LGBTQIA+ Key Issues Overview

NOTE: This resource covers LGBTQIA+ issues. For basic definitions on sex, gender, and sexual orientation, see our separate resources:

Basic LGBTQIA+ Terminology Guide, Inclusive Sex Ed, and Basic Gender Terminology Guide.

What does LGBTQIA+ stand for?

LGBTQIA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual/Agender, and other queer identifying people. Gender is not the same as sexual orientation, but queer issues include both sexuality and gender issues because heteronormativity, homophobic and gender binary exclusion, oppression and discrimination often overlap.    

Power & Oppression Fundamentals

Just as with racism and other systemic oppressions, LGBTQIA+ people experience oppression and discrimination at the 4 levels of oppression:

1. Personal: values, beliefs, feelings

2. Interpersonal: actions, behaviours, language

3. Institutional: rules, policies, practices, & procedures

4. Cultural: beauty, truth, ‘normal,’ right

Within the dynamics of power and oppression, privilege operates on personal, interpersonal, cultural, and institutional levels and gives advantages, favors, and benefits to members of dominant groups at the expense of members of target groups. Privilege is invisible to those who have it and is awarded to those in dominant groups whether they want it or not.

LGBTQIA+ oppression comes in many forms, including homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, and lesbophobia. Heterosexism is the broad term for prejudice towards non-straight people, and heteronormativity is the belief that people fall into distinct and complementary genders (man and woman) with natural roles in life. It asserts that heterosexuality is the only sexual orientation or only norm, and states that sexual and marital relations are most (or only) fitting between people of opposite sexes. there are other more nuanced terms as well. 

Because LGBTQIA+ oppression is systemic, people who are outside the LGBTQIA+ community will hold straight privilege, cisgender privilege, or both (genderstraight privilege).

Genderstraight privilege refers to the inherent advantage in which cis-gendered (their sex/gender assigned at birth matches their real gender), heterosexual (straight) people are not negatively impacted by LGBTQIA+-based oppression and discrimination. Genderstraight privilege does not imply racial or economic privilege or that an individual’s life has not been difficult, only that their gender identity or sexual orientation is not the source of their difficulties. Another form of LGBTQIA+ based oppression is transmisogyny, which occurs when identities of trans and woman intersect and trans women experience both transphobia and misogyny. Another intersectional oppression is transmisogynoir, which is experienced by black trans women and other trans women of colour, who experience transphobia, misogyny, and racism.  

An LGBTQIA+ ally is someone who holds genderstraight privilege but who confronts heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, heterosexual and genderstraight privilege in themselves and others; has a concern for the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex people; and a belief that heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are social justice issues.

What Issues Do LGBTQIA+ People Face?

Violence:

One of the biggest threats for LGBTQIA+ people is violence. One in five LGBTQIA+ people experienced a hate crime or incident because of their sexual orientation and/or gender in 2017. Trans people are particularly vulnerable, with one in eight trans people in Britain having been physically attacked at work by customers or colleagues in 2018. Risk increases with intersectionality, with trans women of colour being most likely to experience violence.

Gay Conversion Therapy:

It may sound like a thing of the past, but only 20 states in America have banned this practice for minors. In the majority of the US (and in many other countries around the world) parents are free to send children to’ gay conversion therapy.’ Gay conversion therapy is a dated and often outright abusive practice. It is always harmful, can be extremely traumatic, and has been clearly condemned by medical experts and organisations, including the American Psychological Association.

Marriage Rights:

Though now legal in the US, the UK and many other countries, there are still many places where same sex marriage is illegal. (And many where even same sex couples are illegal)

Parenting Discrimination:

Even when marriage is legal, parenting rights can be extremely inequitable for same-sex couples. In the US, some states allow adoption agencies to deny adoption based on sexual orientation and/or gender.  Even when adoption rights are protected, queer couples may face discrimination within the system and courts, threatening their parental rights.  

Employment Discrimination:

In 2018, almost 18% of LGBTQIA+ employees were the target of negative conduct or microaggressions from colleagues at work because of their sexual orientation.  The same year, 35% of LGBTQIA+ people reported they were not out at work because of fear of discrimination, with the highest percentage of those being bisexual people (38% as opposed to 7% of gay men, and 4% of lesbians). In the same year, 26% of trans people reported that they weren’t open with anyone at work about being trans.  In the US, people can still be legally fired from their jobs based on their sexual orientation or gender in 29 states! At the time of this document’s writing (February 2021), there is a piece of legislation up for consideration in the US government which would extend nation-wide legal antidiscrimination protection to LGBTQIA+ people, but it is uncertain if the Act will be passed as it faces major opposition from certain members of government.

