LGBT+ Youth Scotland - Life in Scotland Rural Report 2023

That the Parliament notes with concern the publication by LGBT+ Youth Scotland of the Life in Scotland: Rural Report 2023, which, it believes, found a significant disparity in the experiences of LGBTQ+ young people living in urban and rural areas; notes from the report that, when asked if their local area is a good place for LGBTQ+ young people to live, 59% of urban respondents said yes, whereas the figure was 39% for respondents from rural areas; understands that the findings within the report indicate that homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are a core part of the lives of many LGBTQ+ young people in rural areas; notes that many participants referenced the growing prevalence of transphobia, which, the report states, occurs in educational settings, the workplace, when engaging with services, and even when out and about in the community in rural areas; understands that some of the young people questioned felt that having any anonymity as an LGBTQ+ person can be additionally challenging in rural areas, and that this can make it harder to come out as LGBTQ+; notes, from the report, that some young people feared that, due to perceptions of "traditional" values, they may be disowned by family or shunned by colleagues and peers; considers that the solutions to improving the experiences of LGBTQ+ young people in rural areas are multifaceted; welcomes the conclusion of Dr Mhairi Crawford, Chief Executive at LGBT+ Youth Scotland, that there is a need to improve access to inclusive services, workplaces and educational settings in order to enable LGBTQ+ young people to feel safe and welcome within their own communities, and notes the belief that the LGBT Charter can play a role in making this a reality; considers that LGBTQ+ young people deserve to flourish and thrive no matter where they live, and welcomes the wide range of actions that it believes have already been taken by the Scottish Government, such as the introduction of LGBT+ inclusive education in the school curriculum, to support LGBT+ young people.