Migration Project

Three quarters of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people living in rural areas felt they had to leave their hometown before they could come out, according to City Lights? Stonewall Scotland’s new survey.

The survey, funded by the EHRC (Equality and Human Rights Commission), showed that before they moved, nearly nine in ten either weren’t out at all, or were only out to family and friends, in their home town.

A massive 68% felt they did not fit in in their hometown – and of those, 86% felt it had either a lot or a little to do with being LGBT.

Of the people who attended our focus groups, filled out our online survey or took part in one-to-one interviews, 87% said it was difficult to be out in a rural area.

And three quarters said that their decision to leave their hometown had “a lot” or “a little” to do with being LGBT.

 “I wanted to move away from the people that knew me at home so that I could find out who I was. I didn’t call myself gay for a long time but I had a girlfriend at home. We had to keep it a secret and it was horrible hiding my life from everyone, it made me very depressed. I thought the city was my chance to start living as living at home felt like I was stalled."

• Download a copy of City Lights? 

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