The coalition government published a transgender equality plan. It proposed tougher sentences for hate crimes, support for transgender pupils in schools, and tailored recruitment advice for businesses.
Source: Advancing Transgender Equality: A plan for action, Government Equalities Office (Home Office)
Links: Plan | Hansard | Home Office press release | MOJ press release | BBC report | Guardian report | PinkNews report
Date: 2011-Dec
A report said that hate crimes continued to be a serious problem across Europe – with numerous instances in 2010 of intimidation, threats, vandalism, arson, assault, and murder, targeting individuals or groups because of their ethnicity, religion, or other status.
Source: Hate Crimes in the OSCE Region: Incidents and responses, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Links: Report | OSCE press release
Date: 2011-Nov
A study examined barriers to discussing sexuality with young people at secondary schools and in youth work settings – focusing on lesbian, gay, and bisexual issues. Young people questioned for the report claimed that homophobic bullying was not always dealt with effectively by schools.
Source: Eleanor Formby (with Ben Willis), Tackling Homophobia and Transphobia in Settings Supporting Young People: What are the barriers and facilitators? Findings from a South Yorkshire study, Centre for Education and Inclusion Research (Sheffield Hallam University)
Links: Report | Sheffield Hallam press release
Date: 2011-Nov
A study examined the interaction between age and sexual or gender identity, and how these characteristics shaped individuals' experiences, behaviours, and attitudes. It focused on the issues facing older (65+) and younger (under 25) LGBT individuals, the divisions and commonalities between them, and whether there was potential to bring the two groups together for mutual benefit.
Source: Charlotte Potter, Sally-Marie Bamford, and Dylan Kneale, Bridging the Gap: Exploring the potential for bringing older and younger LGBT people together, International Longevity Centre – UK
Date: 2011-Nov
An article examined the literature base of existing research in the field of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) care provision.
Source: Paul Willis, Nicki Ward, and Julie Fish, ' Searching for LGBT carers: mapping a research agenda in social work and social care', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 41 Number 7
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Oct
A report for the equal rights watchdog examined new gender identity questions that could be used by public bodies when carrying out equality monitoring, focusing on questions that could be understood and answered by people who were transgender and non-transgender.
Source: Meera Balarajan, Michelle Gray, and Martin Mitchell, Monitoring Equality: Developing a gender identity question, Research Report 75, Equality and Human Rights Commission
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Oct
A report for the equal rights watchdog said that the number of hate crimes recorded by the police service in England and Wales had fallen to 47,229 in 2010 from 50,868 in 2009. But there was still significant under-reporting of some types of targeted violence such as disability-related harassment. Some police forces, local councils, and social landlords did not always recognize their role in preventing such incidents.
Source: Neil Chakraborti, David Gadd, Paul Gray, and Sam Wright, Public Authority Commitment and Action to Eliminate Targeted Harassment and Violence, Research Report 74, Equality and Human Rights Commission
Links: Report | EHRC press release
Date: 2011-Oct
An article challenged approaches to dealing with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual (LGBT) safety that narrowly focused on reporting within a hate crime 'paradigm'. It called for a broader social policy framework that used multi-agency approaches to community safety for those who experienced abuse on the basis of their sexual and/or gender identities.
Source: Kath Browne, Leela Bakshi, and Jason Lim, ' "It's something you just have to ignore": understanding and addressing contemporary lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans safety beyond hate crime paradigms', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 40 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Oct
A study examined whether the European Union had the legal competence to adopt legislation on crimes motivated by hatred against specified groups identified by reference to race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, and religion.
Source: Steve Peers, The Legal Grounds for Inclusive EU Legislation Against Bias Violence and Hatred, ILGA-Europe
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Oct
An article examined the ways in which European jurisprudence had viewed and ruled on gender identity discrimination.
Source: Lauri Sivonen, 'Gender identity discrimination in European judicial discourse', Equal Rights Review, Volume 7
Links: Article
Date: 2011-Aug
A study examined how well the further education sector met the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender learners; and how the sexual orientation and gender identity of learners informed the choices they made.
Source: Donna James and Clare Lambley, Research into Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Equality in Adult Learning, Skills Funding Agency
Links: Report | SFA press release
Date: 2011-Aug
A report examined discrimination issues in European labour markets for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people (part 1); and for ethnic minorities and migrants (part 2).
Source: Barbara van Balen, Ursula Barry, Ronald Holzhacker, Elisabeth Villagomez, and Katrin Wladasch, Synthesis Report 2010, Network of Socio-Economic Experts in the Non-Discrimination Field/European Commission
Links: Report part 1 | Report part 2
Date: 2011-Aug
An article examined 'sexuality discourses' in the secondary school curriculum in England. Issues relating to sexual diversity were 'noticeably absent' from the curriculum. Teachers were not explicitly encouraged to explore sexual diversity in their teaching. The effects of this on young people who identified themselves as lesbian/gay/bisexual/transsexual were overwhelmingly negative.
Source: Helen Sauntson and Kathryn Simpson, 'Investigating sexuality discourses in the UK secondary English curriculum', Journal of Homosexuality, Volume 58 Issue 6-7
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Jul
A report examined trends in European Union law on tackling discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. Progress was occurring at a variety of speeds, resulting in an uneven and unco-ordinated response to discrimination in areas such as protection from abuse and violence, and freedom of assembly.
Source: Homophobia, Transphobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the EU Member States: Summary of findings, trends, challenges and promising practices, Fundamental Rights Agency (European Commission)
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Jun
A report examined the human rights situation of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transsexual people in Europe, and made recommendations for developing and implementing effective measures to address discrimination.
Source: Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Europe, Council of Europe
Links: Summary | European Parliament (LGBT Group) press release | ILGA-Europe press release | Transgender Europe press release
Date: 2011-Jun
A trade union report said that although there had been 'significant improvements' in the position of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people at work, the problems that remained were substantial.
Source: LGBT Equality at Work, Trades Union Congress
Links: Report | TUC press release
Date: 2011-May
The government published an action plan for promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality.
Source: Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality: Moving Forward, Government Equalities Office
Links: Action plan | LGF press release
Date: 2011-Mar
The equality and human rights watchdog in Scotland published a report calling on the Scottish Government to allow gay and transgender people to marry.
Source: Eddie Follan and Malcolm Sayers, Equal Access to Marriage: Ending the segregation of same-sex couples and transgender people in Scotland, Equality and Human Rights Commission Scotland
Links: Report | EHRC press release
Date: 2011-Mar
A new book examined key approaches to recognizing transsexualism from within a variety of fields. It considered transsexuals' bodies, body projects, and embodiment in relation to personal, political, and medico-legal fields.
Source: Zowie Davy, Recognizing Transsexuals: Personal, political and medicolegal embodiment, Ashgate Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2011-Feb
A paper examined the work of equality bodies in European Union member states in promoting equality for, and combating discrimination against, transsexual people.
Source: Making Equality Legislation Work for Trans People, Equinet (European Network of Equality Bodies)
Links: Paper
Date: 2011-Jan