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A full ban on conversion practices must include religious settings and protect trans people.

Aged 21, Liam – a trans man – confided in the pastor at his church about having a difficult time with his gender identity and sexuality. When he was offered support, he accepted, not realising that the purpose of this ‘help’ was to prevent him from transitioning and to end his relationships with women. Soon, he was being coerced into thinking that he would go to hell if he transitioned.

“I was told that I'd embraced a lie from the devil…These meetings often revolved around the pastor condemning my gender and sexuality, and citing scriptures that he said proved God’s design was for cis, heterosexual men and women,” said Liam. “Even though I’m unsure what I believe anymore, I still live with the fear that I will go to hell.”

51% of respondents who had been subjected to conversion practices said religious or faith groups had conducted it.

Unfortunately for Liam, this was not an isolated experience. Conversion practices (also known as ‘reparative therapy’) is any practice that seeks to change, 'cure' or suppress a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression – and a large proportion of it takes place within a religious or faith-based setting. In fact, the Government’s 2018 National LGBT Survey found that 51% of respondents who had been subjected to conversion practices said religious or faith groups had conducted it.

Conversion practices in religious settings often involve a combination of processes that can range from private or public prayer, to laying of hands. The latter can include a practice described as “beating the homosexuality out of the persons”, often with the use of brooms. LGBTQ+ individuals considered to be ‘possessed’ by the ‘demonic’ spirit of homosexuality may also be subjected to deliverance healing, which can see them forced to drink or bathe in potions deemed “spiritual water”, or even be starved of food and sleep until it is believed that the homosexuality has fled their body.

“When I say I was prayed for, I’m not talking about a quick ‘Our Father’ type prayer,” said George, who experienced conversion practices aged 17, through her friend’s church youth group. “It was lengthy, it was loud, it was two adults shouting and pushing down on my head, forcing me to my knees. It went on and on and they wouldn’t stop until I said I felt a change. I hadn’t been diagnosed back then, but I now know I am autistic, and the experience was totally overwhelming for me.”

No study has ever determined that conversion practices are successful.

While no study has ever determined that conversion practices are successful, there is significant evidence that it can be fatal, and survivors carry the resulting trauma throughout their lives. A 2024 study found that nearly 1 in 6 (16%) LGBTQ+ young people reported being threatened with or subjected to conversion practices, and this was associated with higher rates of mental health concerns. While not all forms of conversion practices involve violence, even talking therapies are a damaging and degrading practice that leave lasting scars on LGBTQ+ survivors.

“During the year I had conversion therapy, I started to self-harm and became very depressed,” said Emily. “It took six or so years before I realised that what had happened to me was conversion therapy, and that it was wrong. Dating has been impossible at times – sometimes I have felt physically sick when starting a relationship because the feelings of ‘I shouldn't be here’ come back so strongly. My pastor’s attempts at therapy might have appeared innocuous, and he may have truly believed he was doing the right thing, but his actions caused me a great deal of harm.”

After being questioned on his gender identity and sexuality in the name of religion, Liam experienced lasting damage to his relationships with others and his perception of self. Research has revealed that trans people are disproportionately impacted by conversion practices, with the Government’s 2018 National LGBT Survey finding that trans respondents were much more likely to have undergone or been offered conversion therapy (13%) than cisgender respondents (7%).

“One of the most destructive impacts was that I began to believe I was unlovable,” Liam said. “After all, if I was being told that even God couldn't bear who I am, then it was, and sometimes still is, difficult to see how I am worthy of love.”

To protect all LGBTQ+ people from significant suffering and trauma, any ban on conversion practices must be holistic and comprehensive.

It’s clear that in order to protect all LGBTQ+ people from significant suffering and trauma, any ban on conversion practices must be holistic and comprehensive. It must protect trans people from gender identity conversion practices and make no excuses for religious activities carried out with the goal of changing or suppressing someone’s gender or sexuality, no matter how innocuous they might appear. Supported by Ahmed Shaheed – the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief – and a wide array of national religious organisations, including the Church of England, Methodists, Quakers, the Hindu Council UK, and the Dhamma Center, we urgently call for a ban not only on conversion practices, but also their promotion. Finally, any legislation put in place must provide support services for current and historical survivors of conversion practices, as well as statutory safeguarding training for all medical and mental health providers, social workers, therapists, and relevant education and justice institutions.

All LGBTQ+ people deserve to be protected from abuse. Find out how to support a ban on conversion practices that leaves no one behind.

We asked 7 ace people what they wish allies knew about their identities – here’s what they told us.

1. You don’t have to experience zero sexual attraction to be a part of the ace community. Demisexual and greysexual people belong in the community.

“Broadly speaking, a demisexual person is someone who only feels sexual attraction to someone after they feel an emotional bond. Demisexuality fits in to the ace spectrum. I can feel romantic feelings towards someone without there having to be sexual feelings there.”

