 Attitudes Towards Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual people in Northern Ireland (Neil Jarman)
The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey has explored issues of levels of prejudice and tolerance and people's attitudes to other sections of the vommunity over and number of years. Although there have been regular reviews if the changes in patterns of racism and sectarianism within Northern Ireland, this is the first Research Update to explore attitudes towards the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) population.
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"You Just Have To Figure It Out For Yourself" - An exploration of the perceptions of young women who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) towards access to and provision of healthcare services in Northern Ireland.
I have always been interested in issues affecting women, particularly marginalised young women. When I began to look at research which was available around young LGB women’s issues, particularly health, I was somewhat surprised at the dearth of research. This lack of research was UK wide but especially in Northern Ireland. Most research available focussed only on young gay men and did not adequately explore the experiences of young LGB women. It is hoped that this research addresses some of these gaps in knowledge and understanding of the issues through exploring the perceptions of a sample of young LGBT women aged 18-25 towards access to and provision of health services in Northern Ireland. A qualitative, exploratory approach was employed, using semi-structured face-to-face interviews as the data collection method. Obtaining a sample was very difficult and became a learning point in itself about reaching young women who often remain hidden and silenced. The young women recalled negative perceptions of school-based health provision where the issue of homosexuality was often silenced and condemned. Findings indicate a reluctance to disclose sexual orientation to health care providers, perceptions of invisibility within health care environments, health information and a lack of tailored provision that adequately addressed the needs of this group of young women. Positive perceptions were generally held when the young women’s sexual orientation was acknowledged and accepted. Future health promotion strategies addressing the needs of young LGBT women should consider their sexual identity as an integral component and must be perceived to be trustworthy. This research has important implications for health promotion theory and practice with this group and other minority groups, and I hope it can contribute to what I hope is a growing body of research.
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Through Our Eyes: Perceptions and Experiences of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People towards Homophobic Hate Crime and Policing in Northern Ireland
(The Rainbow Project, 2009)
In January 2009, the Northern Ireland Police Service Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Independent Advisory Group commissioned The Rainbow Project to survey the lesbian, gay and bisexual community in Northern Ireland about their experiences and fears in relation to homophobic hate crime, and their perceptions of policing and the PSNI in Northern Ireland. The survey enquired about fear of crime, experiences of crime, who committed the hate incidents, what actions victims took to report the incidents and how respondents perceived the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
Some Key Findings
64% of homophobic incidents in the last three years were never reported to the police
39% of LGB people are worried about being a victim of crime
39% of LGB people have been victim of some sort of crime in the last three years
21% of gay and bisexual males and 18% of LGB females have been victim of one or more homophobic hate crimes or incidents in the last three years
39% of LGB people alter their behaviour to avoid others knowing that they are not heterosexual
29% of those experiencing homophobic hate incidents in the last three years were psychologically injured
11% of all LGB female respondents experienced unwanted sexual contact.
29% of females who were victim of a homophobic incident in the last three years suffered unwanted sexual contact
Read the full report
Attitudes To Lesbians And Gay Men In Northern Ireland
(LASI/IPSOS MORI Survey, 2006)
A majority of people in Northern Ireland say they are tolerant of lesbian, gay and bisexual people (LGB) in society — according to a new survey from Ipsos MORI Ireland. The survey, commissioned by Lesbian Advocacy Services Initiative (LASI), shows a majority of people (88%) are supportive of the principle that LGB people should not be discriminated against.
Three quarters (75%) of people questioned say they are either quite or very accepting of LGB people in society. However this figure differs between community background, gender, age and whether or not the respondents knows someone who is lesbian or gay. Not surprisingly younger people are more likely to say they are tolerant compared to the older people who responded.
One of the most striking findings is that the general perception of NI society does not match what people actually say about tolerance. The survey reveals that 59% consider that NI is either not very or not at all accepting of LGB people. But only 21% say they actually hold these views and most of these are concentrated in very specific demographic groups and geographical areas.
Overall, 88% of people questioned believe that it is wrong for private businesses to discriminate against LGB people.
Technical details
These findings are based on a face-to-face survey conducted by Ipsos MORI. Fieldwork was conducted during February 2006 at 47 sampling points across NI. The total number of interviews conducted was 1,009, amongst a representative sample of the Northern Ireland population aged 15 plus. Data was weighted by gender, age, location and social class for representativeness. The survey findings were very interesting including 88% of people questioned said that it was unacceptable for private businesses to discriminate against LGB people.
To see the full survey contact LASI.
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