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Blue- Resources
Red- Need to read
Purple- Already read
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https://www-tandfonline-com.northampton.idm.oclc.org/doi/full/10.1080/19361653.2020.1779164

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https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.769769/full

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Content Analysis of LGBTQ Picture Books for Elementary Education Through an Intersectional Lens

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Diversity and inclusion have become a critical topic in contemporary society. Children engaging in story time with their family members and teachers can use stories from picture books as an educational tool to illustrate various social settings which provide a window into the wider outside world and…

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https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/the-experiences-of-teachers-who-identify-as-lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-or-queer-lgbtq

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Samuel Stones, Mr

Associate Researcher at Leeds Beckett University

Samuel is a researcher and lecturer in the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University and assistant headteacher (curriculum and assessment) at a secondary school and sixth form college in North Yorkshire. Samuel holds a prestigious doctoral scholarship within the Carnegie School of Education. This enables him to work in partnership with the Centre for LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Education based at Leeds Beckett University where he researches the role of schools in advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Jonathan Glazzard, Professor

Professor and Head of Department at Edge Hill University

Jonathan Glazzard is Professor of Teacher Education and Head of Department of Primary and Childhood Education at Edge Hill University. He is Director for the Centre for LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Education and he researches mental health, disability and early reading development in children and young people. In 2018, he became co-convenor of the BERA SIG for Mental Health and Wellbeing in Education. Jonathan is a teacher educator and has extensive experience in leading primary ITE programmes and in ITE quality assurance across primary and secondary courses. He teaches on all teacher education programmes and supervises students at masters and doctoral levels. He is a National Teaching Fellow and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He has recently completed his second doctorate in Educational Psychology at the University of Dundee.

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The experiences of teachers who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Samuel Stones, Mr Associate Researcher at Leeds Beckett University Samuel is a researcher and lecturer in the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University and assistant headteacher (curriculum and assessment) at a secondary school and sixth form college in North Yorkshire. Samuel holds a prestigious doctoral scholarship within the Carnegie School of Education.

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https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/northampton/detail.action?pq-origsite=primo&docID=6109097

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https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2021.613283/full

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Carnegie School of Education, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom

This article provides an overview of the UK government policy in relation to relationships and sex education in schools. It focuses on the latest statutory guidance which requires primary and secondary schools in England to teach pupils about different types of relationships, including same-sex relationships. We outline the current policy frameworks and present a rationale for why Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer (LGBTQ+) identities and relationships should be present in the curriculum. We critically interrogate the government response and we present a framework to support the implementation of a whole school approach to LGBTQ+ inclusion. We draw on Meyer's model of minority stress to explore risks to children and young people if they are not provided with an LGBTQ+ curriculum.

Introduction

In 2019 the UK government released statutory guidance for relationships and sex education in schools ( Department for Education, 2019) following a period of consultation. The guidance was a radical update of previous guidance which was issued in 2000 to more accurately reflect societal issues in the twenty-first century. The guidance included a requirement for primary and secondary schools to teach children about LGBTQ+ identities and different kinds of relationships, including same-sex relationships. Although societal attitudes in relation to same-sex relationships have improved in recent years, and even though some countries have taken steps to legalize same-sex relationships, the inclusion of this content in the school curriculum was considered by some to be controversial. For example, in 2019 parental opposition in Birmingham and other cities to LGBTQ+ curricula in primary schools dominated the media headlines in England. The apparent tensions between religious beliefs, sexual orientation and gender identity fueled parental protests outside primary schools that had adopted an LGBTQ+ curriculum. Subsequent government guidance in England to support schools with the advancement of LGBTQ+ equality has been weak and arguably this has demonstrated a lack of political commitment to equality.

This paper uses Meyer's model of minority stress ( Meyer's, 2003) as a conceptual lens to support the analysis of the policy. As a conceptual lens, this model is particularly useful in that it helps to frame the experiences of individuals with minority identities. For example, LGBTQ+ youth may be exposed to a range of stressors both in society and in school and these can impact on their ability to thrive within educational environments and lead to mental ill health ( Meyer's, 2003). The model identifies that individuals with minority identities are exposed to two additional stressors in addition to the general stressors that everyone experiences; distal stressors are the direct experience of prejudice and discrimination as a direct result of one's minority identity. Proximal stressors occur when individuals anticipate that they will be exposed to distal stressors which can result in concealment of one's identity and internalized homophobia ( Meyer's, 2003). This paper argues that an inclusive relationships and sex education curriculum, which provides validation and positive affirmation of different identities, has the potential to reduce minority stress in young people who have non-normative gender identities and sexual orientations. In addition, we argue that government policy of delaying the introduction of inclusive relationships education will potentially increase minority stress in young people with these minority identities. We therefore argue that a curriculum which addresses inclusive relationships and sex education is a useful tool for reducing the effects of minority stress in LGBTQ+ youth.

Policy Context in England

Sexual orientation and gender identity are two crucial components on an individual's identity, although the Equality Act (2010) in England specifically refers to "gender reassignment." In England, sexual orientation and gender reassignment are identified as "protected characteristics" in the Equality Act (2010). Schools and other public institutions must therefore ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals are protected from both direct and indirect forms of discrimination. In addition, the Public Sector Equality Duty (Section 149 of the Equality Act, 2010) requires schools to advance equality of opportunity between individuals with and without protected characteristics and to foster good relations between these two groups.

In 2017 the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, delivered a keynote speech at the Pink Awards:

Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia have still not been defeated and they must be. Bullying in schools and on social media is still a daily reality for young LGBTQ+ people, and that has to stop. Trans people still face indignities and prejudice when they deserve understanding and respect... being trans is not an illness and it shouldn't be treated as such.

She emphasized the importance of introducing inclusive relationships and sex education into Britain's schools. Of course, 2017 also marked 50 years following the partial decriminalization of homosexuality through the 1967 Sexual Offences Act. The direction of travel was a stark contrast to Section 28 in 1988 which was introduced by the former Conservative Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. Section 28 was a controversial piece of legislation which stated that local authorities "shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality or promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship." It silenced schools from discussing homosexuality and forced LGBTQ+ teachers further into the closet. Section 28 was eventually repealed in 2003. However, its existence demonstrated the role of educational policy in maintaining a dominant heteronormative discourse, thus leading to the marginalization of LGBTQ+ people.

The parental protests in England in 2019 also demonstrated how religious beliefs can also seek to maintain discourses of heteronormativity and also highlighted the ways in which one protected characteristic (religion or belief) can clash with other protected characteristics (gender reassignment and sexual orientation). During these protests, parents objected to LGBTQ+ curricula in primary schools on the grounds that this curriculum was in direct conflict with religious beliefs. Following a protest at a school in Birmingham, these were repeated in other schools in other parts of the UK. These examples of resistance serve to demonstrate the controversial nature of this topic and in particular the apparent tensions between religion, sexuality and gender identity. However, despite these objections it is important that schools leaders respect different opinions, and religious beliefs, but also explain to parents why it is necessary for all young people to learn about different types of relationships and family structures.

It should be emphasized that the statutory guidance for relationships and sex education ( Department for Education, 2019) does not seek to promote a particular lifestyle. An effective LGBTQ+ curriculum enables children and young people to know that LGBTQ+ people exist and that it is legal to be LGBTQ+. It supports them to understand different family structures and to know that under the rule of British law it is legal to both enter into same-sex relationships and get married. It is critically important that all children are taught to respect all forms of difference. It is also important to acknowledge to young people that although LGBTQ+ identities and relationships may not be permitted within the context of a religion, in the UK they are permitted under the rule of law. Given that LGBTQ+ people exist within all walks of life (in families, schools, colleges, universities, the workplace, and the community) it is important that young people learn to respect people's differences, regardless of personal or religious beliefs. Education should play a critical role in supporting all children and young people to understand that prejudice and discrimination are wrong, both from a legal and a moral perspective. Critical pedagogy serves a powerful role in advancing social justice through educating young people about all forms of discrimination. It offers hope for creating a better and more equitable society in the future and supports young people to be responsible future citizens.

Research has found that LGBTQ+ policies and initiatives in schools which promote queer-straight alliances are distinctly and mutually important for fostering safer and more supportive school climates for young people and may reduce prejudice-based bullying ( Poteat et al., 2013; Ioverno et al., 2016; Day et al., 2019). Lessons which address inclusive relationships and sex education are one example of these alliances. Creating safe spaces in which all young people can discuss inclusive relationships may therefore play a critical role in fostering positive attitudes, creating positive school cultures and reducing homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying. Research by Russell et al. (2009) found that safe queer-straight alliances led to three inter-related dimensions of empowerment: personal empowerment, relational empowerment, and strategic empowerment. When these three dimensions are experienced in combination, teachers of inclusive relationships and sex education can facilitate individual and collective empowerment which can lead to social change in schools.

A Critical Analysis of the Statutory Guidance

In 2019 the Department for Education (DfE) published statutory guidance for the teaching of inclusive relationships and sex education in schools in England. The DfE is a government organization that enforces policy in schools. The guidance replaced previous guidance which was published 20 years earlier and schools in England are required by law to implement the guidance from 2020. Schools which do not implement the statutory guidance will face penalties during school inspections. The guidance was refreshed to address current societal issues and addresses topics such as consent, domestic abuse and online relationships. It also explicitly mandates the teaching of LGBTQ+ identities and relationships in primary and secondary schools. However, in relation to LGBTQ+ content the guidance might be interpreted in ways which effectively permit schools to opt out of delivering this content, particularly to younger children. The quotations from the guidance below particularly provide schools with a rationale for not delivering LGBTQ+ related content, despite the statutory nature of the guidance. We argue that these opt-out clauses are not acceptable and may potentially result in LGBTQ+ identities not being validated or positively affirmed.

The Relationships and Sex Education States:

* In all schools, when teaching these subjects, the religious background of all pupils must be taken into account when planning teaching, so that the topics that are included in the core content in this guidance are appropriately handled. Schools must ensure they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act (2010), under which religion or belief are amongst the protected characteristics ( Department for Education, 2019, para, 20, p. 12).

* In particular, schools with a religious character may teach the distinctive faith perspective on relationships, and balanced debate may take place about issues that are seen as contentious ( Department for Education, 2019, para, 21, p. 12).

* Schools should ensure that all of their teaching is sensitive and age appropriate in approach and content ( Department for Education, 2019, para, 37, p. 15).

In response to the parental protests, the Department for Education (DfE) introduced the following guidance for schools:

* In all schools, when teaching Relationships Education, the age and religious background of all pupils must be taken into account when planning teaching ( Department for Education, 2020a, p. 11).

We have added emphasis to the text to draw attention to some key concerns. Schools will not be compliant with the Equality Act (2010) if young people are not taught to respect different religious beliefs. However, there is a danger that schools with a religious character will use these statements to avoid including LGBTQ+ identities and relationships into the curriculum. It is worrying that the policy permits schools with a religious character to teach "distinctive faith perspectives on relationships" given that some of these perspectives may not align with the principles of the Equality Act (2010). It is also a concern that the teaching of LGBTQ+ relationships and identities is acknowledged within the policy framework as a "sensitive" aspect of the curriculum. This phrasing is unhelpful because it further stigmatizes LGBTQ+ individuals whose identities should be validated and celebrated. The phrase "age-appropriate" is also potentially damaging. It suggests that younger children need to be somehow protected from this content, thus suggesting that it may be potentially harmful and damaging. LGBTQ+ people exist within families and communities. Young children in nursery schools may have same-sex parents, siblings or members of their wider family who are LGBTQ+. To deliberately avoid addressing this in the early years is likely to lead to young children in same-sex families or those with LGBTQ+ family members feeling excluded. This does not foster a sense of belonging and it does not provide validation of children's families particularly in cases where children have LGBTQ+ parents or siblings.

From 1 September 2020, relationships education is compulsory for all primary school pupils and relationships and sex education (RSE) is compulsory for all secondary school pupils ( Department for Education, 2020b). However, as a result of the impact of Covid-19 schools have been given additional time to implement the statutory guidance. The government has insisted that secondary schools will risk negative inspection reports if the statutory guidance is not implemented from the start of the summer term 2021. In stark contrast, primary schools will not be penalized for avoiding the teaching of LGBTQ+ content, provided that they can demonstrate that appropriate consultation has taken place with parents:

Before the start of summer term 2021, if a primary school does not teach about LGBT relationships, and does not yet have adequate plans in place to meet the requirements of the DfE's statutory guidance by the start of the summer term 2021 (for example, if it has not consulted parents and has no plans to do so before then), inspectors will comment on this in the inspection report. This will not, however, impact on the leadership and management judgement except when inspectors consider it relevant to the effectiveness of the school's safeguarding arrangements (Department for Education, 2020b).

From the start of summer term 2021, if a primary school does not teach about LGBT relationships, this will not have an impact on the leadership and management judgement as long as the school can satisfy inspectors that it has still fulfilled the requirements of the DfE's statutory guidance. If it cannot do this, for example if it has failed to consult with parents, inspectors will consider this when making the leadership and management judgement. The school will not ordinarily receive a judgement for this better than requires improvement (Department for Education, 2020b).

Before the start of summer term 2021, if a secondary school does not teach about LGBT relationships and does not have adequate plans in place to meet the requirements of the DfE's statutory guidance by the start of the summer term 2021, inspectors will comment on this in the inspection report. This will not, however, impact on the leadership and management judgement except when inspectors consider it relevant to the effectiveness of the school's safeguarding arrangements (Department for Education, 2020b).

From the start of summer term 2021, if a secondary school does not teach about LGBT relationships, it will not be meeting the requirements of the DfE's statutory guidance. Inspectors will consider this when making the leadership and management judgement. For state-funded schools, this only applies to section 5 inspections. For independent schools, this only applies to standard inspections. The school will not ordinarily receive a judgement for this better than requires improvement (Department for Education, 2020b).

Given that prejudice is often established before children start the secondary phase of their education, we feel that it is critical that the teaching of LGBTQ+ content in primary schools should be mandatory. This latest "opt out clause" permits parental beliefs (and parental prejudice) to determine curriculum content. This is not only selling LGBTQ+ pupils in primary schools short, it is also selling all pupils short. It effectively provides schools that are reluctant to address this content with a license not to address it. Large-scale survey data from Stonewall in 2017, the organization which champions equality for the LGBTQ+ community, demonstrates the extent of homophobic bullying in Britain's schools. The data demonstrated the large prevalence of homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying in Britain's schools. We argue that inclusive relationships and sex education in primary and secondary schools which provides positive affirmation of different identities will reduce the prevalence of prejudice-based bullying.

Theoretical Critique

Meyer's (2003) minority stress model has been used by mainstream psychologists to explain how minority status can impact on mental health outcomes for individuals who identify as part of a minority group. The model has been applied to individuals who identify as LGBTQ+.

The model identifies different types of stress that minority individuals experience. These are summarized below:

* General stressors apply to all individuals as a result of environmental circumstances.

* Distal stressors: the direct experience of stigma, prejudice, discrimination, victimization and bullying by others based on an individual's minority status produces distal stressors. These experiences can be shaped by structural forces (for example, racism, heteronormativity/heterosexism) which result in structural disadvantage for minority groups.

* Proximal stressors: these relate to an individual's perception or appraisal of situations. The expectation or anticipation that a person with a minority status may experience rejection, discrimination, victimization, or stigmatization based on one's previous experiences of this can result in self-vigilance and identity concealment. People who identify as LGBTQ+ may anticipate negative reactions to their sexual orientation or gender identity in specific situations due to their previous negative experiences. To reduce the likelihood of negative experiences occurring, self-vigilance and concealment are employed but these tactics can result in fear of discovery, psychological distress, internalized shame, guilt, anxiety, and social isolation.

Not addressing LGBTQ+-related content in the primary curriculum is likely to result in exposing children to distal and proximal stressors. If their identities are not discussed and not made visible through the school environment and the curriculum, they are more likely to conceal their identities and to internalize the homophobia to which they are exposed. The aim of an LGBTQ+ curriculum is to validate identities of difference and to teach children the importance of respect. If this validation of identities is not evident, there is a risk that children with non-normative identities in primary schools will be exposed to prejudice, violence and other forms of discrimination.

International research continues to demonstrate that heteronormative and heterosexist cultures are entrenched within schools ( Kjaran and Kristinsdóttir, 2015). Even in countries known for their liberal attitude toward sexuality, such as Sweden, heteronormative attitudes continue to prevail within schools ( Lundin, 2015). The revision of policies and legislation signal the UK government's commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion ( DePalma and Jennett, 2010). However, despite this, research continues to evidence the scale of homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying in Britain's schools ( Bradlow et al., 2017). Whilst the reasons for this are complex, multifaceted, and often misunderstood ( Formby, 2015), research by Bradlow et al. (2017) does illuminate the disconnect between the government's expectations and the lived experiences of those within the LGBTQ+ community.

Conclusion

Data from Stonewall ( Bradlow et al., 2017) demonstrates the prevalence of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools in Britain. Nearly half of lesbian, gay, bi and trans pupils (45%)-including 64% of trans pupils-are bullied for being LGBTQ+ at school. The majority of LGBTQ+ pupils-−86%-regularly hear phrases including "that's so gay" or "you're so gay" in school. Nearly one in 10 trans pupils (9%) are subjected to death threats at school. Seven in 10 LGBTQ+ pupils (68%) report that teachers or school staff only "sometimes" or "never" challenge homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic language when they hear it. Two in five LGBTQ+ pupils (40%) are never taught anything about LGBTQ+ identities at school. Three in four LGBTQ+ pupils (77%) have never learnt about gender identity and what "trans" means at school. More than half of LGBTQ+ pupils (53%) say that there isn't an adult at school they can talk to about being LGBTQ+. Two in five pupils who have been bullied for being LGBTQ+ (40%) have missed school because of this bullying. Half of bullied LGBTQ+ pupils (52%) feel that homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying has had a negative effect on their plans for future education. More than four in five trans young people (84%) have self-harmed. For lesbian, gay, and bi young people who aren't trans, three in five (61%) have self-harmed. More than two in five trans young people (45%) have attempted to take their own life. For lesbian, gay, and bi young people who aren't trans, over one in five (22%) have attempted to take their own life ( Bradlow et al., 2017).

