In 2021, the national framework for LGBT Inclusive Education in Scotland began its implementation. Schools in Scotland should now be incorporating LGBT learning themes across their curriculum, including history, diverse families, anti-bullying, and rights.
"The ‘LGBT Inclusive Education: Progress and Evaluation Report’ (2023) highlighted that 96% of P5 to P7 learners heard homophobic language used at school."
This has been developed as an educational response to the decades-long phenomena of homophobic bullying and prejudice-based behaviours that many school pupils report experiencing. Its fundamental purpose is to ensure that all learners are safe, included and reflected in their learning at school.
Health and Wellbeing
The ‘LGBT Inclusive Education: Progress and Evaluation Report’ (2023) highlighted that 96% of P5 to P7 learners heard homophobic language used at school, while 49% of secondary learners had experienced or witnessed anti-LGBT bullying.
"When I learned about WWII and the victory of the Allies, I never heard the name Alan Turing."
This form of prejudice can affect all young people – its impact is most harmful for those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender; but it is also experienced by learners who have same-sex parents or LGBT siblings, as well as those who ‘deviate’ from stereotypical gender expectations of masculinity or femininity.
Not representing LGBT people, their lives and histories in teaching and learning contributes to the presence and regeneration of stereotypes, ‘otherisation’ and the normalisation of stigma and prejudice.
Hidden Voices
I knew that I was gay from upper primary school. I went through the rest of my time in education without learning about anyone else like me. The word ‘gay’ was an insult and homophobic slurs were common; rather than being proud of who I was, I was ashamed and frightened.
While I learned about the civil rights movement and idolised figures like Dr Martin Luther King Jr, I had no idea about the out gay civil rights leader Bayard Rustin – who was often by his side, and who organised the March on Washington where the “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered in 1963.
When I learned about Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, and was fascinated by space; I had no idea about Sally Ride, the pioneering astronaut and first American woman to travel to space, who was also a lesbian.
When I learned about progress in computer technology, I had no idea about Lynn Conway – the transgender woman who innovated computer processing we continue to use today.
When I learned about WWII and the victory of the Allies, I never heard the name Alan Turing.
"A school curriculum which does not reflect diversity or engage with topics of equality and representation presents an information vacuum."
Representation
There were so many opportunities for natural representation that my generation, and others before us, did not receive at school – and that representation is important.
One significant change since my time at school is the influence of social media. In particular, TikTok has become a dominant presence in the lives of children and young people since the pandemic.
Data published by Ofcom last year found that a quarter of children aged 5 to 7 have an active TikTok account, and so do 80% of 16 to 17 year olds. Statista reported in 2022 that 4 to 18 year olds in Britain spend a daily average of 114 minutes on the app.
Meanwhile, the counter-extremism organization, ISD Global, published their ‘deep dive’ into TikTok. In a sample of 1,030 videos from 491 TikTok accounts, they identified 312 videos promoting white supremacy, 90 videos promoting anti-LGBT content, 58 promoting misogynistic content, and 273 videos glorifying extremist individuals, groups or ideologies.
School pupils today are already learning about diversity – including LGBT people, race and racism, women’s rights, gender expectations, and minority communities – but it is through social media.
A Diverse Curriculum
A school curriculum which does not reflect diversity or engage with topics of equality and representation presents an information vacuum which is being filled by online influencers who are often equipping young people with inaccurate, and sometimes extremist, information.
Schools in Scotland are therefore supported to take LGBT Inclusive Education forward through a well-considered, integrated curricular approach which ensures that learners engage with LGBT-related topics in a meaningful and informative manner.
The national platform lgbteducation.scot has been provided by the Scottish Government. This is a unique educational platform for Scottish teachers to access curriculum professional learning and resources to ensure that all of the learners in their class, regardless of who they are, have the opportunity to be safe and included at school; and to see themselves, and their families, reflected in what they learn.
Professional Learning
The national ‘Delivering LGBT Inclusive Education’ two-stage professional learning course, provided by the Scottish Government and endorsed by Education Scotland, is freely available for teachers in Scotland to complete.
This course represents the most effective starting point for teachers and school staff in Scotland to engage with LGBT Inclusive Education and will provide comprehensive, up-to-date knowledge regarding the national approach to this work and practical steps for taking it forward in your setting.
Taking this forward in your practice means that you have the chance to give an opportunity to tomorrow’s generation of learners that I didn’t have, and those before me didn’t have either: to grow up knowing that they are valued, to have confidence, and to be proud of who they are.
Jordan Daly is a Co-Founder and Co-Director of Time for Inclusive Education (TIE). The charity works with schools across Scotland, taking a proactive and educational approach to address the prejudice and bullying that LGBT young people can often experience.
