One in five teachers reported being uncomfortable discussing LGBT+ topics with pupils
BY DIVA STAFF, IMAGE BY MONSTERA VIA PEXELS
Today marks 18 years since Section 28 was repealed in England and Wales. Sadly, new research commissioned by Just Like Us has found that many teachers are still uncomfortable when it comes to teaching LGBT+ topics to their students. Whilst Scotland made history this year by becoming the first country in the world to add LGBTQ+ history to school curriculum, the rest of us have a lot of catching up to do.
In the poll, one in five (17%) of teachers in the UK said they’re uncomfortable discussing LGBT+ topics with their pupils. Only a third (29%) are “completely comfortable” talking about lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans topics in the classroom.
The poll gained responses from 6179 primary and secondary school teachers and found that those teaching primary were even less comfortable discussing such topics, with 19% responding that they were uncomfortable and only 25% “completely comfortable”.
Dominic Arnall, Chief Executive of Just Like Us, said: “Today marks 18 years since Section 28 was repealed in England yet clearly things have not changed as much as we like to think and, as a result, growing up LGBT+ is still unacceptably tough.”
“We need to work together to improve the lives of LGBT+ young people so that young people don’t leave school feeling ashamed or depressed about who they are.”
For more information visit the Just Like Us website here.
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