Avoiding teaching LGBTQ-related content in primary schools is likely to result in a worsening of these statistics. In addition, many young children in primary schools have same-sex parents or they may have siblings or know other people who are LGBTQ+. Silencing LGBTQ+ identities is likely to alienate these children if they start to feel that their daily realities are not reflected in the school environment or through the curriculum that they are taught. Avoiding teaching LGBTQ+ related content to young children is likely to result in minority stress and mental ill health ( Meyer's, 2003), especially if queer identities are not recognized, not provided with validation and not positively affirmed.

Actionable Recommendations

The following recommendations are aimed at school leaders:

* All primary and secondary schools should provide children with an inclusive relationships education curriculum which addresses LGBTQ+ identities and same-sex relationships.

* All primary and secondary schools should teach children to respect LGBTQ+ people.

* All schools should consult with parents in relation to LGBTQ+-related content but consultation should not lead to a veto on the curriculum.

* Penalties should be applied by the school inspectorate to primary schools that do not teach children about LGBTQ+-related content.

* All schools should ensure that their legal obligations in relation to the Equality Act (2010) are met.

* All schools should have a clear policy which addresses LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Author Contributions

JG outlined the policy context and offered a theoretical critique. SS contributed the review of statutory guidance. All authors identified recommendations and edited and approved the article.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References

Department for Education (2019). Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education Statutory guidance for governing bodies, proprietors, head teachers, principals, senior leadership teams, teachers. London: DfE.

Department for Education (2020a). Parental Engagement on Relationships Education. London: DfE.

Equality Act (2010). Protected Characteristics. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Running Scared? A Critical Analysis of LGBTQ+ Inclusion Policy in Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This article provides an overview of the UK government policy in relation to relationships and sex education in schools. It focuses on the latest statutory guidance which requires primary and secondary schools in England to teach pupils about different types of relationships, including same-sex relationships.

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Children's perception of LGBT in the classroom

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Children's perception of LGBT in the classroom

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14649365.2018.1474377

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Abstract
This paper critically analyses children's (6-11 year olds) contradictory, socio-spatial responses to 'gender and sexualities education' in English primary schools. Drawing on ethnographic, interview and focus group data from an 18-month study, the paper foregrounds 'formal' and 'informal' spaces of learning in order to illustrate how children's gendered and sexualised subjectivities are both constituted within - and constitutive of - the spatialities of schooling. Utilising subjectivity and performativity theory after Butler, a 'good student' that performs 'acceptance' of liberal discourses of gender and sexual diversity in classrooms is distinguished from a 'good peer' that is simultaneously compelled to reinstate (hetero)gender/sexuality in the playground, toilets and corridors. These contradictory sociospatial stances, which came to the fore in focus groups that defy 'formal' or 'informal' categorisation challenge gender and sexualities education centred on equalities and anti-bullying. Findings from this study point to the urgent need to acknowledge and counter the dominance of wider heteronormative ideals.

Cet article analyse de façon critique les réponses socio spatiales contradictoires des enfants (entre 6 et 11 ans) en réponse à l'éducation sur les genres et la sexualité dans les écoles primaires anglaises. En s'inspirant des données ethnographiques ainsi que des données d'entretiens et de groupes de discussion d'une étude sur 18 mois, cet article met au premier plan les espaces " formels " et " informels " d'apprentissage pour illustrer comment les subjectivités des enfants sur le genre et la sexualité sont en même temps constituées à l'intérieur des spatialités de l'école et constitutives de l'éducation. En utilisant la théorie de la subjectivité et de la performance de Butler, on distingue un " bon étudiant " qui met en pratique " l'acceptation " de discours libéraux sur le genre et la diversité sexuelle en salle de classe d'un " bon semblable " qui est simultanément obligé de réinstaurer le genre/la sexualité (hétéro) dans la cour de récréation, les toilettes et les couloirs. Ces points de vue socio spatiaux contradictoires, qui ont fait surface dans les groupes de discussion, qui défient la catégorisation du " formel " et de " l'informel " remettent en question l'éducation sur les genres et la sexualité centrée sur l'égalité et la lutte contre l'intimidation. Les résultats de cette étude démontrent un besoin urgent de reconnaître la dominance des idéaux hétéro normatifs et de les combattre.

Este artículo analiza de manera crítica las respuestas socio-espaciales y contradictorias de los niños (de 6 a 11 años) a la 'educación de género y sexualidad' en escuelas primarias inglesas. Basándose en los datos etnográficos, de entrevistas y de grupos focales de un estudio de 18 meses, el documento destaca los espacios de aprendizaje 'formales' e 'informales' para ilustrar cómo las subjetividades sexualizadas y de género de los niños se constituyen dentro-y son constitutivas-de las espacialidades de la escolarización. Utilizando la teoría de la subjetividad y performatividad de Butler, un 'buen estudiante' que lleva a cabo la 'aceptación' de los discursos liberales de género y diversidad sexual en las aulas se distingue de un 'buen compañero' que simultáneamente se ve obligado a restablecer el (hetero)género/sexualidad en el patio, los baños y los pasillos. Estas posturas socio-espaciales contradictorias, que pasaron a primer plano en grupos focales que desafían la categorización 'formal' o 'informal', desafían la educación de género y sexualidad centrada en la igualdad y la lucha contra la intimidación. Los resultados de este estudio apuntan a la necesidad urgente de reconocer y contrarrestar el predominio de ideales heteronormativos más amplios.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank David Atkinson and Elizabeth Gagen for overseeing this research and providing initial comments. I would also like to thank David Nash, Elsbeth Robson and Robert Vanderbeck for comments on the first full draft and the three anonymous reviewers for providing constructive feedback which allowed this manuscript to be greatly improved. Finally, thanks must go to Catherine Atkinson for stimulating discussions, Gavin Brown for coordinating peer-review and distilling feedback, and children and staff in both schools for participating in this research and being so welcoming, particularly the deputy head teachers who facilitated fieldwork.

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'The Word Gay has been Banned but People use it in the Boys' Toilets whenever you go in': spatialising children's subjectivities in response to gender and sexualities education in English primary schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Abstract This paper critically analyses children's (6-11 year olds) contradictory, socio-spatial responses to 'gender and sexualities education' in English primary schools. Drawing on ethnographic, interview and focus group data from an 18-month study, the paper foregrounds 'formal' and 'informal' spaces of learning in order to illustrate how children's gendered and sexualised subjectivities are both constituted within - and constitutive of - the spatialities of schooling.

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How teachers can explore LGBT in the classroom

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How teachers can explore LGBT in the classroom

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https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681810902829513

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Teachers experience of teaching LGBT in schools serving faith communities

# data[].attributes.subject
Teachers experience of teaching LGBT in schools serving faith communities

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https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681366.2019.1681496

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Teacher experiences of LGBTQ- inclusive education in primary schools serving faith communities in England, UK

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ABSTRACT This article reports on the experiences of teachers delivering an LGBTQ-inclusive education programme in four English primary schools serving faith communities. These teachers tended to start the work from an anti-bullying standpoint, finding that whilst they might need to strategically begin at this potentially pathologising starting place, they could later develop the programme to embed LGBTQ-inclusive input across the curriculum.

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https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14675980903491858

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Homophobia, transphobia and culture: deconstructing heteronormativity in English primary schools

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This article presents some of the advances in legal support for addressing homophobia and transphobia in school settings and provides a critique of school‐based policies that focus on these phenomena as particular incidents involving bullies and victims. Defining heteronormativity as a cultural phenomenon underpinning recognisable acts of aggression, the authors describe some of the chief factors that seem to inhibit teachers from addressing sexuality and gender in primary schools.

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https://www.justlikeus.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Just-Like-Us-2021-report-Growing-Up-LGBT.pdf

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People called 'groomers' when opposing Don't Say Gay bill

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People called 'groomers' when opposing Don't Say Gay bill

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/04/05/teachers-groomers-pedophiles-dont-say-gay/

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Stacy Langton sought for six months to get two books she considers obscene banned from Fairfax County schools in Virginia. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

The spokeswoman for Florida's Republican governor tweeted in early March that anyone who opposes a bill forbidding teachers from talking about gender identity or sexual orientation with students in early grades is "probably a groomer or at least you don't denounce the grooming of 4-8 year old children." A few days later, Fox News host Laura Ingraham asked on national television, "When did our public schools, any schools, become what are essentially grooming centers for gender identity radicals?"

And, speaking before the Tennessee House of Representatives in February, country music star John Rich compared librarians who allow children access to graphic books to sexual predators - adding he believes that there is "bona fide grooming taking place" in the state's public schools.

"What's the difference between a teacher, educator or librarian ... or a guy in a white van pulling up at the edge of school when school lets out?" he asked. Students "can run away from the guy in the white van."

Teachers and parents: Tell us how your school is teaching about race and gender

In the charged debate over what and how children should learn about sexual orientation and gender identity, some mainstream Republicans are tagging those who defend such lessons as "groomers," claiming that proponents of such teaching want children primed for sexual abuse. The argument draws on previous tactics adopted by the right to oppose the erosion of traditional gender roles at moments of societal transition, experts say. They point out that, while groomer rhetoric seems designed to appeal to fringe partisans, it is part of a conservative effort to foster a moral panic that will help limit how and what educators teach - by restricting history lessons, banning books, and curbing discussions of systemic racism and LGBTQ issues.

Last month, Florida lawmakers passed a bill forbidding educators from offering instruction " on sexual orientation or gender identity ... in kindergarten through grade 3." Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education bill into law on March 28.

"The bill that liberals inaccurately call 'Don't Say Gay' would be more accurately described as an Anti-Grooming Bill," DeSantis's spokeswoman Christina Pushaw tweeted March 4. In response to questions from The Washington Post, she elaborated: "Those who read the bill and decide they do support teaching kindergartners about sexuality and gender transition may or may not be trying to exploit children themselves - but by sexualizing young kids and normalizing sexual conversations between adults and children, they are contributing to an environment that endangers children by exposing them to inappropriate content while eroding parental rights."

Similarly, a bill introduced - and tabled - in the Virginia Capitol in January would require "written parental consent before a student is permitted to check out from the school library any such printed or audiovisual materials that could be considered grooming video or materials."

In 'social-emotional learning,' right sees more critical race theory

In part spurred by the Florida bill, talking points on the right have coalesced around the idea that children will become vulnerable to sex abuse by receiving certain forms of sex education. As Max Eden, a research fellow at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, argued in a Newsweek op-ed, parents are not being told enough about what happens in schools. They must wonder: "Is there anything obscene or immoral that public schools might start doing to my child?"

The lack of visibility into the classroom is reason for worry, many parents and activists now say. Tamra Farah, an executive director at Moms for America, a group that says it "empowers moms to raise patriots and promote liberty," said she is "concerned" about grooming, although she noted that she cannot "authoritatively" say if it's occurring in classrooms.

"But I want to put that back on educators," she said. "You prove to me that won't happen, and you prove it to me through studies - prove that what you're doing won't harm children."

In Florida, Rick Stevens, a founder of the conservative educational advocacy group Florida Citizens Alliance and the pastor of Diplomat Wesleyan Church in Cape Coral, said he frets about the potential grooming of young schoolchildren.

"We don't have any evidence that it's happening, either deliberately or accidentally," he said. "But anytime you start to desensitize kids and normalize certain behaviors, then it makes it easier for someone who wants to recruit them for sex trafficking, or anything else, because the kids don't know the difference."

Sophie Bjork-James, an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University who studies evangelical politics and the white-nationalist movement, said the religious right has advanced similar lines of argument in the past. In the 1980s, for instance, when women were entering the workforce in large numbers and placing their children in day-care centers, she said, some Christian conservatives drove what became known as the "satanic panic" - the false alarm that day cares were sites of satanic ritual and sexual abuse.

She said focusing on the sexual predation of children is an effective tactic because it paints political opponents as inherently evil. "Every decent person wants to protect children from grooming, sexual assault and sexual predators," Bjork-James said. White evangelicals, she added, are especially focused on child sex abuse because of the importance the movement places on sexual purity and innocence.

Fears about "grooming" are spiking at a moment when long-marginalized LGBTQ identities are starting to appear in popular culture and to become more accepted, Bjork-James said. A Gallup poll released in February found that a record number of U.S. adults - 7.1 percent - identify as LGBTQ, with 21 percent of Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2003, reporting that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or something other than heterosexual.

"It's a strategy to unify the right," Bjork-James said of groomer rhetoric. "Both White evangelicals but also the more radical right like QAnon supporters - for a while that movement was really focused on saving children from purported sexual predators, so it's a clever strategy."

Advocates of expanding sex education in schools say that lessons for young children include learning the proper names for body parts and teaching them how to recognize when they are being abused. And more high schools are piloting efforts to teach teenagers about consent, with the aim of preventing sexual assaults.

"Children who have learned that teachers or school personnel aren't supposed to do certain things ... are much more likely to go to an adult to report it," said Charol Shakeshaft, an education professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who has studied educator sex abuse for more than three decades. Multiple studies have shown that students who receive sex education have a better grasp on what constitutes abuse and to whom to report it.

Learning, too, about what it means to be gay or transgender can help children understand how to treat those different from them, curtailing bullying down the road. Lesbian, gay and bisexual teens reported being bullied at twice the rate of their straight peers and were three times as likely to contemplate suicide, according to a 2019 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"We can introduce the fact that there are families that look like theirs, and there's families that don't look like theirs," said Christine Soyong Harley, president and chief executive of SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, a group devoted to advancing sex education. "It just gives them the ability to understand difference of families."

Educators and LGBTQ advocates warn that "grooming" charges will harm both LGBTQ teachers and students.

Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, the executive director of LGBTQ education group GLSEN, said she is already hearing reports that teachers in Florida - since the bill passed the Florida Senate on March 8 - are being instructed to remove pro-LGBTQ signage and stickers from their classrooms.

"There is a chilling effect on educators, in order to silence and marginalize and invisibilize support for LGBTQ-plus students," Willingham-Jaggers said. "The real effect of this stuff is diminishing opportunities for LGBTQ young people."

Some mainstream Republican activists and strategists say the intent of legislation like the Florida bill is to restore power to parents who should rightfully control when and what their children learn about these sensitive, complicated and controversial topics.

Rick Hess, director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, said conservative parents feel "like we're living in a bizarre-o universe." He said that this population began paying closer attention to their children's lessons during the pandemic and that many were shocked to see the amount and the substance of education focused on issues such as gender identity and sexual orientation. For these people, Hess said, laws like Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill "feel very much like defensive measures."

Parents "are saying, 'Wait a minute, how did schools start talking about gender identity to first-graders anyway?' " Hess said. " 'Wait a minute, when did anybody ask us if we wanted children in grades K through 3 to be taught about gender fluidity? We never discussed it!'"

Conservative parents say they have lost trust that trained educators in the public school system can teach about sex and gender in an evenhanded, nonideological way - and some say they do not think educators should be addressing the topics at all.

One of those parents is Jamie Merchant, a Florida mother and a member of the Florida Citizens Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for parental choice in education. She said she was "thrilled" to see the bill pass. Asked about her concerns with early sex education, Merchant said she opposes it because she wants to keep children innocent as long as possible, although she did not mention grooming.

"There is a time and place for everything," she said, "and I think parents have the ultimate decision whether or not to have discussions with their children on certain topics, sexuality and orientation being one of them."

Schools nationwide are quietly removing books from their libraries

Hess said he thinks most Republican opponents of early sex education share sentiments similar to Merchant's. He said he thinks only a few far-right pundits and politicians are pushing the "groomer" line of attack - mostly because they know it will rile their base and drive clicks and donations online. He added that focusing on these people unduly is unfair, and he pointed to the text of the Florida bill, which he noted "in no way suggested that teachers, based on their sexual identity or gender, were less needed [or] should be evaluated or inspected based on that."

Still, the regular drip-drip of groomer rhetoric has begun to inform how activists and parents on the ground approach their work.

At a school board meeting in Northern Virginia last month, mother Stacy Langton walked to the microphone during the public-comment period and slammed the Fairfax County Public Schools board for denying her repeated requests to remove from school libraries the books "Gender Queer" - a graphic novel about being nonbinary - and "Lawn Boy," a novel that features a sexual encounter between two male fourth-graders. Langton had alleged that the books are pornographic and obscene, but a school system review determined that the texts have literary value and that neither depicts pedophilia.

"I am asking a pro-communist, pro-pedophile school board to remove the child grooming books," Langton told the board at the meeting. "These perverse books sexualize and confuse children to the point of causing profound mental illness."

Karl Frisch, an openly gay member of the Fairfax board - whom Langton accused without evidence in her remarks of admiring pedophilia, a charge he denies - wrote in a text messagethat "this is about the chilling message these attacks send to LGBTQ young people who deserve our compassion and protection."

Jesse Kelly, a conservative pundit with 400,000 Twitter followers, recently posted a long thread of messages arguing that "every Republican in America should be running ads" targeting Democrats who support early education on sexuality: "Call them groomers and pedophiles," Kelly wrote. "Put THEM on the defensive. Make THEM afraid. ... Stop worrying about what the media says. If they parrot Dem talking points, call them groomers too."

Librarians and parents: Tell us about book challenges in your school district

Sexual assault - perpetrated by students and adults - is a concern at elementary, middle and high schools, where staff are often ill-prepared to investigate complaints. In the 2017-2018 school year, the Education Department tallied nearly 15,000 reports of sexual assault on K-12 campuses, a massive jump from the previous school year. But there is no evidence suggesting a link between sex education and sex abuse, Shakeshaft said.

Shakeshaft has studied hundreds of cases of teacher sex abuse and has not found any in which an educator groomed a student - much less a classroom full of them - under the guise of teaching them sex education. Her work has shown that the most common scenario involves male teachers preying on girls.

In some cases, Shakeshaft said, educators who are actually attempting to groom students will talk explicitly about their own sex lives in private settings. And the vast majority of the time, when a teacher discloses their sexual identity to a student, "it's not to groom them. It's to give them courage and strength to know they have supporters."

In classrooms, LGBTQ teachers are reconsidering how much of themselves they are willing to share with their students - including LGBTQ children who might be searching for mentors.

"We heard of a principal telling a transgender teen that they can't talk about being trans even privately to friends while on campus," said Nadine Smith, director of the LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida. Her organization has been flooded with calls from school administrators, teachers, parents and students who are confused and concerned about the effects of the bill, she said.

D. Rae Garrison, the principal of a middle school in West Jordan, Utah,who is openly LGBTQ, said her phone pinged with a text from an unknown number last year. The stranger wrote saying, "We know you're a lesbian and we're not comfortable with you being around our young girls," Garrison said. She contacted police, but they were unable to trace the message.

