January 2022
Featured in this insight: Education
29% of teachers are ‘completely comfortable’ talking about LGBT+ topics in the classroom: A recent survey by Just Like Us has revealed that just under three in ten (29%) school teachers feel ‘completely comfortable’ when discussing LGBT+ topics with their students, with just 3% reporting they felt ‘completely uncomfortable’ when asked the same question.
The survey polled over 6,000 primary and secondary school teachers from across the UK, asking them about their comfort levels when discussing LGTB+ topics with their students. It uncovered that just over half (52%) are ‘mostly comfortable’ in discussing the topics with their students.
On the other hand, 19% said they felt ‘uncomfortable’ with a further 14% stating they are ‘not very comfortable’ in response to the question.
The poll was conducted around 18 years after Section 28 was repealed – an act brought in by Margaret Thatcher in 1988 stating that promotion of homosexuality by local authorities is prohibited.
With an aim to reduce the stigma surrounding the LGBT+ community, Ofsted require primary school lessons to include different types of families in their lessons (for example: families with same sex parents).
In addition, the Government has recently reinforced their guidance to regularly include LGBT+ topics in school and hopes that the push will help young people who are LGBT+ feel completely comfortable with their sexuality.
Dominic Arnall, chief executive of Just Like us, said: “Today marks 18 years since Section 28 was repealed in England yet clearly things have not changed as much as we like to think and, as a result, growing up LGBT+ is still unacceptably tough.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 don’t blame teachers for feeling uncomfortable – they may not have had the resources or personal life experiences – but all you need is a willingness to support your pupils.”
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