“A lot of grey aces describe feeling sexual attraction on occasion, having a very low sex drive but enjoying sex occasionally, or feeling completely ambivalent about sex. Despite having an incredibly strong emotional attraction to my partners, I began to realise over time that, while I craved physical intimacy, I didn’t crave sexual intimacy. If I found out today that I would never have sexual contact with another human being ever again, it would have exactly zero impact on my life.”

2. People on the ace spectrum don’t want your pity. Just because they may feel sexual attraction in different ways, doesn’t mean they don’t feel excitement!

“For me, the idea of locking lips with multiple fitties in just one night makes me feel intensely uncomfortable at most, or at the very least bored. There’s no excitement in it, whereas when I do sporadically feel attraction to someone, I feel it EVERYWHERE – like someone has attached a TENS machine to all my main nerves and just turned that dial up to 11. It’s great!”

3. People’s sexualities sitting within the ace spectrum doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with past sexual trauma – but, even if there are links, their identity is no less valid.

“I have experienced sexual trauma on more than one occasion, and I must admit that it has been really hard to unpick ‘organic’ elements of my sexuality from trauma responses. I think this was one of the biggest reasons that I invalidated myself regarding my ace spectrum identity for a long time.

I am not sure if I will ever be able to say that my experience of sex repulsion is entirely unrelated to my trauma, though I don’t consciously associate them anymore. But over time I’ve come to terms with the fact that, regardless of its origin, it has remained stable and is a key part of my sexual identity and my relationship with sexuality. I am entitled to own that and accept it as another piece of the puzzle that forms my grey asexuality.”

4. Some people on the ace spectrum do have a sex drive.

“I masturbate pretty regularly. But, as I was trying to explain to a friend recently, when I masturbate, I don’t really think about sex at all. It just feels good. Sort of like eating a massive bowl of hummus feels really good, or climbing into bed after a long hot shower, or binge watching all five series of Broad City in two days, you know? I enjoy masturbating, I just have no desire to have other people do it for me, or to touch other people that way.”

5. People can be both bisexual and demisexual. LGBTQIA+ people know themselves deeply. When you consistently come out to yourself and those around you, it’s hard NOT to know who you are.

“Just as straight people are not automatically attracted to people of a different gender to them, I don’t leave my commute overwhelmed by all the potential options I have. I can be in a room with the most beautiful person of any gender, and that won’t mean that I want to jump their bones. Knowing someone’s morals, what makes them tick, and their own experiences of moving through the world, is of far more interest to me.”

6. The hypersexualisation of Black people negatively impacts those who sit under the umbrella of the ace spectrum.

“As someone who moves through the world as a black person and is often perceived as a black woman before I have a chance to confirm or deny this, I have felt myself hypersexualised in a multitude of situations – by strangers, by medical professionals, by lovers, and would-be lovers. It’s a relentless torrent of assumptions on my body made by people who will likely never get close enough to it.

This hypersexualisation also actively causes harm, as it directly feeds into r*pe culture by framing black bodies as bodies that sex is done to or happens to, without a need for the enthusiastic consent that comes from getting with people who you’ve emotionally bonded with on a soul level.”

7. It’s OK to be confused about your identity – but, ultimately, knowing yourself is awesome!

“For a long time, I wondered what the heck was wrong with me, which I think is pretty common to the ace experience. But, after lots of wondering, thinking, reckoning, and self-searching, I’ve settled on grey ace. It actually sounds really cool, like a dark anti-hero, or a pub in a magical realism novel – The Grey Ace. So, I can roll with that.”

Visit our Ace Hub.

In the UK, it is still legal for LGBTQ+ people to be subjected to conversion therapy.

Conversion practices attempt to suppress, ‘cure’, or change a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation. Conversion therapy might be seen as cruel and archaic to many, but when we back look at our history, we can see that the fight to #BanConversionTherapy is one more step in a long and sometimes slow struggle for our rights.

LGBTQ+ people have nothing to be ashamed of – our sexual orientations and gender identities are diverse and to be celebrated. Through affirmative and informed support and therapy, many of us explore, discover, and accept our sexual orientation and gender identity, or come to terms with the stigma and prejudice about who we are.

LGBTQ+ people have nothing to be ashamed of.

But so-called conversion ‘therapy’ is rooted in the idea that LGBTQ+ people need to be fixed. Anyone who has been shamed for being themselves knows that it takes a toll on your mental health and self-esteem when loved ones, institutions or services discriminate against you based on who you are, or ask you to hide or change yourself. As Joe, a survivor of conversion therapy shared, ‘My therapy sessions put the shame and self-hatred I felt as a teenager into overdrive. I felt responsible for changing myself, and if I didn’t manage this, then I would have failed yet again.’ 

It might seem shocking that conversion therapy is still legal in the UK, and that 7% of LGBTQ+ people have been offered or undergone conversion therapy. But the sad truth is that only 54 years ago, homosexuality was illegal. Until 1973, homosexuality was considered a ‘mental disorder.’ And it was only two years ago – in 2019 – that being trans was removed as a ‘mental disorder’ from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

So, while it is shocking, it’s perhaps not surprising that we’re still fighting to be free of the prejudice and stigma that says something is wrong with us, or that we’re broken. These legal and medical systems demonstrate how conversion therapy managed to thrive and why it remains a risk for our communities.

