LGBTQ+ people feel less safe in public than straight people in UK
Pride flags seen decorating Regent Street for Pride Month. (Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Pride flags seen decorating Regent Street for Pride Month. (Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
A poll by YouGov has found that while seeing the Pride flag displayed makes two thirds of LGBTQ+ Britons in the UK feel safer, an overwhelming number feel unsafe to show displays of affection in public.
The study, published 18 July by market research and data company YouGov, found that LGBTQ+ Britons are “less likely to feel safe in public than straight Britons”.
But out of 2,959 LGBTQ+ UK residents, 67% felt “safer” when seeing a Pride flag displayed in a small public setting such as a coffee shop. Queer women were more likely to say this than men (75% vs. 57%). Those with other gender identities were the highest, at 77%.
But on the other hand, most gay men and lesbian women told the study that they have experienced homophobic abuse while showing affection to a romantic partner in public.
71% of gay men, 66% lesbian women, 30% bisexual men and 15% bisexual women often refrain from showing a romantic partner affection in public due to fear of discrimination.
Homosexual men feel the most uncomfortable making public displays of affection, with 32% of gay men saying they would feel uncomfortable hugging a partner in public, 56% would feel uncomfortable holding hands and 63% kissing.
Lesbian women experienced slightly less levels of discomfort, at 19% uncomfortable for hugging, 28% for holding hands and 49% for kissing.
On top of that, 42%, 40% and 20% of gay men would never kiss, hold hands with or hug their partner in public, respectively.
Across all of YouGov’s polls, lesbian women are “notably” less likely to say they feel safe in public; “Only 36% of lesbian women say they never feel unsafe walking with their partner in the daytime, falling to 10% when walking together at night.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, trans people are also less likely to feel safe in everyday scenarios, with 35% of transgender people saying they “never” feel unsafe walking with a partner in the daytime.
In the year ending March 2024, there were 22,839 reported hate crimes involving a person’s sexual orientation, and 4,780 transphobic crimes in the UK.
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