Edinburgh’s Queer Community Challenges City’s Safety Ranking Edinburgh’s Queer Community Challenges City’s Safety Ranking Edinburgh’s Queer Community Challenges City’s Safety Ranking

Edinburgh Live asked queer people how safe they feel. Some feel safe if they are gay, lesbian, or bisexual, while others worry about the treatment of trans and non-binary people. Some can’t express themselves fully.

One person was hit with a Coke can while dressed in drag. Some fear society is becoming less tolerant now. Hazel, 21, and Mason, 19, perform drag acts.

They feel mostly safe but face abuse. Youngsters and strangers sometimes harass them. Mason said the abuse happens quickly.

He thinks people fear consequences. Once, someone on a bike hit Hazel while they were walking in drag at Portobello. Hazel agrees youths cause most abuse.

They feel safe daily overall, though. She feels safe because of her height, plus she knows martial arts. Hazel has trans friends with bad experiences.

This happens at clubs, she says. She sees how trans people are treated outside student circles. David feels safe in their community, but they don’t express themselves fully.

Mason says there aren’t enough gay clubs. He says young queer people need spaces. Mason agrees trans people face bad treatment. Most discrimination cases involve trans people.

David McCandless, 20, is an art student. They haven’t faced homophobia yet. David feels unsafe due to bad past experiences. College is a safe space for them.

They act differently in public, though, because they don’t have energy for constant vigilance. David doesn’t feel comfortable expressing themself in Edinburgh. They think acceptance is declining since Covid.

Leaders must reassure the community, and progressive policies are needed, they say. The political climate worries David a lot. Right-wing populism could reverse progress.

Scotland feels good compared to other places, though, but it can still improve. A bi-customer spoke at Lighthouse bookshop. She didn’t agree Edinburgh is safe for all. She thinks trans people lack protection.

Scotland feels safer than the US overall, she said. Trans and non-binary people face issues. Powerful transphobic people live here. They claim to be victims.

But trans people face real violence, she said. We must fight narratives hurting trans people. Challenging their views is not abuse, she believes. Trans and gender-diverse people suffer violence.

Their humanity is invalidated. There is a two-tier acceptance now. Some LGB people exclude trans people. She adds trans women of color started the Stonewall riots. We can’t erase our history, she said.

Arguments against trans people echo past attacks on gay people, repurposed now, she said. She’s sad more gay people don’t speak up. Everyone should support the vulnerable.

Movements erase parts of the community. We must stand together now more than ever, she adds. She disagrees that Edinburgh is safe. She feels safe, but trans siblings don’t, she said.

Edinburgh Live asked queer people how safe they feel. Some feel safe if they are gay, lesbian, or bisexual, while others worry about the treatment of trans and non-binary people. Some can’t express themselves fully.

One person was hit with a Coke can while dressed in drag. Some fear society is becoming less tolerant now. Hazel, 21, and Mason, 19, perform drag acts.

They feel mostly safe but face abuse. Youngsters and strangers sometimes harass them. Mason said the abuse happens quickly.

He thinks people fear consequences. Once, someone on a bike hit Hazel while they were walking in drag at Portobello. Hazel agrees youths cause most abuse.

They feel safe daily overall, though. She feels safe because of her height, plus she knows martial arts. Hazel has trans friends with bad experiences.

This happens at clubs, she says. She sees how trans people are treated outside student circles. David feels safe in their community, but they don’t express themselves fully.

Mason says there aren’t enough gay clubs. He says young queer people need spaces. Mason agrees trans people face bad treatment. Most discrimination cases involve trans people.

David McCandless, 20, is an art student. They haven’t faced homophobia yet. David feels unsafe due to bad past experiences. College is a safe space for them.

They act differently in public, though, because they don’t have energy for constant vigilance. David doesn’t feel comfortable expressing themself in Edinburgh. They think acceptance is declining since Covid.

Leaders must reassure the community, and progressive policies are needed, they say. The political climate worries David a lot. Right-wing populism could reverse progress.

Scotland feels good compared to other places, though, but it can still improve. A bi-customer spoke at Lighthouse bookshop. She didn’t agree Edinburgh is safe for all. She thinks trans people lack protection.

Scotland feels safer than the US overall, she said. Trans and non-binary people face issues. Powerful transphobic people live here. They claim to be victims.

But trans people face real violence, she said. We must fight narratives hurting trans people. Challenging their views is not abuse, she believes. Trans and gender-diverse people suffer violence.

Their humanity is invalidated. There is a two-tier acceptance now. Some LGB people exclude trans people. She adds trans women of color started the Stonewall riots. We can’t erase our history, she said.

Arguments against trans people echo past attacks on gay people, repurposed now, she said. She’s sad more gay people don’t speak up. Everyone should support the vulnerable.

Movements erase parts of the community. We must stand together now more than ever, she adds. She disagrees that Edinburgh is safe. She feels safe, but trans siblings don’t, she said.

Edinburgh Live asked queer people how safe they feel. Some feel safe if they are gay, lesbian, or bisexual, while others worry about the treatment of trans and non-binary people. Some can’t express themselves fully.

One person was hit with a Coke can while dressed in drag. Some fear society is becoming less tolerant now. Hazel, 21, and Mason, 19, perform drag acts.

They feel mostly safe but face abuse. Youngsters and strangers sometimes harass them. Mason said the abuse happens quickly.

He thinks people fear consequences. Once, someone on a bike hit Hazel while they were walking in drag at Portobello. Hazel agrees youths cause most abuse.

They feel safe daily overall, though. She feels safe because of her height, plus she knows martial arts. Hazel has trans friends with bad experiences.

This happens at clubs, she says. She sees how trans people are treated outside student circles. David feels safe in their community, but they don’t express themselves fully.

Mason says there aren’t enough gay clubs. He says young queer people need spaces. Mason agrees trans people face bad treatment. Most discrimination cases involve trans people.

David McCandless, 20, is an art student. They haven’t faced homophobia yet. David feels unsafe due to bad past experiences. College is a safe space for them.

They act differently in public, though, because they don’t have energy for constant vigilance. David doesn’t feel comfortable expressing themself in Edinburgh. They think acceptance is declining since Covid.

Leaders must reassure the community, and progressive policies are needed, they say. The political climate worries David a lot. Right-wing populism could reverse progress.

Scotland feels good compared to other places, though, but it can still improve. A bi-customer spoke at Lighthouse bookshop. She didn’t agree Edinburgh is safe for all. She thinks trans people lack protection.

Scotland feels safer than the US overall, she said. Trans and non-binary people face issues. Powerful transphobic people live here. They claim to be victims.

But trans people face real violence, she said. We must fight narratives hurting trans people. Challenging their views is not abuse, she believes. Trans and gender-diverse people suffer violence.

Their humanity is invalidated. There is a two-tier acceptance now. Some LGB people exclude trans people. She adds trans women of color started the Stonewall riots. We can’t erase our history, she said.

Arguments against trans people echo past attacks on gay people, repurposed now, she said. She’s sad more gay people don’t speak up. Everyone should support the vulnerable.

Movements erase parts of the community. We must stand together now more than ever, she adds. She disagrees that Edinburgh is safe. She feels safe, but trans siblings don’t, she said.