An introduction to including and supporting LGBTQ+ women
This popular resource is a simple introduction to inclusion to help you understand how to better support LGBTQ+ women with marginalised experiences, and why it’s so important to include all women.
This resource will not cover all experiences, but we hope to start a conversation about how people’s experiences are connected.
In society, people are discriminated against for parts of themselves they cannot change.
This guide will look at the experiences of those who are at the intersections, meaning lesbian and bisexual (LB) women who may also be older, disabled, women of colour, trans or non–binary.
This guide aims to introduce inclusion to help us better support those with marginalised experiences, its importance and how we can include all women.
This resource will not cover all experiences, but we hope to start a conversation about how people’s experiences are connected.
Inclusion is about recognising, considering and taking actions to break down barriers for those who are experiencing multiple marginalisation, who exist at the intersections (darker petal shapes below).
This diagram looks at some of the characteristics that are protected under the Equality Act 2010.
But there are also other things like class and geography that create barriers for individuals.
Discrimination towards people on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, race, age, disability, religion or faith has been happening for a long time.
It’s embedded into structures like healthcare, education or employment and greatly affects the everyday lives of those experiencing it.
What does this mean?
For those at the intersections, daily life includes microaggressions: regular verbal, behavioural or environmental responses originating from these structures (eg. racism, homophobia). For example, being asked “so who’s the man in the relationship?”.
These have an increasing negative impact on wellbeing.
This does not mean those who are not at the intersections won’t face difficulties. Learning about the real-world impact of these historical structures can help everyone to break down barriers and create a world that is a little more inclusive.
There is a growing public movement around tackling sexism and discrimination against women.
There are universal experiences for all women, but for lesbian and bisexual (LB) women there are additional barriers because of heteronormativity – the assumption that everyone is straight.
This assumption means LB women experience barriers in daily life, coming from the homophobia and biphobia that is ingrained in society. This has a cumulative effect and is amplified for LB women with multiple minority identities.
LB women often find themselves repeatedly coming out when accessing healthcare…
30% of lesbians & 23% of bi women have experienced inappropriate curiosity from healthcare staff. (Stonewall 2018)
More than half of LGBTQ+ women have experienced depression and anxiety. Compared to 1 in 5 (19%) women overall in the UK. (Stonewall 2018, NHS 2014)
“If my Doctors know I have a wife, it saves important time when I need help in a medical crisis as I have life threatening conditions.”
Rosie, 63
“If I have any specific issues relating to my identity, how would anyone know how to address them with me if they think that I’m straight?“
Tina, 35
You may hear women of colour used when talking about the experiences of LGBTQ+ women who experience: racism, sexism and LGBTQphobia.
The daily discrimination LGBTQ+ women of colour face can range from comments like “Where are you really from?” to assumptions about family, culture, language ability or if someone is “out”, because of the colour of their skin.
When many parts of you come under constant examination this can be mentally and emotionally draining. Many women of colour find themselves consciously controlling how they talk and act as a result. This is known as: code-switching.
“On a night out I was racially profiled and mocked when wearing a bindi, but when a white friend does it it’s fashion.”
ND, 25
What can we do about it?
We can challenge assumptions about women of colour and who they are. LGBTQ+ people are incredibly diverse and experiences are unique to the individual.
We can listen to LGBTQ+ women of colour and take their issues seriously. Racism, sexism and LGBTQphobia can take form in unconscious biases and assumptions.
For trans women there is often pressure to fit into a certain mould, traditionally feminine, to really be seen as the woman they are.
For non-binary and gender non conforming people, many feel they have to tone down the way they look to not be “too much”.
Many decide their presentation (how they look) based on safety, as not ‘fitting in’ can mean a heightened level of harassment (verbal and physical).
“I often feel like my gender expression is a tightrope walk – feminine enough to be gendered correctly, but not so feminine as to be seen as a caricature.”
Emma, 23
What can we do about it?
Where possible, challenge misconceptions around trans and non-binary identities. This can make a friendlier and more inclusive world for everyone.
Supporting, amplifying and celebrating the work and voices of trans and non-binary people is a great way to show solidarity.
We can normalise saying our name and pronouns when meeting new people. A pronoun is the word we use when not using someone’s name. “Hi I’m X, my pronouns are she/her – what about you?”
Are there gender neutral toilets on offer? If not, consider renaming them as ‘stalls’ and ‘urinals’ if at an external venue.
58% of trans women & 75.3% of non-binary people have avoided expressing their gender identity for fear of negative reaction from others. (National LGBT Survey 2017)
Disabled women are often not visible in LGBTQ+ spaces.
This can lead to assumptions being made about disabled women’s sexuality, relationship dynamics, living arrangements and needs.
These assumptions mean disabled women find themselves coming out repeatedly and dealing with regular non-consensual touching.
When people make real efforts to be inclusive and have clear representation, I feel much more confident to speak up and state my needs.
GCB, 30
For disabled LGBTQ+ women, accessibility greatly impacts on being and feeling part of the community. Exclusion can impact on the mental health of LGBTQ+ disabled people.
Can a wheelchair user physically enter a building?
Does the lighting make it difficult for visually impaired or autistic women to navigate a venue?
26% of LGBTQ+ disabled people face prejudice in the LGBTQ+ community because of being disabled (Stonewall 2018)
What can we do about it?
Actively consider accessibility when planning: location, transport, steps, lighting, seating, video and photo captions & more!
