17 April 2024 | Letters
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
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, 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
12 December 2023 | Letters
22 August 2023 | News
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
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 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
14 February 2023 | News
Our LGBTI+ glossary is here. If you would like printed copies, please email en@equality-network.org.
22 December 2022 | News
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
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 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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
“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
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, 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
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
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
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
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.
8 March 2021 | News
8 March 2021 | News
1 March 2021 | News
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Edinburgh EH6 6PR
+44 (0) 131 467 6039
en@equality-network.org
Equality Network is a national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) equality and human rights charity.
The Equality Network is a registered Scottish charity: SC037852, and a company limited by guarantee: SC220213.
We are grateful for funding from the Scottish Government
