Why LGBT+ Visibility Is For More Than Just Pride Month

Every June, Pride month rolls around. Everything is rainbow-themed, and our TV screens are full of LGBT+ individuals talking about their success stories. For a brief moment, the world is as it should be. Yet, LGBT+ visibility is for more than just pride month. While our society has progressed in recent years, especially with the legalisation of same-sex marriage, there’s still more to be done.

Doctor A Cosmetics is an inclusive next-generation skincare brand on a mission to create a better world. As an eco-friendly skincare brand, our social conscious drives everything we do. We work in partnership with our sister organisation, Anika Food Charity, to support social causes that include mental health awareness and homelessness. As part of our campaigns, we want to shine a spotlight on why LGBT+ visibility matters now more than ever.

The LGBT+ community and health issues 

Mental health is something we’re all talking about. It disproportionally impacts members of the LGBT+ community. Research has shown that half of LGBT+ people have said that they have experienced depression in the last year, with 72% of bi-women and 56% of bi-men pointing to anxiety as a condition.

As if this is not shocking enough, research by Stonewall shows that 1 in 7 LGBT people avoid seeking treatment due to fears of discrimination. Almost 1 in 4 have seen discrimination or negative remarks from healthcare staff towards LGBT people.

LGBT+ rights beyond the UK

While the UK is a progressive country, not everywhere is. 72 countries have criminalised same-sex relationships, with the death penalty being ‘allowed’ in these cases in 8 countries. In most of the world, LGBT people do not have protection against workplace discrimination in equality legislation. Stonewall’s international research reveals that ¼ of the world still believes that being LGBT+ should be classed as a crime.

Every day we seem to be reading about another member of the LGBT+ community being murdered. From 2008 to 2014, there was an average of 2 killings per day of trans members of the LGBT+ community.

The problems facing the LGBT+ community

LGBT+ people have disproportionally experienced homelessness at some stage in their life. Research carried out in 2018 shows that at least 1 in 5 has been homeless in the UK. Members of the LGBT+ community who are minority ethnic feel that they have experienced discrimination within their own LGBT community because of their ethnicity.

35% of LGBT employees have hidden their LGBT identity at work due to concerns of discrimination. 1 in 5 LGBT people have said that they were discriminated against while looking for employment. Within the trans community, 1 in 5 have been physically attacked in the workplace in 2017.

If you’re a member of the LGBT+ community and experiencing any of these problems, know that there is help out there for you. You can contact the LGBT+ switchboard helpline at 0300 330 0630 from 10 am to 10 pm every day. The mental health charity Mind has an extensive list of organisations that are here to help.

Helplines to contact:

London LGBT+ Switchboard

 London LGBT Switchboard is open daily from 10am-10pm and regularly takes calls from LGBT+ people across the UK.

Phone number: 0300 330 0630

LGBT Foundation

 LGBT Foundation is open Monday to Friday 9am-9pm and weekends 10am to 6pm for all LGBT+ people across the UK.

Phone number: 0345 330 3030

Mindline Trans+

 Mindline Trans+ is open Mondays and Fridays 8pm-midnight for all trans and non-binary people in the UK.

Phone number: 0300 330 5468

Parents Enquiry Scotland

Parents Enquiry Scotland is a telephone support service for parents of LGBT people.

Phone numbers:

Anne: 0131 556 6047  email  parentsenquiry@hotmail.com

Janis: 0131 334 9605  email janis.parentsenquiry@gmail.com

Pat: 0141 427 3897