Include LGBTQ+ disabled women in planning, publicity and celebrate their work.
Older LGBTQ+ women experience assumptions that they will not be LGBTQ+. Closely linked is an assumption that older women must have children and if they have children they won’t (or can’t) be LGBTQ+.
These assumptions can make spaces for older people hard to be in. Erasing the unique experiences and needs of older LGBTQ+ women from discussions and services that will impact them directly.
“I’m a crown green bowler, and I love it. But I no longer am comfortable playing in mixed teams. Men can be aggressive and gay jokes are curtailed when I’m close. My new (third) team is much better though as they don’t care I’m gay.”
Kate, 65
Older LGBTQ+ people are more likely to live alone (41% vs 28%), and have concerns about ageing because of their sexuality. (Stonewall 2011)
What can we do about it?
Challenge ageism (discrimination based on someone’s age) inside and out of LGBTQ+ spaces.
Challenge stereotypes about older women, especially LGBTQ+ women, their families and commitments they may have.
Talk about how some kids have two mums, dads, parents or just one (and they may or may not be LGBTQ+!)
Ensure services that older people access have sufficient training and awareness around LGBTQ+ issues.
Women, especially LB women, experience greater health inequalities. Those experiencing multiple forms of marginalisation face these at an intensified level.
In understanding this we are able to tackle some of those additional barriers.
Accessing Healthcare
22% of LGBTQ+ people of colour have experienced homophobia, biphobia or transphobia from their GP, compared to 13% of white LGBTQ+ people. (LGBT Foundation 2018)
Mental Health
59% of LGBTQ+ disabled people have felt life was not worth living at some point in the last year, compared to 31% of LGBTQ+people who aren’t disabled. (Stonewall 2018)
Sexual Assault
In the UK women with long-term illness or disability are twice as likely to experience sexual assault. (ONS 2017)
Domestic Abuse
17% of LGBTQ+ people of colour experienced domestic abuse from their partner in the last year, 15% for disabled LGBTQ+ people compared to 11% for LGBTQ+ people overall
Homelessness
1 in 4 (25%) of trans people have experienced homelessness compared to 1 in 6 (16%) of people who aren’t trans. (Stonewall 2018)
A Guide to Being a Trans Ally
www.lgbt.foundation/downloads/transalliesguide
Code-switching
Case studies from LGBTQ+ and people of colour
www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-45978770
Disability and non-consensual touching
First hand experiences for disabled women (content warning) www.privateplacespublicspaces.blog/blog-feed
Intersectionality
Search www.ted.com talks: “The urgency of intersectionality” by Kimberlé Crenshaw
Microaggressions
An analogy with mosquito bites
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDd3bzA7450
Supporting Trans People of Colour
www.gires.org.uk/inclusivity-supporting-bame-trans-people
LGBT Foundation delivering advice, support and information services to LGBTQ+ communities. www.lgbt.foundation | 0345 3 30 30 30
Rainbow Noir a social group for QTIPOC (queer, trans and intersex people of colour) www.facebook.com/rainbownoirmcr
GMCDP Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People promotes the rights of disabled people and inclusion in society
www.gmcdp.com
Age UK advice for LGBTQ+ older people
www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/healthwellbeing/relationships-family/lgbt
Accessibility
How an environment has been designed or set up for people with disabilities. Includes barriers other than physical (structural, mental, financial) for all people who experience marginalisation.
Biphobia
The hatred, fear or lack of understanding of people who are bisexual, or those who are perceived to be.
Disabled
(Social model) Disabled women are disabled because of barriers that prevent them from fully participating in society. Disability is an inclusive term, which may include those with long term conditions, mental health conditions.
Gender Identity
Any word(s) that you use to describe your gender. This may include: man, woman, non-binary, genderfluid, agender etc.
Heteronormativity
When a service or person does not consider the needs of people who are not heterosexual / The assumption that everyone is straight.
Homophobia
The hatred, fear or lack of understanding of people who are gay or lesbian, or those who are perceived to be.
Intersex
Intersex people are individuals who are born with anatomy or physiology differing from stereotypes of what constitute typical “male” and “female”.
LGBTQphobia
Used as a catch all term for discrimination towards someone who identifies as LGBTQ+.
Marginalised
A term to describe communities that face issues and barriers, often based on their identity or social class. This may include to housing, employment or healthcare. People may belong to more than one marginalised community.
Misgender
Using words, phrases or pronouns that don’t match a person’s gender identity, e.g. referring to a trans man as ‘she’ or referring to a butch woman as ‘he’.
Non-binary
Describes someone who identifies as a gender outside the binary identities of “man” and “woman”. This might mean they experience a fluid or fixed gender, multiple genders, a different gender, or no gender.
Racism
Discrimination based on the ethnicity of a person, linked to the colour of their skin.
Sexism
Discrimination based on the gender of a person.
Transphobia
The hatred, fear of trans people or people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from the gender they were assigned at birth.
Trans woman
A woman who is trans, and was assigned differently at birth.
Woman of colour
A term used by a number of women from nonwhite backgrounds to reflect their collective identities and experiences.
Although this resource looks at the experiences of LGBTQ+ women, there is a lot of crossover for many who also have minority or marginalised identities.
You may find it useful to apply the same principles around inclusion to all marginalised groups. Small changes can make a big difference.
Thank you for reading!
