Definition
Sexual orientation refers to someone’s attraction to a person of the same sex, opposite sex, or both sexes.
People who are attracted only to persons of the opposite sex are known as heterosexual or straight. People who don’t identify as heterosexual or straight might describe themselves as being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, or use the umbrella term LGBT. An LGBT person can be single, in a relationship with another person of the same sex, or of the opposite sex, such as bisexual or transgender people.
Some LGBT people are ‘out’, which means that they openly acknowledge their sexual orientation, but many other LGBT people keep their sexual orientation private, often because they are concerned about discrimination or prejudice.
Under the Equality Act 2010, it is unlawful to directly or indirectly discriminate against or harass a person because of their sexual orientation.
Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are terms that are used to describe hatred or prejudice towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The broader picture
Being LGBT is still illegal in over 70 countries, 42 of which are in the Commonwealth, and it is punishable by death in eight countries. Even in places where it is not criminalised, LGBT people regularly face harassment, discrimination, physical abuse and torture by their governments, and are not able to live openly in society.
In Britain, 97% of lesbian, gay and bisexual secondary school pupils have heard homophobic langauge in schools, and 65% have been directly abused at school.
1 in 3 LGBT people in Scotland have been physically attacked.
70% of fans who have attended a sporting match in the last 5 years have heard homophobic abuse. Less than 100 professional sportspeople around the world have ever openly identified as LGBT.
In the 20th century, LGBT people suffered persecution in every country in the world. Many governments and medical institutions carried out practices such as electric-shock therapy to try and ‘cure’ people, and countless numbers of LGBT people all across the world were imprisoned or killed in concentration camps.
sportscotland believes that all people, regardless of sexual orientation, should have the opportunity to participate in sport. sportscotland is committed to fulfilling its duty under the Equality Act 2010 to advance equality of opportunity regardless of sexual orientation.
Sport
At the moment there is insufficient data collected in the Scottish Household Survey to make an accurate prediction of the participation rates amongst LGB people.
In two years time, the Scottish Government will be able to collate four years worth of data which may provide us with some national figures for LGB participation. However the range of evidence suggests that LGBT people still face a wide range of barriers to being full participants and spectators in sport.
Charter against homophobia and transphobia in sport
In July 2011, the UK sports councils, as members of the Sports Councils Equality Group, signed the charter against homophobia and transphobia in sport. The four commitment statements in the charter are:
- Everyone should be able to participate in sport and enjoy it
- Sport is about fairness and equality, respect and dignity
- We will work together to rid sport of homophobia and transphobia
- We will make sport a welcome place for everyone
Anyone can sign the charter; individuals, sports clubs, governing bodies, spectators and so on. You can sign up by sending an email to the Home Office, or by liking the charters facebook page. For more details please see the Home Office Sports Charter page. sportscotland would strongly encourage you and your sporting organisation to sign up to the charter.
Additional resources