LGBT Inclusive Education is a term referring to an approach of including themes related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people across Scotland’s Curriculum, through ordinary teaching and learning.

In Scotland, a thematic approach is taken to support teachers to develop their own curriculum materials in this area, and facilitates teaching and learning about prejudice and discrimination, diverse families, past and present LGBT figures, the history of LGBT equality movements, and rights – including understanding the Equality Act (2010). The learning is relevant to the curriculum or subject area: for example, the equal rights movement in Social Studies, or prejudice and stereotypes in Health and Wellbeing.

The purpose of this is to support schools to take a proactive approach to addressing the stereotypes and stigma which can often lead to prejudice or bullying experienced by pupils who are LGBT, perceived or thought to be by others, or have LGBT family members (such as same-sex parents). The approach is to include LGBT related learning themes in ordinary teaching, in a natural and meaningful way, in order to prevent stereotypes and stigma from arising in the first place.

Just as young people can learn about the Civil Rights Movement and figures like Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks to foster an understanding of racism, learning about significant events from LGBT history like the uprising at the Stonewall Inn in 1969, or people like Sally Ride and Lynn Conway, can develop an understanding of homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia, and associated issues like discrimination and stereotyping.

Homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia remain common forms of prejudice in schools and can manifest differently amongst young people. It can be direct – such as proactive and targeted bullying behaviours on the basis of someone’s sexual orientation or gender, and it can be indirect – such as the use of pejorative language like “that’s so gay” or derogatory slurs as part of everyday language.

In particular, homophobia is still one of the most common forms of prejudice that young people witness and experience at school, and the use of homophobic slurs and terms remains widespread. The Highland Council conducted a whole school study of young people’s experiences of homophobia at school. They found that 44% of the sample (over 300 pupils) have a first memory of homophobic bullying occurring in primary school, with the peak of first incidence being during P4-P6. Research conducted in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic found that, over a six week period from April to June 2020, more than 1 in 4 young people (in a sample of 1,015) witnessed an increase in homophobia online, while 60% of LGBT young people had witnessed or experienced online bullying in the same period.

Many children and young people can experience homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying behaviours, language use, and comments from their peers, and this can impact learners who are actually LGBT but also learners who are perceived to be LGBT by others. For example, children and young people who do not conform to gender stereotypes or expectations often experience this. So, too, do children and young people with LGBT parents or family members.

LGBT Inclusive Education develops a greater understanding of diversity within our communities and wider society; as well as increasing the knowledge of learners about their rights, equalities, and the impact of stereotypes, prejudice and bullying.

The most effective way to address prejudice is through an educational approach. That’s what Scotland’s approach to LGBT Inclusive Education aims to do.

LGBT Inclusive Education contributes to ensuring that all young people see themselves, their families, and the world around them in what they learn. It should be meaningful, relevant, and part of ordinary learning, rather than exceptional or siphoned into particular calendar months or one off occasions. Teachers in Scotland develop their own curriculum materials. They can also use lesson plans available to them on the national platform lgbteducation.scot

For example, when teaching about World War II, pupils may learn about the life and contributions of British mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing who played a crucial role in codebreaking during the war, but was prosecuted for homosexuality in 1952. This learning could be within the context of learning about continued prejudice and discrimination in the post-war period, despite the Universal Declaration of Human Rights being introduced.

Or, when learning about poetry and prose, pupils may read texts from LGBT authors and poets, or that have an LGBT related theme to them. For example, pupils may learn about the recently uncovered Poem 49 of the Maitland Quarto Manuscript, a same-sex love poem written in the Scots language. This learning could be within the context of interpreting older poetry, understanding and reproducing Scots, and identifying effective practice in writing poetry.

Learning will be appropriate to the age and stage of the learners. The learning between primary and secondary schools will therefore differ. For example, primary schools will include representations of same-sex parents and carers (alongside single parents and carers, adoptive families, etc) when teaching about families and those who care for us, while secondary schools are less likely to do this in the same way.

lgbteducation.scot is a national platform for teachers, which hosts new curriculum resources for the primary and sscondary setting, covering a range of different themes – from role models and historical events, to understanding discrimination and prejudice. Guidance and resources are also available on the platform to improve practitioner knowledge of how to address prejudice, respond to bullying behaviours, engage the school community, and provide effective pastoral care for young people.

Teachers in Scotland should begin their engagement with this policy area by completing Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the national professional learning provided by the Scottish Government.