We deserve to get healthcare, access and support, and belong to a religious or cultural community, without fear.

But history also tells us that, despite the odds and the risks, LGBTQ+ people and their allies resist these dehumanising arguments. And – even if it takes a long time – we win. After all, those laws and policies didn’t overturn themselves! It’s the LGBTQ+ movement that lobbied, organised, protested and spoke up for change. The campaign to #BanConversionTherapy continues these fights.

It’s about saying that we are who we say we are. It’s about saying we deserve to get healthcare, access and support, and belong to a religious or cultural community, without fear. We’ve already worked together – as a band of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies alongside religious, cultural, medical and therapeutic communities – to get this Bill for a ban on the table.

Now, we must make sure that when the Bill lands, all LGBTQ+ people – no matter where or how they may be targeted – are protected by law from conversion therapy.

All LGBTQ+ people deserve to be protected from abuse. Find out how you can support a ban on conversion therapy that leaves no one behind.

The world has changed considerably since the 2019 general election.

The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened existing inequalities faced by marginalised communities; hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity continue to rise; and we are facing a crisis in access to gender-affirming healthcare. It has never been more important that LGBTQ+ communities, and all marginalised people, are empowered to use their vote.

In June 2021, the UK Government introduced its Elections Bill, which would require voters to present photo identification (ID) to vote in general elections, English local elections, and police and crime commissioner elections in England and Wales. Our research shows that these proposals would disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ people.

At Stonewall, we are proud to have partnered with LGBT Foundation on a crucial and timely piece of research into ID ownership amongst LGBTQ+ communities, the first of its kind in the UK. Download the full report.

This report shows that the proposed Voter ID requirements would disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ people.

The report shows that LGBTQ+ people are three times more likely than the general population not to possess any photo ID that could be used to vote. This disparity is driven by the figures for trans and non-binary people. Nearly a quarter of trans respondents (24%) and nearly one in five non-binary respondents (19%) said they do not own usable photo ID, and could potentially be disenfranchised by the Elections Bill. This compares to 3% of non-trans respondents*.

Nearly a quarter of trans respondents and nearly one in five non-binary respondents said they do not own usable photo ID.

For many trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people, the photograph, name, and/or gender marker on their ID may not reflect their appearance or gender identity. Nearly two in five trans respondents (38%) and over one-third of non-binary respondents (35%) have previously experienced problems getting their ID accepted.

The introduction of voter ID could inadvertently result in them being turned away from polling stations, or simply deciding not to vote for fear of this happening: over half of trans and non-binary respondents (55% and 52% respectively) said that they would be less likely to vote if they had to present ID. LGBTQ+ disabled people, people of colour, and those who are homeless or in severe poverty are also more likely to face barriers to voting under the UK Government’s proposed legislation.

The Government claims that the Elections Bill is necessary to ensure that elections are safe and secure, and protect against ‘personation’, a form of electoral fraud where someone pretends to be somebody else in order to use their vote. However, there are extremely low levels of electoral fraud in the UK. In 2019, there were only 33 allegations of ‘personation’ out of over 58 million votes cast, resulting in just one conviction and one caution.

The Bill would disenfranchise far more legitimate voters than it would prevent fraudulent ones. In the 2018 trials of voter ID that took place across five councils, twice as many people did not vote in a single day due to having incorrect ID as have been accused of personation in eight years across the whole of the UK.

96% of trans and non-binary people experience at least one barrier to obtaining appropriate ID.

Our report’s findings also point to wider systemic barriers for LGBTQ+ people’s access to ID, particularly for trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people. Our research found that 96% of trans and non-binary people experience at least one barrier to obtaining appropriate ID. They highlighted the difficulty of obtaining ID that reflects their chosen name and gender. Changing the gender marker on a UK passport currently requires a Gender Recognition Certificate, a new birth or adoption certificate, or a letter from a doctor or medical professional. This process can be lengthy, complex and expensive, with an average 18-month wait for a first appointment at a Gender Dysphoria Clinic. Respondents were also concerned about the risk to their privacy and safety in obtaining ID – for example, being ‘outed’ as trans, or being subject to invasive questioning.

Not only will we campaign against the Government’s Voter ID proposals, but we will also campaign to make it easier and more affordable for all trans people, including non-binary people, to access identity documents that accurately reflect their lived name and gender – and ensure they continue to have a voice on the issues that affect their lives.

Download the full report, and register to vote if you can, to ensure that you’re able to engage fully and fairly in the democratic process.

* This includes all respondents who did not say they were trans – of which 93% were cis and 7% were non-binary.

When we wear our rainbow laces, we commit to having honest conversations about the experiences of LGBTQ+ people in sport and fitness – but what are the key talking points we need to address?

Sport and fitness is an important part of so many of our lives – it has the power to bring people together, and to improve our mental and physical health. But too many LGBTQ+ people still feel confronted with a choice between loving their sport and being their true selves.