Housing Discrimination:

In 2018, almost 1 in 5 LGBTQIA+ people reported they had experienced homelessness at some point in their lives. Although there are antidiscrimination laws in the UK, it can be difficult (or impossible) to prove if homophobic discrimination is the reason a landlord did not select a tenant. In the US, LGBTQUIA+ people can be legally denied housing based on their sexual orientation or gender in many states.

Healthcare Inequity:

All over the world, LGBTQIA+ people face discrimination from doctors and healthcare providers. LGBTQIA+ people are more likely to experience mental health issues and substance abuse and limited access to adequate care can exacerbate these conditions. In the US, insurance companies can legally deny coverage based on sexual orientation or gender in a majority of states. Healthcare and insurance discrimination is particularly common for trans individuals.

Police Brutality & Criminal Justice:

Trans women of colour are arguably the group that is most vulnerable to police brutality. It is difficult to know for sure because they (along with LGBTQIA+ people more generally as well as women of colour generally) are also more likely to be underreported in available statistics, either through fear or reluctance to report an issue or because of police misconduct resulting in lack of evidence. Queer individuals also face high rates of discrimination in prisons, including abuse from guards and other prison staff. Again, this is particularly true for trans individuals, in which case abuse can also include withholding of necessary medicaitons. LGBTQIA+ minors are significantly overrepresented in juvenile detention centres.  

Bathrooms, Schools, & Other Public Accommodations:

This is a major sticking point for LGBTQIA+ rights opponents, particularly in the US. The battle for granting LGBTQIA+ individuals safe access to facilities and services that meets their needs has largely centred around bathrooms. The antidiscrimination legislation that (at the time of this document’s writing) has been proposed but not voted on in the US would allow trans and queer individuals to use whichever bathroom they choose (not only the one matching their gender assigned at birth). This would extend to schools and would also allow trans children to play sports with others of their real gender (as opposed to assigned gender). These are factors that opponents staunchly oppose.  

Acceptance:

Finally, acceptance more broadly is still a major challenge. It might not always seem this way from outside of the community…  In film, TV and media, we do see increasingly positive portrayals or improved representation of queer people as compared to the past. But in fact there are still a lot of people who hold overtly homophobic and transphobic beliefs, not to mention all those who harbour negative unconscious biases. Coming out can be extremely difficult for LGBTQIA+ people, and for many it may result in the loss of close and family relationships, work opportunities, and other genderstraight privileges.  

 In 2018, only 48% of LGBT people in the UK reported they felt able to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity to everyone in their family. In the US, 40% of all homeless youth identify as LGBTQ and became homeless as a result of family rejection because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In the UK, 18% of LGBT adults reported having been homeless at some point in their lives.

 Suicide rates are much higher than average for LGBTQIA+ individuals, with a shocking 41% of trans adults in the US having reported attempting suicide in the past, followed by 10%-20% of LGB individuals, as compared to only 4% on average for the overall US population.

 Acceptance can be particularly difficult for LGBTQIA+ individuals who are religious, and struggle to find acceptance within their religious communities. Acceptance can also be particularly difficult for queer people of colour, who often experience racial discrimination even within the LGBTQIA+ community. In 2018 in the UK, 51 per cent of black, Asian, and minority ethnic LGBT individuals reported having experienced discrimination or poor treatment from others in their local LGBT community because of their ethnicity.

***There are many more nuanced and specific issues faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, some even coming from within the community (such as biphobia and exclusion of asexual and aromantic people). Specific issues such as rainbow washing and queerbaiting have a negative impact on queer people. Check out our other resources to learn more about more specific issues. 

Key Terms Review:

Biphobia: Prejudice against people who are attracted to more than one gender. Biphobia happens within the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as coming from straight people. Biphobia comes in many forms. (Check out our blog for more!)

Cis-gendered/Cisgender (Cis): Gender identity matches assigned gender/sex.

Cisgender privilege (Cis privilege): the inherent advantage in which cisgender people are not negatively impacted by the systemic oppression that trans people face. Cis privilege does not imply economic or racial privilege or that an individual’s life has not been difficult, only that their gender identity being in conflict with their body/societal gender norms is not the source of their difficulties.

Coming Out: the process by which one accepts one’s own sexuality, gender identity, or status as an intersex person (to “come out” to oneself) and the process by which one shares one’s sexuality, gender identity, or intersex status with others (to “come out” to friends, etc.). This can be a continual, life-long process for homosexual, bisexual, transgendered, and intersex individuals.

