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SEXUAL ORIENTATION RESEARCH PHASE 2:
THE FUTURE OF LGBT RESEARCH - PERSPECTIVES OF COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS
3 RESEARCH PRIORITIES
This chapter explores the research priorities identified during discussions with organisational representatives. In the main, the level of research or data available on LGBT people was considered poor. Indeed, as highlighted in Chapter One, the rationale for the current study was based on the lack of data available on LGBT communities, in comparison to other equality groups.
Broadly, representatives identified two types of research that were considered necessary for LGBT communities in Scotland. The first related to specific topics which it was felt needed some research in order to increase public understanding, to inform policy or, alternatively, to garner increased levels of resources or support and mapped, relatively neatly, onto established policy areas, such as education and health. A second, broader, collection of research needs was also highlighted. These were less clear-cut and likely to have implications beyond a single Department within the Executive. These aspirations - such as the need for research on social inclusion or attitudinal research on LGBT issues - were broad in that they related to a variety of policy areas and therefore are likely to come under the remit of several departments within the Executive. In addition, such research needs were considered foundational in that they pertained to a need for greater understanding and knowledge about the nature and scale of the LGBT population in Scotland. For ease of discussion, these are dealt with separately here. However, in practice they are perhaps more intertwined than this - broader research interests having implications for the kinds of research required on specific policy topics. Issues that were not seen to require research are also discussed in this Chapter, as are representatives' views about the value of research.
3.1 Specific Research Priorities
Organisational representatives identified a large range of specific research issues around which they had particular concerns. Some of these topics related to participants' own area of expertise, however, most specific research priorities were mentioned in some form across all group discussions. They relate to a wide variety of policy areas and are discussed in detail in this section.
3.1.1 Education
A major concern of organisational representatives was the capacity of the present education curriculum to provide a complete education on issues to do with sex and sexual orientation, even though the repeal of Section 2a had removed restrictions about discussing LGBT issues in schools. It was felt that research was needed to assess the type and quality of teaching given to school-going children on sexual orientation and on equality issues more broadly. Furthermore, it was suggested that an investigation of the training needs of teachers and other school employees in addressing issues of sexual orientation within education would be of considerable utility.
The impact of bullying and homophobia in schools was identified as having been the subject of some locally based research already, but there was a perceived need for more research on a National level.
The collection of basic statistics on the number of LGBT pupils was seen as important in validating their existence within the education system. At the most basic level, it was felt that such demographic data would demonstrate to authorities the existence of LGBT pupils and to pioneer a debate about how these young people's support needs could be addressed during school years.
3.1.2 Youth
Research priorities associated with young people were closely aligned with some of the issues encompassed within education such as homophobic bullying and the need for sensitive and appropriate staff support. In addition, representatives identified how research was needed to inform key services (such as peer support projects) for LGBT youth. Of immediate concern was the absence of research on those young LGBT people no longer in education but too young to access the limited support or help available in some larger cities and towns. Representatives felt this to be closely related to another research priority - to investigate the needs of young people in the process of coming to terms with their sexual or gender identities. Such research was seen to be invaluable for informing the work of services involved in supporting LGBT youth, who it was felt were potentially subject to a host of significant vulnerabilities.
'I think it's really important … significant time lapse in realising your sexuality and coming out, and what happens in those years. So I think off the top of my head it was something like by the age of 16 nearly 60% of people that we interviewed and got questionnaires back from had realised that they were lesbian or gay, but only 9% had told anybody at all. And as the age went on it was like by 18 90% had realised but you know a very small portion had still come out. Now the implications of what happens in that time were enormous and we found links between those that were bullied at school, exiting school, going into low paid jobs, avoiding things like promotion because of you know not wanting to make a fuss in your job or wanting people to get to know you' (Central Belt Group, LGBT youth Organisation)
Also identified was a need for a realistic and accurate understanding of the sexual health of LGBT youth. It was suggested that exploring young people's sexual behaviour would contribute greatly to the improvement of sexual health services, helping them to better address the needs of LGBT youth.
