30 July 2024   |    News

Scottish Trans and Non-binary Experiences Report

The Scottish Trans report on the experiences of over 500 trans and non-binary people across Scotland is now live!

Click here to read the report and find out about our community’s experiences with public services, their local area, housing, homelessness, benefits, work, and the cost of living.

10 May 2024   |   News

Equality Network send letter to new Cab Sec for Social Justice and Minister for Equalities

Equality Network and Scottish Trans have sent a letter to the new Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP and Minister for Equalities Kaukab Stewart MSP.

7 May 2024   |   News

Equality Network send letter to new First Minister

Equality Network and Scottish Trans have sent a letter to the new First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney MSP.

17 April 2024   |   Letters

14 Scottish organisations sign cross-sector letter in support of new hate crime legislation

Today, 14 organisations from across Scotland have signed a letter in support of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, introduced on April 1st 2024.

18 March 2024   |   News

Faith & LGBTQA+ Groups Share Support For New Government Bill To End Conversion Practices

Today (18/3/24) we hosted an event bringing together 10 diverse faith leaders, faith groups and LGBTQA+ Survivors of Conversion Practices to discuss the Scottish Government’s new draft Bill and proposals to end conversion practices in Scotland.  

15 January 2024   |   News, Press releases

The Equality Network appoints new Chief Executive

The Equality Network, a leading national LGBTI equality and campaign organisation in Scotland, has today appointed a new Chief Executive, Dr Rebecca Crowther.

The organisation’s previous leader, Tim Hopkins, is retiring as CEO today after 27 years with the Equality Network and 14 years as its head. Following an open recruitment process over the past few months, the Equality Network’s Board has appointed Dr Crowther as CEO to take the organisation forward into the future. She was previously the Equality Network’s Policy Manager.

18 December 2023   |   Letters

Letter in the National, 18th December 2023

12 December 2023   |   Letters

Letter in the National newspaper 12/12/2023

22 August 2023   |   News

Kinship, Family, and Support Networks report launch

Our new report explores kinship & support networks in the LGBTI+ community. Our diverse chosen families & support networks are a lifeline. They need to be recognised properly.

8 August 2023   |   News

Human rights and LGBTI+ experiences in Scotland today

The Scottish Government is proposing to introduce a new Human Rights Bill for Scotland – fill in our survey to have your say!

6 July 2023   |   News

Come and work with us

Come and join our team!

We are currently recruiting for two great jobs:

The closing date for applications is Monday 31st July, and you can find all the details here.

27 February 2023   |   News

National LGBT+ organisations call on the FM candidates to continue with commitments to LGBT+ equality

14 February 2023   |   News

LGBTI Glossary

Our LGBTI+ glossary is here. If you would like printed copies, please email en@equality-network.org.

22 December 2022   |   News

Scotland moves forward again as Gender Recognition Reform Bill passes

Scotland is set to join 34 other countries and states around the world where trans men and women can change their legal gender by self-declaration.

Following months of detailed parliamentary scrutiny and debate, the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament today by 86 votes to 39.

We thank all MSPs who supported the bill, and those who engaged constructively on amendments to it.

16 December 2022   |   News

United – An open letter to MSP’s in support of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill

We are LGBT+ groups, and organisations from all over Scotland in all our diversity.

This week, the Scottish Parliament has a historic opportunity to continue Scotland’s journey towards full social and legal equality, for all LGBT+ people, by passing a new law which will remove bureaucratic and dehumanising barriers to legal gender recognition for trans men and women.

We call on MSPs to reject amendments that would undermine the core principles of the bill.

8 August 2022   |   News

Bitastic is back and bookings are open!

Bitastic is an annual event with discussions, speakers and social events run by and for bi+ people. Join us on Saturday 24th September, from 10.30am – 4.30pm, at 40 George Square, Edinburgh. We will also have a bonus online event on Friday 23rd September (Bi Visibility Day) for people who can’t make the in-person event, or who would like to meet people beforehand.