She said that she cannot recognize America these days, that it is no longer the same country that felt so welcoming when she came out in 2007. Then, Garrison felt proud. Now, she just feels scared.

It feels, she said, like society is "pushing all of us back in the closet."

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Teachers who mention sexuality are 'grooming' kids, conservatives say

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Some Republicans are resurrecting an old line of attack, implying that educators who discuss gender and sexuality in the classroom, and people who support such instruction, are sexual predators with sinister intentions. The phenomenon is part of a larger moral panic gripping education, in which some people are being labeled groomers and pedophiles.

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Why talking about LGBT shouldn't be banned in school

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Why talking about LGBT shouldn't be banned in school

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https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/columnists/story/2022-03-20/banning-classroom-talks-about-gender-identity-sexual-orientation-arent-helpful-to-kids-or-adults

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One of the sections of Florida's "Parental Rights in Education" bill, passed by the state's House and Senate, prohibits any discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade classrooms. Supporters say the bill will allow parents more participation and control around the discussion of topics they deem "sensitive" or "inappropriate" for young children; opponents, who have dubbed the legislation the "Don't Say Gay" bill, find this reasoning both illogical and hypocritical.

"This bill is clearly an anti-LGBTQ bill," says Roberto Abreu, an assistant professor in the psychology department at the University of Florida whose research focuses on the intersection of LGBTQ people of color in their families, parenting and community. "What really gets me about all of this is that parents already make comments in very heteronormative or cisnormative ways that bring up sexuality and sexual orientation and gender" pointing to widely practiced gender reveal parties and casual remarks about children and their classroom crushes.

Abreu, who holds a doctorate in counseling psychology and looks at parent-child relationships of parents of color and their LGBTQ children, took some time to discuss this legislation, how to have these conversations with young children in ways that are appropriate for their age and level of development, and what adults can do to overcome the homophobia and transphobia these bans are rooted in. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Q: Florida's "Parental Rights in Education" bill prohibits classroom discussions about sexual orientation or gender identity for students in primary grades or in ways that aren't considered developmentally or age-appropriate for those students. In your experience, what would be an appropriate age to begin having conversations with children about sexual orientation and gender identity?

A: As soon as children bring it up you can start talking about it. Of course, children will bring it up in developmentally appropriate ways and our response should be in developmentally appropriate ways, right? We have research to show that children start to understand their gender as early as 3 years old, so once they bring it up, those are conversation openings. We shouldn't be waiting for 'the big talk' in adolescence. We should start bringing up those conversations in a developmentally appropriate way as early as possible because the interesting thing is that parents are already bringing these things up. For example, statements like, 'What girl/boy do you think is cute in your classroom? He/she may have a crush on you.' Comments about sexual orientation and gender identity are made around children all the time, we just do it in very heteronormative and cisnormative ways. Nothing gets to me more than gender reveal parties where people are revealing gender, biology, chromosomes and genitalia. That's what we're doing, is revealing genitalia, so clearly people don't have a problem talking about this unless it's in the context of trans and queer folks. Also, shouldn't we trust teachers, who are trained educators and have experience with youth and development, to have these conversations? We trust them to teach everything else with our kids.

Q: How is that different from assessing a child's developmental readiness for these kinds of conversations? What is typically used to determine whether a child is developmentally ready to have these kinds of conversations?

A: I don't know that I see a difference. Thinking developmentally, we should be thinking this way when we introduce any concepts in a classroom, not just when it comes to LGBTQ issues. It's important, for example, to talk to children in elementary school about the proper and appropriate names for their body parts. I don't necessarily think that there's a formula here. The other interesting part about this bill is that it's almost couched in a way for people to say that they just want to make sure that they're talking about these things in the right way, and that these aren't appropriate topics for children this young; but they are appropriate topics because we've been talking about them already. In that context, we shouldn't even be having conversations with children about liking another girl or boy their age because that should also be deemed inappropriate.

Q: What are some examples of what a developmentally or age-appropriate conversation about sexual orientation or gender identity would sound like? What would be covered in that kind of discussion?

A: I'll use an example from my own personal life. My husband and I have a 7-year-old and he got home one day last year and said, 'Most of my friends have a mom and a dad.' How can I have that conversation? (Teachers should also be addressing this in ways that are developmentally appropriate for any child to see their family represented, and know that their teacher cares to have this conversation about their family structure that might be different and maybe isn't the norm.) Most children won't have two dads or two moms, but teachers and schools and parents should be having these conversations. With the language of this bill, these kinds of conversations can never happen because how do you explain to a child that they have two dads, without bringing up sexual orientation? Children have questions. You don't have to talk about romantic relationships at that point, but how do you talk about two men raising a family for a child who has two dads, or two moms, without naming who they are? Books that are being read in classrooms can show a range of people and families. This is just another aspect of diversity, and LGBTQ students deserve to be seen, heard and cared for.

The first thing I do, is I affirm or dispel any myths the child might have heard. In this specific example, I affirm that 'Yeah, you are correct. Most of your friends don't have two dads. Your dads are gay, meaning that we are attracted, we are in love, we like to form relationships and families with two men. Your friends' parents might be heterosexual, or maybe they're bisexual, but they have a mom and a dad.' You're putting the context into words that the child is using themselves. I think it is appropriate to be honest, direct, frank, and to use the language and wording that the child is using.

Q: Why do you think people seem to be so uncomfortable with the idea of educating children about their bodies in ways that include informing them about topics related to sex?

A: I think we're a very conservative society. I think we can also question why we don't teach sex-positive education in high school. Why don't we talk about woman-identified individuals making decisions for their own bodies? Power and control is one explanation. Another could be about adults' own projection of erroneously thinking that children aren't ready to have these conversations. They need to be age-appropriate, but I think adults' own projections about their own discomfort about these topics is part of it. Honestly, though, at the root of it, I think it's about transphobia and homophobia. These bills are not happening in a scattered manner, and a lot of attention to this bill has been around sexual orientation, but it's also about gender and legislators trying to erase trans youth. It is about completely erasing groups of people who we do not see as worthy of personhood and humanity, from physical spaces, from history, from books, from everywhere. I think that is the real reason, that it's the discomfort about trans bodies and queer bodies existing fully and free, and as their authentic selves in society.

Also, society is contradictory. Sex is everywhere: on TV, in the movies, in advertising; but let's not talk about it with our kids? There is a real dichotomy there. We are OK with lots of displays of sexuality, but not this? Kids need information about sex, and they need it from educators and parents. The problem is most parents are not equipped to talk about it, or simply do not know how. Also, for some kids, school may be the only place where they are accepted.

Q: What are the best ways to think about and approach equipping children with this kind of information?

A: Everyone might have their own reasons, but I think people should get help, and I don't mean that in a condescending way. As an adult, you should do your own work. If you feel discomfort about talking about these topics - although there is a wealth of literature and evidence and Google - I understand. I understand that people might be uncomfortable, and I'm not mad at anyone's discomfort, but don't project that onto other people or pass that on to children or use children as pawns in this. Do your own work, do your own therapy, and equip yourselves with materials and resources, and learn about these topics. I think working on yourself is important, and a great place to start. Here are some examples where you can find age-appropriate LGBTQ books for kids.

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Banning classroom talks about gender identity, sexual orientation aren't helpful to kids or adults

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One of the sections of Florida's "Parental Rights in Education" bill, passed by the state's House and Senate, prohibits any discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade classrooms. Supporters say the bill will allow parents more participation and control around the discussion of topics they deem "sensitive" or "inappropriate" for young children; opponents, who have dubbed the legislation the "Don't Say Gay" bill, find this reasoning both illogical and hypocritical.

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Christian view on teaching LGBT in schools

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Christian view on teaching LGBT in schools

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https://www.christiantoday.com/article/five-bad-reasons-to-teach-lgbt-sex-education-and-five-things-christians-can-do-to-speak-up/133211.htm

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As parents, teachers and campaigners from both sides of the sex education debate seem to be shouting their case, it can feel a little like, "he who shouts loudest, wins". And currently, if you aren't a supporter of lessons incorporating LGBT themes, it can quite quickly feel as if your voice is being drowned out among the noise.

Generally, the media seems to have handed the megaphone to the LGBT lobby, with press coverage largely supportive of the schools involved. Anyone protesting has quickly been branded 'bigoted' and 'homophobic', with some referring to the peaceful protesters as a 'mob'.

But with protests set to continue around the country as the new school year begins, how can parents and teachers who support parental rights really make their voice heard? How can you effectively stand up to the arguments for teaching LGBT sex ed? What is the best way to engage in the debate surrounding sex education?

Here, I lay out five bad reasons to teach sex education in primary schools debunking the myths that surround the 'inclusive' LGBT themes, and suggest five things you can do to make your voice heard.
5 bad reasons for sex education 1. "It just teaches children about diversity"
The argument goes something like this:
"Teaching on LGBT relationships is all about teaching children about diversity and difference.""LGBT themes in sex education simply teach children that different families exist."
If it were true that teaching on LGBT themes simply taught children that different kinds of families existed, there may not be such a problem. However, the reality is that the teaching goes further than simply stating that there are differences: rather, as we have seen time and again, teaching on LGBT relationships encourages children to celebrate these kinds of lifestyles and practices, thus normalising LGBT.

Yet LGBT is not normal, nor should it be celebrated. Ultimately, it is destructive - sex is to be enjoyed within the bounds of marriage between one man and one woman. Christianity is not the only religion to teach this, as Muslim and Jewish protesters demonstrate.

The fact is, that according to law, schools should not be promoting the beliefs of any one group over another. When schools begin to proselytise LGBT lifestyles to children, they are abusing their power and position as educators.

Furthermore, a quick look through the books and material used in schools shows how young children are more likely to be confused and encouraged to question their own gender and sexuality than to simply 'accept differences'.

The controversial 'No Outsiders' programme, further explains homosexuality:

"'Gay' is when a man loves a man. 'Lesbian' is when two women love each other. 'Bi-sexual' is when a person can love both men and women." [emphasis added]

The message is clear: LGBT is all about love. The problem is that children's understanding of love is formed by those around them - namely, family and friends. Primary aged children will understand very little about romantic, sexual love (eros) until puberty. Given that most children will admit to loving their best friend, usually of the same sex, many children are led to believe or question whether they, too, are lesbian, gay or bisexual.
2. "It teaches children not to be homophobic"
Here's the argument:
"Teaching LGBT themes promotes inclusivity.""It's all about teaching children to accept differences.""When children accept and embrace differences, it lessens bullying - especially homophobic bullying."
The mantra goes that "homophobic bullying is the most common form of bullying." And when children finally accept difference, they are less likely to bully based on someone's sexuality.

In truth, there is no evidence to suggest this. In fact, even Stonewall has been clear that homophobic bullying has been decreasing across schools in Britain since 2012. And despite a large focus from schools and the media on homophobic bullying, the Ditch the Label's 2018 Annual Bullying Survey paints a different picture of bullying in the UK.

The highest proportion of school and university age children and teenagers (57%) say they are bullied due to attitudes towards their appearance; 40% say it is due to attitudes towards their interests or hobbies; 24% say it is because of attitudes towards the clothes they wear. In fact, despite 20% saying they have been accused of being gay or lesbian when they aren't, only 9% say they are bullied because of their sexuality.

But perhaps homophobic bullying is just a guise. One of the other buzzwords flying around the sex education debate has been 'acceptance'. Author and LGBT campaigner Olly Pike summed this up perfectly on BBC London News, debating parent Izzy Montague. Speaking of the LGBT community, he said: "we don't want to be tolerated; we want to be accepted."

This hits the nail on the head. It's one thing to accept that differences exist and that some people identify as LGBT, but it's quite another to accept that LGBT is normal and right, something to be embraced and celebrated. While we are called to love our neighbour - and even to love our enemies (the greatest challenge) - being loving does not mean affirming what we know is not right and is ultimately harmful and destructive.

Not affirming or embracing LGBT should not been seen as 'homophobic'. Despite the term being misleading, the fact that at least three of the world's main religions teach that homosexuality is sinful shows that this view is largely accepted the world over. Furthermore, as it is a religious belief of many, it is actually protected in law under the protected characteristic of 'religion or belief'.

Children should not be encouraged to embrace LGBT 'beliefs' (because we can define LGBT as an ideology) at the expense of other religious beliefs. In fact, in 'accepting' and 'embracing' LGBT lifestyles and practices, whole groups of others are marginalised, picked on, called names and ostracised. This is the very opposite of 'inclusivity' and promotes a different form of bullying.
3. "It is age-appropriate"
Supporters of the new sex education argue that the new teaching does not harm anyone. Besides, the guidance itself stipulates that:
"Schools should ensure that all of their teaching is sensitive and age appropriate in approach and content. At the point at which schools consider it appropriate to teach their pupils about LGBT, they should ensure that this content is fully integrated into their programmes of study for this area of the curriculum rather than delivered as a standalone unit or lesson. Schools are free to determine how they do this, and we expect all pupils to have been taught LGBT content at a timely point as part of this area of the curriculum."
As teachers are at liberty to decide when to teach this material to children, the argument goes, children are therefore in safe hands and will only be taught what is right for them to learn.

However, a look at the material being used tells a different story.

One of the books at the forefront of the debate, And Tango Makes Three (arguably one of the more 'tame' books used to teach LGBT relationships), tells the story of two 'gay penguins' who 'adopt' an egg and raise a baby penguin together. Not only does this book conflate the idea of a close same sex friendship with a gay relationship (as previously discussed), it also encourages same-sex parenting.

The effects of teaching this book to primary aged children are clear: it only causes confusion. Kaysey, a 10-year-old pupil from Heavers Farm School in Essex, described what her class thought of the book. She described how a few pupils objected to the accompanying video of the storybook, putting their hands up and saying, "that's wrong." When asked about what exactly the class objected to, Kaysey explained: "we were thinking, why would you take another person's baby to give it to another person that does not have anything to do with that child?"

Similarly, books such as 10,000 Dresses (which tells the story of a boy who believes he is a girl and dreams up various different dresses to wear), Julian is a Mermaid (which tells a similar story of a boy wanting to be a mermaid, dressing up as a girl and being taken to a Pride parade), and Red: A Crayon's Story (which tells the story of a 'red' crayon who is actually blue), all encourage children to question who they are, experiment with 'different genders' and sexualities, and even to defy their parents. The overriding message in these stories is that you know yourself best, and therefore you get to decide who you want to be, no matter what anyone else might tell you.

But how many five-year-olds really know themselves better than their parents know them? Primary aged children are still just learning about friendship and are far too young to engage with homosexuality and transgenderism.

Make no mistake - the books used to teach on LGBT themes are not just innocent storybooks that do no harm; the potential they hold to harm children is catastrophic: children are led to doubt their gender based on 'feelings', interpret puberty issues as transgender issues which, if acted upon, could lead to children and teenagers taking the route to gender reassignment and ultimately destroying their fertility. Young children are not ready to deal with these kinds of issues aren't yet trained enough at decision making to determine this.

Despite this teaching that is present in many schools, if schools really do follow the guidance, it is possible to teach sex education well, in an age appropriate setting and with regard for pupils' religious background. Even if schools follow the new guidance, it is possible for them simply to teach the existence of LGBT relationships without any promotion of LGBT ideology.
4. "You can still opt your child out"
Here's the argument:
"If you really don't agree, just withdraw your child from sex education."
Currently, LGBT themes should be limited to Sex Education and/or Personal, Sexual and Health Education (PSHE). As the law presently stands, parents do have the right to withdraw their children - both in primary and secondary school - from these lessons, should they choose to do so. Although this is often made practically impossible for parents for fear that their child will be bullied simply for not being present in these lessons.

From 2020, the rights of parental withdrawal become more complicated. In primary schools, parents will still be able to withdraw their children from Sex Education, but not from Relationships Education or Health Education. LGBT themes will be woven into Relationships Education, which is a compulsory subject.

In secondary schools, RSE will also be broken down in relationships education and sex education. Parents still won't be able to opt their children out of relationships education, but they can opt their children out of sex education, on the condition that the child's headteacher agrees to this. The child in question will also have the right to opt him or herself back in from three school terms before their sixteenth birthday.

The real issue, however, is that LGBT themes are not being limited to sex education, where parents have the right to opt their children out. LGBT ideology continues throughout the day. This is problematic, as the guidance itself limits LGBT teaching to one " area of the curriculum" (as seen above), not various or several subject areas.

At Heavers Farm, Kaysey has described a typical day: she explains how the class usually begins with guided reading, where the class may end up reading about children with same-sex parents, or a child struggling with gender dysphoria. After guided reading, they might have LGBT Maths, where the class would have to solve problems such as, "Anastasia and her girlfriend have [x] sweets to share with [x] people...". Then they would move on to LGBT English, where the pupils would have to write a letter encouraging someone who was scared to 'come out' as gay or lesbian. Kaysey also revealed that LGBT themes have entered Art classes: "Even on Fridays in Art, we get told to either draw stuff that's got to do with LGBT, do flags, or create little crafts."

But nor is LGBT ideology limited to lessons. Stonewall posters and rainbow flags are pinned to the corridors, and a school-wide Pride parade is held in June for children as young as four and five to participate in.

It is impossible to escape LGBT ideology.
5. "It's the law"
The argument from campaigners sounds something like this:
"Government policy/guidance/the law states that you have to teach children about LGBT issues/equalities/British values."
Each school is allowed to create its own curriculum based on education guidance produced by the government Department for Education. Currently, there is no law that states that schools must teach LGBT themes. Only from 2020 will same-sex marriage be required to be taught, as the new Relationships and Sex Education Guidance requires teaching on 'different kinds' of marriages. Nothing else regarding LGBT ideology is strictly laid out in the guidelines; anything else is optional, meaning that schools are not required to teach anything further on the topic.

The government has also made clear that any teaching on LGBT themes must also "[respect] the backgrounds and beliefs of pupils." Arguably, if this were being done, we wouldn't have seen so many protests around the country - the teaching of 'No Outsiders' at Parkfield and Anderton Park Primary Schools in Birmingham, was deemed appropriate by Ofsted, who seemed to show no regard for the Muslim background of the majority of pupils. But at least in principle, the guidance does state that teachers must bear in mind pupils' religious background.

Schools are required to teach the Equalities Act 2010, with all of its protected characteristics, which include race and religion, sexual orientation and gender reassignment (note: not gender identity). Schools' responsibility regarding the Equalities Act is to ensure that governors have "due regard" for eliminating discrimination; promoting good relationships between the protected characteristics; and creating opportunities for those with protected characteristics. In short, it means that schools should be promoting mutual respect - not promoting LGBT.