3.1.3 Parenting
A recurrent and central theme that ran through the discussion of parenting concerned the need for representation of alternative family structures (in addition to the traditional two, different sex, parent family) throughout the education system - a point made most forcibly by representatives of lesbian and gay parenting groups. Research was needed, it was felt, to validate the definition and experience of family for children of LGBT parents and to support parents of LGBT children. In particular, representatives suggested that there was a need to quantify the presence of LGBT parents and families in Scotland, so that schools and other authorities could be made aware of their existence and concomitant service requirements.
'…statistics, certainly for parenting would be really useful to be researched, [for] just sheer numbers. Because apart from anything else it gives weight to what we're doing…and persuading schools is important' (Regional Group, Lesbian Group)
Other research topics mentioned in relation to parenting related to legal enquiries into the rights of a co-parent (who may not be the biological parent of a child), for example, in assuming guardianship, in adoption, or alternatively, in the event of the dissolution of any relationship they may have with the biological parent(s).
3.1.4 Rural Issues
As previously outlined, rural issues were most recurrently stressed in discussions outside Glasgow and Edinburgh, although they did feature across most focus groups. Particular importance was placed on the need to understand the nature of exclusion faced by LGBT people living in rural areas. The commissioning of even basic research on this topic was seen as an important step in understanding how the needs of LGBT people in rural areas may be different from urban dwellers. It was felt that such research would need to identify which factors play a part in rural exclusion for LGBT people (e.g. lack of physical infrastructure, social isolation from other LGBT people, stronger religious and homophobic attitudes in smaller rural communities etc). As the following rural LGBT officer outlines:
'I mean it really depends what people take forward. It's hard to know what the main issues are. It really is, cos there are so many. Inclusion would be one of them, you know feeling part of society. But there are so many, I mean it'd be a case of kind of really teasing them out. But I would like to see more research round rural issues for GLB communities' (Regional Group, LGBT Youth Organisation)
Towns in close proximity to larger cities were also identified as having little infrastructure as a result of being situated close to major centres such as Edinburgh and Glasgow. Consequently, it was suggested that the definition of 'rural' in any future research would need to be sufficiently broad to capture all aspects of exclusion as a result of geographical location.
3.1.5 Multiple disadvantage
Multiple disadvantage was an issue that attracted relatively less discussion than other policy areas. Consequently, there were also fewer research priorities generated. What discussion occurred underlined the paucity of research or information on the particular circumstances and experiences of older, minority ethnic and disabled members of the LGBT communities, and the need for greater understanding of their needs and circumstances.
Issues for transgender people
The positioning of transgender issues within the LGBT policy agenda was an issue of some debate with differing opinions evident within and between different groups. However, in all groups there was a view that very little actual research had been conducted about transgender individuals or communities within Scotland. In this respect, it was difficult to extract specific research needs from participants, since given the dearth of existing research, representatives felt that any research into aspects of transgender experiences would be an improvement on the present level.
3.1.7 Crime and Justice
A key theme identified by participants was the need for recording of homophobic crime within the criminal justice system. It was believed that this would give a better understanding of the distribution of hate crime across Scotland and would identify which members of LGBT communities appeared to be the most at risk. Although it was acknowledged that recording of homophobic crime had already begun in some jurisdictions, it was felt that such recording needed to happen nation-wide in order to have any real value.
In addition, there was seen to be a need for data on how LGBT people actually fare within the criminal justice system themselves - something that was felt to be unknown at present. Such research, it was argued, would contribute to a better understanding of the distribution and destination of LGBT people within the criminal justice system and perhaps lead to developments in prison services to better support LGBT people.
3.1.8 Health
There was broad acknowledgement that the sexual health of gay and bisexual men - particularly in relation to HIV - was one of the only areas of LGBT life that had in recent years been subject to considerable research inquiry. While it was felt that the continued funding of such research was necessary, it was also argued that this should not be the sole focus of research on the health of the LGBT communities. The health of other community members was felt to be by comparison neglected and in need of exploration. For instance the paucity of research concerning lesbian and bisexual women's health was underscored.
