Your rights and the law
Protecting your Sexual Orientation
If you’re a lesbian, gay, bisexual young person, or a young person with a related identity you have the right to:
- Decide who knows about your sexual orientation, and when and how you tell them.
- Be respected and treated no differently to anyone else.
- Feel safe and welcome.
- Ask for support.
Your school, college or employer cannot legally discriminate against you because of your sexuality. A law called the Equality Act (2010) applies to all schools and employers. Under the act, nine different characteristics that a person might have are protected, one of which is sexual orientation. It is unlawful to discriminate against people on account of their sexual orientation.
You do not and should not have to deal with LGBTphobic bullying. This is a hate crime and you can report it to your school, college or the police.
Protecting your gender identity
If you’re a trans young person you have the right to:
- Use whatever name and pronoun you want.
- Decide who knows you’re trans, and when and how to tell them.
- Use whatever toilet you feel most comfortable in, or have access to gender-neutral toilets if you prefer.
- Ask for support.
- Be taken seriously!
Your school, college or employer cannot legally discriminate against you because of your gender identity. A law called the Equality Act (2010) applies to all schools and employers. Under the act, nine different characteristics that a person might have are protected, one of which is gender reassignment (this includes all trans identities). It is unlawful to discriminate against people on account of their gender identity.
Under the Equality Act, you don’t need any documentation (such as a letter from your parents or doctor) to ‘prove’ that you’re trans, and you don’t need to undergo any medical or social changes to have these rights.
You do not and should not have to deal with transphobic bullying. This is a hate crime and you can report it to your school, college or the police.