More than a million of you have laced up to show support for LGBTQ+ people in sport and fitness. Now it’s time to go one step further and start a conversation about why you support the campaign, and the commitment we can make, individually and together, to ensure LGBTQ+ feel welcome in sport.

Speak up to friends, family, colleagues, teams and clubs – because every conversation matters, and every conversation takes us one step closer to achieving our goal.

Below are just some of the conversations we need to have now, if we want to make sport everyone’s game.

Q: How widespread is discrimination?

Many LGBTQ+ people still feel unsafe and unwelcome in sport and fitness. For example:

• Across Europe, 82% of LGBTQ+ people who take part in sport have experienced or witnessed homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in the past 12 months (Out in Sport, 2019).
• More than 43% of LGBTQ+ people think public sporting events aren’t a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people. (YouGov for Stonewall, 2017).
• 33% of LGBTQ+ people who participate in or follow sport aren’t out to anyone in their sporting life (Out in Sport, 2019). Their research indicates that fear of rejection and bullying are two key factors keeping athletes ‘in the closet’.

So while there’s been a significant uptick in visibility in recent years, LGBTQ+ people still face prejudice across the sporting world, and that means many simply stop participating. That’s why it’s so important for each of us to talk with the people around us about the real experiences of LGBTQ+ people in sport, and do our best to create inclusive environments.

Q: Are attitudes changing towards LGBTQ+ people in sport?

The Rainbow Laces campaign has united the majority of sport fans and participants who see that inclusion matters. For example:

• Two thirds of sport fans who saw the campaign believe they have a responsibility to stick up for LGBTQ+ fans of the teams and sports they follow (ICM for Stonewall, 2020).
• 46% of people feel confident challenging anti-LGBT language online and at live sporting events.

And in recent years, we’ve celebrated an ever-growing number of out and proud LGBTQ+ sportspeople gracing our screens and magazine covers. With increasing awareness has come increased acceptance, but there’s still a way to go to shift public attitudes – 20% of sport fans think anti-LGBTQ+ language is harmless if it’s just meant as banter (ICM for Stonewall, 2020), and there’s more work to do to ensure trans people can participate in the sports they love.

Q: How can we support LGBTQ+ people to not give up on their sporting dreams?

Every team member plays a vital role in making people feel part of the team. Team talks, end of season speeches, WhatsApp groups, and dressing room chatter – the way we interact in all these contexts impacts our peers. For a lot of people, sport and sporting environments are ‘safe spaces’, somewhere they feel comfortable and at ease. But for others, the same place might make them feel like they have to hide part of their lives because of how others might react.

See below for a list of top tips to help you become a more inclusive teammate, fan or organisation – and how to safely tackle discrimination when you see it.

Q: Do people perform better when they can be themselves?

Research has shown that ‘coming out’ at work is related to higher job satisfaction, and there are significant ‘costs’ associated with hiding our true selves – the same can be applied in the context of sporting clubs and events. If we’re not worrying about hiding aspects of ourselves from those around us – by monitoring how we talk, walk, or share details about our lives – we can truly focus on the sports we love.

‘Coming out’ is also linked to improved mental health. Depression impacts our communities at a disproportionately high rate, with our 2018 research showing that 52% of LGBTQ+ people had experienced depression in the past year. Much of this is linked to the discrimination we face in a range of contexts. If LGBTQ+ people can be themselves in a sporting environment, it’s more likely that they’ll perform to their best potential.

Q: What part can I play?

Simple – lace up and speak up! Celebrate the impact that sport has on LGBTQ+ people and the impact that LGBTQ+ people have on sport, and to consider how we can all play our part in making sport everyone's game.

Why not start a conversation about why those around you should also support the cause? You can order laces for your communities or encourage them to order laces, and provoke positive, constructive conversations across your communities about LGBTQ+ inclusion. Remember – every conversation takes us one step closer to creating a better sporting world for LGBTQ+ people.

Check out this blog by our Sports Engagement Manager to learn more on why we must speak up for LGBTQ+ sportspeople for more inspiration.

Top tips for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport

Sport can bring so many benefits to our lives – not just in terms of wellbeing, but also in the ways sport brings people together.

LGBTQ+ people deserve to be a part of this. We shouldn’t feel excluded or shut out just because of who we are.

Take a look at our top tips for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport, whether you’re an organisation/group, teammate, or a fan.

Visit our Rainbow Laces Hub.

This blog was first published on Jason's LinkedIn page, and is presented in its original form.

One day in June 2006, whilst sat on a hard plastic chair in a consultation room in a sexual health clinic, my life changed for the better, sadly at the time it didn’t feel like that – it felt like my life had just collapsed in on itself … this was the day I was diagnosed as HIV positive.

