By Alexia Page, Head of Philanthropy, GiveOut
As we mark Women’s History Month, it is a moment to reflect not only on progress made, but on the inequalities that persist. For lesbian, bisexual, trans and queer (LBTQ) women around the world, this is a time of growing uncertainty, as rights are challenged, protections weakened, and crises intensify.
Across the globe, LBTQ women are leading movements for justice. They are organising in their communities, defending human rights, and building safer, more inclusive societies. Yet they continue to face intersecting inequalities based on both gender and sexuality, often with fewer resources and less visibility. Too often, they are overlooked in both LGBTQI and women’s rights movements, falling between the gaps of funding, policy, and protection.
The scale of these challenges is stark. In 41 countries, consensual sexual activity between women remains criminalised. While progress has been made in some parts of the world over the past decade, elsewhere there has been a rollback of rights, with new laws introduced and more proposed.
Even where same-sex relations between women are not criminalised, inequality persists. Human Dignity Trust’s Breaking the Silence report highlights how LBQ women continue to face widespread violence, stigma, and exclusion. Legal systems frequently fail to protect them, and in some cases actively contribute to their marginalisation. Laws relating to marriage, adultery, and reproductive rights further compound these inequalities, disproportionately affecting women.
At the same time, trans people face widespread criminalisation and discrimination. Human Dignity Trust’s Injustice Exposed report shows how laws targeting gender identity continue to shape the lives of trans communities globally, reinforcing stigma, exclusion, and barriers to safety and services. For trans women in particular, these risks intersect with broader gender-based inequalities in ways that are often overlooked.
These structural inequalities are further intensified in times of crisis.
Conflict, displacement, and economic instability do not affect everyone equally. According to UN Women, the number of women and girls living in conflict has increased by 50 percent over the past decade, with devastating consequences for safety, livelihoods, and access to services.
As UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned:
“When women and girls can rise, we all thrive. Yet, globally, women’s human rights are under attack. Instead of mainstreaming equal rights, we’re seeing the mainstreaming of misogyny. Together, we must stand firm in making human rights, equality and empowerment a reality for all women and girls, for everyone, everywhere.”
At the same time, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) notes that displacement can be especially harmful for people from sexual minorities, who often rely on community networks for safety and support. When those networks are disrupted, alongside the loss of home and income, vulnerability to abuse, violence, and deprivation increases significantly.
For LBTQ women, these impacts are often compounded. Discrimination can make it harder to access shelter, healthcare, and humanitarian support, while social exclusion can limit access to community networks that are vital in times of crisis. For those already marginalised, each new emergency deepens existing inequalities.
Despite these challenges, LBTQ women continue to lead. Around the world, they are building movements, supporting one another, and creating spaces of safety and solidarity in the face of adversity. Their work is not only essential for their communities, but for the broader struggle for equality and human rights.
Yet this work remains chronically underfunded.
At GiveOut, we see every day the impact that targeted, flexible funding can have. Through the LBTQ Women’s Fund, our community and allies can support organisations working at the intersection of gender and sexuality, ensuring that LBTQ women are not left behind.
This Women’s History Month, we are calling on those who believe in equality to stand with LBTQ women everywhere.
Your support will help ensure that organisations led by and for LBTQ women have the resources they need to continue their vital work, whether that is defending rights, providing services, or building movements for change.
Because when LBTQ women are supported, communities are stronger, movements are more inclusive, and progress is possible for everyone.