Six in ten LGBTQ+ adults don’t feel accepted by friends and family, study finds

Over half of LGBTQ+ adults don’t feel accepted by friends or family

Six in ten LGBTQ+ adults don’t feel accepted by some of their closest friends and family – due to their gender identity or sexuality. A poll of 1,000 people, within the LGBTQ+ community, found 39 percent had fallen out, or lost touch, with friends as a result, while 30 percent had issues with family members.

And 63 percent found it difficult to understand why their loved ones couldn’t accept them for who they are.

But despite falling out with some people, 41 percent said their relationship with other friends and family members is as strong as ever.

People in the community knew they had been accepted by loved ones when they were being treated exactly the same – as if nothing had changed (35 percent).

For 29 percent, feeling confident in talking about their love life was a small act which made a big difference, while 27 percent appreciated someone standing up for them, if necessary.

Other small acts of love which made people feel loved and accepted included doing household chores together (12 percent), or being made a cup of tea (13 percent).

Others said it was the simple things, like being invited over for dinner (17 percent), or told how nice they look (12 percent), which mean the most.

Ayca Turgay, brand communications director at Procter & Gamble, which commissioned the research as part of its Spread the Love campaign for Fairy and Ariel, said: “It is often small acts of love and kindness from those closest to us that go a long way.

“That’s why this year, we’re focusing on these small daily acts to support the LGBTQ+ community.

“We are committed to Spreading The Love through the little things, as well as shining a light on real stories from the community.

“Small acts of love can feed into our day-to-day lives, and have a long-lasting impact.

“When someone washes up your plate for you, or makes you a cup of tea, or puts the washing away, it makes you feel loved – and for the LGBTQ+ community, these things can mean so much more in their journey to acceptance.

“As part of our continued support, we’re donating a further £70,000 to the charity akt, bringing our total donation amount to £320,000, in order to help people feel safe and comfortable in their homes and their communities.”

The study found 31 percent of respondents felt they were treated differently after coming out than before.

And 27 percent were sad to see others talking negatively about them to other people – while the same number were told outright their identity was disagreeable.

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Meanwhile, 22 percent were left heartbroken when someone who was previously close to them simply stopped inviting them to things.

However, 48 percent feel anyone who doesn’t accept them as they were never a true friend to them anyway – with 28 percent believing those who are prejudiced against those in the LGBTQ+ community are to be pitied, not argued with.

Despite that, 23 percent admit they do feel bad about themselves when some don’t accept them.

And two-thirds find it upsetting when negative statements about their sexuality or gender identity are passed off as “banter”, according to the figures from Fairy and Ariel.

It also emerged 41 percent said coming out was a bit harder than they expected, according to the OnePoll.com data.

Ayca Turgay added: “We are committed to becoming more inclusive, and our acceptance of others doesn’t always need to be a grand act.

“Small acts of love can make just as much of a difference in making others feel loved and accepted for who they are – especially to people in the community and charities who support them, like akt.”

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