Newcastle City Council host anchor institutions in LGBTQ+ roundtable to tackle discrimination and inequality in the city

The City Council has led a round table of anchor institutions in Newcastle to tackle inequalities for the LGBTQ+ community.

Deputy Leader Cllr Alex Hay led the discussions at Newcastle Civic Centre on Thursday with tens of thousands of people expected in the city next weekend for Northern Pride.

He was joined by Leader Cllr Karen Kilgour, Chair of Northern Pride Ste Dunn, representatives from the city’s universities, Northumbria Police and a host of Newcastle based businesses and LGBTQ+ organisations.

They came together to discuss how safe the community feel in the city, how much inequality still exists for the community and what more anchor institutions can do to support the community.

Cllr Hay, himself a member of the LGBTQ+ community, said the Council remained committed to ensuring Newcastle lived up to its reputation as a welcoming and inclusive city.

He said: “Geordies are known for being some of the friendliest people in the world, and that’s something we are incredibly proud of.

“Newcastle is a diverse city, and as soon as you call it home, you’re a Geordie. That sense of belonging matters, and we’re determined to make sure it always stays that way.

“Shifts in the national and international political landscape have fuelled a rise in homophobic and transphobic rhetoric, particularly on social media.

“I’ve spoken to members of our LGBTQ+ community who’ve told me they’ve felt unsafe in our city. That’s not right, and it goes against everything Newcastle stands for.

“I was proud to chair this roundtable and bring together organisations from across the city to talk about what more we can do to stand up for inclusion and respect.

“It was a powerful reminder that we are a city that pulls together, united by a shared commitment from local government, blue light services, academia, businesses, and the voluntary sector to support our LGBTQ+ community.

“This is not just a talking shop. We are focused on real, practical actions to help build a fairer, safer, and more welcoming future for everyone.”

Discussions in the roundtable focused on a number of research projects, and lived experience from LGBTQ+ organisations in attendance.

One such report found that:

· LGBT+ employees face persistent barriers, including microaggressions, exclusion, and limited career advancement opportunities.

· Coming out at work remains a major challenge: nearly half of LGBT+ respondents report having to come out repeatedly, often weekly or even daily.

· Inclusion boosts performance: workplaces that foster belonging and authenticity see higher productivity, engagement, and retention.

· Trans and nonbinary employees face the steepest hurdles, with significantly higher rates of discomfort, burnout, and intent to leave.

Attendees at the roundtable event included representatives from the Confederation of British Industry, Northumbria Police, Newcastle University, Out North East, Pride Media Centre, Curious Arts, Northern Pride, Greggs, AKT, Connection Heroes, Stick Theory, Womble Bond Dickinson Law Firm, Northern Proud Voices, English Heritage, Airbus Defence and Space, Connected Intelligence, Lumo, MD Reeves Media, Eliot Smith Dance and the Law Society of England and Wales’ LGBTQ+ Committee.