LGBTIQ+ Youth in Switzerland - Overview of Organisations, Key Actors, Policies, and Projects

Despite recent legal changes toward greater LGBTIQ+ (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer) inclusion, LGBTIQ+ youth in Switzerland still face inequalities, rejection, and discrimination in several domains. LGBTIQ+ youth frequently report feeling "safe nowhere", especially when the usual protective factors – in the school, family, and friendship spheres – are deficient. Adolescents whose sexual and affective orientation is not exclusively heterosexual, who do not identify with their gender assigned at birth, or who are intersex are frequently the target of harassment-bullying and violence in the educational and recreational contexts. To identify existing services as well as gaps and needs of LGBTIQ+ youth on behalf of the LGBTI Youth Fund, the Swiss LGBTIQ+ Panel team conducted a mapping process of the organizations, key actors, policies, and projects that aim to support LGBTIQ+ youth in Switzerland. The findings that emerged from this mapping process provide an overview of the range of available supports and services while highlighting the disparities between cantons. We conclude with general recommendations regarding particularly marked gaps or challenges to be addressed in the coming years to promote social change toward an inclusive, equitable, and safe society for all youth in Switzerland.