Reflecting on 2025 Pride Month, the PSA's Lead for LGBTQ+ Members, Ed Haywood-Noble, shares a blog on social acceptance:
With June having been being Pride month, I have been reflecting on the journey that society has been on in recent decades, towards greater acceptance and inclusion of LGBTQ+ communities. Pride is important, as a visible community event that celebrates the contribution of LGBTQ+ people and groups, while also highlighting the barriers we still face. It is also an opportunity for family, friends and colleagues to show solidarity and support. Acceptance of under-represented groups within society is significant for everyone who has a genuine interest in diversity, equality and inclusion.
History shows that when individuals and groups are marginalised, this can foster unfair treatment, violence, discrimination, and a multitude of other negative consequences. Recently, some sections of society in the UK, and governments overseas, have become less tolerant of diversity and inclusion. Policy changes that increase discrimination validate extreme views expressed on social media. Noise coming from the United States is making minority groups here feel increasingly vulnerable.
Low levels of acceptance make bullying and violence towards minority groups acceptable to wider society. This creates physical and mental health problems, discrimination in employment, and underrepresentation in positions of civic leadership. Ultimately, this hinders people’s ability to be their true selves, and to thrive.
Social acceptance and legal recognition of LGBTQ+ individuals and communities varies significantly across Europe, as highlighted by ILGA’s rainbow map. This annual benchmarking tool evaluates 49 European countries on their legal and policy practices affecting LGBTQ+ people. The disparities in acceptance levels among countries are striking.
For the ninth consecutive year, Malta tops the rainbow map with a score of 88%. The country has been recognized for providing a high degree of liberty to its LGBTQ+ citizens and has upheld this ranking since 2015. Iceland has moved up to second place with 83%, following new legislation banning conversion practices. Belgium ranks third with a score of 78%, having also banned conversion practices. The country has been recognized for its progressive stance on LGBTQ+ rights, including the legalization of same-sex marriage and adoption rights.
At the other end of the spectrum, Russia and Azerbaijan both scored 2%, while Turkey received 5%. Russia’s decline is attributed to federal legislation banning legal gender recognition and trans-specific healthcare. Within the European Union, Poland remains at the bottom with 18%, followed by Romania (19%) and Bulgaria (23%).
The UK has experienced a notable decline, now ranking 16th with a score of 52%. This marks a significant drop from its 2015 score of 86%, when it was considered the most LGBTQ-friendly place in Europe. Contributing factors include the failure to ban conversion practices and efforts to limit access to trans-specific healthcare.
The evolving landscape of LGBTQ+ rights has direct implications for UK policing:
the decline in the UK’s ranking underscores the need for the police to develop and implement policies that protect LGBTQ+ individuals, ensuring that law enforcement practices are inclusive and non-discriminatory
community relations: building trust with LGBTQ+ communities is crucial, especially when individuals and groups are feeling vulnerable. The police must engage in outreach and establish channels for dialogue to address concerns and foster cooperation
training and education: Officers should receive comprehensive training on LGBTQ+ issues to better understand the challenges faced by these communities and to respond appropriately to incidents involving LGBTQ+ individuals
data collection and analysis: accurate data on hate crimes and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals can inform targeted interventions and policy adjustments. This improves service delivery, helping to build trust and confidence in policing among LGBTQ+ communities.
The disparities highlighted by the rainbow map reflect the varied social acceptance and legal recognition of LGBTQ+ individuals across Europe. For the UK police, these findings emphasize the importance of proactive engagement, policy development, and training to ensure the protection and inclusion of LGBTQ+ communities within the broader framework of public safety and human rights.
