Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Issues

Questions on LGBT issues were asked in 2012, 2013 and 2018.
Other relevant questions were asked within the Religious Observance and Community Relations modules.
Relevant questions were asked of 16 year olds within the Identity module of the Young Life and Times survey.

ARK Resources

• LGBTQ+ Community’s Journey to Parenthood: considering the health inequalities and the legal implications that exist in the pursuit of parenthood for the LGBTQ+ community in Northern Ireland, by Danielle Mackle and Fiona Bloomer (Policy Brief 19), sets out evidence regarding the pursuit of parenthood for the LGBTQ+ community in Northern Ireland (NI).
• LGBTQ+ Ageing in Northern Ireland: understanding the lived experiences and exploring inequalities that exist for ageing LGBTQ+ population in Northern Ireland, by Danielle Mackle (Policy Brief 18), presents evidence on the inequalities facing the ageing LGBTQ+ population in Northern Ireland and highlights key findings and recommendations.
• The Missing T: Baselining Attitudes Towards Transgender People in Northern Ireland, by Gail Neill and Siobhán McAlister (Research Update 128), uses data from the 2018 Life and Times Survey. Attitudes to Transgender People in Northern Ireland: The Importance of Survey Data' is an article based on this Research Update was published on the QPol blog.
• On 14 June 2019, Gail Neil and Siobhán McAlister presented the seminar The Missing T: Baselining Attitudes Towards Transgender People in Northern Ireland'. A video of this seminar is available online.
• In 2018, Paula Devine and Gemma Carney worked with the BBC Rewind team on the video 'Queering the Family', which matched ARK survey data with BBC archive material.
• LGB equality and public attitudes, by Nicola Carr, Paula Devine, Siobhán McAlister, and Gail Neill (Research Update 106) is based on data from the 2013 Life and Times Survey.
• Queering the Family: Attitudes towards Lesbian and Gay Relationships and Families in Northern Ireland, by Siobhán McAlister, Nicola Carr and Gail Neill (Research Update 89) is based on data from the 2012 Life and Times Survey.
• Summary report on attitudes to LGBT issues (ARK Occasional Paper), by Paula Devine, is based on data from the 2012 Life and Times Survey.
• The Policy Brief Moving towards a Sexual Orientation Strategy for Northern Ireland, by Ann Marie Gray, Goretti Horgan and Amanda Leighton, draws on published research evidence and the discussion at a Roundtable event organised by ARK in July 2013.
• Attitudes towards Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People in Northern Ireland, by Neil Jarman (Research Update 66) is based on data from the 2005-2008 Life and Times Surveys.
• The Online Research Bank contains a bibliography and summaries of policy-related research in Northern Ireland. One of the search terms for groups is 'lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender'.
  

Links

• In 2020, Department for Communities began work on a Sexual Orientation strategy for Northern Ireland.
• The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 are available online.
• The mission of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland is to combat discrimination and promote equality of opportunity through advice, promotion and enforcement. Their remit includes sexual orientation, and their website has a section on publications related to this topic.
• LGBT Northern Ireland is a portal for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, providing information on relevant services and organisations.
• The Rainbow Project works to improve the physical, mental and emotional health of gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender people and their families in Northern Ireland. Their website includes publications and policy responses.
• HereNI works to improve the quality of life and enhance the voices of lesbians and bisexual women.
• The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) ran an online survey of LGBT persons’ experiences of discrimination, violence and harassment in 2012. The results and technical details of that survey are available online.

Maintained by Paula Devine