Two thirds of gay people do not feel safe to reveal their sexuality, according to a survey of the island’s LGBTQ+ population by OutBermuda.

The charity said that the results highlighted “real concerns around safety and belonging” among respondents.

Joshua Samuels, the executive director of OutBermuda, added: “Too many LGBTQ+ people in Bermuda still move through this island carrying shame, fear and the feeling that they have to make themselves smaller to be accepted.”

OutBermuda has invited the community to come together in support of queer people for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, which will be observed today from 12.30pm to 1pm on the steps of City Hall.

“This event is about saying clearly that we belong here, too,” said Mr Samuels.

“We deserve safety, dignity and a real sense of belonging in our own country.”

Speakers at the event will include Kim Wilkerson, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice; Dwayne Robinson, the Shadow Minister of Home and Community Affairs; and Lisa Reed, the executive officer of the Human Rights Commission.

Mr Samuels will also speak along with the Reverend Kendell Augustine Tanner-Ihm, of Wesley Community Church, and Levi Masters, a student and mental health advocate.

They will deliver brief remarks in support of LGBTQ+ belonging and inclusion in Bermuda.

The observance is open to members of the LGBTQ+ community, families, friends, allies and all who believe Bermuda can be “a place of greater belonging, safety and welcome”.

OutBermuda is to publish the findings of what it described as the first national LGBTQ+ community survey in Bermuda.

The anonymous questionnaire, supported by Global Research, gathered responses from 275 individuals connected to the island.

The charity shared selected findings exclusively with The Royal Gazette as the full report was reviewed for publication.

The survey was conducted between February and April of this year. Respondents included people living in Bermuda and overseas, as well as those “connected to Bermuda who felt the survey was relevant to their experiences”.

OutBermuda said that the report showed only about one third of respondents felt safe being openly LGBTQ+ in Bermuda and only about one in four felt psychologically safe living here.

It also found that more than seven in ten respondents who attended school in Bermuda had experienced bullying and 78 per cent said their secondary school curriculum did not address LGBTQ+ students’ needs.

Younger LGBTQ+ people reported some of the hardest experiences, OutBermuda said.

Nearly three quarters of LGBTQ+ respondents aged 18 to 24 described their mental health as fair, poor or very poor and only 12 per cent said they felt psychologically safe living in Bermuda as LGBTQ+ people.

The report also pointed to a growing concern around retention and belonging, the charity added.

Half of LGBTQ+ respondents living in Bermuda said they were interested in leaving the island, rising to 70 per cent among respondents aged 18 to 24.

Among LGBTQ+ Bermudians living overseas, many said they left Bermuda in search of a safer, more accepting and diverse social environment and more opportunities for LGBTQ+ community and connection.

OutBermuda said the findings should be read with care and compassion.

Mr Samuels added: “These findings are not just numbers on a page. They represent people we know and love, our cousins, friends, colleagues, church members and neighbours.

“LGBTQ+ people are not broken. Too often, the harm comes from the way society responds to us.

“This event is a chance for Bermuda to choose understanding, welcome and belonging.”

The observance comes globally each year on May 17 and is part of a wider international movement to support awareness, solidarity and visibility.

The date was chosen to mark the World Health Organisation’s 1990 decision to remove homosexuality from its International Classification of Diseases.

More information is available at may17.org.

Mr Samuels said: “This event is an opportunity for church leaders, political leaders, teachers, non-profit leaders, business leaders, family and friends to stand together and say clearly that LGBTQ+ people belong here.

“When we choose welcome, understanding and respect over judgment and exclusion, Bermuda becomes a stronger and more beautiful country for all of us.”

OutBermuda’s policy manifesto calls for stronger mental health support for LGBTQ+ people, clearer school protocols to address bullying and harassment, improved access to affirming healthcare and legal protection for gender identity.

The manifesto also calls for a Bermuda where LGBTQ+ people can thrive openly, safely and with dignity.

As Bermuda’s only charity dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ people, OutBermuda works to reduce the harmful effects of discrimination and stigma through counselling access, youth support, LGBTQ+ inclusion training, the annual Bermuda Pride event and advocacy.

Its vision is a Bermuda where LGBTQ+ people are seen, valued, safe and thriving.

Members of the public were encouraged to attend and stand in solidarity.

Rock Island Coffee will close its doors early — at midday — today in support of OutBermuda and the LGBTQ+ community.

In the event of rain, the observance will take place inside City Hall.

• For more on OutBermuda’s manifesto, visitoutbermuda.org/policy-manifesto