In terms of British values, these have nothing to do with the protected characteristics, and are part of the government's Prevent strategy to try and tackle extremism. According to Ofsted, the four fundamental British values are: democracy; the rule of law; individual liberty; and mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faith and beliefs and those without faith. In this sense, schools should really be promoting respect for those who disagree with the teaching of LGBT themes in schools.
What can I do about it?
Given the misinformation and lies spreading about the teaching of LGBT themes in schools, parents must make their voice heard and stand up for their rights as the primary caregivers and educators of their children. But what can you do?
1. Write to your MP
If you're unhappy with the way that children are being forced to swallow LGBT ideology, write to your Member of Parliament to voice your concern. You can refer to some of the arguments above. If enough parents get in touch with their MPs, it could lead to further debates in Parliament and questions being asked.

Why not ask MPs what they intend to do about schools who spread LGBT ideology across the curriculum? You could also ask what they intend to do about ensuring that any teaching on LGBT themes respects the religious background of pupils. How does Ofsted intend to act upon that, given their approval of No Outsiders at schools in Birmingham where the largest proportion of pupils are Muslim?

Find out how to get in touch with your MP on Parliament.uk
2. Organise a meeting for parents
If you are unhappy with what your child is being taught at their school, the chances are that you aren't alone. Why not organise a meeting for parents to discuss what children are being taught in sex education and/or throughout the curriculum to gauge how other parents feel and organise further action? It's helpful to know what other parents are thinking and meet up to discuss what you can do about it. It is also helpful in terms of being able to share with other parents what your children are being taught, keeping other parents informed who may not already know, and giving the opportunity for questions to be raised. The more voices that speak out, the harder it is to drown them out.
3. Write to your headteacher
One way of taking further action with a group of parents - or on your own - is through writing to your headteacher. Voice your concern with them if you aren't happy with what your child is being taught. It is their responsibility to oversee the education that your child is receiving, and if you don't approve of it, they need to know. Starting a dialogue with your child's headteacher will give the opportunity for your questions to be answered, but also ensures that the headteacher knows that you care about what your child is being taught. If headteachers are aware that you are meeting with other parents and that you are taking an active interest in your child's education, it will make them more careful about how they approach these themes.

We are always interested to hear examples of what is being taught - both positive and negative.
4. Withdraw your child from sex education
As previously mentioned, parents will retain the right to opt their children out of Sex Education in primary schools, and sex education in secondary schools if the headteacher agrees. Make use of your right of withdrawal if you don't like what your child is being taught in Sex Education or RSE.
5. Change schools/home educate/start your own school!
If you really don't approve of what your child is being taught in school, you can change their school or withdraw them from school and start home educating them. Despite this seeming like a more drastic option, more parents are choosing to put their children in Christian education or give them a Christian education at home. If you are interested in finding out more about Christian education, you can listen to this podcast with Joe Boot.

There are also various programmes you can follow to home educate your children, and guidance from the government for parents wishing to take this up.

But if you're feeling even more ambitious, why don't you start your own Christian school?!
Rebekah Moffett is Communications Officer at Christian Concern. This article was originally published at Christian Concern and is re-printed here with permission.

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Five bad reasons to teach LGBT sex education and five things Christians can do to speak up

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As parents, teachers and campaigners from both sides of the sex education debate seem to be shouting their case, it can feel a little like, "he who shouts loudest, wins". And currently, if you aren't a supporter of lessons incorporating LGBT themes, it can quite quickly feel as if your ...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rupJjIcxjc

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Should LGBT Relationships Be Taught in Primary School? | This Morning

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https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/05/schools-teach-lgbt-september-2020-new-regulations

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tudents across the country are heading back to school this week, and while this might not seem momentous, for Stonewall, this school year marks the beginning of the end of a decades-long campaign to get an inclusive education system in England. In September 2020, new regulations for teaching relationships and sex education (RSE) in English schools come into force. It will be a landmark moment - a whole generation will attend schools that not only accept LGBT people and same-sex relationships, but also celebrate and offer support on the issues that young LGBT people face.

The guidance means that primary schools will teach about different families, which of course includes LGBT families. Contrary to what's been said by some online and in the media, this is just about showing kids that families can have two mums or two dads. Or to put another way: different families, same love.

If you, like me, were at school in the 1980s and 90s you endured an education system that erased LGBT people and history. In 1989, section 28 banned local authorities from "promoting homosexuality". Without any recognition or inclusion, and with teachers essentially banned from reprimanding those who used homophobic slurs, bullying flourished and scarred a generation of young people. Growing up as a gay boy in Kent was hard. Schools couldn't even acknowledge the existence of gay people, let alone talk about the challenges we faced - I felt totally isolated and afraid of being found out. All the while, the media wrote stories about lesbian, gay and bi people arguing that children would be "turned" gay if they were taught about same-sex relationships. I had few role models and was left feeling ashamed of who I was. During my entire school career I couldn't accept my sexuality, let alone be open about it.

The struggle to repeal section 28 took years. It only left the statute books in 2000 in Scotland and 2003 in England and Wales. Kent county council even voted to keep its own version of section 28, and that was only quashed when the 2010 Equality Act came into force. The damaging impact of this legislation is still felt in school hallways and classrooms across Britain. Stonewall's 2017 research showed that 40% of LGBT students were never taught anything about LGBT issues. Teaching about LGBT families not only means children from these families see themselves reflected in what they learn, but also helps all young people understand that there's nothing wrong or unusual about being LGBT.

However, if this is to be effective, the government (whoever that might be) has to invest in training to prepare teachers and schools. All schools need to have the resources and time to engage with parents and carers, and explain how they will teach these subjects in a way that benefits children from all backgrounds. To make this happen, we want people to write to their local authorities and be vocal in their support for inclusive education, so that every child can grow up and reach their full potential.

We know that 60% of the British public want primary school teachers to talk positively about different kinds of families, including those who are LGBT, to their students. We work in many schools where young people are already embedding LGBT inclusion in their schools - because it's so important for them. They're setting up LGBT networks among peers and teachers, as well as putting on assemblies to celebrate LGBT History Month or Pride. Life for most children has changed beyond recognition, but they are eager for more progress, particularly when 45% of LGBT young people still face bullying at school because of who they are. We must support them. I would have given anything to have had LGBT-inclusive education that taught me it was OK to just be me. For so many young people, September 2020 can't come soon enough.

A protest over section 28 at Mardi Gras in London in 1999. Photograph: Photofusion/REX/Shutterstock

Inclusive teaching is an affirmation that you exist, and your identity is valid. It's also not just about lesbian, gay, bi and trans people. It's crucial that people realise that there's no hierarchy in this teaching. It's about acceptance for people from all backgrounds - be that race, gender, sexual orientation, faith, class and/or disability. This kind of teaching will help foster greater inclusion, acceptance and understanding in our classrooms, playgrounds and school corridors.

I'm under no illusion that it will be plain sailing or that there'll be no more disruptions outside schools. A vocal minority have gained a platform with anti-diversity rhetoric that seeks to target LGBT people and divide communities. Some protesters claim that a move towards inclusive education is against their religion. This perpetuates a harmful myth that faith and LGBT inclusion cannot coexist. Faith is a big part of many LGBT people's lives and many of them have spoken out in support of LGBT-inclusive education. Unfortunately, this situation is being used by some groups to further inflame Islamophobic and anti-faith attitudes. We must be vigilant to this and push against those who seek to sow division.

Inclusive education helps to create inclusive communities. Building a more welcoming society requires building bridges between diverse groups. If all schools teach acceptance - no exceptions - then that would be a good first step to healing some of the division that we've seen in society over the past decade.

Paul Twocock is interim chief executive at Stonewall

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At last, a generation of schoolchildren will grow up knowing it's OK to be LGBT | Paul Twocock

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From next year, primary schools must teach pupils that different types of families exist. It is a great step forward for society, says Paul Twocock, a Stonewall director

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https://blog.insidegovernment.co.uk/schools/blog/lgbtq-education

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I've been thinking a lot over the past few weeks about the outcry that has ensued over some aspects of the new Relationships and Sex Education guidance that has just been approved by the UK parliament. From September 2020 all primary schools will have to teach children about different families, including LGBT families, as part of mandatory Relationships Education. And all secondary schools will have to teach children about sexual orientation and gender identity, as part of Relationships and Sex Education. This has caused outrage among some parents, with protests outside Parkfield Community School in Birmingham, where some of the parents are furious that the No Outsiders programme has been delivered there. This programme teaches children about the equalities act, and includes picture books that depict same sex families, and some parents have been concerned that 'exposing' children to LGBT issues with 'sexualise them'. Ofsted, meanwhile, have no such concerns, and after a recent visit they praised its record on promoting "tolerance, acceptance and mutual respect" and confirmed the school's Ofsted rating of "outstanding".

I do have concerns though, about the increasing amount of homophobia and lack of tolerance that I have seen in the media in the last few months. Just last week the BBC show Question Time aired a question from an audience member which asked whether it is "morally right for 5 year old children to learn about LGBT issues in school?" I absolutely know that if you replaced "LGBT issues" with "religion" or "mixed-race relationships" in that question that it would not have been given air-time. And rightly so. Because of course children should learn about religion, and mixed-race relationships, and disability, and all the other aspects of the world that they live in. And likewise, they should learn about LGBT issues, because LGBT people exist, and live in this world, and have parents and children and relatives, and a right to live their lives with tolerance and respect from those around them.

I am in a unique position to comment on this - as not only am I a sexual health doctor and a sex education consultant, but I am also a parent in a same-sex relationship, with children currently aged 11, 9 and 6 who have a right to understand how their family is made up and how they were conceived. From my clinical experience, I know first-hand how important it is that children and young people can be free to be themselves as they go through puberty and develop sexual feelings.

I will never forget one particular patient that I saw in clinic when I was training to be a Sexual Health and HIV consultant. He was 82 years old, and had been attending the clinic for about 6 years, turning up for STI screens a few weeks after episodes of unprotected sex with casual male partners. On that particular occasion he had managed to contract genital herpes. He was shocked by the diagnosis, and we had a long chat both about that, and about his own inability to come to terms with his sexuality. He felt disgusted by his own attraction to men and saddened that he wasn't ever able to have a 'normal family life'. He did get married to a woman and they had children but he hadn't felt able to stay with her as he couldn't bring himself to have sex with her. For the most part he ignored his 'urges' (his term), but every so often he felt the need to go and find a casual partner, then felt overwhelming guilt and shame. No one else knew about this aspect of himself - the only place he had ever been honest and open about his sexuality was in the sexual health clinic. He had no friends he could confide in. He rejected my offer of referral for counselling as he had 'tried that before' and they weren't able to 'make me normal' so he didn't see the point. He cried quite a lot during the encounter and I just felt terribly sad for him that he was going through this self-hatred on his own. Sadly I don't know if he was ever able to come to terms with his sexuality, but that consultation stayed with me for a long time, and I reflected that I had never been more grateful to have grown up in a time where Section 28 had been repealed, and that I was living in a society where my right to express my sexuality was enshrined in law, and where I could be openly out at work and to my friends and family.

I consider myself to be very lucky. My children are at a fabulous primary school which celebrates diversity and teaches the children about all kinds of relationships. My family have always accepted who I am and have been unfailingly supportive of me. I am out at work, and to my friends, and I have the very great privilege in my career to be able to use the knowledge and skills that I have gained from being a Sexual Health doctor to train other professionals to teach children about relationships and sex. If, in my professional life, I can help even one teacher to teach about LGBT issues in a more tolerant and inclusive way then I will feel that all my work has been worth doing. And if, in turn, even one young person learns that they will be accepted for who they are, then my work really will be done.

And yet, seeing seemingly liberal people saying that teaching young children about same-sex relationships will result in them becoming sexualised, is very discomfiting. And clearly not the case. If young children can be 'sexualised' by learning about a same-sex relationship then surely they can also be 'sexualised' by learning about straight relationships? And don't get me started on what might happen to children who learn about the way that Henry VIII treated his six wives. And what about the children who read the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty, in which the prince finds a 16-year-old child in a coma, kisses her on the lips (which brings her back to life), and then immediately marries her. If one of my children ever has the misfortune to be that unwell, I sincerely hope that they are not then kissed on the lips by a stranger and expected to marry them. Books about a man marrying a man, or a woman falling in love with a woman, will not cause small children to have sex with each other. All it will do is let them see the real world represented in the stories they are reading.

I don't want my children to grow up in a world where all the characters in the books they read are straight, white and able-bodied. I want them to be aware of the diversity that is out there in the world, and for that to be the case they need to be taught about those things, both at home and at school. My children have grown up knowing that they have two mums, and it has never been confusing to them. I realise that some of the commentators out there would rather I had not had my children in what they believe to be an 'unnatural relationship', but given that I did, what would they have me do now? Should I have lied to them about their parentage? Should myself and their other mum have pretended that one of us was the live-in nanny? When they asked me about how they were conceived should I have pretended that the stork brought them?

Of course, I did none of those things. Instead, I did what I always advise other parents to do when asked questions by their children - I answered them, honestly, and in an age-appropriate way. And so my children have understood what a sperm and an egg is from about the age of 5, and they know how babies are made. They ask me fascinating questions about relationships, and sex, and how conception works. And I answer them. And I sincerely hope that they grow up knowing that they will be accepted by society no matter who they end up falling in love with when they are older.

You can check out more blog posts from Eleanor on her website.
Eleanor has spoken at a number of IG Schools PSHE and RSE events, outlining the ways in which schools can work towards designing and delivering a truly inclusive RSE curriculum, and ensuring that all children and young people are supported to navigate puberty and young adulthood in a safe, healthy and responsible way. Visit the IG Schools hub to find more events and helpful content.

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Why Schools Should Teach LGBTQ+ Education

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I've been thinking a lot over the past few weeks about the outcry that has ensued over some aspects of the new Relationships and Sex Education guidance that has just been approved by the UK parliament. From September 2020 all primary schools will have to teach children about different families, including LGBT families, as part of mandatory Relationships Education.

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https://schoolsweek.co.uk/lgbtq-schools-are-a-battleground-against-our-rights/

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The international day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia is a good time to acknowledge that all three are in our schools, writes Tabitha McIntosh

The international day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia is a good time to acknowledge that all three are in our schools, writes Tabitha McIntosh

Tabitha McIntosh
Head of KS5 English, Nower Hill High School

19 May 2022, 5:00

Seven years ago, the UK was rated the most LGBTQ+ friendly country in Europe. When the 2022 rankings were released this month, we had fallen to 14th place. In that same period, the number of recorded hate crimes against people based on sexual orientation or gender identity doubled in England and Wales. We simply cannot assume that our schools are safe from this rising swell of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia: it is coming to our classrooms, and it is coming for our staff and our students. It's already here.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the first London Pride in June this year, the government was due to host ' Safe To Be Me: A Global Equality Conference '. Instead, the event (meant to showcase and promote "positive international action on LGBT+ rights") was cancelled in March after a disgraceful week in which the government's pledge to ban conversion therapy was abandoned, only to be partially reinstated a day later with transgender Britons excluded.

It turns out that it is not "safe to be me" after all. And every day it is getting less and less safe to be LGBTQ+. As Stonewall co-founder Lisa Power told the BBC, "Things were moving forward, but I'm afraid in the last few years they've gone backwards. [Phobia] is rising, I'm afraid, and it's rising faster for LGBT people and particularly trans people."

Crucially for everyone in education, the classroom, the curriculum and the school library are the key sites in which anti-LGBTQ+ agendas are currently taking shape across the Atlantic world. In the United States, what began as an anti-transgender moral panic has expanded to include the rest of the LGBTQ+ rainbow.

In Florida, the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill makes it illegal for teachers to mention any sexual or gender identity other than cis heterosexuality. At least 15 other states have passed similar bills, including Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama. In Kansas, teachers are forbidden from simply putting up signs to say they are LGBTQ+ allies. And just last week a court in Texas ruled that the state could proceed in its plan to investigate parents and doctors who provide gender-affirming care for trans young people. If I lived in Corpus Christi instead of the Chilterns, my transgender teenager and any other children in my home would be taken into care while I was investigated for child abuse.

Every day it is getting less and less safe to be LGBTQ+

If you think it couldn't happen here, if you think that the bad old days of Section 28 and state-sanctioned discrimination are behind us, you are grotesquely mistaken. The current wave of transphobia, homophobia and biphobia is taking shape in one of the oldest and most vicious forms of anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda: accusations of sexual grooming.

Across the country, LGBTQ+ inclusive RSE (relationships and sex education) is increasingly under attack from organisations that portray it as a form of psychological child sexual manipulation.

Olly Pike, creator of Pop'n'Olly, an LGBT+ educational resource for children, parents, carers and teachers, has been targeted by pressure group, Transgender Trend for, in their words, teaching " queer theory and gender identity, based on an adult activist agenda ".

Author Simon James Green had his World Book Day visit to John Fisher School cancelled in March after the Scottish group Catholic Truth launched a campaign to stop the school from hosting him, claiming students would be "misled into accepting as normal and good" homosexual "behaviour".

The group Men At Work C.I.C has started building a database of educators who support self-ID for trans people.

And the special adviser to the secretary of state for education is a man who left teaching in 2019 to set up the Campaign for Common Sense, an organisation that is relentless in its targeting of Stonewall, the transgender children's support group Mermaids, and any other form of gender-affirming care for young people in schools.

We're sleepwalking back into Section 28. Everyone who lived through it the first time round is warning you as loudly as we can, and too many of you are not listening. Today is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia: it's time to start listening.

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LGBTQ+: We could be sleepwalking back to Section 28

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The international day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia is a good time to acknowledge that all three are in our schools, writes Tabitha McIntosh The international day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia is a good time to acknowledge that all three are in our schools, writes Tabitha McIntosh Tabitha McIntosh Head of KS5 English, Nower Hill High School 19 May 2022, 5:00 Seven years ago, the UK was rated the most LGBTQ+ friendly country in Europe.

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https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-05-11/california-takes-opposite-path-of-florida-texas-on-inclusive-education

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Gay pride videos shown in a Glendale third-grade classroom have added an intense local chapter to a national debate over how and when lessons on gender identity and sexual orientation should be broached in public schools.