'Lesbian health issues certainly. There's a definite lack of, you know, services round lesbian health issues, and it's something that I'm always … keep getting panned about every time I go to meetings and stuff. 'We've got a gay men's project, where's the lesbian services?' and there does seem to be a lack of services. There've been no needs assessments done on lesbian health needs, health requirements. Hopefully that's something that will come' (Regional Group, Gay Men's Group )
Representatives felt that there was little research on the general health needs of LGBT communities outside the remit of sexual health and HIV. One area highlighted by participants was the area of mental health of LGBT people. This was perceived as a research priority that related to a diverse range of specific research questions, for example, the experience and prevalence of suicide or self-harm. More broadly, there was recurrent discussion amongst participants about the need to investigate the nature and extent of dependency on alcohol and drugs amongst LGBT people. Fundamental to these enquires was the need to explore any potential relationship between a person's sexual orientation or gender dysphoria and their vulnerability to experiences of mental distress or instability. In addition, it was felt that research was required to understand the service needs of LGBT people who have addiction problems, and more broadly to explore how LGBT people fare within mental health (and general) health services.
3.1.9 Employment and Training
Representatives identified the importance of researching actual career pathways of LGBT people to understand the discrimination they experience and the employment sectors and geographical areas where this may be most pronounced. In addition, the need to investigate other factors that affect the working life of LGBT people was also discussed, particularly the perceived exclusion of LGBT people (by themselves or by employers) from certain types of careers and professions - for example teaching, childcare or the armed services.
Training was also identified as an important research priority. As outlined in Chapter 2, public service provision was not perceived, at present, as equipped to accommodate the unique needs of LGBT people. Accordingly, the value of research that could identify what training was needed for public sector workers was underscored, as was the utility of exploring effectiveness of different approaches to training .
3.1.10 Interpersonal Relationships
There was a general view that little was known about the expression of intimacy amongst LGBT people, about relationship formation (and dissolution) and about the successes and difficulties surrounding such issues. In addition, perceived public unease with the overt expression of same sex intimacy was seen as a distinct difficulty for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Consequently, it was believed that research was required to explore the effect of this on the expression of intimacy amongst same sex partners and to investigate any implications this had on the formation of relationships.
'I've got a bee in my bonnet just now about relationships, interpersonal relationships with gay men in particular. Recent work that's been done by Sigma I think in London and Manchester identified inability to show same sex affection in public as a major perceived barrier to sexual health…A lot of the stuff about education, looking at the things that actually impact on the relationships that we're able to form…unless we have a much clearer picture than we do now of what those issues are we can't actually develop services that are going to respond to those needs in an effective way' (Central Belt Group, non-affiliated representative)
3.1.11 Equality
There was a common belief that research was needed to understand whether existing equality legislation - such as the Disability Discrimination Act - was having a positive impact on the lives of those it was meant to improve. This was perceived to be an important precursor to the development of any legislation that would aim to guarantee equality for LGBT people and protect them from discrimination. Equally, investigating the nature of inequality across the population as a whole, and understanding the shared nature of inequality across gender, ethnicity, disability and sexuality was suggested as one possible way of moving towards a single Equalities Act or body in Scotland.
3.1.12 Funding
As previously identified, concern was expressed around the use of funding for HIV prevention to support community activities outside of that remit. Consequently, the need for a greater understanding of the effects of this was highlighted, both on the resources available for HIV initiatives and the development of an LGBT infrastructure.
An associated research question, and perhaps one that would have interest outside of LGBT communities, was the need to evaluate current funding strategies for voluntary sector organisations. Of particular interest here was the impact current funding practices and priorities have on the provision of support to community members. Furthermore the mode and pace of existing funding (particularly for HIV services) was a source of some criticism and it was felt that research could contribute to reform of the current system of payment.
3.2 Broader Research Priorities
The group discussions generated a diverse range of specific research questions described in detail above. In addition, there was recurrent mention of areas of inquiry that, rather than relating to specific questions or topics, appeared more broad based in nature and could likely have relevance for policy development across a range of Departments within the Executive. Three such areas, in particular, featured in representatives' discussion. These encompassed the nature and extent of the LGBT community, attitudes to sexual orientation and transgender and issues of social inclusion. Each of these is discussed in more detail in this section.
