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Raising Queer Voices

We work with our community to challenge inequality and drive long-term change for LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing in Scotland.

Two people at our Pride Breakfast event in Edinburgh holding a sign that says "not your debate"

Why change is needed?

LGBTQ+ people continue to face serious health and wellbeing inequalities across Scotland. These inequalities are linked to discrimination, stigma and LGBTQ+phobia experienced throughout life often described by researchers as minority stress.

The impact is clear. The 2022 LGBT+ Health Needs Assessment found:

  • Almost half (44%) of respondents had experienced discrimination in the past year.
  • More than half (54%) reported poor mental health, including depression, anxiety and stress with the highest rates among bi+ women, and trans and non-binary people.
  • Three in four (73%) experienced loneliness or isolation, and almost two in five (38%) felt lonely all the time.

These inequalities are preventable. We are committed to building a Scotland where every LGBTQ+ person can live well, feel safe, and be included.

A placard at Pride Edinburgh saying 'Defend Trans Futures'

How we work for change

For over 20 years, LGBT Health and Wellbeing has worked alongside LGBTQ+ people to promote wellbeing and create safe, inclusive spaces where everyone feels valued and understood. As an organisation led by and for our community, we support grassroots groups and collective action to protect and advance LGBTQ+ rights. Our work is intersectional, intergenerational, and rooted in solidarity with human rights movements around the world.

We create meaningful opportunities for LGBTQ+ people to share their experiences directly with those who can drive change. Through partnerships with community groups, public bodies, and policymakers, we work to challenge the structural inequalities that impact LGBTQ+ people across Scotland.

Our key areas of work include:

  • Mental health and wellbeing
  • Self-harm and suicide prevention
  • LGBTQ+ elders
  • LGBTQ+ New Scots (refugees and people seeking asylum)
  • Trans healthcare
  • LGBTQ+ healthcare
Resources

Discover resources co‑created with LGBTQ+ people, including research, consultations, and community discussions shaped by lived experience.

Explore resources

Conversion Practices in Scotland: Support Guide

This guide is designed for anyone who may support or encounter someone affected by conversion…
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13 June 2024

LGBTQ+ New Scots: supporting LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum in Scotland

This consultation with LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum in Scotland highlights challenges and suggests improvements, including…
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12 June 2024

Fit For Purpose: inclusive housing and social care for older LGBT+ people

This report highlights the housing, health, and care needs of LGBT+ older people in Scotland,…
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29 September 2023

Trans People and Work in Scotland

This research highlights barriers trans people face in finding and keeping work in Scotland, calling…
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23 August 2021

Consultations

Read consultation responses to government policies directly influenced by LGBTQ+ people through our engagement work.

Get involved

Want to hear more about our work for change?

Contact our Policy and Research Manager, Rebecca (she/her), at rebecca@lgbthealth.org.uk or phone 0131 564 3970 and leave a message.

A photo of Rebecca smiling waving a bisexual flag with text 'You are enough'

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