We are committed to advancing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and intersex people, and all gender identities and sexual orientations (LGBTQI+) and promoting, protecting and realising the rights of every LGBTQI+ person in Scotland.
Actions
Our current work to improve the lives of LGBTQI+ people includes:
- reform of the Gender Recognition Act
- providing over £3 million funding (2021 to 2024) to organisations working to advance LGBTQI+ equality through the Equality and Human Rights Fund
- taking forward our commitment to end conversion practices
- a programme of action to promote equality and wellbeing for non-binary people
- supporting NHS gender identity service improvement
- continuing to develop a new Human Rights Bill which will, within the limits of devolved competence, include provision to ensure equal access for everyone to the substantive rights contained in the Bill, including LGBTQI+ people
- continuing to use the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) Rainbow Index as a benchmark
Also we:
- continue to develop proposals for introducing a Bill on ending conversion practices for both sexual orientation and gender identity
- have funded LGBT Health and Wellbeing to run a helpline to support victims and survivors of conversion practices
- have accepted the majority of the Working Group on Non-Binary Equality’s recommendations, either in full, or partially
- have developed a non-binary equality action plan to improve equality and wellbeing for non-binary people, based on the agreed recommendations
- are providing funding of £1.1 million to LGBTQI+ organisations in 2023 to 2024 to enable them to take forward a range of activities to advance equality and tackle discrimination
- established and funded organisations dedicated to stopping LGBTQI+-related bullying and discrimination
- published a Hate Crime Strategy for Scotland (March 2023), which sets out a vision for a Scotland that lives free from hatred and prejudice and where our communities are empowered, inclusive and safe
- published non-statutory guidance for schools on supporting transgender pupils (August 2021)
- were the first country to embed LGBT-inclusive education across the curriculum
- take part in a range of engagements around Pride season and LGBT History Month
- are working with a range of stakeholders to improve data and evidence on LGBTQI+ people
Background
We developed much of our current LGBTQI+ policy around the Equality Act 2010, which makes it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of certain protected characteristics including:
- sexual orientation, including how people express this such as through appearance or the places they visit
- gender reassignment, where a person is proposing to undergo, is undergoing, or has undergone a process (or part of a process) for the purpose of reassigning the person’s sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an independent public body responsible for oversight of compliance with the Equality Act 2010. They have issued guidance for employers and service providers on how to comply with equality law and implement good practice, as well as guidance for individuals to help them to understand their rights.
We are driving an ambitious and progressive agenda to ensure that equality, inclusion and human rights are embedded in all we do. Find out more about mainstreaming equality or read our latest Mainstreaming Report.
Bills and legislation
We introduced:
- the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 which, once in force, will consolidate, modernise and extend existing hate crime legislation, ensuring it is fit for 21st century Scotland
- the Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020 which received Royal Assent on 28 July 2020 meaning that all couples in Scotland have the same choices should they decide they want a legally recognised relationship
- the Historical Sexual Offences (Pardons and Disregards) (Scotland) Act 2018 which retroactively pardoned men previously convicted of same-sex activity under obsolete laws which have now been repealed
- the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014
- the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009, which eliminated sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination from sexual offences law
- the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007, which extended the law on adoption to allow same-sex couples to adopt jointly
Contact
LGBTQI+ Equality Policy Team
Email: lgbtipolicy@gov.scot
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Telephone: 0300 244 4000
Post:
Scottish Government
Equality and Inclusion Division
Directorate for Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