3.2.1 Social Inclusion
It was generally believed that little research had been conducted into social inclusion and whether or how this term or policy agenda had relevance for the LGBT community. Such research was felt to be important if the Executive was to meet its commitment, as set down in the
Equality Strategy, to make Scotland a fully inclusive society. Inclusion was typically conceptualised in either economic or citizenship terms and it was felt that research was needed in relation to each.
Much of the concern about economic exclusion concerned the nature and extent of poverty and deprivation amongst LGBT people in Scotland. It was felt that certain stereotypes concerning the economic profile of LGBT communities - of the strength of the 'pink pound' or the high disposable income LGBT people were said to have relative to the general population - were unfounded. In this respect, it was felt that such myths often obscured the diversity of socio-economic status within LGBT communities and the extent of social deprivation that some LGBT people face on a daily basis. Furthermore, this misapprehension was believed to hamper calls for funding and resources to support LGBT community organisations. Thus, research that would help to illuminate the economic profile of LGBT communities was viewed as vital by participants.
'…what research can be done by the Executive or funded by the Executive for their purposes which will make them sit up and realise that many people within the LGBT community are extremely disadvantaged socially. Not all of us are, I mean I think some of these issues will impact on all of us, but many people a tremendous number of these issues will impact. And one for me has to be sort of about income and deprivation sort of categories that really impact on people, you know, in terms of very poor health and very low income and really poor housing and so on. That's something I think that would be worth concentrating on because I think that what it would do is it would destroy many of the myths [named participant] was mentioning - the pink pound and so on, a lot of these sort of myths and things, blow them away' (Central Belt Group, LGBT Youth Organisation)
Issues of citizenship concerned two issues - the extent to which those who were lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered participated within the LGBT community, and the degree to which LGBT people feel they are a part of mainstream Scottish society. Research was perceived as being a key way of investigating the participation of LGBT people within LGBT 'culture' - i.e. their access to and participation in community resources and agencies and their involvement in the commercial scene that exists in many larger cities. Specific research questions here were manifold but included whether people were excluded from LGBT culture or community in its present form; whether community infrastructure at present was accommodating of diversity and difference; and whether any strategies could be identified for meeting the needs of the 'hidden' or not 'out' population of LGBT people living in Scotland.
In a similar vein, representatives identified how research was required to understand the extent to which LGBT people felt part of wider Scottish society. This was grounded in concern about the extent to which LGBT people felt they were able to participate in wider Scottish society while also being open about their sexual orientation or gender. This was felt to be important because the perceived exclusion of LGBT people to the margins of society was seen to make life difficult on a daily basis and to complicate, unnecessarily, the process of coming out for LGBT youth.
'It is that whole issue about inclusive societies, how much do they feel they participate? To what extent do they participate within a majority society as an out LGBT person, or to what extent do they participate solely within perceived LGBT societies? Or if they participate within majority society do they feel heavily closeted? That kind of stuff I find would be really quite critical.' (Central Belt Group, National LGBT organisation )
3.2.2 Attitudes to sexual orientation and transgender
Attitudes displayed towards LGBT people were conceptualised on three different levels by participants - those emanating from LGBT people themselves towards each other, those communicated by the Government and Public Services to LGBT people, and perhaps most importantly those attitudes to LGBT issues prevalent within the wider Scottish public. Research on all of these three levels was felt to be of importance.
In relation to attitudes within LGBT communities to sexual and transgender identities, participants outlined how issues such as poor self-image could play a role in relation to health, for example. Thus in terms of self-harm, suicide, HIV and STD prevention, LGBT people's conception and valuation of themselves - and others like them - was felt to play a significant role in designing effective interventions and support. Participants felt that better understanding of the attitudes of non 'out' LGBT people was important, in order to be as fully inclusive as possible of them and their potentially acute service needs.