The episode unfolded with the disclosure that a teacher at Jefferson Elementary had shown her students gay pride videos and had asked for the district's help in assessing which of four specific videos would be appropriate for classroom use. The teacher's lessons and her inquiry happened nearly a year ago, but they surfaced last month with the online posting of an email exchange between the teacher, Tammy Tiber, and a district curriculum advisor.

The fallout has included both reasoned and calm debate, as well as shouting, jeering and even threats against Tiber, a teacher with 34 years of experience. The district transferred Tiber from the classroom to an online teaching position out of concern for her safety, officials said, adding that the transfer was not punitive.

At recent Glendale Unified School District board meetings, some parents and activists have asserted a right to parental control over education, particularly when it relates to topics they consider sensitive.

Here's what California law and education policies say about such issues.
What does California require on LGBTQ education?
California law requires students learn and be provided instructional materials that explain the "role and contributions" of among others, "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans."

How this is accomplished is left to local school systems and teachers, said Maria Clayton, a spokesperson for the department. The state-approved social science framework notes that teachers should use "age-appropriate" materials to discuss and teach about the "the diversity of humankind."

Recommended resources include materials from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

How early are California students supposed to learn about issues related to gender expression and identity?

Much of this is left to local discretion. But state guidelines note that second-graders, by studying the stories of "a diverse collection of families," including those "with lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender parents and their children ... can both locate themselves and their own families in history and learn about the lives and historical struggles of their peers."

The organization GLAAD, which is recommended on a state education department resource page, offers an explanation of the common terminology used to define the community.

" We use the acronym LGBT to describe the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community," according to GLAAD. "The first three letters (LGB) refer to sexual orientation. The 'T' refers to issues of gender identity.

"Gender identity is your own, internal, personal sense of being a man or a woman," the explanation continues. "Sexual orientation describes a person's enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to another person (for example: straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual). Transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay or bisexual."

For younger children, an appropriate message could be more basic, said Bacardi Jackson, interim deputy legal director for children's rights for the Southern Poverty Law Center.

"Even the mere inclusion of images of different kinds of families is one way to broach and engage that subject," Jackson said. "Lessons that just showed families that look different kinds of ways. Or asking children: Who might be missing from some common narratives? Who's not represented in some of our common media? Those would be age-appropriate ways to have discussions. Difference in and of itself is not something that needs to come under some value judgment. We can appreciate difference."
How much leeway do parents have in pulling their children out of lessons on gender identity?
Parents or guardians can opt out of lessons about comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education but not out of instruction that references gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.

For example, parents could not pull children from a social studies lesson on the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 ruling in favor of same-sex marriage.

If a parent decided to keep the child out of school when such a lesson is taught, it would likely be recorded as an unexcused absence.
Did the third-grade Glendale teacher and the school abide by state guidelines?
No evidence has emerged that the Glendale teacher, Tammy Tiber, violated local or state guidelines in her class at Jefferson Elementary. A district curriculum advisor gave an unqualified endorsement of three short videos Tiber asked about. The advisor had reservations about a fourth video but did not forbid Tiber from showing it.

In a statement, Glendale Supt. Vivian Ekchian noted that "we are very intentional" in selecting curriculum that is aligned to state requirements, with the goal of providing "an inclusive and respectful representation of the rich diversity in our community."
How do Learning for Justice materials from the Southern Poverty Law Center figure into this debate?
Tiber, on behalf of the school system, was piloting widely used materials created by Southern Poverty Law Center. These materials were developed decades ago - and have evolved over time - by the nonprofit group to combat racism and white supremacy.

The Learning for Justice materials used in Glendale do not include the gay pride videos, but the entirety of the lessons offered by the organization are meant to promote diversity and inclusion, including empathy for students who don't conform to gender norms.

"This notion of rendering things invisible - we know is not a solution," said Jackson of Southern Poverty Law Center. "So we can't pretend that topics don't exist. We can't pretend that people don't exist. And so to set up a scenario where some children can come in and talk about their identities or their families, and other children are excluded from those exercises, is deeply harmful."
How do California education policies compare with those of other states?
California's policies are generally in step with states that have more liberal leadership, such as New York. But more conservative states - including Texas and Louisiana - have been mulling or putting limits on teaching about gender identity.

A new Florida law - which critics call the "Don't Say Gay" bill, saying it marginalizes LGBTQ people - forbids classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. At least five other states have similar legislation approved or in the works. And at least 19 states have restricted or are poised to restrict children's access to gender-affirming care when it conflicts with the individual's biological gender at birth.
Do parents or the public have an opportunity to participate in decisions over what's being taught?
School districts and the state typically have a lengthy public process, including hearings and a comment period, before education officials approve curricular materials. But the hearings and textbook reviews rarely attract much attention.

Glendale officials noted that there's also a process for complaining about a lesson. Parents should first bring up the issue with the teacher; they can then turn to the principal and finally, if needed, can file a formal complaint with senior district staff.

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What California law requires in teaching about LGBTQ people in public schools

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Gay pride videos shown in a Glendale third-grade classroom have added an intense local chapter to a national debate over how and when lessons on gender identity and sexual orientation should be broached in public schools.

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https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scotland-becomes-first-country-in-world-to-embed-lgbt-education-in-school-curriculum-3393389

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Scotland becomes first country in world to embed LGBT education in school curriculum

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Scotland has become the first country in the world to embed lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender inclusive education across the school curriculum.

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https://inews.co.uk/opinion/lgbt-school-curriculum-sex-education-headteachers-supported-614606

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This week, students across England are heading back to school in circumstances none of us could have predicted a year ago. The coronavirus pandemic has upended nearly every aspect of our lives and, while the circumstances surrounding the return to school this year are challenging, it doesn't mean there's no room for hope that a better future is on its way.

For all of us here at Stonewall, the return to school this year is very personal. It marks the end of our decades-long campaign to get an inclusive education system in England. We were founded to fight for this and now, it's becoming a reality.

New regulations for teaching relationships and sex education in English schools are now coming into force and schools have until next Summer to put this into practice. It's hard to put into words just how momentous and life-changing this will be. Generations of young people will be attending schools that not only accept LGBT people and same-sex relationships, but also celebrate and offer support on the issues that young LGBT people face.

The guidance means that all secondary schools will teach about sexual orientation and gender identity, and all primary schools will teach about different families, with schools being "enabled and encouraged" by the Government to include LGBT families in this teaching. This is about showing kids that families can have two mums, two dads or a trans parent. Or to put it another way: different families, same love.

Even though Section 28, the crushing legislation that prevented schools from "promoting homosexuality", left the statute books in 2000 in Scotland and 2003 in England and Wales, its damaging impact is still felt in classrooms across Britain. Even though we know many schools up and down the country are already doing great work on LGBT-inclusive teaching, our research shows that 40 per cent of LGBT students are still never taught anything about LGBT issues. But now that's all going to change for the better. We won't be going back into the closet!

Teachers want to deliver these lessons, so now we need to make sure they are given the resources they need to teach these subjects in a way that benefits children from all backgrounds. The quicker this happens, the sooner young people will have the skills and knowledge to grow up feeling accepted and that they can reach their full potential.

Inclusive teaching is an affirmation that you exist, and your identity is valid. It's crucial people realise that there's no hierarchy in this teaching. It's about acceptance for people from all backgrounds - be that race, gender, sexual orientation, faith, class and/or disability. This kind of teaching will help foster inclusion, acceptance and understanding in our classrooms, playgrounds and school corridors.

Teaching about LGBT families not only means children from these families see themselves reflected in what they learn, but also helps all young people understand that there's nothing wrong or unusual about being LGBT. Just think what it will mean for the young bi girl to learn about Frida Kahlo or the young boy who has two dads and reads a story in the library about a family that looks like his.

We know there's a minority of voices trying to derail progress. Last year, we saw disruptions outside schools where protestors claimed a move towards inclusive education is against their religion. This perpetuates a harmful myth that faith and LGBT inclusion cannot coexist. Faith is a big part of many LGBT people's lives and many have spoken out in support of LGBT-inclusive education. It was painful to see this situation being used by some groups to further inflame Islamophobic and anti-faith attitudes.

Meanwhile, there are also a small number of people who want to stop schools teaching about gender identity and trans rights. What's alarming is the way their rhetoric plays on old-fashioned fears that by teaching young people about gender identity and trans people, kids will suddenly start to 'turn' trans.

When you read that it feels like stepping back into the dark old days of the 1980s, where newspapers and politicians were 'outraged' about teaching lesbian, gay and bi issues made the same argument, creating an environment where Section 28 could be ushered in. We can't let history repeat itself. Leaders in education and advocates for LGBT inclusion must be vigilant to this resistance and push back to those who seek to sow division.

We need the Government to invest in training and support for schools. Every child deserves an education that reflects and celebrates the diversity that exists in the world.
Mo Wiltshire is the Director of Education and Youth at Stonewall

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As LGBT-inclusive education begins, teachers must be supported to implement it properly

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This week, students across England are heading back to school in circumstances none of us could have predicted a year ago. The coronavirus pandemic has upended nearly every aspect of our lives and, while the circumstances surrounding the return to school this year are challenging, it doesn't mean there's no room for hope that a better future is on its way.

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Teachers divided on teaching LGBT topics

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Teachers divided on teaching LGBT topics

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https://www.edweek.org/leadership/educators-divided-on-whether-schools-should-teach-about-lgbtq-topics-survey-finds/2021/12

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A little more than half of educators believe they should teach about LGBTQ topics, according to a recent Education Week poll. That's even though surveys have found safety and academic benefits to LGBTQ youth when having access to inclusive curriculum at school.

There can be a number of reasons for the hesitation specifically to teach about things like LGBTQ history, and major court cases tied to LGBTQ identities, experts said. Teachers fear parental pushback; they face a dearth of curriculum options, and even when there are resources available, they may not know what to look for; they may not have received training on the subject; or they simply don't want to get something wrong.

One estimate from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law found that close to 10 percent of the U.S. population of teens ages 13-17 are LGBTQ youth. At a time when these students' identities are being targeted by legislation across the country-such as bathroom bills, laws limiting classroom discussions on gender and sex, banned books featuring same-sex couples-advocates say there is a need for students to engage in conversations in class that address the lived experiences of all students.

"This is an opportunity for us to really show students that not only do they belong, but how powerful they are to lean into who they are," said a.t. furuya the senior youth programs manager at GLSEN, a national advocacy group for LGBTQ youth.

Hard to teach what you don't know

The latest national EdWeek Research Center survey was administered between Nov. 17 and Dec. 1, with 1,343 district leaders, school leaders and teachers participating. Of these, a majority said they were willing to teach about politicized topics in the classroom such as race and racism (80 percent), climate change (80 percent), sex education (78 percent) and anti-Semitism (75 percent) in a grade-level and age-appropriate way.

But when it came to LGBTQ issues such as gender identity and expression, only 57 percent said yes. It was also the number one topic respondents said they believed parents didn't want taught in the classroom and the topic where educators gave the lowest rating in terms of the quality of curriculum they had available to teach students about it.

Alex Parker, a 4th grade teacher at Cossitt Avenue Elementary School in La Grange, Illinois, has had discussions around LGBTQ topics in class after students brought up issues related to the community based on what they've come across in their lives. For instance, during Pride month students mentioned seeing rainbow flags and wanted to learn more about what it meant and how the LGBTQ community is accepted more broadly. Or when talking about the ways people can be discriminated against or mistreated because of aspects of their identity, students brought up how that can include who people choose to marry and how they see themselves, whether they are boys or girls, Parker said.

But he admits that a lot of educators didn't receive a ton of training within teacher preparation programs on how to foster such conversations. In many cases teachers never learned about LGBTQ topics when they were students themselves.

That's where groups like History UnErased come in. The education nonprofit provides K-12 schools with training and resources to teach LGBTQ-inclusive history.

Topics like women's history, or African American history have been part of the mainstream curriculum much longer so it can be easier to find resources, said Kathleen Barker, program director and lead facilitator for History UnErased. The idea of LGBTQ history as a field to teach in K-12 is often seen as a newer idea.

But the materials are anything but new. The group's resources, for instance, include a case study looking at one of the first United States court cases involving gender identity. It revolves around an individual born Thomasine Hall in England who came to colonial Virginia in the 1620s dressed as a male identifying as Thomas Hall, later dressing in female clothes and going by Thomasine again. The case dealt with how this individual identified as it impacted what gendered labor and pay they would get, ending with a judge ruling they must wear both female and male gendered clothing, Baker said.

Other resources from the group address how the various identities of those within the LGBTQ community intersect, a point that's key to address when getting a full understanding of LGBTQ experiences, said furuya with GLSEN.

"When I first came out, it was like I existed separately as Asian and I existed separately as queer and trans and I was like, I don't exist walking half of myself into a room and half of myself into another," they said.

"When we talk about that inclusive curriculum, we're talking about representation across differences. We're talking about including Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera [both gay liberation and trans rights activists]. We're talking about incorporating people with disabilities and we're also talking about undocumented LGBTQ+ people."

External obstacles to address

When History UnErased does training, whether it's with elementary educators, secondary educators, or even district leaders, the overwhelming concern they hear is potential pushback from parents, said Debra Fowler, co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit.

So they offer informational sessions for parents at the request of school districts with the hope of mitigating any fear they may have in their perception of what LGBTQ academic content entails.

Brad Nelson, a high school social studies teacher at Axtell Community School in Nebraska, has found that in his community LGBTQ topics are something parents would rather teach about at home than have taught in school.

Earlier this year, a bill passed in Tennessee requiring that schools notify parents at least 30 days "prior to commencing instruction of a sexual orientation curriculum or gender identity curriculum" and must allow for parents to review the instructional materials and allow for students to be excused from parts or all of the curriculum without penalty.

When it comes to legislative hurdles or outright bans on LGBTQ inclusive efforts in schools such as student clubs, library books, participation in youth sports, and more, advocates have often seen the pushback come from outside of schools such as from politicians and parents, including parents not directly affiliated with a local school or district, said Barker with History UnErased.

For instance the picture book And Tango Makes Three published in 2005 about two male penguins who raise a chick together has, over the years, been one of the most consistently challenged books mostly by parents, Barker said.

"I think somehow this idea of presenting particularly younger students with someone's idea of an alternative family is scary to a lot of parents, because they don't know necessarily how to explain it," she added.

While Barker and others recognize that parents have the right to have some control over what their students are learning and how they're educated, sometimes ideas such as a parent not wanting their child to read a book can extend to a library removing the book entirely so no child can read it.

The importance of LGBT curriculum

While educators still work to try and address gaps in curriculum topics, the benefits of LGBTQ inclusive materials remain clear.

GLSEN's latest biennial national school climate survey, conducted in 2019 with more than 16,700 students ages 13-21 participating, found that close to 60 percent of LGBTQ students felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation, 42.5 percent because of their gender expression and 37.4 percent because of their gender.

The survey found that students in schools with an LGBTQ inclusive curriculum were less likely to feel unsafe because of their identity, furuya with GLSEN said. They also experienced lower levels of victimization related to their sexual orientation and gender expression.

Yet only 19.4 percent of LGBTQ students said they were taught positive representations of LGBTQ people, history or events in their schools with 17 percent saying they were taught negative content about LGBTQ topics.

Overall, the survey found little change in LGBTQ-related curricular resources since the survey's first installment back in 1999, furuya added.

At Terra Linda High School in San Rafael, Calif., David Tow, an AP English, honors philosophy and environmental leadership teacher, said he doesn't shy away from topics that are politicized in the general culture because of the needs of his students.

"For the students that I work with, things like race and racism, climate change, anti-Semitism, LGBTQ+ issues are not theoretical, abstract social justice issues," Tow said. "For most of my students, it describes their lived experience. In many ways, conversations around them are less controversial or politically charged for them than I think it is at the culture as a whole."

LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, as furuya notes, is both helpful in terms of teaching acceptance among all students for those who have different identities, but it can also serve as a mirror to allow students learning who they are to better navigate that process.

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Teachers Are Divided on Teaching LGBTQ Topics

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Educators say a dearth of curriculum, lack of training, and fear of getting it wrong can cause hesitation to teach about LGBTQ topics.

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https://www.petertatchellfoundation.org/lgbt-inclusive-sex-relationship-education/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-JyUBhCuARIsANUqQ_KddkuaM3TfoG6RAxprv0VMqWrwpaBfy3ju2R24y2D9rD1Vjrq0w2saAr24EALw_wcB

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We are pressing for the new mandatory sex and relationship lessons and Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE) in all schools to include LGBT+ issues, in order to cut HIV, bullying and self-harm
After pressure from the PTF and others, the government has agreed to make sex and relationship education (SRE) compulsory in all schools in England from 2019. There are indications that this mandatory SRE will include LGBT+ issues but the content and scope of these issues has not yet been revealed. Moreover, the new Education Secretary, Damian Hinds, has not been sufficiently clear about what opt outs, if any, will be given to faith schools. We will press him to ensure that they are compliant.

Research shows that 95% of LGBT+ young people received no LGBT+ SRE at school. Even in schools where LGBT+ issues are mentioned, it is superficial and inadequate.

Moreover, nearly half of LGBT+ pupils have experienced bullying at school, often leading to anxiety, depression, truancy and academic under-performance, and sometimes resulting in drug and alcohol abuse, self-harm and suicidal thoughts and attempts (especially among trans kids).

We must make sure that LGBT+ pupils get the support they need in schools and that heterosexual pupils are educated against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.

Good quality, regular SRE and Personal, Social Health and Economics (PSHE) lessons are vital for the well-being of all pupils and the inclusion of LGBT+ issues is especially important in combating anti-LGBT+ prejudice.

These lessons need to be mandatory, otherwise many schools will not undertake them.

The PTF has a long history of advocacy on this issue and in 2017 we spoke at 38 schools and colleges on LGBT+ issues, sex education and related human rights matters.
Our work on this issue can help pressure the government to make sure that mandatory SRE and PSHE lessons are inclusive of LGBT+ issues and ensure that all pupils are well informed to protect their sexual and emotional health. In particular, we will press for LGBT+ pupils to be affirmed and that anti-LGBT+ prejudice is countered and reduced. We will work with LGBT+ youth groups and with straight ally youth organisations and sex education advocates.

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LGBT+ Inclusive Sex & Relationship Education

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We are pressing for the new mandatory sex and relationship lessons and Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE) in all schools to include LGBT+ issues, in order to cut HIV, bullying and self-harm After pressure from the PTF and others, the government has agreed to make sex and relationship education (SRE) compulsory in all schools in England from 2019.