At the time of my diagnosis my understanding of HIV/AIDS was fairly limited. As a child growing up in the 80s I saw the devastation that AIDS caused, the panic and hysteria that swept across the world, and looking back I can see the damage it did to gay rights and equality. As a child I’d witnessed the harrowing news reports of the ‘gay cancer’ or the ‘gay plague’, the hospital footage showing thousands of people (mainly gay men) dying alone, their bodies ravished by this mysterious and virulent disease. In less than 15 years, the HIV/AIDS pandemic temporarily undid so much of the great work started by activists around the time of the Stonewall riots … Gay men were vilified, seen as less than human, spreaders of disease to be shunned and avoided at all cost.

Throughout 1980s and early 90s, an HIV diagnosis was very often a death sentence. Very little was known about the virus, and very little was done to fund research into the disease or treatment. I won’t get into the politics but let’s just say the pandemic was viewed as a joke at the highest levels of Western government, which only fuelled narrow minded public thinking that gay people, that their lifestyles (or so called choice of lifestyle), was unsavoury to say the least. Let’s just remind ourselves that in 1987, anti-gay laws were introduced in this country. Section 28 forbade teaching in any school that homosexual relationships were acceptable, that law wasn’t overturned until 2003.

So, back to that moment in the consultation room, the moment I was diagnosed in 2006. Identifying as a gay man still carried a lot of stigma, imagine adding being diagnosed HIV positive on top of that.

Research and treatments have come on a long, long way.

A lot of my understanding about HIV led to one final conclusion … But luckily for me, and anyone diagnosed as HIV positive in the last 20 - 25 years, research and treatments have come on a long, long way. HIV isn’t the death sentence it once was. The drug therapies are kinder than their crude counter parts that started to emerge in the early 90s. I simply take two pills a day, and that’s it. My viral load (the level of the virus in my body) is undetectable. This means I cannot pass it on. As I say, I am one of the lucky ones. Over 35 million people have died from this terrible disease, many in poorer nations where access to effective treatments and education into safe sexual health/transmission was (or still is) minimal or non-existent.

Stigma still exists around HIV, there are myths to be busted and prejudices to be tackled. Organisations like the Terrence Higgins Trust still exist to fulfil their mission:

• To end the transmission of HIV in the UK.
• To empower and support people living with HIV to lead healthy lives.
• To amplify the voices of those affected by HIV across public and political arenas to eradicate stigma and discrimination.
• To enable people to enjoy good sexual health.

But every day brings new hope. So, on this World AIDS Day, I feel blessed and privileged to have the opportunity to share my story with the world, to shine a light on a subject that is still seen as taboo by some people. And through shining a light and hopefully educating at least one person, perhaps I can make the world a slightly brighter and more hopeful place.

I said at the start of this piece, my life changed for the better in 2006. My diagnosis helped me to reassess my life, to make healthier decisions. It was my wake up call. We only get one shot at life, so please try to make every day count.

Our Sports Engagement Manager Erin Williams argues that we need to move past visibility and into real action if we want to create a sporting world where all LGBTQ+ people can thrive.

Happening once a year as the culmination of our Rainbow Laces campaign, Rainbow Laces Day provides us with an opportunity to celebrate and take pride in the contribution that members of the LGBTQ+ community make to sport.

Sport and physical activity bring enormous benefits, from wellbeing to community, and no one should be excluded because of who they are.

On Rainbow Laces Day, we ask everyone to Lace Up and Speak Up for LGBTQ+ equality by starting the conversations we need to have to drive real societal and structural change. Sport and physical activity bring enormous benefits, from wellbeing to community, and no one should be excluded because of who they are. But, still, too many of us feel unsafe or unwelcome at sporting events.

Over the past six years, the Rainbow Laces campaign has brought huge amounts of vital visibility and awareness. And this year has been such an important one for many LGBTQ+ people. We’ve seen Jordan Henderson wearing his rainbow captain’s armband, Pernille Harder and Magda Ericksson celebrating their relationship, and over 150 openly LGBTQ+ athletes at the Tokyo Olympics – including Quinn, our first openly trans gold medallist.

These are year-round shows of support and unity – and in that sense, every season is Rainbow Laces season. But Rainbow Laces Day is when it all comes together in a moving display of solidarity. Stadiums light up in rainbow, and the biggest names in sport lace up for LGBTQ+ equality, backed by some of the biggest players on the world stage who make up TeamPride – including Barclays, Premier League, Sky Sports, and Unilever.

As a queer athlete, I know how much it has meant for me to see people like me playing the sport I love. Growing up, sport was everything to me. The rush of competition, the ecstasy of winning, the comradery of the team – every aspect of being involved in sports as a young person enriched who I was and made me who I am today. When I realised and accepted myself as a lesbian, I was excluded from some areas of my life, but fortunately sport remained my safe space. This was in large part because the visibility of queer role models in my sport made it clear that being LGBTQ+ and succeeding on the pitch was possible.

But while visibility is important – and so exciting – it isn't everything.

But while visibility is important – and so exciting – it isn’t everything. We know that just because some people are visible, that doesn’t mean that everything is perfect for LGBTQ+ people in all sports. In fact, 33% of LGBTQ+ people who participate in or follow sport aren’t out to anyone in their sporting life (Out in Sport, 2019). 

