Voices: Covid and LGBT health and well-being in Scotland

Adil Iqbal, Remembering Together’s storytelling associate had a chat with Annette Rae from LGBT Health and Wellbeing. We discuss how the impact of the pandemic affected the health and mental well-being of LGBT communities and the challenges they faced. At Remembering Together we are working to increase diversity and inclusion by facilitating and raising awareness of the pressing issues amongst our partners, artists and community groups.

Annette Rae from LGBT Health and Wellbeing

LGBT+ communities across Scotland have been facing numerous challenges for decades, such as prejudice and fears over safety, including physical safety as a constant challenge, low pay and poverty. This has resulted in numerous LGBT+ services under pressure due to funding cuts. These issues were prevalent pre-pandemic, yet Covid has heightened and brought wider issues to the surface, in particular concerning mental health and loneliness for Black, young and older LGBT+ people.

My conversation with Anette Rae who works as a Service Manager at LGBT Health reflected that pre-pandemic they were a front facing organisation, they organised numerous social events and informal gatherings, which provided the necessary care and encouragement to their members. All of this came to halt during the lockdowns. This had a harmful impact for individuals, over 50’s and older people, where loneliness and mental health issues increased considerably, as a result, trauma, anxiety and fear of living in isolation has increased.  

There is shame attached to older LGBT Communities and during the pandemic, many older people were not too confident joining zoom meetings using their laptop.  Some preferred to check the internet on their phone or preferred a phone call rather than attending online meetings.

Nevertheless, the pandemic gave an insight to many older LGBT+ communities on the HIV breakout and were able to draw on the memories and discrimination faced in the past. Our memories can be one of the strongest vessels in the healing process. At Remembering Together, many artists will be exploring ‘memory’ as a way of eliciting stories to co-create community memorials. Additionally, Luminate, an organisation based in Scotland who are part of our advisory group are working to ensure that older people have access to high quality arts and creative activities. One of their on-going projects includes the LGBTI Saturday Socials.

Annette tells me that pre lockdown the LGBT helpline offered support via phone, Livechat and email and through the lockdowns they expanded their digital delivery, which has increased participation from those communities who were reluctant in coming out. This has helped them in developing a more holistic approach and using a blended approach of both digital and face to face.  

Annette mentioned there has been an increased anxiety in young people, as many have migrated from rural to urban centres and due to lockdown, they had returned to living with their biological families. Many of whom didn’t accept their sexual orientation or gender identity.  LGBT Youth report indicates that only 28% of rural based participants rated their local area as a good place to be LGBT as compared to 62% of urban-based participants. Since many felt neglected even before the pandemic and were now more resilient to social isolation, they knew what it felt like to be not seen and heard. At Remembering Together Glasgow based artist Audrey O’Brien will be exploring key themes such as curiosity, expression and healing through memory with diverse groups at Govanhill. We hope this will create more inclusion and give communities a platform for self-expression.  

One of the most impacted groups has been the Trans community, as there is still a stigma in the society and the pandemic has made it much worse affecting their mental health, as a result the helpline at LGBT Health has increased significantly. Annette sheds light on the recent campaign to reform the Gender Recognition Act, which will make it easier for people to access Gender identity clinics, as some trans people do not want medical treatment.

Social inclusion and poverty are the main themes that are emerging from the pandemic and despite the significant progress of the LGBT rights, it is still too early to understand the scale of trauma. Annette mentioned that peer events and gathering are central to the wellbeing of LGBT communities, where safe spaces and creative facilitation is the way forward.   

As people emerge back into the ‘normal’ there is still a lot of learning and healing work that will be required. Moving ahead, Annette stressed that more awareness is needed in care homes for LGBT community members and guidance for employers on how to become more inclusive. The LGBTI equality manifesto shows tangible steps for the Scottish government to take in the next five years, which includes improving public services, delivering legal equality, tackling discrimination, promoting wellbeing, and building a more equal Scotland. 

At Remembering Together LGBT Health are part of our advisory group and ensure that their  reflections, voices and experiences are relevant to communities, artists and partners in the delivering the Covid memorials.