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Responding to prejudice related incidents

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Responding to prejudice related incidents

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Jonathan Charlesworth  D&I Conference slides

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Towards an Equality,Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

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Towards an Equality,Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

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https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/life/lgbtq-inclusive-lessons-are-now-mandatory-in-all-schools-across-england/

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As of this month, all schools in England are required to include LGBTQ+ inclusive lessons.

Following a landmark ruling in 2019, secondary schools will now educate students on sexual orientation, gender identity and relationships, while primarily schools will teach children about LGBTQ+ families.

Some institutions have been granted until Summer 2021 to put the lessons into practice.

The new guidelines state that all pupils need to understand the importance of "equality and respect" and that schools "must ensure that they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act."

Teachers must be "sensitive and age appropriate" in how they approach LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum, which needs to be "fully integrated into their programmes of study for this area of the curriculum rather than delivered as a standalone unit or lesson."

"Schools are free to determine how they do this, and we expect all pupils to have been taught LGBT content at a timely point as part of this area of the curriculum," it explains further, before saying young people need to understand "human sexuality and to respect themselves and others."

Sidonie Bertrand-Shelton, the Head of Education Programmes at Stonewall, praised the decision, saying LGBTQ+ inclusive education is about teaching students that "some children have two mums or two dads," and that learning about different families from a young age "helps create inclusive environments so everyone feels they belong."

Josh Bradlow, policy manager at Stonewall, said it would have been "life-changing" for him if he received the same education at school.

"This teaching will have just as strong an impact on LGBT people as non-LGBT people," he explained. "I think this plays a tremendous and decisive role in helping to tackle bullying."

Earlier this year, it was announced that Scotland will become the first country in the world to add LGBTQ+ history to their school curriculum.

In 2021, all public schools will receive lessons in issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community such as same-sex marriage, same-sex parenting, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Education Secretary, praised the historic news.

"Scotland is already considered one of the most progressive countries in Europe for LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex] equality," he said in a statement. "I am delighted to announce we will be the first country in the world to have LGBTI inclusive education embedded within the curriculum."

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LGBTQ+ inclusive lessons are now mandatory in all schools across England

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As of this month, all schools in England are required to include LGBTQ+ inclusive lessons. Following a landmark ruling in 2019, secondary schools will now educate students on sexual orientation, gender identity and relationships, while primarily schools will teach children about LGBTQ+ families. Some institutions have been granted until Summer 2021 to put the lessons into practice.

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https://youth.gov/youth-topics/lgbtq-youth/school-experiences

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Some LGBTQ+ youth experience supportive, welcoming school environments where they are physically and emotionally safe and their LGBTQ+ identity is respected or even embraced. Others may experience unwelcoming, unsafe, and unsupportive conditions in schools. Research has found that LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to experience stress and fear in school than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. This experience is associated with verbal harassment (e.g., being subject to name calling), physical harassment (e.g., being pushed or shoved), and physical assault (e.g., being punched or kicked) because of sexual identity and gender identity/expression.

These negative conditions can affect the likelihood that LGBTQ+ youth attend and complete school. Research on LGBTQ youth shows that if they experience and victimization, they are more likely to:

drop out of school

have higher absenteeism

have lower postsecondary education aspirations

have higher levels of depression and anxiety

have lower self-esteem

How to Improve School Experiences for LGBTQ+ Youth

Available research suggests that school climate is a potential protective factor for LGBT youth. Regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, all students have the right to a safe, supportive learning environment. Inclusive policies that address sexual orientation and gender identity are linked to more supportive school environments for LGBT youth. These specific policies are also directly linked to decreased truancy and increased positive experiences and perceptions of school climate.

Students who are harassed, assaulted, or bullied because they are LGBTQ+, or are perceived to be, can benefit from speaking with caring, supportive teachers or other adults in their schools. Importantly, schools can :

foster safer, more supportive environments by developing and implementing policies that protect LGBTQ+ youth from discrimination, , and bullying along with establishing practices that foster more affirming learning environments

assess school climate to inform improvement strategies, using tools such as the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) school climate survey (available at http://glsen.org/lscs )

build the capacity of teachers and other school staff (e.g., cafeteria workers, bus drivers, security personnel) to create more supportive environments for LGBTQ+ youth

establish organizations and clubs that expand school-based supports for LGBTQ+ youth - in addition to including conversations about LGBTQ+ role models as well as gender and sexual identity in class lessons and school events

The following sections provide additional information on these strategies.

Policies

Schools can support LGBTQ+ youth by encouraging respect for all students and developing and implementing nondiscrimination and anti-bullying policies that include actual or perceived sexual orientation as well as gender identity and expression. Research has found that states with these policies or laws have lower rates of anti-gay remarks in schools, fewer attempts, and lower levels of harassment and assault based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender expression compared with states without these policies or laws.

Supportive Adults in Schools

Schools can create safer environments by adopting the following practices:

Create safe spaces, such as counselors' offices, designated classrooms, or student organizations, where LGBTQ+ youth can receive support from administrators, teachers, and other school staff. Research suggests that when teachers get involved to stop harassment and bullying, students feel safer.

Provide teachers with resources and ongoing professional development on LGBTQ+ issues that enhance the cultural competence of school staff. Professional development can focus on ways to discuss LGBTQ+ topics in developmentally-appropriate ways during lessons to create safe, supportive school environments. Professional development can build staff awareness of the language that LGBTQ+ youth use to identify themselves. These approaches can benefit these youth and yield positive school outcomes such as increased school attendance.

Serve as a resource to parents and families by providing affirming information on sexual orientation and gender identity to them (e.g.,Safe Schools Coalition ) and working with them to reduce bias and be more supportive.

Work with and students to identify and connect them with affirming supports and resources in the community.

Ensure that LGBTQ+ youth who need health services are connected with culturally competent, community-based providers who have experience offering these services to LGBTQ+ youth.

Supportive Organizations or Clubs

A growing body of research suggests that gay-straight alliances (GSAs) or similar efforts that explicitly acknowledge and include LGBTQ+ students (e.g., safe zones) can play important roles in promoting emotionally and physically safe schools. In particular, GSAs and similar student clubs for LGBTQ+ students are an important strategy for positively connecting students with supportive adults and peers. GSAs can help schools address the harassment of LGBTQ+ students, encourage dialogue about diversity and acceptance, and promote respect for all people. Research shows that GSAs have numerous positive benefits for students, even among those who do not participate in them, such as creating a more affirming school environment. GSAs can also enhance students' self-esteem and foster their resilience and coping skills for responding to bias. Find local Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) chapters and a registry of GSAs at schools across the United States at GLSEN Chapters or the GSA Network , or register at GLSEN's student organizing page .

Inclusion of LGBTQ+ Role Models and Resources on Gender and Sexual Identity in Schools

Schools that are inclusive of LGBTQ+ role models, LGBTQ+ history, and events and observances celebrating LGBTQ+ identity, expression, and well-being as part of their curriculum provide a better school climate and improved academic outcomes for LGBTQ+ students. Schools can also provide age-appropriate, LGBTQ+ -affirming information and resources for students of all ages. Research has found that school-based programs that address sexual/gender identity development, connect youth to their cultural community, and dispel prejudice and discrimination are likely to reduce bullying and harassment directed toward LGBTQ students.

Resources

Developing LGBTQ-Inclusive Classroom Resources
This resource provides practical information on how to develop inclusive and appropriate curriculum and guidance on how to promote inclusive behavior in the classroom.

Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
This organization works to ensure safe schools for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. More than 40 GLSEN chapters exist around the country. Chapters work closely with the network's national staff to implement programs and to keep national staff informed of local events. They also cover a variety of subjects and issues, from public policy to teacher training to supporting students and educators around the country.

Gay-Straight Alliance Network (GSA)
This organization connects school-based chapters to each other and community resources. Through peer support, leadership development, and training, GSA Network supports young people in starting, strengthening, and sustaining GSAs and builds the capacity of GSAs to: (1) create safe environments in schools for students to support each other and learn about homophobia and other oppressions; (2) educate school communities about homophobia, gender identity, and sexual orientation issues; and (3) fight discrimination, harassment, and violence in schools.

getREAL (Recognize. Engage. Affirm. Love)
This initiative promotes the healthy development of all children and youth, with a focus on sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. getREAL challenges public systems working with children and youth to improve their policies and practices to support the healthy sexual and identity development of all children and youth in child welfare systems.

A Guide for Understanding, Supporting, and Affirming LGBTQI2-S Children, Youth, and Families (PDF, 8 pages)
This guide provides information for service providers, educators, allies, and community members who seek to support the health and well-being of children and youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, or two-spirit (LGBTQI2-S) and their families. This guide can support efforts to promote full and affirming inclusion of LGBTQI2-S youth and families in communities and provider settings (e.g., child welfare, juvenile justice, mental health, schools). The guide includes a section for organizations to add their endorsement electronically. Both the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) have endorsed the guide.

LGBTQ Youth Programs-At-A-Glance
This webpage provides examples of federally-funded state and local education agencies that address LGBTQ youth issues through HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention activities.

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
This association provides resources related to LGBTQ+ students.

Resources for LGBTQI+ Students
This webpage provides resources that may be of interest to LGBTQI+ students and allies.

Stopbullying.gov: Bullying and LGBTQ Youth
This website provides information related to bullying of LGBTQ youth along with resources and tips to create supportive environments for LGBTQ people.

Welcoming Schools Project
This project addresses family diversity, gender stereotyping, and bullying/name-calling in K-5 learning environments. The project offers professional development tools, lessons aligned with Common Core State Standards, and additional resources for elementary schools.

References

¹ Hunter & Schaecher, 1987; Poirier, 2012; Reis & Saewyc, 1999; Reis, 1999; U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2012
² Kim, 2009; Kosciw et al., 2012
³ Ryan, Russell, Huebner, Diaz, & Sanchez, 2010
⁴ Day, Ioverno, & Russell, 2019
⁵ O'Shaughnessy, Russell, Heck, Calhoun, & Laub, 2004; Safe Schools Coalition, 2005, n.d.
⁶ Espelage, 2011; Russell, 2010; Poirier, 2012
⁷ Hatzenbuehler & Keyes, 2013; Hatzenbuehler et al., 2014
⁸ Hatzenbuehler et al., 2014; Bauermeister et al., 2015
⁹ Meyer, 2010; Munoz-Plaza, Quinn, & Rounds, 2002; Poirier, 2012; Valenti, 2010
¹⁰ Duncan, 2011
¹¹ Lee, 2002; Macgillivray, 2007; Toomey, Ryan, Diaz, & Russell, 2011
¹² GLSEN, 201

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Some LGBTQ+ youth experience supportive, welcoming school environments where they are physically and emotionally safe and their LGBTQ+ identity is respected or even embraced. Others may experience unwelcoming, unsafe, and unsupportive conditions in schools. Research has found that LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to experience stress and fear in school than their non-LGBTQ+ peers.

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https://www.stonewall.org.uk/lgbtq-inclusive-education-everything-you-need-know

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All LGBTQ+ children and young people deserve an education that reflects who they are. Join us in building a world where LGBTQ+ youth are safe, seen and heard. Stop the threats to LGTBQ+ inclusive education and donate today. In April 2019, the government announced new regulations for teaching Relationships and Sex Education in England.
This was a great step forward in the fight for equality, marking a significant change in the way children and young people are taught about LGBTQ+ relationships and identities. But the fight is far from over. We still need your support.

We've put together these questions to help you understand what the new regulations mean, how they will be implemented and, more broadly, why LGBT-inclusive education is so important.

What is LGBTQ-inclusive education and why does it matter?

Every young person deserves to see themselves, their family, and the full diversity of our world reflected in their curriculum. This includes teaching about LGBTQ+ identities and issues. While we've made huge strides towards LGBTQ+ equality in recent decades, anti-LGBT bullying and language unfortunately remain commonplace in Britain's schools. Nearly half of all LGBT pupils still face bullying for being who they are - and in order to change, it's essential to deliver a curriculum that encourages all children and young people to respect those around them and appreciate difference.
Read personal perspectives from parents, teachers, students and former students Show your support for LGBT-inclusive education
The rest of these questions focus specifically on these changes to RSE in England. To find out more about our cross-curriculum LGBT inclusion, read our curriculum guide.

What has changed about Relationships and Sex Education?

In April 2019, with overwhelming support, parliament passed the new regulations for teaching Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in England. Since September 2020, all secondary schools in England have been required to teach RSE, and all primary schools in England have been required to teach Relationships Education (RE).

Schools can decide exactly how they teach RSE and RE (for example, which lesson plans they use), but the guidance sets out the key information that pupils should be taught. At secondary level, all schools must teach about sexual orientation and gender identity. At primary level, all schools must teach about different family types, which can include LGBTQ+ families.

Changes to Relationships and Sex Education are happening across the UK, but the below questions and answers mainly apply to England. See more about LGBTQ-inclusive education and how Relationships and Sex Education is changing in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in the last question.

Why are these new guidelines on Relationships and Sex Education important?

The new guidelines on Relationships and Sex Education mean that all students - LGBTQ+ or not - who attend school in England will be taught about what safe and healthy relationships look like and how to have them.

The guidance that was being used before this was last updated in 2000, over two decades ago. This was even before the repeal of Section 28, the law which banned discussions of same-sex relationships in schools. As such, the guidance excluded LGBTQ+ people and families.

The new guidelines will better reflect the world that we now live in, covering important issues like consent and online safety alongside LGBTQ+ identities and relationships.

Even before the new guidance was introduced, thousands of schools were already teaching LGBTQ-inclusive lessons. Now, all secondary schools who weren't doing so will now have to, and primary schools will be encouraged to.

What do the new guidelines on Relationships and Sex Education actually say, and what's the difference for primary and secondary schools?

For secondary schools the guidance states that:

RSE must be taught in all schools in England

Sexual orientation and gender identity must be explored at a timely point

Same-sex relationships should be included within lessons discussing healthy and stable relationships

Schools should 'be alive to issues such as everyday sexism, misogyny, homophobia and gender stereotypes' and take positive action to build a culture where these are not tolerated

For primary schools, the guidance says that:

Relationships Education must be taught in all schools in England

It is recommended that schools teach Sex Education too, although they can choose not to

All schools should teach about different families (which can include LGBTQ+ parents), along with families headed by grandparents, single parents, adoptive parents, and foster parents/carers, among other family structures

Overall the guidance states that:

Schools need to make sure that the needs of all pupils are appropriately met

All pupils need to understand the importance of equality and respect

Schools must ensure they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010, which name sexual orientation and gender reassignment as protected characteristics

Does this also include private schools?

Yes - the guidance applies to all schools in England.

So what will children in primary schools actually be learning about LGBTQ+ issues?

Lots of primary schools are already doing great work to teach their children about different families, and to prevent and tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

The difference is that now, every school will need to teach children about relationships and families. The guidance for primary schools says that this can include LGBTQ+ families. In practice, that means teaching children that it's OK to have two mums, two dads or another family structure, such as being cared for by grandparents, single parents, or adoptive/foster parents. Take a look at some examples of books featuring different family structures.

New research shows that the majority of British public think it's right for teachers at primary school to talk positively about different families, including LGBTQ+ families.

We believe that children deserve to learn about a world which reflects the one in which they are growing up. Many children will have LGBTQ+ parents, friends or family members, and this new guidance will help them to grow up knowing that their families are accepted as much as everyone else's.

Will parents be able to withdraw their children from lessons about LGBTQ+ people and relationships?

Parents can't withdraw their children from Relationships Education in primary or secondary school. But they can withdraw their children from some or all of Sex Education at both primary and secondary level, up until three terms before their child's 16th birthday.

In primary school, headteachers must grant this request automatically. At secondary level, headteachers are encouraged to discuss the request with parents before they can withdraw their children from Sex Education.

Good Relationships and Sex Education equips students with the knowledge to keep themselves safe and understand when a relationship or sexual encounter may be risky or harmful. Without accessing this information through school, children or young people might look to less reliable resources online, which may offer inaccurate or harmful advice.

There were protests at schools when the guidance was introduced - what were these about?

It was deeply saddening and distressing to see these protests. That said, protests happened at a very small number of schools.

The protesters argued that teaching about LGBTQ+ people goes against their parents' rights to decide what their children learn. Faith is often cited as a reason.

However, we know that lots of faith schools and faith leaders believe in the importance of LGBTQ-inclusive education. With the support of the government, we've worked with over 600 faith schools in England who are committed to creating environments where all children, families and staff feel accepted and respected.

To prepare for when the new guidelines come into force in September 2020, it's essential that national and local government provide effective support for all schools to help them deliver LGBT-inclusive teaching and to engage with parents to explain the benefits of this teaching, and what it looks like in practice.

Is there political support for LGBTQ-inclusive Relationships and Sex Education?

Almost all MPs voted in favour of the changes to guidance (538 in favour, 21 against) and there was a consensus across all parties in support of this. This welcome change moved us away from the shadow of Section 28, the legislation which effectively banned any discussion of same-sex relationships in schools. We're now calling on the government to continue to support this decision and provide enough funding to help schools put these new guidelines into practice.

What's Stonewall doing to support schools who are teaching about LGBTQ+ people and relationships?

Stonewall was founded in response to Section 28, the legislation which effectively banned any discussion of same-sex relationships in schools. Today, it remains one of our top priorities to ensure that all children receive an education which reflects themselves, their families, and celebrates diversity.

The work we do to support schools includes our School & Colleges Champions and Children and Young People Champions programmes, best practice toolkits and resources, and e-learning courses to support school and college staff, and children and young people's services staff.

We'll also keep speaking out in support of the good work that schools are doing, and campaigning for money and resources to enable schools to properly apply the new RSE guidelines. You can help us by donating to our fundraiser to stop threats to inclusive education.

How can local authorities support schools in embedding this new guidance?

Local authorities oversee most schools in England. Every local authority (or council) will have an elected representative who leads on education and supporting the schools in their area. It's helpful for local authorities to know that people in their area support LGBTQ-inclusive education and expect them to support local schools in putting the guidance into practice.

Stonewall's Children and Young People's Services (CYPS) programme provides local authority Children's Services with bespoke support, guidance and training on LGBTQ+ inclusion. Find out more

What is 'age-appropriate' teaching?

The current RSE guidance states that teaching Relationships and Sex Education in secondary schools and Relationships Education in primary schools should be delivered in an 'age-appropriate' way.

