Introduce statutory, age-appropriate Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) in schools that is LGBTI inclusive
Schools in England are not required to teach young people any form of comprehensive sex and relationship education (SRE). The majority of the SRE also fails to cover issues surrounding consent, sexual violence, porn and the internet, and unhealthy relationships. Crucially, there is also no requirement to educate about LGBTI relationships. As a result, millions of young people are left without the essential knowledge they need to make informed and responsible decisions when it comes to sex and relationships. Earlier this year an open letter was sent to David Cameron, Ed Milliband and Nick Clegg and signed by 28 LGBTI individuals, charities, allies and organisations calling on them to commit to making comprehensive and LGBTI inclusive Sex and Relationship Education statutory in all English schools.
THE OPEN LETTER:
Each year month millions of young people go to school – but because of inadequate sex and relationships education (SRE) we as a society will fail to provide them with the essential knowledge and life skills they need to make informed and responsible decisions in regard to their sexual health. This is especially true for LGBTI young people.
To address this, pupils, health experts, and we the undersigned, are supporting the 'SRE, it's my right campaign', calling on all political parties to commit to make age-appropriate SRE a statutory requirement for all schools by including it in their manifestoes.
Ofsted describes SRE in English schools as ‘not yet good enough’ – not surprising when teachers are not trained to deliver it and only a handful of biological facts are actually required in the curriculum. Sexual relationships, sexual health, and basic information on the sexual parts of the body can be neglected, even though in the wider world children are exposed to sexual content at an ever earlier age. The result? They get their information elsewhere, often from inappropriate, inadequate sources, or get no information at all. This leaves them ill-prepared to make safer, fulfilling choices and resist sexual pressure and bullying.
If SRE is sub-standard for most young people, LGBTI young people's needs are often ignored completely. 85% of gay and bisexual men tell us they received no information about same-sex relationships in school. And for 14-19 year-old gay and bisexual men, pornography is the most popular source of information on how to have enjoyable sex, and the second most popular source on sexual relationships and attraction.
Lesbian and bisexual women typically receive even less SRE than men – a recent survey of lesbian and bisexual women in their 20s revealed that not a single one of them had received any information about STI transmission or safer sex between women whilst at school. Without trustworthy education to help them sort fantasy from reality this could mean poor understanding of safer sex and sexual relationships.
In addition, 89% of LGBTI young people report learning nothing about bisexuality issues and 94% report learning nothing about transgender issues,meaning that transphobic and biphobic discrimination and bullying are rife in many schools.
The consequences are stark. LGBTI young people are at greater risk of depression and suicidal thoughts. These can last into later life and can have a serious impact on sexual health, and on drink and drug use. Young people are being exposed to sexual situations without the support and basic sexual health information that the education system should be providing. One in three gay men diagnosed with HIV in 2012 were in their teens or early twenties.
We are all working for and committed to the well-being of the LGBTI community. We call on all political parties to commit to age-appropriate SRE which includes content on same-sex relationships. This should be provided in every school, for every young person, whether LGBTI or heterosexual.
Equality and respect in adult life has to begin with equality and respect in the classroom.
Petition organised by Cliff Joannou at QX magazine and Claudia Carvell at the Lesbian and Gay Foundation.
Signatures:
Peter Tatchell
Dr Christian Jessen
Lord Norman Fowler
Cliff Joannou, QX magazine
Susie Parsons, National AIDS Trust
Dr Rosemary Gillespie, Terrence Higgins Trust
Tris Reid-Smith, GayStarNews
Andrew Fraser, Attitude magazine
Elly Barnes, Educate and Celebrate
Rob Cookson, The Lesbian & Gay Foundation
Jane Czyzselska, DIVA magazine & BACP registered counsellor
Darren Scott, GT magazine
Benjamin Cohen, Pink News
Tom Doyle, Yorkshire MESMAC
Suran Dickson, Diversity Role Models
Mark Santos, Positive East
Dr Greg Ussher, Metro Charity
Lukasz Konieczka, Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre
Trevor Martin, Gaydar
Nik Noone, GALOP
Jay Stewart, Gendered Intelligence
Simon Topham, Millivres Prowler Group
Ruth Hunt, Stonewall
Simon Blake OBE, Brook
Stephen Coote, Gay Business Association
Tom Guy, Student Pride
Jess Wood MBE, Allsorts Youth Project
Sue Sanders and Tony Fenwick, LGBT History Month
Ellen Adams, Sexpression UK
#SameSexSRE
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
January 2, 2015
December 31, 2014
Reaching five hundred signatures is a significant marker of our collective resolve to demand better for our students. Please consider sending this link to three people who believe that every young person deserves an inclusive and informative education.