So now, we need action. We’ve got an amazing foundation of awareness but it’s time to go further and tackle the root of the problems faced by many LGBTQ+ people. There’s still a long way to go until every lesbian, gay, bi, trans, and queer person feels that they can be themselves – in whichever sport and physical activity that they want to be involved in. That’s why we’re taking the Rainbow Laces campaign to the next level, and asking you to Lace Up and Speak Up. 

Want to know what you can do on Rainbow Laces Day? A great way to show your support is to show off your laces loud and proud. It’s also a chance to get creative. Like to bake? Go for it, like Delia Smith did in 2018. Have a dance-off, like Dance Action Zone Leeds (DAZL) did in 2020. Or use the day to look over your club policies, codes of conduct, and inclusive sessions (we have some top tips for that!). You can even get inspired by sports that are already leading the way when it comes to LGBTQ+ inclusion.

We want everyone – athletes, clubs, individuals, gyms, pools, dance groups, schools, and uni teams – to take your commitment to inclusion even further.

But whatever you do, use it as a time to start the conversation. We want everyone – athletes, clubs, individuals, gyms, pools, dance groups, schools, and uni teams – to take your commitment to inclusion even further, and have conversations about what you can do to make your spaces truly inclusive and welcoming for all LGBTQ+ people. When I came out, I was helped enormously by my teammates who were not LGBTQ+ but took the time to simply ask, ‘Hey, how can I make this easier for you?’. I had their back on the pitch (I’m a goalkeeper) and I knew they had my back off it. If you need some help, check out this list of key talking points to help you speak up for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport.

To me, Rainbow Laces are a symbol of pride and a signal of collective action so that LGBTQ+ sportspeople can succeed in every aspect of our lives. It’s about working and winning (it is sport, after all!) – together.

So, on every Rainbow Laces Day, join us in lacing up, speaking up, and starting those conversations. You could be the one ensuring that your LGBTQ+ teammates feel welcomed, celebrated and accepted in the sport they love – and that your whole team thrives as a result.

Visit our Rainbow Laces hub.

People have been attracted to more than one gender throughout recorded history. 

But specific identity labels like bi and pan are relatively new. How did bi+ people in the past understand their identities and attractions, and how does this history affect bi people and communities in the UK today? Our Research Officer Martha Robinson Rhodes, who has a PhD in bi history, explains …

In 1859, anatomist Robert Bentley Todd first used the term ‘bisexuality' to refer to the possession of ‘male’ and ‘female’ physical characteristics in the same body – today, we might understand this as being intersex. This meaning was taken up by nineteenth-century sexologists – scientists and psychologists studying sex and sexuality, including Henry Havelock Ellis and Richard von Krafft-Ebing – who explored evolution and speculated about “the latent organic bi-sexuality in each sex”, noting that “at an early stage of development, the sexes are indistinguishable”.

By the beginning of the twentieth century, this meaning had shifted to focus on a combination of ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ gendered characteristics – what today we would describe as androgyny. The modern meaning of bisexuality, which describes sexual and/or romantic attraction rather than sexed or gendered characteristics, only developed in the 1910s. However, for many years the different meanings of bisexuality were used at the same time and sometimes in the same texts. Sigmund Freud made his famous claim about ‘universal’ bisexuality in 1915, but referred to this both as a combination of masculinity and femininity and as a sexual or romantic attraction, writing, “the sexual object is a kind of reflection of the subject’s bisexual nature”.

But if people in the past didn't use the term 'bi', how did people attracted to more than one gender describe themselves?

There is no simple answer to this question. Some didn’t use an identity label at all, preferring not to categorise their relationships. Some understood themselves as heterosexual, while others identified as gay or lesbian. Others described themselves using percentages or ratios, such as ‘60:40 gay:heterosexual’. When the term ‘gay’ was first popularised by gay liberationists in the 1970s, it often linked radical politics and same-gender attraction, but didn’t necessarily exclude people who were attracted to, or had relationships with, multiple genders.

One interviewee I spoke to during my PhD recalled: “There was a general understanding that sexuality was some sort of spectrum, and that people would move along it from time to time”. It’s also important to note that this terminology is particular to English-speakers in the West, and that elsewhere in the world there has been a diverse range of approaches to sexuality and gender that often reject binary categorisations. In many cases, these approaches have been restricted or prohibited as a legacy of colonialism.

It wasn’t until the late 1970s that the current understanding of bisexuality, as an orientation or capacity for attraction, became widely accepted in the UK as "the more common usage". Around this point, we started to see bi groups and events being established. The UK’s first bi group, London Bisexual Group, was formed in 1981, followed by other groups in Edinburgh (1984), Brighton (1985), Manchester (1986) and Glasgow (1988), as well as a London-based Bisexual Women’s Group. A magazine, Bi-Monthly, was founded, as well as two bi helplines in London and Edinburgh, and the UK’s longest continually-running LGBTQ+ community event, the annual BiCon.