Organisational representatives argued that the attitudes of government and statutory agencies influenced the level of priority and importance assigned to LGBT issues. Understanding the nature of attitudes in the public sector was seen to be a key step in ensuring that LGBT issues were visible and addressed in formal and statutory contexts. It was suggested that public service delivery (including health, education and crime for example) was affected by the attitudes that some public sector workers held towards LGBT people. Consequently, representatives identified how research was needed to explore the attitudes of health, education and criminal justice system staff attitudes towards LGBT community members. This could contribute to a better understanding of the training needs required to address any negative attitudes that representatives felt were prevalent.
A pivotal question raised across all focus groups was the extent to which there had been change over time in terms of tolerance and/or support for LGBT communities amongst the Scottish public. For example, the recent campaigns surrounding the repeal of Section 2a was felt to have shifted public attitudes towards LGBT people and it was seen as important to measure the extent of such change. It was hoped that a greater understanding of attitudinal change (or not, as the case may be) would generate a more accurate picture of the extent to which society felt that discrimination against LGBT people was justified, where these attitudes were most prevalent and whether they were subject to change over time.
3.2.3 Understanding the nature and extent of the LGBT community
A key theme that ran through much of the discussion was the need for research on the nature of 'the LGBT community' itself. Here, specific questions concerned the extent to which one could construe LGBT people as constituting a coherent community, or even a consortium of individual communities. There was recurrent debate within groups about the existence of a 'community' and it was clear that any research on this topic would be of considerable value.
Another main research priority highlighted was the need to measure the size of the LGBT population. This was seen as a necessary prerequisite to LGBT communities being awarded due weight and significance in a broad range of policy areas. To this end, many requests for research on specific policy areas described above - such as youth, parenting or education - were concerned with a quantification of need, in an effort to justify to funders that resources were required. It was felt that accurate evidence on the size of LGBT communities would counter any argument that LGBT communities were too small in size to be considered important in policy terms or in the allocation of public funds.
However, as well as contributing to the generation of resources and support for community concerns, a broader motivation concerned building an accurate demographic picture of LGBT communities - and this was felt by all participants to be absent at present.
Representatives offered a variety of strategies for conducting such research. These encompassed the inclusion of questions on sexual and gender identity on the next census or on various national household surveys conducted by the Executive. Alternatively, it was felt that given the next census was some way off, some sort of 'mini-census' designed to pick up LGBT people or specific surveys of LGBT people would give a more immediate answer to questions concerning the size of the population in Scotland. Nevertheless there were recurrent concerns voiced about the difficulties inherent in trying to estimate the size of LGBT communities from survey data (discussed in more detail in Chapter 4).
With this in mind, there was some support for the use of monitoring or administrative data to get a picture of the size and distribution of LGBT population in Scotland. The value of including sexual orientation as a demographic characteristic on all public service records, as well as reforming the way in which data on gender is collected, was repeatedly underscored. While there were strong concerns voiced about the confidentiality of such sensitive data, the opportunity such records would present to glean a more elaborate demographic profile of the LGBT population in Scotland was also considered attractive. There were also reservations voiced about the accuracy of such records, rooted in the belief that there would be great resistance to the collection of such data. Nevertheless, it was felt that over time this resistance would decrease and some participants suggested that sexual orientation could become as commonplace a demographic descriptor in the future as other characteristics like ethnicity had become over the course of the last thirty years. Indeed, many recalled that in previous generations ethnicity had been omitted from public records, and its subsequent inclusion, was considered to have generated a greater understanding of how it can influence, for example, educational attainment, labour market participation and so on. Similarly, it was felt that the collection of data on sexual orientation through the public record system, and more accurate collection of data on gender, would lead, over time, to a fuller picture of the LGBT population. Moreover, it was likely that such routine collection of data would enable relationships between sexual orientation or gender and other social issues to emerge, for example, whether LGBT people are more at risk of social problems - like suicide, self harm, drug or alcohol dependency.
