In the last 30 years the public’s support of same-sex loving has rocketed, new stats today show that support for gay, lesbian and bisexual relationships are at their highest.
Nearly 70 percent of people in the UK now say that they support same-sex relationships compared with just 11 percent back in 1987. The figures are also a stark improvement on 2012’s figures of under 50 percent (47%).
According to figures released, 68% of people thought that relationships between two people of the same sex were ‘not at all wrong’.
The youngest generation was the most welcoming – 80% of people age 18-24 thought there was nothing wrong with same sex-relations, compared to 29% of those age 75 and older.
Minister for Equalities, Baroness Susan Williams, said: “On Valentine’s Day everyone should be able to love who they love, and be free to show that love to the world.
“I am encouraged to see that people are changing their attitudes to be more accepting and more tolerant, but as government we still have work to do to make sure our society is truly fair, and truly free.
“That’s why we are working with charities, schools, GPs, and across government to make sure our Action Plan can bring about real, lasting change for LGBT people in the UK.”
What has the LGBT action plan promised?
The Government Equalities Office’s LGBT Action Plan, which was launched last July to make the lives of LGBT people better, includes a promise to test out innovative ways of tackling deep-seated prejudice in communities across the country.
As part of the Plan, 12 UK organisations who work to improve the lives of LGBT+ people have been awarded a total of £2.6 million government funding. The cash will support LGBT people in education, healthcare and the community.
Barnardo’s, Diversity Role Models, EqualiTeach, the National Children’s Bureau, Stonewall, and the Diana Award will split £1 million between them to continue their work in protecting children from anti-LGBT+ bullying. In addition, Advonet, the LGBT Foundation, London Friend, Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest, and the Royal College of General Practitioners have received £1 million to improve the lives of LGBT+ people in health and social care.
Rise in Homophobic Crime at odds with the survey
However, in 2018, crime figures showed that homophobic and transphobic hate crime was on the rise. In October we revealed, that twelve percent (11,638 crimes) of recorded hate crimes in England and Wales were directed at gay and bisexual people which was a 17 percent increase over the previous year. While, two percent of recorded hate crime (1651 crimes) were those against transgender people – up a staggering 32 percent.
Overall recorded hate crimes were up, with nearly 100,000 crimes reported which was double the amount in just five years. The majority of hate crime (75%, 71,251 crimes) were racially motivated. Religious-based hate crime accounted for 9 percent (8336 crimes) of recorded crimes.
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