Over 60,000 respond to nationwide LGBT survey – have you had your say yet?
Two men kiss at Madrid Pride (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo/Getty Images)
More than 60,000 people have responded to a nationwide LGBT survey in the UK.
The survey was launched by the Government Equalities Office on Sunday 23 July.
It is intended as an opportunity for LGBT+ people to inform government policies in the future on LGBT issues.
Estimating that there are another more than 1 million LGBT people in the UK, the Government urges others to take part.
Minister for School Standards and Minister for Equalities Nick Gibb said: “It’s encouraging to already see so many responses to the LGBT survey. We’ve seen so much progress over the past 50 years and it’s important that we continue to drive LGBT equality.
“I would encourage those who haven’t yet responded to the survey to have their say on the issues affecting them. All the responses will help us to provide a safer, healthier and more equal United Kingdom for LGBT people.”
The consultation is open until 15 October and you can have you say here.
Gibb, an out gay MP, earlier this year became the Junior Minister for Equalities.
The Conservative politician came out in 2015, revealing plans to marry his same-sex partner after a secret 29-year relationship.
In May, the Queen gave royal assent to a law which made sex and relationship education statutory in all schools.
The law committed to developing guidance to make SRE mandatory in all schools, after pressure on the issue from sexual health and children’s campaign groups.
This was especially visible when students flooded their MPs with Valentine’s Day cards calling for compulsory SRE.
Gibb has previously spoken out about the “unforgivable” lack of HIV education, saying: “When we have a survey which shows that one in four children are not being told, or taught, about HIV, which is a deadly disease that can be simply avoided and simply caught, a lack of knowledge in this area is unforgivable in our school system.”
The minister will also be charged with improving children and young people’s mental health services, and preventing bullying in schools.