3.3 Issues for action, not research
Given that much of this Chapter has discussed an overarching need for research on LGBT communities, and the rationale for the whole research study is based on the premise that there has been little research to date on such issues in Scotland, it may then come as a surprise to find that there were issues which were regarded by organisational representatives as not needing research. Such issues generally concerned what were considered to be the basic human rights of LGBT people and were therefore seen to be in need of immediate law reform rather than research. Broadly, these topics concerned issues of equality and safety and related to the right of LGBT people to conduct their daily lives without fear of discrimination or harm. They encompassed issues such as partnership and registration rights; laws to allow co-parenting and adoption by LGBT people; certain transgender issues such as birth certification; and crime and justice issues such as the prosecution of male rape and the outlawing of employment discrimination.
These issues were considered to be ethically and morally right and, from this perspective, needed only parity or redress under the law. For example, participants identified their expectation of parity in being able to enjoy the same partnership rights as mixed-sex couples and having the right to adopt or have children. Research to establish whether same-sex couples should enjoy these rights was not felt to be needed, merely that legislation should be changed to allow this to occur.
'I mean the whole sort of partnership rights, the legal change, no research needs to be done there is a simple issue of justice and equality there. Get on with it' (Central Belt Group, Statutory Equalities officer)
However, while research on whether issues should be addressed was not perceived as necessary, participants sometimes felt that research was still useful because it could inform the shape of future policy on particular topics. For example, while partnership rights were perceived as needing redress, research was identified as important in determining which model of partnership could be developed as most appropriate for LGBT communities in Scotland. However, it was also stressed that such research should not impede a swift change in policy.
3.4 The value of research
There was a general perception - highlighted earlier - that little research existed that focused specifically on LGBT communities in Scotland. However, there was also a great awareness amongst organisational representatives about the growing reliance of policymakers, funders and service providers on research in providing the evidence for action or change. Representatives also noticed this within their own work and, from the way in which representatives spoke of research, it clearly played an important role - even though much of the research used originated from outside Scotland, particularly England and the United States. The value of such research was articulated in a variety of ways:
Representatives outlined how they commonly used research both to increase their own knowledge of relevant issues or to give information to service users. Here, having accurate and up-to-date information was considered of the utmost importance:
'[And] again I think is where you know as a project we really come into play because we have got more information on … gay men and men who have sex with men's behaviour than any other place in Scotland' (Central Belt Group, National LGBT organisation)
'[When] we're drawing on research for the Switchboard, you know if we're giving advice on safe sex issues for example then obviously it has to be based on reliable information' (Regional Group, LGBT Switchboard)
'I've used mental health studies before…[with the] mental health aspect to some degree of involvement and for advice from people to give advice, accurate advice, instead of 'I think it should be like this', you know?' (Regional Group, Transgender Organisation)
In some services this need for accuracy was particularly underlined. For instance, representatives from organisations that worked in HIV prevention or treatment identified the importance of having up-to-date information, given the dynamic and changing nature of HIV infection amongst gay and bisexual men, and the speed with which the latest medical treatments became available.
There was also a belief that research was useful when outreaching to organisations outside of the community. This was felt to be particularly beneficial in building relationships with mainstream services. Representatives reported using research and information to better articulate the needs and expectations of LGBT people to such organisations, as illustrated by this participant:
'I was using research information when trying to deal with the agencies that provide services. So for example if you were talking to [Regional] Police it's useful to know that there has been Edinburgh based, Fife based, and locally based research into issues around homophobia and so on, that kind of thing. So I think it's been helpful to inform our arguments' (Regional Group, LGBT Organisation)
Research was also felt to be a crucial way for organisations to illuminate the ordinary lives of LGBT people, and more specifically, to demonstrate - particularly to policy makers and public services - the perceived discriminatory effects of existing law and policy.
There was a recurrent view that research was of central importance to LGBT voluntary organisations, either to their formation and establishment, or for their continued development or further expansion.
