text size

Secondary ITT

Stonewall’s 2007 research, The School Report, found that 65 per cent of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people experience homophobic bullying, and less than a quarter – only 23 per cent – have been told that homophobic bullying is wrong in their school. Over 60 per cent of young lesbian and gay people feel that there is neither an adult at home nor at school who they can talk to about being gay.

Homophobic bullying is almost endemic in secondary schools. But nine in ten primary and secondary school teachers have received no specific training to prevent and respond to it. Which means that homophobic bullying is frequently going unchallenged and young people are missing out on much needed support.

But homophobic bullying doesn’t only affect lesbian, gay and bisexual secondary school students. It also affects those who are perceived to be LGB, those who have gay friends and family members and those who are thought to be ‘different’ in some way or don’t ‘fit in’.

Secondary school teachers need to know how to address LGB issues through the curriculum as well as how to tackle homophobic bullying and support young people who come out to them as lesbian, gay or bisexual.

Only got 30 minutes? Introduce trainees to the issue of homophobic bullying and make sure they know where to find further resources. Click here to find out how.

An hour to cover homophobia? In addition to the above, introduce trainees to the some of the resources available to ensure they confidently challenge homophobic bullying and support lesbian, gay and bisexual young people. Click here to find out how.

If you’ve got a half day to cover homophobic bullying, encourage trainees to plan strategies to tackle homophobia that fit with their wider anti-bullying and safeguarding work. Click here to find out how.