REGARD

An organisation for disabled people who are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender

What is REGARD?

• REGARD is an organisation of people who are disabled and who are

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT).

 

 

We have a website and on-line groups where we can swap ideas and messages

• We know that many disabled people who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender have problems finding the right help and support.

•  Some people do not understand how we feel and what we need, and can treat us badly. REGARD is doing its best to change this and give disabled LGBT people help and support

 

 

What does REGARD do?

• REGARD makes sure that the views and needs of disabled LGBT people are listened to.

We talk to:-


? The Government

? The NHS

? Social Services

? Disability organisations

? LGBT organisations

? Charities

? Arts and music organisations

 

REGARD has a website www.regard.org.uk

Where we have information about us and what we do. Also reports of our Committee meetings and Annual General Meeting.

We try and make all our written information easy to understand.

REGARD has some on-line groups where you can get in touch with other members
 
REGARD has an Annual General Meeting every year. We talk about our work during the year and what is important to work on next year

We vote for people to be on our Committee
 
REGARD Committee Members must have a disability

After the AGM, we get together to chat and have food and drink

How can I join REGARD?

Go to our homepage and you will get information on how to join REGARD

If you are a disabled person, you can join as a Full member

If you are not a disabled person or you are an organisation you can join REGARD as an Associate Member and support  the aims of REGARD.

         What do these words mean?

‘Disabled’ - REGARD believes in the social model of disability. This is a way of thinking about disability that says that it is society that needs to change to include disabled people. We should not have to change to fit in with society. We are against the medical model of disability, which is the idea that being disabled means there is ‘something wrong’ with you.

‘Gay’ – means people who have relationships with people of their own sex – men with men and women with women.

Gay women are sometimes known as ‘Lesbians’

‘Bisexual’ – means people who have relationships with both men and women

‘Transgender’ – means people who are born as a male or a female but they feel that they were meant to be the opposite gender (sex)

Some Transgender people change their sex by medical treatment

Useful contacts:

‘People First LTD’ A Voice for People with Learning Difficulties
      Unit 3.46 Canterbury Court
      1-3 Brixton Road
      London SW9 6DE
      020 782 665

www.peoplefirstltd.org.uk 

‘People First’ publishes a book ‘Our Sexuality too!’ – looking at discrimination suffered by people with Learning
Difficulties who are LGBT.

REGARD took part in research with the Nora Fry Research Centre. ‘Secret Loves, Hidden Lives’ is about what people
with learning difficulties said about being Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual. You can download it from:

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/norahfry/research/completed-projects/secretloveseasyread.pdf

There are also booklets about sexuality for people who work with people with learning difficulties

‘RESPOND’ is an organisation that supports people with learning difficulties who are being abused or bullied

www.respond.org.uk

If you are worried about being abused or bullied, you can ring their HelpLine 0808 808 0700

With thanks to ‘Inspired Services’ and ‘Change Picture Bank’ for images and ‘People First’ for some of their text