Across Asia and the Pacific, LBQ movements are mobilizing for safety, dignity, and autonomy, despite facing challenges in their day-to-day operations—from having to fly under the radar to navigating funding challenges. However, these experiences remain largely invisible and unrecognized by both LGBTQIA+ and women’s rights movements. For decades, activists have contributed to social justice and advocacy, yet their work remains critically under-resourced due to the lack of recognition and visibility of LBQ rights violations. This increases the uncertainty of their own sustainability whilst they fight for their own community.
Our report “Where’s The Support for LBQ Movements” was born from this shared reality, setting out to map the terrain of philanthropy in the region. We aim to name the funding gaps and understand the barriers activists face by hearing directly from both activists and funders, and then co-create the knowledge that would, we hope, shift the path in which resources flow.
To capture the complex nature of LBQ movements across Asia, we engaged LBQ activists and LBQ-led groups across West, Central, East, South, and Southeast Asia, as well as the Pacific, alongside funders. By bringing these diverse perspectives together, we sought to form a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by the current funding ecosystem.
This report presents a detailed picture of inequity, a resounding call to re-imagine resourcing, and to move from piecemeal grants to long-term commitments. It affirms the notion that to be effective, funding must be led by and flow directly to the LBQ communities who have the lived experience, rooted movements, as well as the political clarity to lead the work. By documenting these voices, this report also serves as a tool to challenge donor practices, deepen accountability, and strengthen the collective push for more transformative support.
Explore the realities documented in this research, acknowledge the barriers within current funding systems, and advocate for the long-term resourcing LBQ movements urgently need. Access the full report below.
