Tyron Woolfe & Abigail Gorman: Why we’ve launched a new Deaf LGBTQ website in time for Pride season! (BSL)

Its Pride season and lots of exciting events are happening across the UK such as exhibitions, performances and of course… Pride events! We’re pleased to see that more Prides are committed to making their events accessible, for example in Bristol: http://bristolpride.co.uk/access-at-pride/

Today sees the launch of www.deaflgbtiqa.org.uk after months of fundraising and voluntary efforts by deaf people who identify on the LGBTIQA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, questioning/queer or asexual) spectrum. Unsure of what some of those terms mean? Don’t worry, read on!

To watch Tyron signing their article, click play below, or scroll down to continue in written English!

After realising that there wasn’t a LGBT+ Facebook page for people living in the UK, Richard Carter and Karen Hobbs set up a deaf lgbtq UK facebook page. The Facebook page quickly attracted members, (600+ members and still growing!) with members keen to share stories and get to know to members of their communities a little more.

However, it was noted that the page wouldn’t necessarily reach deaf people who aren’t members of the deaf LGBTIQA+ community; people who are just coming out or confused or immersed/lost in the hearing world.

The coming out stories, events and support from this Facebook group could be used as valuable tools to support people in their journey, and needed to have a wider platform. Thus, the idea of setting up a website was born.

A website with various kinds of information that could provide some support to the average mainstream school/college leaver, an adult who is confused about their sexuality or someone who is curious about their gender, and many more.

A website that documents the history of the deaf LGBTIQA+ community, with significant milestones dating back to even before the 1970s. To understand the journey of the deaf LGBTIQA+ community and their fight for equality and respect, this page will provide you with the information you need. A website with stories from members of the community, which will inspire and empower them.

Imagine yourself as an eighteen years old person who has just left college. This is the time for exploration, to get to know who you truly are, and to make sense of your identity.

However, to be able to do that, you will need a group of people who will be able to provide support, a network of people who have been through what you are about to go through, people who are about to go on the same journey as you are, and most importantly… a community that you feel you belong to.

This is where this website will come in. The website will direct people to the Facebook group, provide information on events happening around the UK and around the world, have articles written by people about their experiences and so on.

Whilst there are several LGBTIQA+ organisations out there, such as Stonewall, Cliniq, Terrence Higgins Trust and so on, they do not have anything specific for deaf LGBTIQA+ community.

The support they provide is excellent but it is also incredibly important that the needs of the deaf LGBTIQA+ community should be brought to the attention of providers.

There is no united way to do this, no specific membership organisation, and this is something that needs to be looked at.

How was the website set up? We adopted a three phase approach (see picture left) and members of the facebook group endorsed this. The website is Phase One of three.

A Natwest clubs/society account was created with three authorised signatories. Donations were received by more than 30 deaf LGBTIQA+ community, as well as a big donation from Deaffab recently after it wound down following ten years of brilliant events.

The coming out videos by the deaf LGBTIQA+ community themselves have so much importance. Most of the videos have been subtitled voluntarily by members of the community, an arduous task in itself! All of the text on the main web pages have been translated in BSL by volunteers as well.

The website is currently being manned and developed by volunteers for now. It is only in its infancy, and all feedback and offers of support will be gladly received and be used to grow and evolve organically.

Phase two hopes to see projects in the field of sexual health and also Arts (led by Damian Brewer and Abigail Gorman).

Phase three, if the demand and response is strong enough, will see the possibility of becoming a registered charity with its own activities and partnerships with key players. This probably won’t be until 2019.

The website will continue to positively endorse/signpost the facebook group page, it does not aim to duplicate that function at all.

Happy Pride to the deaf LGBTIQA+ community, and to our friends and allies in the UK!