21 June 2022   |   News

New Edinburgh Group for Disabled LGBTQ People

New inclusive group for queer people, disabled people, their friends, family, carers, and allies to get together, support one another, create, craft, play board games, and organise intersectionally and in solidarity with other marginalised people. Plans to meet every first and third Thursday of the month between 17:30 and 20:30 at Shrub Zero Waste Hub in Edinburgh (22 Bread St, EH3 9AF).

9 June 2022   |   News

LGBT+ and Benefits Research

A group of trans-inclusive researchers from the University of Stirling, Sheffield Hallam University, and the University of Nottingham are beginning research with a view to improving the experiences of LGBT+ people dealing with the benefits system. They are able to offer a £20 voucher as a thank you for taking part in an interview.

25 April 2022   |   News

Today marks the start of Lesbian Visibility Week 2022

Our Policy Officer, Eleanor, on lesbian joy, and the importance of our LGBTQIA+ family and kinship…

I’ve grown in to being visible – reaching a point where I feel, not just accepting of myself as a lesbian woman, but able to see beauty and feel great pride in that.

4 April 2022   |   News

Equality Network statement on the UK Government’s decision not to include trans people in the ban on so-called conversion therapy

The Equality Network, together with LGBTQ+ organisations right across the UK, shares the anger at the UK Government’s decision not to include trans people in a proposed ban on conversion practices in England & Wales. As a result and in solidarity with trans people across the UK the Equality Network will not participate in the UK Government’s “Safe To Be Me” Conference.

2 March 2022   |   News

Census 2022

Every decade, the Scottish Government conducts a Census – a survey of everyone living in Scotland, to find out all sorts of useful statistical information about the people who live in different parts of Scotland. For the first time, the Census 2022 will ask questions about sexual orientation and trans status or history.

18 February 2022   |   News

Happy Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week

February 20-26 is Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week. Most of us will know an aromantic person, even if we don’t identify with the label ourselves, so it’s a great opportunity to learn more about what that means so that we can be better allies to aromantic people.

14 December 2021   |   News

We hope you find joy this season…

The season is upon us! It’s that time of year again… for cosy evenings, good food, old friends, and family… After the year we’ve all had, it’s a well-earned break, with celebration perhaps feeling more needed than ever.

10 December 2021   |   News

10th December is International Human Rights Day – what does that mean for LGBTI people?

“Human rights” can feel like an abstract concept, talked about by politicians and policymakers, disconnected from our everyday lives. But human rights are, and should be, central to our lives.

23 November 2021   |   News

Our letter about conversion practices in The National (23 Nov)

In Monday’s long letter, Andy Anderson describes how he and his wife gave what sounds like excellent support to a young person who was questioning their gender identity. What he describes is certainly not conversion therapy, and would not be affected by any ban.

2 November 2021   |   News

Sanctuary, Safety and Solidarity practical guide

Sanctuary, Safety, Solidarity is a guide for service providers on how to better support LGBT asylum seekers and refugees. The original research for this guide, in the report ‘Sanctuary, Safety and Solidarity — Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, trans Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Scotland’.

26 July 2021   |   News

Further Out

There are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in every part of Scotland from our biggest cities to our smallest settlements and islands. While LGBTI equality has progressed considerably in recent years the lived experience of LGBTI communities in urban settings is vastly different to that of LGBTI communities in more rural and island settings.

14 June 2021   |   News

It is Pride month at the Shrub Co-op!

Shrub is an Edinburgh cooperative working for a world without waste, and includes a charity shop and food sharing hub. When they came to us for intersectional inclusion training they were already good at LGBT inclusion but now they’re even better…

13 June 2021   |   News

New 2020-21 Hate Crime Figures

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) published the latest hate crime figures for 2020-21 on Friday 4th June. The figures show that recorded sexual orientation aggravated crime continues to rise in Scotland.

12 May 2021   |   News

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

Nature is a powerful tool in maintaining and improving mental health. It can bring perspective, moments of inner peace, joy and wonderment. It can make us feel physically and emotionally better. But nature is not something everyone has access to.

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