Findings and Recommendations: A survey for civil society

Catherine Goodall (she/her), Head of Campaigns 

We carried out a survey to understand how LGBTQIA+ people and organisations in civil society are being affected by recent legal cases and regulatory changes on the definition of ‘sex’ and ‘gender’. This unique survey explored experiences across civil society, and we recommend reading our report sharing the findings and our recommendations in more detail. 

Why did we carry out a survey?

Our goal was to understand what, if any, impact these changes are having on voluntary organisations. This includes the organisations themselves, but also on staff, volunteers and beneficiaries. Many organisations are not specific LGBTQIA+ organisations, but have been affected in differing ways by the changes, the surrounding media and political attention. 

We wanted to understand the impact, and any similarities or differences for differing organisations. We are also looking to understand if organisations have received any legal advice to help them navigate these changes, or if they would need to do in future to be compliant with statutory requirements. We wanted to understand if there is a need for more support in the sector. This will help us use our limited resources well to best support LGBTQIA+ people, and make the case to policy makers of the need for any additional support. 

We will use the evidence we gather through this survey to inform our work. This includes influencing government and decision makers, supporting the voluntary sector, and advocating for better support for LGBTQIA+ people within and beyond the sector. Our role is to lift up and advocate for LGBTQIA+ people, and we want to gather evidence of need to help shape our support and response.

What was the survey?

We created a short, accessible survey conducted in spring 2025. This survey was created to help us understand any experiences organisations and individuals have had as a result of the recent changes relating to sex and gender in the law, regulation and the related media and other coverage. This includes the Supreme Court’s ruling on sex as defined in the Equality Act 2010 from April 2025, and the interim guidance published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in the following weeks. 

What did we find?

We found the changes are having a significant impact across civil society. This includes for legal compliance, managing operational changes, supporting the wellbeing of staff, volunteers and beneficiaries, and operating in a safe and inclusive manner. 

We found a range of opinions on the legal cases and regulatory changes, and the impact they have been having. A small proportion of respondents presented either mixed views or were positive about the changes. This is in stark contrast to the majority of responses which presented a negative view of the impact. This difference of views is a key challenge for civil society groups and organisations, and one which is evidently difficult for many to navigate effectively. 

Fear, anxiety, dread and concern were strong, common themes in the data. The environment is causing widespread concern, which many organisations are finding difficult to respond to and manage. Respondents spoke of significant use of energy, resource and time being used to navigate these changes. There is a clear need for further advice, guidance and information for civil society. 

What are our recommendations?

We therefore call on policy makers, Parliamentarians, and the EHRC to meaningfully engage with LGBTQIA+ people, communities and organisations in developing policy, legislation and regulation. 

We recommend the Charity Commission carries out further research to understand the full extent of the impact across the sector, and to use this evidence to inform their work as a regulator. 

We call on civil society organisations to meaningfully engage with their LGBTQIA+ staff, volunteers and beneficiaries in navigating the environment, seeking to develop inclusive practices, policies and services as the default.

We recommend that board members, trustees and others involved in the governance of civil society groups and organisations take proactive steps to understand these issues, and to mitigate risks.

This is clearly a difficult time for many LGBTQIA+ people and organisations. We are here at Proud Changemakers to support, lift up and advocate for our community. We will continue to work to influence for improvements, helping to ensure that civil society can be a more welcoming and inclusive place for us all.