LGBT+ climate organisations to support this LGBT+ History Month
In this article, we explain the origins and aims of LGBT+ History Month, and share the work of LGBT+ organisations and charities that are working within climate action and sustainability.
What is the background of LGBT+ history month?
February is LGBT+ History Month – a time where the LGBT+ community and their allies claim their past, celebrate the present and work to end discrimination for the future.
It’s celebrated in February in the UK to coincide with the abolition of Section 28 – an act that ran between 1988 and 2003 that prohibited the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities. This meant that until 2003, state schools were forbidden from teaching children age appropriate information about different family dynamics, or the fact that an estimated 7% of them would likely grow up to identify as something other than hetrosexual.
What’s the link between LGBT+ rights and the climate crisis?
Marginalised communities are disproportionately affected during times of crisis.
LGBT+ people are much more likely than the general population to be homeless, with 20% of LGBT+ people (and 25% of trans people) having experienced homelessness at some point in their lives. For the majority of these people, coming out to their parents was the reason they lost their homes.
They often move to segregated areas to reduce discrimination, areas which are often polluted, placing them at risk of health problems. Without a permanent home, they are at far greater risk from extreme weather events like extreme cold, heatwaves, storms and flooding that are growing more frequent and severe as our planet warms.
What’s more, the discrimination the LGBT+ community face around the world means that they are often unable to safely access emergency support – an example being a transgender woman being jailed for showering in a women’s bathroom in an emergency shelter in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. They’re also more likely to experience gender based violence in the aftermath of climate emergencies.
It is essential that climate action champions marginalised voices to lead to a greener, fairer world for all.
LGBT+ climate organisations that need your support
Set up by and for the LGBT+ community, the following organisations work year round to bring diverse perspectives to the climate movement, to support LGBT+ people affected by the climate crisis, and to end discrimination to the LGBT+ community.
Stonewall Housing
Stonewall Housing is the leading UK-based charity that helps LGBT+ people who face homelessness or unsafe home environments. While not specifically a climate-focused charity, the organisation provides free housing advice and mental health support for LGBT+ people to help them to find somewhere safe and secure to call home.
Find out more about the organisation, and how you can support them.
GiveOut
GiveOut is an LGBT+ community foundation working to give LGBT+ people the freedom to live fully without the fear of oppression and violence. Their work, especially their Crisis and Community campaign, is committed to making sure the community doesn’t become even more marginalised during times of crisis.
GiveOut run a LGBTQI emergency fund, which provides urgent humanitarian relief tailored to the needs of LGBT+ people, who are often unable to safely access other forms of support. They also have a climate fund to provide climate activists with the resources they need to support LGBT+ communities that are impacted by climate events.
Find out more about the charity and how you can support them here.
LGBTIQA+ Greens
LGBTIQA+ Greens is a subset of the Green Party of England and Wales, and they focus on creating a fairer society for the LGBTQ+ community. Current campaigns include:
- Fighting for the rights of LGBT+ refugees
- Securing age appropriate LGBT+ education in schools
- Protecting trans rights and supporting those questioning their genders
- Calling to our government to ban conversion therapy
Whilst LGBTIQA Greens is not specifically an LGBT+ climate organisation, the Green Party is committed to fighting climate change by funding renewable energy sources amongst many other policies.
You can support their work by signing petitions on their site.
