Top 5 tips for inclusive PPI with LGBTQ+ disabled communities (by Isaac Samuels).
See the whole person, not a single label. People are never just LGBTQ+, disabled, HIV-positive, or any one identity. Start with the person and with what matters to them, how they see themselves, and what helps them thrive. Avoid reducing individuals to the identity most visible or most convenient for the service. Labels are for jars, not for people.
Be curious, not cautious. The biggest barrier is people being afraid of getting it wrong. Ask respectful questions, invite conversation, and allow space for people to share openly. Curiosity builds trust, while silence or assumptions create distance.
Recognise intersecting experiences of discrimination. LGBTQ+ people who are also disabled, racialised, or navigating poverty may face overlapping barriers that shape how they engage with PPI. Acknowledge how racism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, and classism can compound, and adapt your approach to reduce these pressures.
Use relational, not tokenistic, co-production. Involvement isn’t about recruiting “one person from each group”. It’s about building genuine relationships, offering flexible and accessible engagement, and sharing power in decision-making. Meaningful PPI comes from dialogue and partnership, not box-ticking.
Create spaces where identities can coexist comfortably. Don’t force participants to fragment themselves. Design PPI environments that welcome all parts of someone’s identity – spiritual, cultural, sexual, social, health-related, and emotional. This includes being open to varied communication styles, respecting pronouns, and adjusting support to meet each person’s broader life context.
Key learnings from Isaac’s session based on attendee feedback:
- It’s difficult to avoid tick box diversity efforts (focus on equity, and diversity will follow!). We need to be working at the speed of trust.
- Turning differences into dialogue and taking things at the speed of trust.
- Insights into some of the barriers one can face. Don’t make assumptions and ask questions; develop the relationship and try to establish a wider understanding.
Below are links to some organisations that work with people with disabilities in the North of England, as well as with LGBTQ+ people:
Disability North is a registered charity promoting inclusion, independence and choice for disabled people and their families by providing information, advice and support on any aspect of disability. Services are also provided for students or professionals working in the statutory, voluntary and the public sector.
Disability Rights UK is the UK’s leading Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) led by, run by, and working for Disabled people. We work with other DPOs, public bodies, businesses and Government across the UK to influence regional and national change for better rights, accessibility, benefits, quality of life and economic opportunities for Disabled people.
Gosforth Civic Theatre is the only public-facing theatre in the UK founded and guided by people with learning disabilities.
LGBT+ North East supports young LGBT+ people aged 11-25 and their families in County Durham, Sunderland and South Tyneside.
OUT North East is an LGBTQ+ charity connecting people across the North East of England with the support, resources, and opportunities they need to live safer, healthier, and more fulfilled lives.
Northern Lights Metropolitan Community Church is an inclusive Christian church founded by LGBT+ people in North East England.