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Education

• Education overview
• Section 28
• Homophobic bullying

Stonewall, in partnership with LGBT Youth Scotland, has developed Education for All, a project to tackle homophobia and homophobic bullying in schools.

We believe that every child and young person has the right to learn in a safe, supportive and respectful environment.

Against this standard we still have a long way to go in this country.

• Homophobic bullying is still widespread
• Many believed Section 28 made it unlawful to discuss any lesbian or gay issue - this left a legacy of fear and confusion
• Lesbians and gay men in teaching feel vulnerable and unsafe
• Young lesbians and gay men still grow up without any support from schools and colleges.

Why is this still a problem today?
In part because change, particularly in areas like education, happens slowly, but also because Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 was intended to stop schools acknowledging homosexuality and the needs of young people identifying as lesbian or gay. This is now not the case. The problem is that Section 28 left a legacy of confusion and fear in our schools.

Is anything changing?
Yes it is.

• Schools are beginning to challenge homophobic bullying
• All the major teaching unions are working to challenge homophobia and sexual orientation discrimination
• The Learning and Skills Council, which is now responsible for post-16 education, is issuing guidance on lesbian and gay issues
• Attitudes towards lesbians and gay men among young people are becoming more and more accepting.

We still have a long way to go and while there are some examples of good practice there are also many examples of bad practice.

For more information on how Stonewall is tackling this please visit our Education for All website and download our  School Report highlighting the experiences of young gay people in Britain's schools and our recommendations for supporting them.

* Stonewall accept no responsibility for the content of external sites.