TURN BACK THE PAGES

By Chris Gull

Gscene has been published every month for over 27 years, and is a rich chronicle of the history of our LGBTQ+communities. Chris Gull raids the archives…

We´re starting our regular look back through the Gscene archive with this report from October 2006. The most recent Albert Kennedy Trust report into young LGBTQ+ homeless (reporting before Covid) people indicates that there have been few positive changes in 15 years.

October 2006

TORIES HELP HOMELESS

Local Conservative councillors are pressing Brighton & Hove City Council for an urgent update on actions taken to address the findings of a report into LGBT homelessness.

The report, entitled Out On My Own; Understanding the Experiences and Needs of Homeless Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth, was compiled by local community workers and Brighton University academics. After interviewing 44 LGBT homeless people in Brighton & Hove, the report revealed: 67% of interviewees suffered homophobic bullying at school; over two-thirds had contemplated or attempted suicide; nearly every interviewee had suffered from mental health problems or substance misuse; 20% had either sold or exchanged sex; 30% had been sexually assaulted; interviewees had even been abused and assaulted in their supported accommodation.

Conservative Equalities spokesperson Brian Pidgeon said: “The findings of this report are striking and highlight not only that LGBT homeless people face specific problems, but also that there appear to be common causes of LGBT homelessness which need to be tackled at several levels. LGBT organisations in the city are awaiting the council’s verdict on the report, and we shall be pushing hard for some answers.”

Moving on to another current hot potato... social care. Since this report and its recommendations, we’re all 10 years older, and, again, little has changed, except that our LGBTQ+ communities are even more disproportionately affected by social isolation, loneliness, physical, emotional and mental ill health, and financial insecurity.

Note also that, at the end of the article, James points out that the report only covers LGB, and that Stonewall does not campaign on behalf of transgender people. That is no longer the case.

October 2011

CARE ‘TIME BOMB’ AS BRITAIN’S ONE MILLION OLDER GAY PEOPLE AGE

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Britain are far more likely to end up living alone and have less contact with family in later life than heterosexual people, according to new research published by Stonewall. The research, Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual People In Later Life, raises significant questions for how Britain responds to the needs of one million LGB people over the age of 55.

Ben Summerskill, Stonewall chief executive, said: “This pioneering research confirms what many LGB people know anecdotally, hundreds of thousands are growing older lacking family and support structures that straight people frequently take for granted. We’re also facing a care time bomb of institutional ignorance about how to serve our community properly.” Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual People In Later Life contains wideranging recommendations for bodies such as the Department of Health and the Care Quality Commission as well as for frontline service providers.

Stonewall does not campaign on behalf of transgender people.

In 2016, Brighton Pride announced it had raised £100,000 to distribute to local good causes, mostly through the Rainbow Fund to local LGBTQ+ organisations and projects. The necessary cancellations of Pride in 2020 and 2021 have impeded the ability to raise such large amounts, but the total raised since 2013 when the current organisers took over is nearly a million pounds now.

October 2016

BRIGHTON PRIDE RAISES £100,000 FOR LOCAL GOOD CAUSES

Paul Kemp, Pride’s director, said: “I’m thrilled to announce we’ve broken our fundraising target for 2016 and matched the record fundraising of our 25th anniversary year in 2015.

“It’s been a challenging year for Pride. Money raised from Parade collection buckets (£1,670.00) and contributions towards fundraising from local businesses is much lower this year. With many businesses across the city benefiting commercially from the influx of Pride visitors it remains disappointing that more don’t help with our fundraising efforts.

“This year the Pride Parade had the biggest number of participants ever and there were new festival sites across the city. The Pride Festival on Preston Park has received the best feedback ever from visitors while Brighton & Hove Pride is recognised as the UK’s biggest Pride Festival bringing in an estimated £18 million to the local economy”

Pride cost £1.5 million to stage this year and 70,414 tickets were sold for either the street party or the main event on Preston Park generating £70,414 for the Rainbow Fund. Official Pride parties raised £3,282, while the Pride buckets generated a disappointing £1,679 from people watching the free Pride Parade.

In addition to Pride’s continued commitment to fundraising for the Rainbow Fund, in 2015 they also established a Social Impact Fund from Pride’s additional activities. Pride will continue to work with community organisations to develop projects and ideas that could be of social benefit to wider communities across the city.

£90,000 will be donated to the Rainbow Fund, who make grants to LGBT organisations that provide effective frontline services to LGBT people in the city. £10,000 will be donated to the Pride Social Impact Fund.