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| LGBT equality plan: 'I panic when she reaches for my hand' | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| It feels natural, for most people, to reach for their partner's hand or give them a quick peck on the lips in public. | It feels natural, for most people, to reach for their partner's hand or give them a quick peck on the lips in public. |
| But as some LGBT couples have been telling the BBC, these small acts of love can mean becoming a target of homophobic abuse. | But as some LGBT couples have been telling the BBC, these small acts of love can mean becoming a target of homophobic abuse. |
| A national survey of 108,000 LGBT people has revealed more than two-thirds avoid holding hands in public. | A national survey of 108,000 LGBT people has revealed more than two-thirds avoid holding hands in public. |
| And 5% reported having been offered "gay conversion therapies". | And 5% reported having been offered "gay conversion therapies". |
| The government has announced it will now ban "conversion therapy", a move welcomed by the people we spoke to. | The government has announced it will now ban "conversion therapy", a move welcomed by the people we spoke to. |
| Rebecca, not her real name, said that a violent incident in Liverpool city centre a few years ago had left her too afraid to hold her girlfriend's hand in public. | Rebecca, not her real name, said that a violent incident in Liverpool city centre a few years ago had left her too afraid to hold her girlfriend's hand in public. |
| She and her partner, who are 26, were attacked by a group of girls. | She and her partner, who are 26, were attacked by a group of girls. |
| "I don't know if that fear will ever go away. I just feel like someone will say something or do something," she said. | "I don't know if that fear will ever go away. I just feel like someone will say something or do something," she said. |
| "We do kiss or hug in public sometimes but it's rare. It does really upset me but I don't want to ever get used to it because I don't think it should be like this." | "We do kiss or hug in public sometimes but it's rare. It does really upset me but I don't want to ever get used to it because I don't think it should be like this." |
| Reacting to the announcement of a £4.5m plan to improve the lives of LGBT people, Rebecca said she was sceptical about how committed the government was but glad the issue was being taken seriously. | Reacting to the announcement of a £4.5m plan to improve the lives of LGBT people, Rebecca said she was sceptical about how committed the government was but glad the issue was being taken seriously. |
| Meanwhile, in Brighton, one of the UK's most gay-friendly cities, Mark Tidmarsh said he never holds hands in public with his husband, who he has been with for 25 years. | Meanwhile, in Brighton, one of the UK's most gay-friendly cities, Mark Tidmarsh said he never holds hands in public with his husband, who he has been with for 25 years. |
| "I've had abuse in the street from tourists or groups of lads. I just don't feel comfortable being affectionate in public," he said. | "I've had abuse in the street from tourists or groups of lads. I just don't feel comfortable being affectionate in public," he said. |
| "If parting at an airport or station, we might have a quick kiss but that feels like I'm making a statement. I feel like people think less of me if they see me." | "If parting at an airport or station, we might have a quick kiss but that feels like I'm making a statement. I feel like people think less of me if they see me." |
| Mark said this may be partly due to his age - at 53, he is part of a generation living with the legacy of experiencing widespread homophobia in the 1970s and 1980s. | Mark said this may be partly due to his age - at 53, he is part of a generation living with the legacy of experiencing widespread homophobia in the 1970s and 1980s. |
| Seeing younger gay people happily "out" in public and feeling equal to anyone else was "wonderful", he said. | Seeing younger gay people happily "out" in public and feeling equal to anyone else was "wonderful", he said. |
| But he added: "I don't have much hope in the government plan, because we had to fight for rights every step of the way. They didn't just hand them over. But I do hope they can ban conversion therapy." | But he added: "I don't have much hope in the government plan, because we had to fight for rights every step of the way. They didn't just hand them over. But I do hope they can ban conversion therapy." |
| Many people who got in touch said how they behaved in public depended on where they were - urban areas felt safer, whereas more caution was needed in small towns or rural areas. | Many people who got in touch said how they behaved in public depended on where they were - urban areas felt safer, whereas more caution was needed in small towns or rural areas. |
| You might also be interested in: | You might also be interested in: |
| Lissy, 25, said she and her girlfriend were frequently honked at by passing cars and some men shouted sexual comments or threats, particularly outside of London. | Lissy, 25, said she and her girlfriend were frequently honked at by passing cars and some men shouted sexual comments or threats, particularly outside of London. |
| "People shout, 'Lesbians,' or worse. We will hold hands or kiss in open places, where there are lots of witnesses, but we avoid it when it gets dark," she said. | "People shout, 'Lesbians,' or worse. We will hold hands or kiss in open places, where there are lots of witnesses, but we avoid it when it gets dark," she said. |
| Lissy was brought up in a small village and when she sees some people there, she has to "fight the urge" to drop her girlfriend's hand. | Lissy was brought up in a small village and when she sees some people there, she has to "fight the urge" to drop her girlfriend's hand. |
| "When people target us, it reminds me that we're not considered normal. It jolts me, reminding me that I can't be comfortable in public with my girlfriend," she said. | "When people target us, it reminds me that we're not considered normal. It jolts me, reminding me that I can't be comfortable in public with my girlfriend," she said. |
| She added that more investment in services for LGBT teenagers was needed, a suggestion that Alex Hall, in Peterborough, agrees with. | She added that more investment in services for LGBT teenagers was needed, a suggestion that Alex Hall, in Peterborough, agrees with. |
| Alex, 24, said the man he was currently dating recently asked whether he would be happy holding hands outside the home. | Alex, 24, said the man he was currently dating recently asked whether he would be happy holding hands outside the home. |
| "It says something that he needed to ask at all," he said. | "It says something that he needed to ask at all," he said. |
| "My answer is, 'No,' particularly in central Peterborough, which doesn't feel safe. Most straight couples wouldn't even think about having that conversation," he said. | "My answer is, 'No,' particularly in central Peterborough, which doesn't feel safe. Most straight couples wouldn't even think about having that conversation," he said. |
| But Alex was optimistic about the future, saying things were improving for LGBT people though he worried about "slip-back". | But Alex was optimistic about the future, saying things were improving for LGBT people though he worried about "slip-back". |
| "We need communities committed to driving progress forwards," he said. | "We need communities committed to driving progress forwards," he said. |
| By Georgina Rannard, BBC UGC and social news | By Georgina Rannard, BBC UGC and social news |