Bi terminology and politics have continued to evolve since the 1980s. While definitions of bisexuality initially focused on attractions to ‘both’ genders, over time it became more common to refer to ‘attraction to more than one gender’. The term ‘pansexual’ became popular in the 1990s in response to concerns about bisexuality upholding the gender binary, using the prefix ‘pan’ (‘all’) to suggest attraction that is not limited by gender. But this doesn’t mean that bi people are therefore only attracted to two genders. Some people attracted to more than one gender identify as both bi and pan, some as one or the other, and some as neither. The 1990 manifesto of Anything that Moves, a US bi magazine, explicitly stated that bisexuality shouldn’t be understood as binary: “Do not assume that bisexuality is binary or duogamous in nature: that we have “two” sides or that we must be involved simultaneously with both genders to be fulfilled human beings. In fact, don’t assume that there are only two genders”.

Today, we still see the complex history of bisexuality and the shifting use of language being used to erase bi people’s identities, or suggest that they are a ‘phase’. This has hugely damaging effects on bi people and communities. Stonewall’s Bi Report shows that bi people often report not feeling welcome in LGBTQ+ spaces, and experience much higher rates of discrimination from within the LGBTQ+ community. 43% of bi people have never attended an LGBTQ+ space or event, compared to 29% of gay men and lesbians. Research also indicates that bi people are also more likely to experience poor mental health, in part because of this erasure and discrimination.

Changing language should never be used as an excuse to dismiss or reject bi or pan people’s identities and attractions. One of my interviewees summed this up as: “Language evolves. September isn’t the seventh month. October isn’t the eighth month. Bisexual doesn’t mean two genders”.

Instead, understanding how language and communities have evolved reminds us that there is exciting potential for further change and progress in the future, towards greater equality for bi people and other LGBTQ+ people. For me, exploring and understanding this change is what makes learning about our history so important – in LGBT+ History Month, and all year round.

References and further reading

• Bi Academic Intervention (ed), The Bisexual Imaginary: Representation, Identity and Desire (1997)
• Shiri Eisner, Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution (2013)
• Sigmund Freud translated by James Strachey, Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality: 1. The Sexual Aberrations (1915 edition)
• Kate Harrad (ed), Purple Prose: Bisexuality in Britain (2016)
• Henry Havelock Ellis, Studies in the Psychology of Sex Volume I: Sexual Inversion (1897)
• Clare Hemmings, Bisexual Spaces: A Geography of Sexuality and Gender (2002)
• Lachlan MacDowall, ‘Historicising Contemporary Bisexuality’, Journal of Bisexuality (2009)
• The Off Pink Collective (ed), Bisexual Horizons: Politics, Histories, Lives (1996)
• Paula C. Rust, Bisexuality and the Challenge to Lesbian Politics (1995)
• Martha Robinson Rhodes, ‘Bisexuality, Multiple-Gender-Attraction and Gay Liberation Politics in the 1970s’ (2020)
• Merl Storr (ed), Bisexuality: A Critical Reader (1999)
• Naomi Tucker (ed), Bisexual Politics: Theories, Queries and Visions (1995)

This article was updated 13/06/2022 to add further detail about the modern meaning of bisexuality.

This year we’re celebrating 50 years of Pride in the UK. In this article, we’ll chart the major moments in LGBTQ+ history since the first Pride in 1972, and ask what still needs to change for LGBTQ+ people, today and in future.

2022 is a pivotal year for LGBTQ+ history in the UK. Fifty years after the first Pride in London, it’s time to reflect on everything our movement has achieved. At that first Pride in 1972, around 2,000 participants marched together, calling for gay rights. And throughout the 1970s, there were many other milestones – Gay News, Britain’s first newspaper, was founded. Switchboard, a London-based info and support helpline that still runs today, was established. The first trans conference was held in Leeds and the first gay and lesbian Trades Union Congress conference took place to discuss workplace rights. In a watershed moment, Maureen Colquhoun became Britain’s first openly lesbian MP.

In the 1980s, progress sped up rapidly as more LGBTQ+ people came out and demanded equal treatment. We saw the first Black Gay and Lesbian Group being formed, as well as the first bi group in the UK. Chris Smith became the first openly gay MP, and the Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners campaign was launched. But as well as increased visibility, the LGBTQ+ population in the UK faced a backlash. In 1988, Margaret Thatcher introduced Section 28, a piece of legislation which banned local authorities from ‘promoting homosexuality’ and effectively banned the discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in schools. More happily, in 1989, Stonewall was founded to fight back against Section 28.

The 1990s saw the World Health Organisation declassify same-sex attraction as a mental illness, and the age of consent for sexual relations between men lowered from 21 to 18. Trans youth charity Mermaids was founded, and two openly gay MPs are elected in the 1997 elections.

Under Tony Blair’s government in the 2000s, a raft of positive legislation was introduced. The UK Government lifted the ban on LGB people in the armed forces, the age of consent was lowered to 16, same-sex couples were granted equal rights when applying for adoption, and Section 28 was finally repealed across the UK. We also saw the Civil Partnership Act and the Gender Recognition Act introduced in 2004, granting same-sex couples the same rights as married couples, and allowing trans people to acquire new birth certificates. Finally, The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 outlawed the discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities, services, education and public functions on the grounds of sexual orientation.