Gay Conversions Therapy: a range of practices that falsely claim to change sexual orientation. Gay conversion therapy is an archaic and harmful practice. The American Psychiatric Association has condemned the practice, saying that, “the potential risks [..] are great, including depression, anxiety and self-destructive behaviour.” The US branch of the World Health Organisation, has said that conversion therapy, “lack[s] medical justification and represent[s] a serious threat to the health and well-being of affected people.” The practice is also known not to work. It is still legal in many places including the UK and the US, and is carried out both by qualified mental health professionals as well as by religious groups often without any credentials.

Genderstraight privilege:  the inherent advantage in which cisgender, straight people are not negatively impacted by the systemic oppression that LGBTQIA+ people face. Genderstraight privilege does not imply economic or racial privilege or that an individual’s life has not been difficult, only that their sexual orientation and/or gender identity is not the source of their difficulties.

Heteronormativity:  Heteronormativity is the belief that people fall into distinct and complementary genders (man and woman) with natural roles in life. It asserts that heterosexuality is the only sexual orientation or only norm, and states that sexual and marital relations are most (or only) fitting between people of opposite sexes. Consequently, a "heteronormative" view is one that involves alignment of biological sex, sexuality, gender identity and gender roles. Heteronormativity is often linked to heterosexism and homophobia.

Heterosexism: Behavior that grants preferential treatment to heterosexual people, reinforces the idea that heterosexuality is somehow better or more “right” than queerness, or ignores/doesn’t address queerness as existing.

Homophobia:  A fear, discomfort, anger, resentment, hostility, etc. toward lesbian, gay, and/or bisexual people, often expressed as discrimination, harassment and violence against anyone not acting within socio-cultural norms of heterosexuality.

Lesbophobia: Lesbophobia comprises various forms of negativity toward lesbians as individuals, as couples, or as a social group. Based on the categories of sex, gender, sexual orientation, lesbian identity, and gender expression, this negativity encompasses prejudice, discrimination, and abuse, in addition to attitudes and feelings ranging from disdain to hostility. As such, lesbophobia is sexism against women that intersects with homophobia.

LGBTQIA+ – A common abbreviation for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual, Transgender, Genderqueer, Queer, Intersex, Agender, Asexual and other queer-identifying community.

LGBTQIA+ Ally – Someone who confronts heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, heterosexual and genderstraight privilege in themselves and others; has a concern for the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex people; and a belief that heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are social justice issues.

Oppression refers to any sort of systemic or structural ‘ism’ (racism, sexism, ableism, sizeism etc.); the combination of prejudice and institutional power that creates a system that favours dominant groups.

Privilege: operates on personal, interpersonal, cultural, and institutional levels and gives advantages, favors, and benefits to members of dominant groups at the expense of members of target groups. Privilege is invisible to those who have it and is awarded to those in dominant groups whether they want it or not.

Straight Privilege:  the inherent advantage in which straight people are not negatively impacted by the systemic oppression that LGBTQIA+ people face. Straight privilege does not imply economic or racial privilege or that an individual’s life has not been difficult, only that their sexual orientation is not the source of their difficulties.

The Stonewall Uprising: a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the LGBTQIA+ community in response to a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighbourhood of Manhattan, New York City. Patrons of the Stonewall, other Village lesbian and gay bars, and neighbourhood street people fought back when the police became violent. The riots are widely considered to constitute one of the most important events leading to the gay liberation movement and the twentieth century fight for LGBTQIA+ rights in the United States.

Trans: An abbreviation that is sometimes used to refer to a gender variant person. This use allows a person to state a gender variant identity without having to disclose hormonal or surgical status/intentions. This term is sometimes used to refer to the gender variant community as a whole.

Transgender: A person who lives as a member of a gender other than that expected based on anatomical sex. Sexual orientation varies and is not dependent on gender identity.

Transmisogynoir:  the intersection of transphobia, misogyny and racism. The term originated in relation to the experiences of black trans women, but is also experienced by other trans women of colour. It can be expressed through negative attitudes, expressed through cultural hate, individual and state violence, and discrimination directed toward trans women or colour.

Transmisogyny: the intersection of transphobia and misogyny. It can be expressed through negative attitudes, expressed through cultural hate, individual and state violence, and discrimination directed toward trans women and trans and gender non-conforming people on the feminine end of the gender spectrum.

Transphobia:  The fear, hatred, or discomfort of transgender people or otherwise gender variant, often expressed as discrimination, harassment and violence.