A long way to go for LGBTI equality

This report presents select findings from FRA’s 2019 survey on LGBTI people in the EU and North Macedonia and Serbia. With almost 140,000 participants, it is the largest survey of its kind. It follows the agency’s first survey on LGBT people in the EU, conducted in 2012. The new survey results show little progress over the past seven years. Discrimination in everyday life persists – at work and at school; at cafés, restaurants, bars and nightclubs; when looking for housing; when accessing healthcare or social services; and in shops. Harassment and physical and sexual attacks also remain concerns. Trans and intersex people especially face challenges, including when having to show identification documents. For LGBTI people aged 15 to 17, the situation is mixed. While the young encounter more harassment than their older peers, they also see more individuals standing up for LGBTI people at school. The results also show that LGBTI people across the EU – and beyond – believe that law and policy, as well as behaviour by politicians, public figures, community leaders and civil society, greatly affect their lives. By presenting key findings from its second survey, FRA aims to encourage policy- and decision-makers to step up their efforts to promote full respect for the rights of LGBTI people.