We believe it's vital for children to know that LGBTQ+ people and families exist and that they should be accepted like everybody else. Children should learn this throughout primary and secondary school. Not only will this help young children from LGBTQ+ families feel accepted, it will also prevent bullying in the long run.

As children and young people grow up, it's crucial that they can be themselves without feeling that there is anything wrong about doing so. This means teaching should not only be 'age-appropriate' - it should also be timely. We know from our research that anti-LGBT bullying is common throughout primary schools, so it's essential that children are supported to develop inclusive attitudes from a young age.

To find out more about how to do this, see our guide.

How can faith schools embed this new guidance?

How can faith schools embed this new guidance?

Many schools already doing LGBTQ-inclusive teaching, along with tackling and preventing homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying, are faith and church schools.

The Public Sector Equality Duty requires all schools to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between people. And the Equality Act 2010 lists 'gender reassignment' and 'sexual orientation' as protected characteristics, as well as religion or belief. This means that all schools have a duty to make sure that their students are not discriminated against, either because of their faith and/or because they are LGBTQ+.

While we've previously seen some opposition from a small number of faith groups who believe that this education goes against their beliefs, many people of faith are also LGBTQ+, and do not feel that these identities are in opposition. It's vital to work with faith and church schools to ensure that LGBTQ+ people of faith don't face extra stigma for being who they are.

For more information on LGBTQ+ faith groups, see the below websites:

LGBTQ+ Muslim groups, Hidayah and Imaan. You can also contact the Muslim Youth Helpline.

LGBTQ+Jewish group, Keshet UK.

LGBTQ+Christian group, One Body One Faith

LGBTQ+ Catholic group, Quest.

I'm a parent/carer, how can I support my child's school to teach about LGBTQ+ people, families and relationships?

You can start the discussion with your child's school. It may be a good idea to start by asking how they are currently teaching RSE, and how they've ensured that their lesson plans are LGBTQ inclusive.

Schools are required to engage with parents and carers in developing new policy. Schools will consult parents and carers in different ways, so you may be invited to a consultation meeting or to submit views by email, for example.

As part of the government's new guidance, schools should have an up-to-date policy statement on RSE, which should be available to parents and carers. However, you can also ask about LGBTQ+ inclusivity in other policies, since inclusivity shouldn't just be about RSE ( find out more about this). Finally, you could suggest that they might want to become a Stonewall School Champion if they aren't already.

You can also share our graphics in support of LGBT-inclusive education

I'm at school now, how will the changes in Relationships and Sex Education affect me?

If you're at a secondary school, your school will need to ensure that Relationships and Sex Education lessons are LGBTQ+ inclusive, as well as covering important topics like consent and online safety.

I work in a school, what resources do Stonewall have to help my school be LGBTQ-inclusive?

Some useful resources include:

I'm a teacher, how can I help my students have a say?

We've made a guide for teachers to help them include their students' voices in decisions made by the school.

If you work in a secondary school, find out more.

Will there be any more changes to Relationships and Sex Education, or is that it now?

The current guidance is set to be reviewed in 2022. We are hoping to strengthen the guidance after this review. In the meantime, we are campaigning with other organisations for more funding to help schools implement this current guidance, as well as helping to equip teachers with the knowledge and confidence to provide effective LGBTQ-inclusive teaching.

Is this happening across the whole of the UK?

In 2019, LGBTQ-inclusive Relationships and Sex Education was introduced in England's schools after years of campaigning.

By the end of 2021, all Scottish schools will be required to embed LGBT-inclusive teaching across the curriculum (not just in teaching about relationships and sex). Find out more about LGBT-inclusive education in Scotland.

In 2022, LGBTQ-inclusive RSE will be introduced in all Welsh schools.

In Northern Ireland, the Department of Education requires all grant-aided schools to develop their own policy on how they will address RSE. Guidance commissioned by the Department (produced by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment) for both primary and post-primary includes information on LGBTQ+ inclusion and how to challenge homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

However, there is no requirement for schools to implement this guidance, nor are schools inspected on how they implement the guidance. This means that in practice many schools are still not teaching LGBTQ-inclusive RSE.
All LGBTQ+ children and young people deserve an education that reflects who they are. Join us in building a world where LGBTQ+ youth are safe, seen and heard. Stop the threats to LGTBQ+ inclusive education and donate today.
Find out more about our campaign for LGBTQ-inclusive education: #HearQueerYouth.

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LGBTQ-inclusive education: everything you need to know

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All LGBTQ+ children and young people deserve an education that reflects who they are. Join us in building a world where LGBTQ+ youth are safe, seen and heard. Stop the threats to LGTBQ+ inclusive education and donate today. In April 2019, the government announced new regulations for teaching Relationships and Sex Education in England.

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Supporting school teachers: primary teachers’ conceptions of their responses to diverse sexualities

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Supporting school teachers: primary teachers’ conceptions of their responses to diverse sexualities

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https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681811.2017.1303369

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Abstract

Teachers experience a range of situations in the primary school context where students talk about, share ideas and use words and actions that might be described as non-heteronormative in character. This article reports on teachers' experiences of the ways in which they respond to actions and events they see as non-heteronormative. It identifies six different ways in which teachers conceptualise their pedagogical responses to the situations they encounter: (1) being nonchalant, (2) avoiding a response, (3) being uncertain, (4) maintaining home and school boundaries, (5) protecting students' well-being and (6) embracing non-heteronormative sexualities. Teachers' responses to these events are important in that their actions may affect how students interpret and understand the world. Primary school teachers will benefit from support in knowing how to respond appropriately when faced with a scenario or situation that is non-heteronormative in character.

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Supporting school teachers: primary teachers' conceptions of their responses to diverse sexualities

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Abstract Teachers experience a range of situations in the primary school context where students talk about, share ideas and use words and actions that might be described as non-heteronormative in character. This article reports on teachers' experiences of the ways in which they respond to actions and events they see as non-heteronormative.

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LGBT teaching in primary school: equality, discrimination and freedom of expression

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LGBT teaching in primary school: equality, discrimination and freedom of expression

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https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09649069.2020.1751933

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LGBT teaching in primary school: equality, discrimination and freedom of expression

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The national curriculum requires schools to teach sex education. The debate as to whether sex education should be provided by the state is not new. In the latter half of the 20th century, campaigne...

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https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/

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LGBT+ History Month Claiming our past - Celebrating our present - Creating our future LGBT+ History Month is for everyone; whether you work in education, a museum, library or art gallery, a business, a service, are a member of a network/social group or an individual.

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https://www.stonewall.org.uk/best-practice-toolkits-and-resources-0

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Best practice, toolkits and resources

Stonewall have spent more than 30 years working towards a world where all children and young people have access to an LGBTQ+ inclusive education.

Stonewall's dedicated team of education professionals work hard to bring you the resources and guidance you need regardless of whether you're just getting started with your LGBTQ+ inclusive work or whether you're looking to further embed and develop your practice. Whether you're looking for best practice guidance and policy templates, posters or lesson packs written by a qualified teacher, there's something here for you.

Search resources

Log in to access member-only resources

Learning with Stonewall

Stonewall have spent more than 30 years working towards a world where all children and young people have access to an LGBTQ+ inclusive education.

Stonewall's dedicated team of education professionals work hard to bring you the resources and guidance you need regardless of whether you're just getting started with your LGBTQ+ inclusive work or whether you're looking to further embed and develop your practice. Whether you're looking for best practice guidance and policy templates, posters or lesson packs written by a qualified teacher, there's something here for you.

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Stonewall have spent more than 30 years working towards a world where all children and young people have access to an LGBTQ+ inclusive education. Stonewall's dedicated team of education professionals work hard to bring you the resources and guidance you need regardless of whether you're...

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https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1019542/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf

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https://www.justlikeus.org/home/who-we-are/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwmuiTBhDoARIsAPiv6L_NO06lJRDQDYFFiiSe5Su0c9IBKWLC7nvYD0BzHO4imhCoIj-U4M0aApQFEALw_wcB

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Founded in 2016, we work with primary schools, secondary schools and colleges across the UK to improve the lives of LGBT+ young people.

School Diversity Week is our annual, UK-wide celebration of LGBT+ equality in primary schools, secondary schools and colleges

Our free LGBT+ inclusive educational resources help make schools safer, happier and more welcoming places for all young people

We run school talks, a student-led Pride Groups programme, and our Ambassador Programme trains LGBT+ 18 to 25 year olds to speak in schools about allyship

Get in touch

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School Diversity Week is our annual, UK-wide celebration of LGBT+ equality in primary schools, secondary schools and colleges Our free LGBT+ inclusive educational resources help make schools safer, happier and more welcoming places for all young people We run school talks, a student-led Pride Groups programme, and our Ambassador Programme trains LGBT+ 18 to 25 year olds to speak in schools about allyship Get in touch

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https://assembliesforall.org.uk/events/school-diversity-week/#:~:text=School%20Diversity%20Week%20is%20a,and%20encourage%20tolerance%20in%20schools.

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School Diversity Week is a national celebration of LGBT equality in schools run by the charity Just Like Us. It is an opportunity to challenge homophobia and encourage tolerance in schools.

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School Diversity Week is a national celebration of LGBT equality in schools run by the charity Just Like Us. It is an opportunity to challenge homophobia and encourage tolerance in schools.

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https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/life/non-binary-author-harry-woodgate-partners-with-just-like-us-for-school-diversity-week/

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Non-binary author Harry Woodgate has partnered up with the LGBTQ+ youth charity Just Like Us and their annual School Diversity Week event.

Back in April, the organisation announced that its yearly event would take place from 20-24 June 2022.

The UK-wide celebration will see thousands of primary and secondary schools participate and is set to feature more than 50 free inclusive resources.

During the week-long event, students will have the opportunity to take part in various activities, including LGBTQ+ inclusive geography and science lessons, storytime activities, school talks, and Rainbow Friday dress-up day.

In addition to the aforementioned festivities, Just Like Us recently announced the inclusion of author Harry Woodgate and their book Grandad's Camper as one of the event's free educational resources.

The heartwarming book follows a girl and her Grandad as they embark on a memorable campervan trip. Along the way, Grandad shares wholesome stories about his adventures with his late partner Gramps.

Under the partnership, the award-winning talent and Just Like Us are set to produce a video reading of the critically-acclaimed book.

Alongside the video, the event will also offer a free reading guide and numerous discussion exercises and prompts regarding Grandad's Camper.

In a statement, Woodgate expressed their excitement over working with Just Like Us and having the ability to share their book's inclusive message.

"It's really lovely to be working with Just Like Us to bring Grandad's Camper to children, schools and families across the UK in celebration of School Diversity Week," they said.

"I'm super excited to introduce the book to a wider audience and hope that it helps increase knowledge and acceptance of LGBTQ+ relationships and identities, whilst showing families can come in all shapes and sizes."

Chief Executive of Just Like Us Dominic Arnall echoed similar sentiments in his own statement.

"We're delighted to be working with Harry Woodgate, an award-winning children's author, to open up much-needed conversations around diverse families in primary schools this School Diversity Week," Arnall said.

"A huge thank you to Harry and everyone at Andersen Press for helping us to bring inclusive storytelling to schools - we're really proud to be able to provide this video resource and reading guide for teachers to share with their primary pupils."

Primary and secondary schools can sign up for free resources at www.justlikeus.org .

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Non-binary author Harry Woodgate partners with Just Like Us for School Diversity Week

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Non-binary author Harry Woodgate has partnered up with the LGBTQ+ youth charity Just Like Us and their annual School Diversity Week event. Back in April, the organisation announced that its yearly event would take place from 20-24 June 2022.

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Gay author banned from visiting Catholic school

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Gay author banned from visiting Catholic school

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https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/headteachers-call-investigation-after-gay-23834405

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Headteachers call for investigation after gay author banned from Croydon school

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They have asked Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi to intervene

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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10792297/Book-sent-800-primary-schools-teaches-children-persons-sex-assigned.html

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What Does LGBT+ Mean? has been sent to 814 primary schools across the UK

Says a doctor 'looked at our body and gave us a label based on what they saw'

The book, by LGBT+ educational resource company Pop'n'Olly, is written by diversity campaigners Olly Pike, director, Mel Lane, and her son, James Canning

A book which teaches children that a person's sex is 'assigned' to them at birth by a doctor has been sent to 814 primary schools across Britain.

Copies of What Does LGBT+ Mean? also claims that gender is a 'sliding scale between male and female' and that a doctor or nurse 'looked at our body and gave us a label based on what they could see'.

The book, by LGBT+ educational resource company Pop'n'Olly, is written by diversity campaigners Olly Pike, Mel Lane, and her son, James Canning.

One of the sections is dedicated to 'assigned sex' with the illustration of a doctor holding a clipboard.

'A person's gender is who they feel that they are, e.g. male, female, both or neither,' it reads.

'Gender is usually something a person just knows about themselves, although it can also be something a person discovers about themselves as they grow older.

'Most people's gender will be the same as their assigned sex, but this is not always the case for everyone.

'When a person's gender is the same as their assigned sex, then this is called 'cisgender'.

It also features a section called 'Gender as a spectrum', which read: 'The scale is shown with labels in between male and female, including mostly female, partly female, both or neither, partly male and mostly male.

On its website, the non-fiction book which was first published in October is described as being aimed at children aged eight to 11, upper KS2 and lower KS3 pupils.

'This book explores identity, assigned sex, gender, love, sexuality, discrimination, privilege, allyship, pride and more,' the website says.

'This is going to be a book that will make a big difference in the lives of countless young people.'

Helen Joyce from advocacy group Sex Matters said that nobody is 'assigned' a sex: 'I've given birth twice and both times I knew what sex the baby was at 20 weeks. It's just absurd,' she told The Times.

'How did we get to a place where teachers feel they can sit and say to some primary children, "Some people feel male, some feel female, some feel both and some feel neither"?'

Pop'n'Olly is also encouraging people to donate the LGBT+ book to primary schools across the UK and are offering a two-for-one deal on the donations.

You can even search for a primary school on their 'school finder' feature which lets you check if it has been sent a book already.

In the section eastern England, 460 of another book from Pop'n'Olly have been donated. The east Midlands have had 522 donated and London 719.

The north west has had 630 donated, Scotland 231, the south east 422, the south west 337 and just 57 in Wales.

The terms 'male' and 'female' which are referred to in the Pop'n'Olly book, co-written by the company's director, Olly Pike, have in recent years been understood to be about the traits of masculinity and femininity rather than sex.

What Does LGBT+ Mean? claims that 'people feel happier and included when their pronouns are respected', and has definitions of transgender, non-binary and intersex people.

'We can't just assume pronouns,' it writes. 'If you are not sure about another person's pronouns, it is OK to politely ask.'

There are also explanations of sexuality, including heterosexual, gay, lesbian, pansexual and asexual.

When author Pike was asked how widely it was being read by teachers, he said: 'Teachers have expressed interest, thanks and gratitude towards this book. It's helping the teachers as much as students,' The Times said.

An education source told the paper: 'Britain is one of the most tolerant countries in the world, but it's neither constructive nor appropriate to be concerning young children with culture war issues.

'We should let kids be kids.'

Author Olly Pike describes himself as Director and CEU, 'Chief Executive Unicorn' on the Pop'n'Olly website.

Co-authoring the book is James Canning is a university student who works with his mother Mel Lane at Dorset's LGBT+ youth charity Space Youth Project, where they deliver staff training and workshops for students aged four to 18.

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Book sent to 800 primary schools teaches children sex is 'assigned'

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What Does LGBT+ Mean? has been sent to 814 primary schools across the UK Says a doctor 'looked at our body and gave us a label based on what they saw' The book, by LGBT+ educational resource company Pop'n'Olly, is written by diversity campaigners Olly Pike, director, Mel Lane, and her son, James Canning A book which teaches children that a person's sex is 'assigned' to them at birth by a doctor has been sent to 814 primary schools across Britain.

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Pansexual Teacher Fired for Discussing Sexuality

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Pansexual Teacher Fired for Discussing Sexuality

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https://nypost.com/2022/05/04/fla-teacher-canned-for-discussing-pansexual-status-with-kids/

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A Florida teacher claims she was fired for discussing her pansexual status with middle school students whom she then asked to draw pictures representing their own sexual orientations.

Cape Coral art instructor Casey Scott said her students were curious about her sexual orientation and she explained to them that she was pansexual during a lesson in March, NBC2 reported.

"A discussion happened in class and because of that, now I'm fired," Scott told the outlet.

Pansexual refers to someone who is attracted to all categories of people regardless of their sex, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Scott, who is married to a man, said the kids at Trafalgar Middle School then created flags representing their own sexuality and gender identities ranging from transgender and non-binary to gay.

The first-year teacher posted their creations to her classroom door before administrators told her to take them down.

"They said it would be in the best interest if I got rid of them now," she told NBC.

Cape Coral art instructor Casey Scott said her students were curious about her sexual orientation.

Casey Scott / Facebook

Casey Scott said the kids at Trafalgar Middle School created flags representing their own sexuality and gender identities.

Casey Scott / Facebook

Scott said she crumpled up the pictures and put them in the trash.

Lee School District officials said some students understood her explanation of her sexuality while others were left confused, the local NBC affiliate reported.

The subject matter angered some parents and students who wrote to administrators to voice their displeasure, officials said.

Scott, who was working on a probationary basis and not part of the teachers union, was eventually told not to return to campus and that her contract was being terminated.

District officials attributed her dismissal to her not following the curriculum, the outlet reported.

The firing came just days before Gov. Ron DeSantis banned instruction related to gender identity or sexual orientation for kids in kindergarten through the fourth grade.

Backers of the "Parent's Rights Bill" argue that sexual subject matter is inappropriate for young children and that the law shields them and their parents.

Critics dubbed the legislation the "Don't Say Gay" bill and assert that it fosters hostility to the LGBTQ community.

Lee School District officials did not immediately return a call for comment.

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Pansexual Florida teacher canned for discussing orientation with students

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A Florida teacher claims she was fired for discussing her pansexual status with middle school students whom she then asked to draw pictures representing their own sexual orientations. Cape Coral art instructor Casey Scott said her students were curious about her sexual orientation and she explained to them that she was pansexual during a lesson in March, NBC2 reported.

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https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/15-lgbtq-books-for-kids-and-teens/

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15 LGBTQ Books for Kids and Teens Recommended by Queer Librarians, Educators, and Independent Booksellers

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Amid the efforts to censor what kids learn in school, we asked experts to share their favorite LGBTQ books to help ensure all kids and families can see and be seen.

