LGBTQ* Reflections on Experiences of the Pandemic
REQUEST FROM:
Dr Fiona Tasker - Reader in Psychology
Dept of Psychological Sciences
email: f.tasker@bbk.ac.uk
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/psychology/our-staff/fiona-tasker
Birkbeck University of London, Malet St, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
Two years have passed since the first UK pandemic lockdown. Back then we designed and launched our first dedicated LGBTQ* COVID-19 & Lockdown Experiences in the UK online survey and received over 400 replies. We launched our second survey at the end of September 2020 and got over 500 replies!
Thanks to all the LGBTQ* groups and individuals who helped us. You can read about our findings on our research project website at:
https://lgbtq1835c19lockdown.wordpress.com/
Now we are launching our third and final survey.
We aim to find out how LGBTQ* people who are living in the UK are thinking and feeling about the pandemic now and what the varied impacts of two years of COVID and restrictions have been on LGBTQ* people’s lives and well-being.
In our second survey, there were some concerning findings of the impact that the pandemic was having on the mental health of UK LGBTQ* adults. More than half of the participants said that they had struggled with their mental health or well-being during the pandemic, with isolation and loneliness being big problems for some participants. However, for other participants, the pandemic had proven to be a time of self-discovery and positive change.
Additionally, some, including disabled participants, in particular, spoke about how the increased availability of services online had led to greater inclusion and support.
With widespread restrictions now lifted, the third survey will look at whether these trends have continued or whether new problems (or positives) have emerged for LGBTQ* adults in the UK -- what is it like for everyone now?
Our final survey will run until the end of May 2022. We have extended our survey to be as inclusive as possible – you must be over 18 years old to take part and but there is no upper age limit! We welcome responses from across the age range and diversity in LGBTQ* experiences and from all ethnic groups and diaspora communities.
We will do our best to help with accessibility needs – please do email us.
We want to improve our coverage of views from groups who have been under-represented in previous surveys across the rainbow of gender and sexual minoritized groups.
You can access our Third Survey here
Should you have any questions, concerns, or need any further information please contact:
Dr Fiona Tasker (Principal Researcher)
Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London
Marie Houghton (Research Assistant)
Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London
Dr Jorge Gato (Co-Researcher & International Project Co-ordinator)
mainly based at the Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Porto, Portugal.