December 5, 2014
The feedback coming from educators across the country proves that many teachers are eager to provide this guidance but feel unsupported by the current curriculum. I am currently working to consolidate these experiences into a report for policy makers to show why this shift is necessary for student well being.
November 26, 2014
Reaching one hundred signatures is a meaningful milestone that confirms this conversation is necessary for our schools. It is heartening to see so many people acknowledge that inclusive education is a fundamental requirement for the well-being of young people.
Reached 100 supporters
November 23, 2014
155 Comments
My gay son and his peers had no attention paid to this subject at all in the Section 28 days and he was bullied mercilessly. It affected his whole life. That should never happen again for today's young people..
This is something I never received in school and spent a lot of time trying to find out for myself. I hope future generations of LGBT don't have to ask and search for what everyone else seems to just get given because they're assumed to be straight.
SRE appears to be poorly taught in many schools (particularly religious schools). LGBT SRE is non-existant (at least when I have spoken to YPs (in my role as an LGBT youth support worker) who are in, or have recently been in) education. In 2014 this is unacceptable.
The only mention back in the 1990's of Lesbian sex was that there was no age of consent was Queen Victoria didn't believe in it! That was in an all girls comprehensive! I can't we are in the same situation 20 years later!
Information about LGBTI sex and relationships is vital and ignorance is widespread. Everything I know about transgender and intersex people, I learned from the internet. This is unacceptable. LGBTI people exist in our society and in our classrooms and should be properly represented in our mainstream education.
I am also agree with Alyssa-May Mockett, its true in specially schools they assumed and portrait the thing how they want;
I am 100% agreed
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Introduce statutory, age-appropriate Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) in schools that is LGBTI inclusive
Schools in England are not required to teach young people any form of comprehensive sex and relationship education (SRE). The majority of the SRE also fails to cover issues surrounding consent, sexual violence, porn and the internet, and unhealthy relationships. Crucially, there is also no requirement to educate about LGBTI relationships. As a result, millions of young people are left without the essential knowledge they need to make informed and responsible decisions when it comes to sex and relationships. Earlier this year an open letter was sent to David Cameron, Ed Milliband and Nick Clegg and signed by 28 LGBTI individuals, charities, allies and organisations calling on them to commit to making comprehensive and LGBTI inclusive Sex and Relationship Education statutory in all English schools.
THE OPEN LETTER:
Each year month millions of young people go to school – but because of inadequate sex and relationships education (SRE) we as a society will fail to provide them with the essential knowledge and life skills they need to make informed and responsible decisions in regard to their sexual health. This is especially true for LGBTI young people.
To address this, pupils, health experts, and we the undersigned, are supporting the 'SRE, it's my right campaign', calling on all political parties to commit to make age-appropriate SRE a statutory requirement for all schools by including it in their manifestoes.
Ofsted describes SRE in English schools as ‘not yet good enough’ – not surprising when teachers are not trained to deliver it and only a handful of biological facts are actually required in the curriculum. Sexual relationships, sexual health, and basic information on the sexual parts of the body can be neglected, even though in the wider world children are exposed to sexual content at an ever earlier age. The result? They get their information elsewhere, often from inappropriate, inadequate sources, or get no information at all. This leaves them ill-prepared to make safer, fulfilling choices and resist sexual pressure and bullying.
If SRE is sub-standard for most young people, LGBTI young people's needs are often ignored completely. 85% of gay and bisexual men tell us they received no information about same-sex relationships in school. And for 14-19 year-old gay and bisexual men, pornography is the most popular source of information on how to have enjoyable sex, and the second most popular source on sexual relationships and attraction.
Lesbian and bisexual women typically receive even less SRE than men – a recent survey of lesbian and bisexual women in their 20s revealed that not a single one of them had received any information about STI transmission or safer sex between women whilst at school. Without trustworthy education to help them sort fantasy from reality this could mean poor understanding of safer sex and sexual relationships.
