The research project Divercity aims to assure the well-being of the LGTB community in medium-sized European cities

The project is spread in six European cities, among which there are Girona and Sabadell.
The project is spread in six European cities, among which there are Girona and Sabadell.
Research
(28/06/2016)

Analysing homophobia and transphobia in medium-sized European cities is the goal of the research project Divercity, coordinated by the European Social Research Unit of the Department of Social Anthropology of the University of Barcelona. They will study discriminatory behaviours towards the LGTB collective (lesbians, gays, transgenders and bisexuals) as well as measures to fight the problem in six European towns, among which there are Girona and Sabadell. In this project, they will exchange good practises and propose innovative measures to guarantee the well-being of the LGTB people, both in local administrations and global in the UE. It has a length of two years (December 2015 - December 2017).

The project is spread in six European cities, among which there are Girona and Sabadell.
The project is spread in six European cities, among which there are Girona and Sabadell.
Research
28/06/2016

Analysing homophobia and transphobia in medium-sized European cities is the goal of the research project Divercity, coordinated by the European Social Research Unit of the Department of Social Anthropology of the University of Barcelona. They will study discriminatory behaviours towards the LGTB collective (lesbians, gays, transgenders and bisexuals) as well as measures to fight the problem in six European towns, among which there are Girona and Sabadell. In this project, they will exchange good practises and propose innovative measures to guarantee the well-being of the LGTB people, both in local administrations and global in the UE. It has a length of two years (December 2015 - December 2017).

In Catalonia there are two participant universities: University of Barcelona (coordinator of the project) and University of Girona. Also, associated entities such as the city councils of Girona and Sabadell collaborate in the project too. In these cities there will be some interviews done and debate groups with LGTB people and professionals who work in relation with the well-being of this group of people, as well as surveys and a comparative analysis of the legislation related to the guarantee of rights and prevention of homophobic and transphobia behaviours. The researchers say that medium-sized cities, such as the ones chosen for this research, have a very different reality from the big ones, where there is more anonymity and a range of means for the LGTB collective. Apart from Sabadell and Girona, they will analyse cases in Charleroi (Belgium), Nottingham (United Kingdom), Thessaloniki (Greece) and Wroclaw (Poland).

Among the activities that will be carried out there will be an exchange of experiences and good practises between these cities through local and international workshops. This work includes the creation of two guidelines of good practises, one aimed at the LGTB population and the other for the local governments and NGOs. They will also write an etic code for organisms and local public services, as well as training courses aimed at public security entities and jurists, so that they act efficiently towards hate crimes based on sexual orientation and genre expressions. At the end of the project there will be an awareness campaign and awareness workshops for young people and journalists who work in the field of local information.

Divercity has the participation of the University of Barcelona and the University of Girona, and also from others: University Middlesex (United Kingdom), University of Wroclaw (Poland), the Free University of Brussels (Belgium), Damily and Childcare Centre (Greece), Municipality of Neapoli-Sykies (Greece) and Transgender Europe (European entity). The work team at the University of Barcelona is coordinated by the lecturers Olga Jubany and Joan Bestard, with the participation of other experts such as Miguel Ángel Aguilar, fiscal prosecutor of the Hate Crime and Discrimination Service of the Barcelona Prosecution Office, and Juul van Hoof, international Coordinator of the Rainbow Cities network.

The European Social Research Unit group has just finished another European project, PRISM, which analyses hate speech online, such as racist or homophobic messages.