women's organizations were consistently underfunded. Organizations led by and for LBT women were particularly marginalized in terms of political influence. There was a lack of awareness of the issues facing LBT women, their support needs, and the LBT population as a whole.
Source: Charlotte Gage, In All Our Colours: Lesbian, bisexual and trans women's services in the UK, Women's Resource Centre
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Oct
An article examined the relationship between sexuality, gender, and homophobia among boys aged 16-18 in a coeducational sixth form. The boys in the study espoused pro-gay attitudes and eliminated homophobic language (in contrast with the elevated rates of homophobia typically described in academic literature): but at the same time they continued to privilege and regulate heterosexuality.
Source: Mark McCormack and Eric Anderson, '"It's just not acceptable any more": the erosion of homophobia and the softening of masculinity at an English sixth form', Sociology, Volume 44 Issue 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
An article examined the role of government in policy and practice developments regarding hate crime since the publication of the Lawrence Inquiry report (concerning a racist murder) in 1999. It summarized the progress that agencies had made in addressing the role of bias and hate in anti-social behaviour and offending.
Source: Liz Dixon, 'Tackling hate by driving diversity: a New Labour success story?', Probation Journal, Volume 57 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Sep
Data collected as part of the new official Integrated Household Survey suggested that around 480,000 (1 per cent) of adults considered themselves to be gay or lesbian, with a further 245,000 (0.5 per cent) defining themselves as bisexual.
Source: Theodore Joloza, Joanne Evans and Rachel O'Brien, Measuring Sexual Identity: An evaluation report, Office for National Statistics
Links: Report | ONS press release | Christian Institute press release | LGF press release
Date: 2010-Sep
A new book examined the impact of recent changes in the legal landscape for lesbians and gay men.
Source: Rosie Harding, Regulating Sexuality: Legal consciousness in lesbian and gay lives, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Sep
An article examined the implications for social work practice of legislative moves to strengthen the rights of lesbians and gay men.
Source: Christine Cocker and Trish Hafford-Letchfield, 'Out and proud? Social work's relationship with lesbian and gay equality', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 40 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Sep
A new book examined the relationship between urban gay male culture and digital media technologies.
Source: Sharif Mowlabocus, Gaydar Culture: Gay men, technology and embodiment in the digital age, Ashgate Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Sep
A study examined the portrayal of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people across the BBC's television, radio, and online services. The BBC had made progress in its portrayal of LGB people, but could do more to better reflect the diversity of LGB audiences.
Source: 2CV and Kantar Media, Portrayal of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People on the BBC, British Broadcasting Corporation
Links: Report | Summary | BBC press release | Christian Institute press release | LGF press release | Stonewall press release
Date: 2010-Sep
The charities regulator decided that it would not give consent to the charity Catholic Care to amend its charitable objects to restrict its adoption services to heterosexual prospective parents only.
Source: Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds): Application for consent to a change of objects under Section 64 of The Charities Act 1993, Charity Commission for England and Wales
Links: Decision | Charity Commission press release | EHRC press release | BHA press release | LGF press release | NSS press release | Guardian report | BBC report | Telegraph report | PinkNews report | Community Care report
Date: 2010-Aug
A study found that ordinary gay people were almost invisible on the 20 television programmes most watched by young people. Just 46 minutes out of 126 hours of output showed gay people positively and realistically.
Source: Unseen on Screen: Gay people on youth TV, Stonewall
Links: Report | Stonewall press release
Date: 2010-Jul
The Supreme Court ruled that gay and lesbian asylum-seekers should not be expected to 'exercise discretion' in their home countries to avoid persecution.
Source: HJ (Iran) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, UKSC 31 (2010), United Kingdom Supreme Court
Links: Text of judgement | Home Office press release | EHRC press release | Stonewall press release | LGF press release | Amnesty press release | IRR press release | Refugee Council press release | TUC press release | Runnymede Trust press release | Liberal Democrats press release | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Jul
A report said that asylum-seekers who had been raped, tortured, and threatened with death in their home country because of their sexual orientation were being routinely deported because of systemic discrimination in the asylum system.
Source: Nathanael Miles, No Going Back: Lesbian and gay people and the asylum system, Stonewall
Links: Report | Stonewall press release | PinkNews report
Date: 2010-May
An article examined the ways in which recognition of domestic violence could be hampered by 'public stories' about the phenomenon and practices of love. Public stories constructed domestic violence as a gendered, heterosexual phenomenon that was predominantly physical in nature. Victims of domestic violence were also constructed as 'other', weak, and passive.
Source: Catherine Donovan and Marianne Hester, '"I hate the word 'victim'": an exploration of recognition of domestic violence in same sex relationships', Social Policy and Society, Volume 9 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Apr
A new book examined whether there were better ways of understanding and responding to hate crime.
Source: Neil Chakraborti (ed.), Hate Crime: Concepts, policy, future directions, Willan Publishing
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Apr
An article examined the implications of participatory action research as a method of encouraging older people from minority groups to have a 'voice' in defining knowledge, theory, and practice about their lives. It used a case study involving older lesbians and gay men.
Source: Lee-Ann Fenge, 'Striving towards inclusive research: an example of participatory action research with older lesbians and gay men', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 40 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Apr
The Court of Appeal ruled that a relationships guidance counsellor had not been discriminated against when he was sacked for refusing to give sex therapy to homosexuals. The counsellor had claimed that he was a victim of unlawful religious discrimination, because he was a Christian.
Source: McFarlane v Relate Avon Ltd, Court of Appeal 29 April 2010
Links: Text of judgement | NSS press release | BHA press release | Stonewall press release | Personnel Today report
Date: 2010-Apr
The High Court ruled that a Catholic adoption society should not be required to treat homosexual couples as parents when considering adoption requests.
Source: Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds) v Charity Commission for England and Wales & Anor, High Court 17 March 2010
Links: Text of judgement | Stonewall press release | BHA press release | NSS press release | TUC press release | Christian Institute report | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Mar
A report examined lesbian and bisexual women's experiences of breast cancer treatment, support, and care. Many felt that existing cancer support groups were not accessible to them; they often felt excluded by topics of conversation or the environment.
Source: Julie Fish, Coming Out About Breast Cancer: Lesbian and bisexual women's experiences of breast cancer, Health Policy Research Unit/De Montfort University
Links: Report | De Montfort press release | LGF report
Date: 2010-Feb
The British Social Attitudes survey found that people were becoming increasingly liberal in their views about how others chose to live their lives. Just 36 per cent of people thought that sexual relations between two adults of the same sex were 'always' or 'mostly' wrong, down from 62 per cent in 1983. 45 per cent agreed that it 'made no difference to children whether their parents were married to each other or just living together', up from 38 per cent in 1998: only 27 per cent disagreed, down from 33 per cent in 1998.
Source: Andy Ross and Amanda Sacker, 'Understanding the dynamics of attitude change', in British Social Attitudes: The 26th Report, SAGE Publications
Links: Summary | NatCen press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Jan