A leading LGBTQ+ youth charity has launched a major national campaign after experiencing a 171% increase in referrals following the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers, which centred on how the terms "sex", "woman" and "man" should be interpreted in the Equality Act 2010.
The Proud Trust, one of the UK’s largest LGBTQ+ youth organisations, has unveiled its new #DeserveBetter campaign, which aims to highlight the challenges facing LGBTQ+ young people and call for greater understanding, safer spaces and improved support throughout the year.
The campaign comes against a backdrop of concerning research into the experiences of LGBTQ+ young people. According to figures cited by the charity, almost half of LGBTQ+ pupils experience bullying because of their identity, nearly six in 10 have seriously considered suicide, and almost a quarter may never complete secondary school - twice the national average.
The Proud Trust said referrals to its services surged by 171% following the Supreme Court ruling in April 2025, with growing numbers of LGBTQ+ young people seeking specialist support.
The charity believes the increase reflects a rising demand for dedicated services. Over the past year, it delivered nearly 400 youth group sessions and held more than 820 support conversations with LGBTQ+ young people, parents, carers and professionals.
Meanwhile, almost 10,000 people visited The Proud Place, the charity’s LGBTQ+ community centre in Manchester, and more than 1,400 teachers, youth workers and other professionals received specialist inclusion training. Through its Rainbow Flag Award programme, which helps schools create more inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ pupils, The Proud Trust said it reached almost 50,000 young people.
Through the #DeserveBetter campaign, the charity will focus on issues including bullying, discrimination, healthcare, education, barriers to employment, family acceptance, identity, belonging and access to safe spaces.
The campaign launches with a series of first-person stories from LGBTQ+ people speaking publicly for the first time about their experiences of growing up LGBTQ+, alongside expert commentary and lived experience exploring the challenges facing young people today.
Award-winning spoken word artist myndstate has also written an original poem inspired by his experiences of growing up gay. A film featuring LGBTQ+ celebrities and prominent allies is due to be released as part of the campaign, with the full list of contributors set to be announced in the coming weeks.
Liam Swanston, Director of Development and Partnerships at The Proud Trust, said the rise in referrals represented far more than a headline figure. “A 171% increase in referrals isn't just a statistic – behind every referral is a young person looking for somewhere they feel safe, someone who understands what they're going through, or simply reassurance that they're not alone.
“Every day we work alongside LGBTQ+ young people who are navigating bullying, discrimination, isolation and uncertainty while also trying to understand who they are and where they belong. We also work with adults who want to better understand and support the young people in their lives.
“No young person should grow up believing they have to hide who they are, face those experiences alone, or feel there's no place where they truly belong
“#DeserveBetter is about ensuring those young people's voices are heard. This campaign shines a spotlight on the realities many LGBTQ+ young people continue to face today, while celebrating the extraordinary difference that acceptance, visibility, community and support can make.
“We hope it encourages greater understanding, challenges misconceptions and reminds every LGBTQ+ young person that they deserve to feel safe, valued, understood and able to thrive, every single day of the year.”
Further information about the campaign is available on The Proud Trust’s website: The Proud Trust.
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