In the 2010s, the Equality Act added gender reassignment as a protected characteristic. We saw the introduction of same-sex marriage across the UK, and Ruth Davidson became the first openly gay leader of a political party in the UK. The ban on donating blood for gay and bi men was lifted, and the UK Government issued a posthumous pardon to all men convicted under sexual offences laws which criminalised people for being bi or gay. And we saw the first Trans Pride and Bi Pride events take place in the UK.

So it's fair to say we’ve come an incredibly long way since 1972. By 2019, London Pride saw 1.5 million people celebrate and protest in support of LGBTQ+ rights. But looking around us today, it’s clear that we still haven’t reached equality. Just this year, we saw online estate agency Purple Bricks remove a listing last month when the owners of a house in Surrey refused to allow two gay men to view their property. Luke Whitehouse was told by the owners that they could not sell the house to ‘two men in partnership […] as it is contrary to the gracious teaching in God’s Word’. While we know progress has been made, we still have to battle regressive attitudes across society.

More frighteningly, reports of anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime and violence continue to rise. Barely a month into this year, we saw coverage of the murder of Dr Gary Jenkins, who was killed in a park by attackers hurling homophobic abuse. The prosecution lawyer, employed to win justice for Gary, said in his opening statement that Gary’s ‘sexual predilections were to be his undoing… he rendered himself hopelessly vulnerable and an easy target’. The lawyer later apologised and Gary’s murderers will soon be jailed, but nevertheless, stereotypes about gay and bi men being promiscuous are still being used justify violence and blame the victims of horrific attacks. In 2022, we are still not safe in our own communities.

So, this year, we’re looking ahead to imagine what we want the world we want for LGBTQ+ people today, and in fifty years’ time. Right now, we’re campaigning for a full, legislative ban on conversion therapy in the UK, so that no more LGBTQ+ people are subject to this degrading practice. We’re also fighting for better treatment for LGBTQ+ refugees, who deserve not only safe passage but a warm welcome when they arrive in our country, and for equal access to IVF, so that LGBTQ+ people don’t need to break the bank to become parents. 

What do you want to make a reality by Pride 100 in 2072? Let us know on Twitter by tagging @stonewalluk and using the hashtag #TakePride.

Aromanticism is often misunderstood, but it's an important part of the LGBTQ+ community. In this blog, we're debunking common myths around aromanticism and raising awareness about what it means to be aro.

What does aro mean?

Aro is an umbrella term used by people who don’t typically experience romantic attraction. Romantic attraction can be defined as a desire to have romantic contact or interaction with an individual. You may hear people referring to the ‘aro spectrum’, which encompasses a wide variety of different experiences, including not feeling romantic attraction at all, feeling romantic attraction occasionally, or feeling varying levels of romantic attraction at different times.

Here are five things you should know about aro people:

1. Not all aro people are asexual

And vice versa! Romantic orientation is separate from sexual orientation, so people who identify as aro aren’t necessary also ace. While there can be overlap between the two identities, and many people do identify as aro and ace, we shouldn’t assume that the two always go hand in hand. Find out more about asexuality.

Aro people who experience sexual attraction and/or occasional romantic attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with aro to describe the direction of their attraction.

2. Aro people can have relationships

Romantic relationships aren’t the only type of relationship, and aro people can have meaningful, loving relationships with their friends, families, and platonic partners if they wish to.

Some aro people choose to enter into queerplatonic relationships or partnerships – these are generally described as platonic relationships with a deeper level of commitment than what we might typically expect from a friendship. For example, queerplatonic partners might live together or share financial or domestic responsibilities with one another. These relationships aren’t typically romantic or sexual in nature.

3. Aro people aren’t cold and heartless

Aro people are not ‘emotionally immature’ and are just as capable of the full range of human emotion and feeling as alloromantic people (people who do experience romantic attraction). Romantic love is not the only form of love: aro people can and do have a variety of close, fulfilling and loving relationships with people in their lives, including friends, family members, chosen family and queerplatonic partners. Some aro people may also enjoy physical affection.

4. Being aro isn’t just a phase

Although for some people, romantic attraction can change over time and be in constant flux, you shouldn’t assume that people who identify as aro might one day change their minds. Aro people don’t need to be ‘fixed’, and they aren’t just ‘waiting for the right person’ – they are who they say they are.

5. Aro people are part of the LGBTQ+ community

The LGBTQ+ community is a safe space for many who are not accepted by society for who they are.

When people are free to be themselves, we all benefit. For anyone living outside the historical and modern-day expectations of gender, sexuality or attraction, finding others who have a shared experience can help people feel seen, accepted, and part of a community.

While aro people may face different societal barriers and forms of discrimination than those with other identities, they are a valid part of the LGBTQ+ community. We are always stronger when we stand together and work towards a world where everyone is free to be themselves.