In the context of establishing projects and services, representatives identified how research was sometimes used to scope the need for services in relation to a particular issue - such as youth, parenting etc. These types of need assessments often identified the rationale for community based initiatives and services. Equally, research was seen as vital to the development of an organisation - at the very least in supporting a bid for funding, or more broadly, by justifying the aims or approach of an agency. For instance, the following representative - from an LGBT switchboard - spoke candidly about the role locally based research had played in legitimising them in the eyes of local statutory services, something which they hoped would lead to increased funding in the future:
'[The Researcher] was the first person who recognised the validity of what the Switchboard was doing. We never ever received any funding at all from either the Health Board or the City Council. We still receive very little funding from the City Council. But before that point 7 years into existence we never ever were recognised, despite the fact we'd run the Switchboard for 7 years non stop with no money' (Regional Group, LGBT Switchboard)
As part of ongoing development, research was also seen as important in evaluating projects or initiatives as they happen:
'Well we use research in terms of evaluation. All of the information campaigns that we do externally…we tend to use methodologies such as 'Have you seen it?', 'Did you like it?' 'What do you think it said?'…and that sort of thing' (Central Belt Group, Gay Men's Group)
While all organisations spoke of using research, there was clearly less emphasis placed on research by smaller organisations. Organisational representatives from smaller - mostly unfunded organisations - spoke of how they were generally overstretched in terms of time, money, personnel and overall capacity and so found little time to conduct small scale research, or to absorb or utilise research findings. This was felt to limit the value of research for these organisations.
We can't afford it. We keep statistics. We have a call logging system that we're able to use which is really purely statistical. And to a certain extent, apart from the actual proper geographical stuff that is recorded and we can use for funders and is kept you know for ourselves where we take the statistics on the types of calls, the nature of the call, the issue of the call…but even in that I would have to say that there is a certain amount of subjectivity on that. (Central Belt Group, LGBT Switchboard)
Because of this, smaller organisations spoke of how they relied more on 'informal' research to inform their approach and to aid in their development - mainly consultation with community members through social or professional networks. Such contacts - emphasised more by organisations based outside the central belt - were seen to be crucial in knowing the needs and expectations of locally based LGBT people. However, the value of such networks was felt to be no replacement for rigorous research, for such 'anecdotal' evidence of need was seen to be of little use when trying to generate funds for community infrastructure or activities.
Throughout discussions representatives identified instances where research around specific issues, such as education, harassment or HIV had met with some success in either informing the general direction of policy or practice or in affecting real change. A recurrent example here was the perceived impact of two studies of homophobic crime on the practice of several police authorities throughout Scotland.
9 It was suggested that the findings of these studies had been instrumental in persuading police authorities - in some jurisdictions - to change the way they dealt with homophobic crime to make it more sensitive to the needs of LGBT people. The value that such applied policy research could have in a myriad of other areas was recurrently emphasised throughout the discussions.
However, while creating a research agenda for the LGBT community was largely interpreted in a positive fashion, there was also much scepticism about whether research could affect any real change on policy and practice, as illustrated by this representative's comments:
'So you know the rhetoric is it should be evidence based, which would dictate the kind of research that's done. Not the research questions but how it's actually done in terms of the methods. But then, to be honest, I think it's bollocks, it doesn't work like that. Evidence doesn't actually lead to policy…however you know fantastic - randomised telephone survey of LGBT communities, you know perfect sample, you know real evidence of discrimination and its effects on health, could be completely ignored, even though it's very good evidence by any kind of scientific standards. I have very little faith that evidence actually turns into policy' (Central Belt Group, LGBT Researcher)
While organisational representatives identified a diverse range of contributions that research could make to the lives of LGBT people, there was also a determination voiced in all groups that such research should lead to action by the Executive and other public bodies. Otherwise, it was felt that there was little point to research on LGBT communities for its own sake.
'I mean you can take a specific case, say transgender issues, and do as much research as you want and take as much time as you want into doing that. Once the research is done, okay, what next? You need action, it needs to be put in place and actually done, you know. Action speak much louder than words' (Regional Group, LGBT Youth Organisation)
This chapter has outlined the concerns of organisational representatives in terms of research priorities (both broad and specific), those areas potentially not needing research, as well as highlighting the value of research in a variety of settings. The following chapter looks more closely at community views about the conduct of such research.
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