Gender and Sexuality
Jun 1, 2024
Learn more about expressing who you are!
We believe that people with a learning disability, autism and other support needs have the right to learn about and express both their gender and sexuality.
That means the right to:
Be who you are.
Love who you love.
Be treated fairly.
Explore your identity safely.
Gender, Sexuality and Learning Disability
Everyone has the right to be themselves. That includes people with a learning disability, autism and other support needs, who may identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or in other ways.
What does LGBTQIA+ stand for?
LGBTQIA+ stands for:
- L – Lesbian
- G – Gay
- B – Bisexual
- T – Transgender
- Q – Queer or Questioning
- I – Intersex
- A – Asexual
- + – Other identities like non-binary, pansexual, and people who don’t use labels
You might not have the words to describe how you feel, and that’s okay. You’re still welcome in the LGBTQ+ community if that’s where you feel you belong.
What Does Transgender Mean?
Transgender means that your gender identity (who you feel you are inside) is different from the sex you were given at birth.
For example:
- A transgender woman: someone assigned male at birth who identifies as a woman
- A transgender man: someone assigned female at birth who identifies as a man
- Some people don’t feel like a man or a woman — they may be non-binary, agender, or use another word
Example – Transgender Woman
What Are Pronouns?
Pronouns are the words people use instead of your name, like he, she, or they.
Everyone deserves to be called by the pronouns that feel right for them.
You can ask someone:
“What pronouns do you use?”
This shows respect and helps people feel seen.
Being LGBTQIA+ with a Learning Disability
People with a learning disability, autism and other support needs can be part of the LGBTQ+ community too. But some people may experience “double discrimination” – being treated unfairly because of their disability and their gender or sexual identity.
Some common issues include:
- People not believing your identity
- Being bullied or left out
- Support staff or family ignoring your feelings
- Not feeling safe to be open
- Lack of sex education
- Being infantilised (treated like a child)
You deserve better. You have a right to be treated with respect, kindness and understanding.
How to Support
There are many ways that you can show a LGBTQ+ person with a learning disability that you accept and support them. You can educate yourself, believe and listen to them, use correct names or pronouns. Also, explicitly telling someone ‘I support and accept you’ is a really simple way to do this.
Human Rights Matter
People with a learning disability, autism and other support needs have the same human rights as everyone else. Therefore you have the right to:
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Be yourself and be proud
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Feel safe and supported
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Choose your identity and relationships
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Use your pronouns (like he, she, they, or others)
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Keep your information private
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Learn more about who you are
- Gender Identity, Sexuality and LGBTQ+
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- LGBT People with Learning Disabilities – Easy Read Report, 2015
- LGBTQ+ An Easy Read Guide – Advonet, CHANGE, Yorkshire MESMAC
- Our Lives, Our Choices, Our Rights! – The Rainbow Support Group Guidebook for LGBTQ+ and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Supported Loving Toolkit: LGBTQ+ – Choice Support
- PRIDE – Supporting LGBTQI+ identifying people with Learning Disabilities (blog post) – Abacus Care and Support
- Resources for LGBTQ+ Disabled people – Regard
- Sexual Orientation Resources – The Trevor Project
- LGBTQ+ Community Resources – The Trevor project
- Resources about Gender Identity – The Trevor Project
- Supporting LGBTQ+ Young People with Disabilities – The Trevor Project
- Jan’s Story: a photo-story about same-sex relationships – University of Bristol