Know your rights!
Right to equal treatment -
The Equality Act, which came into force in October 2010, protects people against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender reassignment in the provision of goods and services by businesses and public services. This includes access to education, healthcare, hotels and B&Bs and council services.
You are also protected from direct discrimination as a result of being associated with someone who gay or lesbian, or who is undergoing or has undergone gender reassignment, e.g. as a partner of a transsexual person.
You also protected against discrimination on the grounds of your perceived sexual orientation or gender identity e.g. if you are perceived to be gay, even if you are heterosexual.
You are also protected against indirect discrimination, where a policy or practice particularly disadvantages homosexual or transgender people and can’t be justified as a proportionate means of meeting a legitimate aim.
If you think you've been discriminated against by a service provider because of your sexual orientation, it's best to try to resolve the matter informally with the organisation in question first. Many public sector organisations (e.g. local Councils) and businesses have their own formal comments and complaints procedures which you can use.
It is also a good idea to use these mechanisms to suggest areas for improvement,
where service providers could be more pro-
Click here for advice and information on LGBT equality from the Home Office.
Click here to download The Lesbian and Gay Foundations booklet I Exist, A Guide to
Your Legal Rights for Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual people.
HALT have produced two leaflets which offer practical information for service providers from the public, private and voluntary sectors. These are free to download and use as required. Please click on the links below: