Even after January’s decision to allow same sex marriages in the state—six months before it was legal under federal law —Alabama’s LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer) community still has needs that have not yet been met, according to a new survey conducted by the UAB School of Public Health.
The survey, titled B-Heard, is taking a look at issues that affect members of the LGBTQ community in the five county area surrounding Birmingham. It’s the first study of its kind.
Amy Sedlis, the UAB School of Public Health contractor who manages the survey project, said B-Heard is a way to collect opinions about how life in Birmingham and the surrounding areas can be improved for those who are part of the LGBTQ community.
The survey was made possible in part due to recent funding through the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. George and Genie Taylor set up the fund because they believe in Birmingham’s capacity to change for the better, Sedlis said.
“That’s the first time there has ever been a specific allocation for LGBTQ in the area or any kind of fund that directly donates money to that,” Sedlis said. “Like most efforts, they wanted to make sure the money was going to the right places so that’s how we started with this needs assessment and survey.”
So far there have been 419 responses since the survey was launched on Sept. 28. B-Heard will be available online until Nov. 16. “So far it’s been going great,” Sedlis said.
Besides addressing needs, Sedlis said, the goal of the survey is to make sure money is properly distributed throughout the LGBTQ community.
According to a press release about the survey, the effort aims to address, “[Informing the public about] the LGBTQ fund, other charities and organizations including schools, churches, physician practices and social service agencies about priorities for improvements in acceptance, affirmation and appropriateness of services specifically in the areas of physical health, mental health, public safety, K-12 education, family support services and aging.”
The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete, Sedlis said. After the data is compiled, the Community Foundation and the UAB School of Public Health will begin to address the areas where respondents believe the most improvement should be made.
Offering her own opinion about the needs of the LGBTQ community, Sedlis said, “I think with the public perception, people think things are improving. When you start to look at the qualitative data, you see that of the respondents, over 50 percent of them have not come out. Why is that if things are improving? Why are this many people hesitant to come out?”
Data collected so far through the survey suggests that the answer has to do with people not feeling safe in their workplace. “It’s hard to distinguish what you see happening nationally with the gay community and trying to get a feel for what it’s like for people who live here.”
To learn more or take the survey go to bheardsurvey.org