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Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization covering public education in communities across America. Subscribe to our free newsletter to keep up with how public education is changing: ckbe.at/national
It happened in one class, then another.

An English teacher said they couldn't talk about queer activists during a class discussion because they hadn't sent home the required opt-out form.

A history teacher skipped over PowerPoint slides about the fight for gay rights during a lesson on the civil rights movement.

Another English teacher hinted that Oscar Wilde was, "you know," instead of saying he was gay while teaching "The Picture of Dorian Gray." Queer symbolism throughout the text went unmentioned.

To 17-year-old Aneshka, who asked that their last name be withheld, these were all indications that a new law requiring teachers to notify parents about lessons on gender and sexuality had had an effect at their eastern Tennessee high school. The omissions and "hint, hint, nudge, nudge" approach frustrated Aneshka, who identifies as queer and uses they and she pronouns.
Also read: Rising tide of censorship and scrutiny has schools scrambling to avoid backlash
"It felt kind of like turning something that's a fact of history, and life, and my life, into something secret or taboo," Aneshka said. "It was very much like this odd sense of: So, am I not allowed to mention myself?"

While a Florida law that prohibits lessons in kindergarten through third grade about sexual orientation and gender identity has drawn national attention in recent weeks, several other states have imposed similar restrictions.

On Friday, Alabama's governor signed a law like Florida's that bans instruction about those same topics for students in kindergarten to fifth grade. Montana, Tennessee, and Arkansas all passed laws last year that require schools to give families advance notice of lessons on gender identity and sexual orientation and allow parents to opt their children out.

Ohio, Louisiana, and South Carolina are considering restrictions like Florida's. And lawmakers in Oklahoma and Tennessee have introduced proposals that would go further, restricting teaching on LGBTQ issues in a history or English class, for example, though neither bill has advanced.

Already these curriculum laws are affecting the choices some educators are making in their classrooms, leaving them and their students unsure about how to talk about LGBTQ content. The result is that sometimes it gets avoided altogether.

Coupled with other efforts, like those seeking to remove books from school libraries that include themes of sexuality and gender, it's a climate that's left many students and educators feeling a sense of whiplash.

"They honestly are so overwhelmed," said Nashville teacher Cassie Norton of her students.

Norton co-sponsors her high school's GSA club, where students gather to talk about gender and sexuality. Watching a slew of laws pass in quick succession - including a law that restricts teaching about race and racism and another law that restricts transgender students' access to certain school bathrooms - left the students in the club feeling frustrated and isolated.

"By making it harder to have conversations in the general classroom environment, it's making those issues worse," Norton said.

Proponents of these measures have said it should be up to parents to decide when and how to teach their children about LGBTQ topics. And lawmakers who support these teaching restrictions have argued that elementary school students are too young to learn about sexual orientation and gender identity in class.

"We don't need to be teaching young children about sex," said Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, when she signed the state's new law. "We need to focus on what matters - core instruction like reading and math."

Many students, school staff, and LGBTQ rights advocates have vocally opposed these curriculum restrictions, saying they could lead to incomplete and inaccurate lessons, make some students afraid to talk about themselves or their families in class, and exacerbate mental health disparities that already exist for LGBTQ youth.
Related article: Biden vs. GOP states: Where will the battle over transgender rights leave students?
While Montana's legislation was being debated, for example, several high school students and recent graduates said they worried the restrictions would make it harder to access factual information at school about topics like healthy relationships and consent. "There is already a gap in the curriculum around comprehensive sex ed and this bill makes that gap a gaping hole," said Clara Bentler, a University of Montana student who graduated from high school in Billings, in testimony to Montana lawmakers.

These issues are not new - there have been decades-long arguments about what children should learn about gender and sexuality in school - but observers say this moment is notable because of the number of proposals and the speed at which they're spreading. Federal education officials have said they're watching for potential federal civil rights violations.

Some educators in states with these laws now find they're being extra careful when LGBTQ issues come up at school. One contemporary issues teacher in Tennessee said she added a disclaimer to her syllabus to let students and parents know the class would touch on topics like gender and sexuality.

When Norton taught students about the civil rights movement in U.S. history class this year, she let them pick which parallel movement they wanted to research on their own, and made it an option to learn about LGBTQ protests during the Stonewall uprising - so it didn't require a form. And when Norton taught about President Reagan and the AIDS epidemic, she sent students home with the entire text of the state history standard to show the lesson was required.

These laws have had other ripple effects.

At Aneshka's high school, for example, GSA club members had plans to host an "ally week" to teach their classmates about how they could support their LGBTQ peers. They found a short PBS video that provided tips and compiled a list of resources. Then they asked their principal if they could share those tools during the school's advisory period.

But the principal told the students it wouldn't be possible because there wasn't enough time to provide parents with the legally required 30 days' notice. So, instead Aneshka and other GSA members held smaller, optional events after school and during lunch.

"It's definitely a lot more impactful than I thought, but in a much quieter way," Aneshka said of Tennessee's law. She'd expected some "visible fuss and some bureaucratic mess," with extra permission slips. But the reality has been "just like silence."

State education officials in Montana, Arkansas, and Tennessee have left it to local school districts to carry out their state's laws about lessons on gender identity and sexual orientation. None issued guidance to schools, and none track how often parents are notified about these lessons or how often they opt out.

Both the Arkansas and Tennessee laws say teachers can mention the sexual orientation or gender identity of a historical or public figure without an opt-out form if it provides "necessary context" during a lesson. Teachers can also answer students' questions on those matters if they're tied to a class discussion.

In Florida, the new law requires that lessons about sexual orientation and gender identity for students above third grade must be "age appropriate" or "developmentally appropriate" and in line with state standards. But who decides that is up for debate, and the state has until June 2023 to provide guidance.

That's left teachers trying to figure out the limits of these laws on their own, creating a climate in which some teachers worry that if they say the wrong thing, they could lose their job.

Anita Hatcher Powderly, who teaches sixth-grade English in Jackson County, Florida, and is part of a federal lawsuit challenging the Florida law, has already seen some evidence of that.

Shortly after Florida's law passed, her schools' sixth graders lined up to board school buses for a field trip. At first, there were going to be separate buses for boys and girls. But one transgender student, who wasn't out to all their teachers and classmates, looked baffled about where to sit. Two of her colleagues "looked at me like: 'What do we say?'" Hatcher Powderly said.

Before anyone could step in, it was announced there was only one bus, so it would be mixed-gender. But the scenario left Hatcher Powderly concerned.

"If we say the wrong thing now, is it going to be retroactive against us?" she said. "How do we comfort this child, how do we provide inclusivity, how do we provide equity?"

When elementary schoolers turn to Nashville counselor Alyssa McGuire on issues related to gender or sexuality, she still does her best to help. Now though, the fear it could cost her her job hangs over her like "a constant cloud."

Recently, a few female third graders at McGuire's school told their classmates they were interested in being in a relationship with another girl. The girls got teased by their classmates and wanted McGuire to help them understand what was happening. They had lots of questions.
Kalyn Belsha is a national education reporter based in Chicago. Contact her at kbelsha@chalkbeat.org.
"They were like: a lesbian's not bad, right?'" McGuire recalled. "'Am I allowed to say that? Can I be a lesbian?'"

McGuire talked to them about how people can label themselves in different ways. She would rather risk a parent complaining and give her students the words to describe how they feel, she said, than make the girls feel dismissed.

"There are times when I think about the law, and think about the policy, and I decide I don't care what the law says, I'm just going to help my student because that's the priority," McGuire said. "But it's just sad that that's even a thing I have to think about."

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Schools grapple with new restrictions on teaching about gender and sexuality

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Florida has attracted national attention for prohibiting some lessons about gender identity, but many other states have imposed or are considering similar restrictions.

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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/dont-say-gay-bill-florida-desantis-b2074720.html

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed into law a controversial piece of legislation aimed at restricting schools in the Sunshine State from teaching students about sexual orientation and gender issues, with teachers opening themselves up to lawsuits should they fail to comply.

Dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by its critics but formally known as the “Parental Rights in Education” bill, the text of the legislation states that “classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through [third grade]” or “in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards” in other grades.

Further, it explicitly states that parents “may bring an action against a school district to obtain a declaratory judgement” and a court may award damages and attorney’s fees if it finds that a school violated the measure.

The bill was passed by Florida’s Republican-controlled House of Representatives on 24 February and the state Senate on 8 March. Governor DeSantis signed it into law on 28 March, meaning its terms will come into effect from 1 July, with all school district plans required to be updated by June 2023. A group of LGBT+ advocacy organisations and civil rights attorneys filed a federal lawsuit against Mr DeSantis and the state’s education officials to block enforcement of the law on 31 March.

Democratic legislators proposed a series of amendments to clarify the bill’s intent, or to separate its ostensible intent from its impact, by striking out language that could target LGBT+ students and their families. They all failed.

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A Republican amendment proposed requiring schools to disclose whether a child is LGBT+ to their parents within six weeks of learning that they are not straight – but it was withdrawn before the bill reached the House.

Why LGBT+ advocates oppose the bill

The law has attracted widespread criticism in Florida and beyond, with opponents arguing it would effectively silence already-vulnerable LGBT+ students and hinder or harm their personal development while potentially violating educators’ freedom of speech and First Amendment rights.

Thousands of high school students staged walkouts in protest over the bill, and a large demonstration was held outside the state Capitol building as legislators debated the legislation.

The bill came up for debate in the Senate on 7 March, where Shevrin Jones – the first openly LGBT+ member of Florida’s Republican-dominated Senate – made an emotional appeal for proponents of the bill to shoot it down because it could forcibly “out” LGBT+ students and have a chilling effect on LGBT+ people and issues in Florida schools.

Republican officials defending the bill insist its intention is simply to keep parents “in the know and involved on what’s going on” with their children’s education and that its critics are “absolutely misinformed on what exactly the bill does”, according to one the bill’s chief sponsors, Republican state representative Joe Harding.

But critics argue that supporters of the legislation have failed to provide comfort to LGBT+ students and families voicing concerns that proponents of the measure believe are unfounded or overstated.

Analysts argued that the law’s broad scope could prevent classroom discussion or instruction about LGBT+ people, history and events, or students’ families, or questions from students about any of those issues, under threat from potential lawsuits against school districts over perceived violations.

Governor DeSantis, a potential contender for the 2024 Republican presidential campaign, signed the bill into law on 28 March at a ceremony surrounded by children and administration officials, where he said the bill will ensure that “parents can send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination.”

Speaking at a press conference in March, Governor DeSantis said: “My goal is to educate kids on the subjects, math, reading, science, all the things that are so important. I don’t want the schools to kind of be a playground for ideological disputes.”

The governor claims that the bill addresses “sexual stuff” and “telling kids they may be able to pick genders and all that” – none of which is included in the bill.

“How many parents want their kindergarteners to have ‘transgenderism’ or something injected into classroom discussion?” he asked.

On 7 March, he lashed out at a reporter who asked whether he supports the bill, claiming that it would only impact students in kindergarten through third grade. The bill is not limited to those grades; classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity would be prohibited at all grade levels if it is not deemed “age appropriate.”

His press secretary Christina Pushaw called it the “anti-grooming bill”, reviving anti-LGBT+ attacks suggesting LGBT+ people are paedophiles. Her comments were echoed across social media and by other right-wing media figures and other Republican officials.

LGBT+ advocacy organisation Equality Florida said her statement “said the quiet part out loud: that this bill is grounded in a belief that LGBTQ people, simply by existing, are a threat to children and must be erased”.

Following several hours of debate ahead of a vote in the state Senate, bill supporter Ileana Garcia claimed “gay is not a permanent thing” and “LGBT is not a permanent thing.”

Equality Florida and a group of Florida families filed their lawsuit to block enforcement of the bill in US District Court on 31 March, calling the measure an “unlawful attempt to stigmatize, silence, and erase LGBTQ people in Florida’s public schools”.

“This effort to control young minds through state censorship – and to demean LGBTQ lives by denying their reality – is a grave abuse of power,” the 80-page complaint states.

Why Disney is under fire

For years, Florida legislators and the governor’s office enjoyed a close relationship with The Walt Disney Company, the state’s largest private employer, with roughly 80,000 theme park workers alone.

Disney also is a political heavyweight, dispatching several lobbyists to Tallahassee for legislative sessions and spending millions of dollars through its many entities to Democratic and Republican legislators each election cycle to promote its business.

Campaign finance records reviewed by The Independent found that Disney entities contributed thousands of dollars to the re-election campaigns of the primary sponsors of the law, as well as at least $50,000 to the 2022 re-election campaign for Governor DeSantis, despite the company’s history of LGBT+ advocacy.

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Following weeks of pressure among LGBT+ advocates and Disney employees to publicly lobby against the bill, CEO Bob Chapek announced that the company would oppose the bill and suspend its political donations in the state.

On 11 March, Mr Chapek announced the company would “immediately” begin supporting efforts to combat similar legislation in other states and pause “all political donations” in the state pending a review of the company’s political giving, conceding that the company failed to “be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights”.

The company’s LGBT+ employees and staff opposed to the legislation staged daily walkouts to pressure Disney to indefinitely cease all campaign donations to state officials who created or helped pass the measure and demand that Disney leadership publicly commit to an actionable plan that protects employees from anti-LGBT+ legislation. The actions culminated in a full workday walkout or “sick out” on 22 March.

“Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down by the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organisations working to achieve that,” the company said on 28 March, when the governor signed the bill into law.

Governor DeSantis and members of his administration have lashed out at the company, igniting a feud that escalated to Republican threats to punish its operations in the state.

Florida state Rep Spencer Roach said a group of state legislators met at least twice to discuss potentially changing municipal government agreements affecting Disney in retaliation for what he called the company’s “woke ideology.”

In April, Governor DeSantis expanded the scope of a special legislative session on the state’s redistricting plans to also consider the “termination of all special districts that were enacted in Florida prior to 1968,” including the municipal taxing and government district created in 1967 that allows Disney to tax and regulate its sprawling park and resort properties in the Orlando area.

What the White House says

US President Joe Biden told Florida students in a message on Twitter in February that they “are loved and accepted just as you are”.

“I have your back, and my administration will continue to fight for the protections and safety you deserve,” he said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki also has repeatedly denounced the legislation, which has been echoed in at least a dozen other Republican proposals across the US in 2022.

She said the measure is among “misinformed, hateful policies that do absolutely nothing to address the real issues” facing American families, and in an emotional interview released in April, she condemned legislation targeting LGBT+ people used as a “political wedge issue, an attempt to win a culture war, and they’re doing that in a way that is harsh and cruel to a community – of kids, especially.”

More than 300 pieces of state-level legislation in 2022 target transgender student athletes, healthcare for transgender young people, and classroom instruction on “sexual orientation and gender identity”, among other measures targeting LGBT+ people, mostly young transgender people.

The administration has urged congressional passage of the Equality Act, which would expand federal antidiscrimination protections to LGBT+ people in employment, housing, credit, jury service, and federally funded programmess, including healthcare and education. That bill is stalled in the US Senate.

The US Department of Justice also has issued a letter to all state attorneys general reminding them of federal constitutional and statutory provisions that protect transgender people from discrimination.

US transport secretary Pete Buttigieg, the first openly LGBT+ member of the White House cabinet, warned that the bill could inspire a spike in teen suicides.

A 2021 report from LGBT+ suicide prevention and crisis intervention group The Trevor Project found that LGBT+ youth are four times more likely to seriously consider, plan or attempt suicide than their peers, while LGBT+ young people between the ages of 13 and 24 attempt to kill themselves every 45 seconds within the US.

Another report from the organisation found that LGBT+ young people who learned about LGBT+ people or issues in school were 23 per cent less likely to report a suicide attempt within the last year.

This story was previously published on March 12 and has been updated

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https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/05/05/dont-say-gay-louisiana-killed/

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PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBT+ news

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A Louisiana copycat of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, which bans discussion of LGBTQ+ topics in schools, has been struck down.

The Daily Advertiser explained that the Republican-backed Louisiana bill would ban discussion of "sexual orientation and gender identity" in pre-school through to primary school, or teachers discussing their own sexual identity through to 12th grade.

The bill, however, was struck down by the Louisiana House Education Committee on Tuesday (3 May), who voted seven to four to keep the bill from advancing.

Republican representative Dodie Horton, who put forward the bill, said at the committee: "Unfortunately, some teachers are interjecting their own lifestyle choices into the classroom... [the bill] defines the line that has recently been blurred by some teachers to share their personal sexual identity and gender preferences with our children."

The New Orleans Democratic Socialists of America celebrated the bill being struck down on Twitter, saying: "Kids and teachers across our state are free to be their whole selves, without shame... We are stronger together, always."

Louisiana's 'Don't Say Gay' bill was defeated today! Kids and teachers across our state are free to be their whole selves, without shame. Thank you to everyone who called, emailed, showed up, and fought back! We are stronger together, always. pic.twitter.com/dvAmtwnjau

- New Orleans DSA 🏅 (@NewOrleansDSA) May 4, 2022

Harrowing new research by The Trevor Project found that half of young LGBTQ+ Americans considered suicide last year, with "relentless political attacks" citied as a potential reason for poor mental health in the community.

The Trevor Project - a suicide prevention and crisis intervention charity for LGBTQ+ young people - released its annual National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health survey on Wednesday (4 May).

It found that nearly half (45 per cent) of LGBTQ+ youth had "seriously considered" suicide in the past year, rising to 53 per cent of trans and non-binary youth.

The charity's CEO and executive director Amit Paley said the research demonstrated that "suicidal thoughts have trended upward among LGBTQ+ young people" in recent years, making the organisation's "life-saving work all the more important".

"The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and relentless political attacks during this time period cannot be understated," Paley said.

The Trevor Project survey also found that the rising number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills attempting to marginalise the queer community has had an horrific impact on the mental health of young people in the US, with 93 per cent of trans and non-binary young people saying they were worried about trans people being denied access to gender-affirming medical care, and 91 per cent concerned about being denied access to the bathroom.

Paley added that queer young people are a "marginalised group consistently found to be at significantly increased risk for suicide because of how they are mistreated and stigmatised in society".

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Disturbing Don't Say Gay copycat bill decisively killed off in Louisiana

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A Louisiana copycat of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, which bans discussion of LGBTQ+ topics in schools, has been struck down. The Daily Advertiser explained that the Republican-backed Louisiana bill would ban discussion of "sexual orientation and gender identity" in pre-school through to primary school, or teachers discussing their own sexual identity through to 12th grade.