University researchers are to study the gay community in the Sussex town of Hastings in a bid to understand whether anti-discrimination legislation is working.
The University of Brighton has secured funding to launch research into the experiences of queer people in Hastings and Rother, to gather information on the policies of local employers and service providers, to highlight areas where discrimination remains.
The project is being planned by academics in conjunction with local organisations and community groups including The Hastings and Rother Rainbow Alliance and the Hastings and Rother LGBT Wellbeing Group, who between them approached the University with a view to working together on the project. Funding came from On Our Doorsteps, a programme designed to strengthen university and community links.
Local LGBT activist Charles Neal says the breadth of the study is its strength: “This group aims not only to foreground LGBT equalities work and highlight areas for improvement, but also to create a space for services to work with LGBT communities in a spirit of partnership.
“It will begin with an audit of all public bodies to see how they are meeting their equalities duties and catering for their LGBT populations. Our group is wide-ranging and includes representatives from local authorities, the NHS, prisons and emergency services.”
Any groups or members of the local LGBT community who would like more information on taking part should contact Nick McGlynn on n.mcglynn@brighton.ac.uk.