In addition, 89% of LGBTI young people report learning nothing about bisexuality issues and 94% report learning nothing about transgender issues,meaning that transphobic and biphobic discrimination and bullying are rife in many schools.
The consequences are stark. LGBTI young people are at greater risk of depression and suicidal thoughts. These can last into later life and can have a serious impact on sexual health, and on drink and drug use. Young people are being exposed to sexual situations without the support and basic sexual health information that the education system should be providing. One in three gay men diagnosed with HIV in 2012 were in their teens or early twenties.
We are all working for and committed to the well-being of the LGBTI community. We call on all political parties to commit to age-appropriate SRE which includes content on same-sex relationships. This should be provided in every school, for every young person, whether LGBTI or heterosexual.
Equality and respect in adult life has to begin with equality and respect in the classroom.
Petition organised by Cliff Joannou at QX magazine and Claudia Carvell at the Lesbian and Gay Foundation.
Signatures:
Peter Tatchell
Dr Christian Jessen
Lord Norman Fowler
Cliff Joannou, QX magazine
Susie Parsons, National AIDS Trust
Dr Rosemary Gillespie, Terrence Higgins Trust
Tris Reid-Smith, GayStarNews
Andrew Fraser, Attitude magazine
Elly Barnes, Educate and Celebrate
Rob Cookson, The Lesbian & Gay Foundation
Jane Czyzselska, DIVA magazine & BACP registered counsellor
Darren Scott, GT magazine
Benjamin Cohen, Pink News
Tom Doyle, Yorkshire MESMAC
Suran Dickson, Diversity Role Models
Mark Santos, Positive East
Dr Greg Ussher, Metro Charity
Lukasz Konieczka, Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre
Trevor Martin, Gaydar
Nik Noone, GALOP
Jay Stewart, Gendered Intelligence
Simon Topham, Millivres Prowler Group
Ruth Hunt, Stonewall
Simon Blake OBE, Brook
Stephen Coote, Gay Business Association
Tom Guy, Student Pride
Jess Wood MBE, Allsorts Youth Project
Sue Sanders and Tony Fenwick, LGBT History Month
Ellen Adams, Sexpression UK
#SameSexSRE
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
January 2, 2015
December 31, 2014
Reaching five hundred signatures is a significant marker of our collective resolve to demand better for our students. Please consider sending this link to three people who believe that every young person deserves an inclusive and informative education.
December 5, 2014
The feedback coming from educators across the country proves that many teachers are eager to provide this guidance but feel unsupported by the current curriculum. I am currently working to consolidate these experiences into a report for policy makers to show why this shift is necessary for student well being.
November 26, 2014
Reaching one hundred signatures is a meaningful milestone that confirms this conversation is necessary for our schools. It is heartening to see so many people acknowledge that inclusive education is a fundamental requirement for the well-being of young people.
Reached 100 supporters
November 23, 2014
155 Comments
Up to date and fully inclusive SRE which is age related and promotes understanding and tolerance is long overdue in our schools. As a a retired teacher I wish I had signed this earlier. Intolerance and homophobic bullying are sadly still an every day reality in our schools today.
My gay son and his peers had no attention paid to this subject at all in the Section 28 days and he was bullied mercilessly. It affected his whole life. That should never happen again for today's young people..
This is something I never received in school and spent a lot of time trying to find out for myself. I hope future generations of LGBT don't have to ask and search for what everyone else seems to just get given because they're assumed to be straight.
SRE appears to be poorly taught in many schools (particularly religious schools). LGBT SRE is non-existant (at least when I have spoken to YPs (in my role as an LGBT youth support worker) who are in, or have recently been in) education. In 2014 this is unacceptable.
The only mention back in the 1990's of Lesbian sex was that there was no age of consent was Queen Victoria didn't believe in it! That was in an all girls comprehensive! I can't we are in the same situation 20 years later!
Information about LGBTI sex and relationships is vital and ignorance is widespread. Everything I know about transgender and intersex people, I learned from the internet. This is unacceptable. LGBTI people exist in our society and in our classrooms and should be properly represented in our mainstream education.
I am also agree with Alyssa-May Mockett, its true in specially schools they assumed and portrait the thing how they want;
I am 100% agreed
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Up to date and fully inclusive SRE which is age related and promotes understanding and tolerance is long overdue in our schools. As a a retired teacher I wish I had signed this earlier. Intolerance and homophobic bullying are sadly still an every day reality in our schools today.