ALT When I go out with my partner I have to mentally prepare for verbal abuse. Rhi

ALT I’m a gay woman. One day when I was travelling home on a train with my friends, a man sat down beside me and whispered in my ear "if my daughter was a lesbian like you, I would burn her alive". I felt shocked, angry and scared. I couldn’t understand why a stranger would say such horrible things. It was pure hatred.

ALT This incident affected me; now when I go out with my partner, I mentally prepare for people making negative comments. We’ve had verbal abuse for simply walking down the street together. That feeling stays with you. No one should have to live in fear of attack. We deserve to live a life free from abuse or hate.

ALT LGBTQ+ safety and sport The Olympics are underway, but just how inclusive is sport for LGBTQ+ people?

ALT It is brilliant to see up to 155 LGBTQ+ people competing at the Olympics this year. With increasing awareness has come increased acceptance, but there’s still a way to go to shift public attitudes.

ALT 40% of sport fans think competitive sport is welcoming for gay and bi men. 43% of sport fans think competitive sport is welcoming for lesbian and bi women.

ALT 33% of LGBTQ+ people who participate in or follow sport aren’t out to anyone in their sporting life. Sport and sporting environments should be safe spaces where people feel comfortable to be themselves. No one should have to hide who they are to take part in sport.

ALT Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo, a renowned Mexican artist, was known for her exploration of identity and gender in her work. Bisexual and born with spina bifida, she also endured severe injuries from a bus accident. Many of her paintings reflect her experience of being disabled.

ALT Jazzie Collins Jazzie Collins was a Black trans activist and community organiser who tirelessly advocated for tenants' rights, labour rights, trans rights, and disability rights. Jazzie lived with HIV and dedicated her life to fighting for marginslised people.

ALT Lord Byron Lord Byron was an influential English poet and is believed to be bisexual. A significant but often overlooked aspect of his life is that he was born with a club foot. It is reported that he went to great lengths to conceal his disability.

ALT Connie Panzarino Connie Panzarino was a disabled lesbian activist. She lived with Spinal Muscular Atrophy III. She worked with survivors of abuse and lectured on sexism, homophobia, and ableism.

ALT “I hope that the Government acts before time runs out for my wife and I to have our own family” Emma's story. #IVFforALL

ALT My wife and I are thinking about having kids. However, as a lesbian couple, we have to prove infertility by self-funding 6 cycles of artificial insemination before we can get access to NHS-funded IVF. This means we have to pay up to £10,000 before we can access the same treatment as a heterosexual couple. The lack of progress made means that sadly I think time is running out for our dream of being parents to become a reality.

ALT It feels like I am screaming for help in an empty, unempathetic void. Nothing has changed and it's devastating after we were given hope 2 years ago. In the future I hope to see a fair system for all where all couples get the same support no matter their sexual orientation or location. But most importantly I hope that guidance changes before time runs out for us to have our own family.