LGBTQ+, we all know the acronym, but do we know what is stands for? How do we appropriately address someone that relates themselves to specific gender or non-gender? What terminology when addressing someone is appropriate or offensive?
Well long have gone the days when we just assumed it was okay to say what we want in an inappropriate manner of using slurs and words of offence.
In society today we are expected to behave and accept everyone for who they are regardless of their physical appearance, sexual appearance, sexuality, race, gender identity and many other things.
However, is this the case in reality? Do we really accept? Are we hiding behind what society tells us is right or wrong? Have we lost our freedom of choice? And what actions are fleets and industry figures actively doing to stop and change these behaviours and stereotypes.
Well, all of these are valid questions within the right remit, however education and awareness of what right and wrong conduct is, is important and to ensure that there is no place for homophobic and discriminative behaviour from taxi drivers and fleet organisations within the industry itself and towards the community that they serve.
Some fleets and drivers that I have personally spoken to have the argument that ‘we know what to say’ or ‘unless it’s a legal requirement to have training its not our problem’. It is this type of behaviours and attitudes that still fuel the narrow mindedness of many not just in the community but within the fleet organisation and drivers as well.
One passenger was so shocked from an incident that occurred with a taxi driver in the early morning hours of June 13, when driver asked passenger “if he was gay”, and when the man said “yes”, driver refused him service and kicked him out of the car (Source: https://gaycitynews.com/cab-driver-gets-off-easy-after-refusing-gay-customer/).
Its true it goes both ways, and everyone should be accepted for who they are and believe. In Liverpool in July 2021, Father Paul Newberry, a gay priest who happens to also be a taxi driver was subjected to vile homophobic abuse while cleaning the minibus he uses as a taxi outside his home.
DCI Gayle Rooney, of Merseyside Police, said: “This investigation is in its early stages and we’re due to speak to someone in connection with the incident.
“In the meantime, I want to reiterate my determination to investigate and prosecute all those who we suspect are responsible for targeting, threatening or assaulting people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
(Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hunt-hate-crime-yob-who-24609981).
LGBTQ+ community still faces many challenges, including their disproportionate likelihood to face violence, harassment, and abuse. Here are the facts:
- Members of the LGBTQ+ community often face hate crimes, and sexual assault was one of the most commonly reported hate crimes by LGBTQ+ individuals, according to studiescollected by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
- Almost half of all transgender peoplehave been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives, and these rates are even higher for trans people of colour and those who have done sex work, been homeless, or have (or had) a disability.
- Black trans women in particular face violence at disproportionate ratesdue to intersecting racial prejudice, sexism, and transphobia, according to the Harvard Civil Rights – Civil Liberties Law Review.
- Members of the LGBTQ+ community are also more likely to experience hardships that make them more vulnerableto violence, including substance abuse, homelessness, and poverty.
(Source: RALIANCE)
Safety as a Standard (SaaS) training programme for fleet operatives and drivers stands to educate and broaden the awareness through their detailed LGBTQ+ Awareness training module. Undertaking the course, myself I found it to be very informative and educational on many areas and even an eye opener on things I didn’t even know, thus I personally recommend it in helping the drivers in the taxi, private hire, and ground transportation industry.
This will help in taking account and act accordingly at all levels with the LGBTQ+ community as part of our commitment in helping and working with the industry to build an environment where systems, institutions, and environments empower people to reach their full potential, this requires disrupting oppressive behaviours and challenging inequitable practices.
If we look at it from a another angle, we could say that the taxi and private hire industry is made with 7% females drivers and 93% male as of 30 June 2021 (source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/997793/taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-statistics-2021.pdf).
Now from that percentage how many of the collective drivers are within the category of LGBTQ+? It is not only the public that should be protected and addressed appropriately but also internally within fleets everyone should feel and be encouraged to be who they are and not ridiculed
Statically there is no percentage on this outlined, nor is it spoken of openly. We hear it, but nothing is available and why is that? Majority of the time it impacts and falls under the bracket of Mental Health and Sexual Harassment which does play a part in individuals self-preservation to either shield or succumb to pressures of victimisation.
It is true that mental health challenges are extremely prevalent across the LGBTQ+ community, not just in adults but also including in young people. LGBTQ+ youth have disproportionately high levels of depression and anxiety compared to heterosexual and cisgender peers.
Self-harm is also a big risk in LGBTQ+ youth. Over half of gay youth self-harm. For young people of colour, this rises to over 80%. Suicidality is high for all LGBTQ+ youth. The suicide rate is most shocking for trans young people, with latest figures suggesting up to a staggering 50% of all trans young people attempt suicide. (Source: https://dontforgetthebubbles.com/the-identity-of-youth-lgbtq/)
People of all ages often don’t feel they have someone to confide in, and many due to lack of awareness or being non-exceptive, thus also have blocked access to LGBTQ+ resources within the fleet organisations to those who seek. Fleets in general in the industry either have none or very little insight to its members that cover any LGBTQ+ topics or include same-sex relationship awareness advice.
Interestingly, regardless of sexuality LGBTQ+ issues are not covered, or are discussed negatively. Most of the time crude dialogue, offensive behaviour and taboo mentality was and still is in some places a normal expectance. However, this needs to stop and its time to awake and take action to combat these attitudes and insert a seriousness of openness and acceptance for the community that your serve and for the better good of the fleet and its personnel as well.
The only way to act on this is to educate and create awareness, and it should be the individual drivers and fleets responsibility to make sure everyone whether it is with the general public, internally withing the hierarchy of business operations, everyone should be comfortable and accepted and when it come to LGBTQ+ community its not just a acceptable to act how we feel, but to act on how to make anyone regardless of their nature to feel accepted, especially when in business providing a service, a safe service were anyone can feel safe.
The Safety as a Standard LGBTQ+ Awareness course is a vital module that everyone should undertake because you may think you know it all, but I’m sure it will make you think twice even three times on how depth of knowledge there really is to know. So don’t think about safety and the what ifs and don’ts, just, sign up and just do it. The choice is yours!
