ISSUES
: Sexuality and Gender
Chapter 3: LGBTQ+ issues
29
independent secondary school
(Scotland)
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nine in ten secondary school
teachers and more than two in
five primary school teachers
say pupils, regardless of their
sexual orientation, experience
name-calling and homophobic
bullying at school
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almost two thirds of lesbian, gay
and bisexual pupils experience
homophobic bullying
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young people who have been
homophobically bullied are
more likely to leave school at 16
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seven out of ten gay pupils
who experience homophobic
bullying state that it has had an
impact on their school work
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half of those who have
experienced
homophobic
bullying have skipped school at
some point because of it
“At one point it really got to me and
I couldn’t take it anymore. So I had
to change my phone, and be taken
from some of my lessons because
it got so bad.” Jay, 18, FE college
(North East)
Intervening when young people use
homophobic language, including the
use of the word gay to mean inferior,
creates a school culture where
homophobia and homophobic
bullying are not tolerated.
Responding to
homophobic language
Gay pupils are three times more
likely to feel that their school is
accepting and tolerant if it responds
to homophobic incidents, including
homophobic language.
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half of teachers fail to respond
to homophobic language when
they hear it
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only seven per cent of teachers
are reported to respond every time
they hear homophobic language
“Where I have heard the phrase
‘she’s a lezzie’ or something similar
it has been said at some distance
from me and did not lead me to
believe that anyone was being hurt
or upset by what was being said. It is
a rare occurrence.” Juliette, teacher,
faith independent secondary school
(East of England)
“I reported it and teachers said they
couldn’t do anything, and when they
saw verbal bullying they’d just stand
and watch then walk away.” Ian, 17,
secondary school (East Midlands)
Schools have a duty to safeguard
the well-being of all young people
in their care. Failure to respond to
homophobic language can have
an impact on pupils’ confidence
and self-esteem, as well as their
attainment at school.
In the same way that they challenge
racist language, school staff should feel
confident to respond to homophobic
language whenever it happens.
Stonewall’s top ten
recommendations for
tackling homophobic
language
1. Teachers and school staff must
challenge homophobic language
every time they hear it
Language such as ‘lezzer’ and
‘gay boy’, as well as ‘gay’ as a
term of disapproval of someone or
something, must be challenged in
each and every instance to send the
message that homophobic language
is unacceptable.
2. Make sure that pupils understand
why homophobic language is
offensive
Pupils will be less likely to use
homophobic language when, like
racist language, they understand the
implications of what they say.
3. Include homophobic language
in anti-bullying policies and
procedures
Teachers are able to challenge
homophobic
language
more
effectively when it is included in
school policies.
4. Involve senior managers if
homophobic language persists
The involvement of headteachers
and senior management proactively
as well as in response to the use
of homophobic language sends a
strong anti-homophobia message to
the school.
5. Involve parents if pupils persist
It is important for parents to help
ensure that all school policies are
upheld. All pupils deserve to feel safe
at school. Whatever their attitudes
towards lesbian, gay and bisexual
people, parents can play an essential
role in ensuring young people are
protected from homophobic bullying.
6. Incorporate lesbian, gay and
bisexual people into the curriculum
Including themes around LGB people
in lessons makes young people more
aware of the LGB community and
reduces homophobic behaviour.
7. Address homophobia and LGB
equality in your lessons
Teaching about homophobia and
equality will discourage homophobic
language and bullying in schools.
8. Use assemblies to address
problems or promote positive
messages about gay people
Assemblies can be an ideal
opportunity to tackle issues
regarding homophobic language or
bullying particular to your school or
to incorporate positive messages
about gay people, for example during
LGBT History Month.
9. Use posters and public displays
Poster and public display campaigns
can be used to communicate positive
messages regarding lesbian, gay
and bisexual people and to tackle
homophobic language and bullying.
10. Involve pupils
Pupils want their schools to be safe
and welcoming places. Ask pupils
how they feel about homophobic
language and bullying in their school
and involve them in initiatives to
tackle the problem.
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The above information has been
reprinted with kind permission
from Stonewall. Please visit
for
further information.
© Stonewall 2016
