Breaking Down Barriers: Engaging the Whole School Community in Work to Promote LGBTQIA+ Equality

With LGBT History Month upon us, many schools will be looking at ways to celebrate and strengthen their commitment to LGBTQIA+ equality. However, schools can also be worried about resistance from parents and carers, pupils and even members of staff. This fear can sometimes prevent leaders from undertaking initiatives. Below we have outlined some steps that schools can take to engage the whole school community and unite people in supporting this vital work.

Consistently Showcase Your Commitment to Equality for Everyone

Regularly take opportunities to reinforce the fact that you are a diverse and inclusive school and that you tackle prejudice and celebrate differences in ethnicity, religion, abilities, gender and sexual orientation to ensure that all members of the school community feel a sense of belonging, safety and ability to succeed.

Ensure that the school’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion is clear, visible and regularly communicated. For example, in home-school agreements, on the school website and visually throughout the school environment. Make certain that your anti-bullying policy, disciplinary policy and staff code of conduct include expectations with regards to promoting equality and not engaging in discrimination or harassment.

Be Open and Transparent

Sometimes schools are tempted to undertake work under the radar and not inform parents and carers. This can lead to a problem when the young people go home and share the topics with parents and carers who then approach the school angry that they were not informed.

Instead, it is important to share the school’s commitment to LGBTQIA+ equality up front. Share information about the lessons or activities which will be undertaken as part of this, and create opportunities for open dialogue. Make sure that you treat everyone with respect and listen to people’s concerns but remain firm. Being clear that this is a legal duty that the school must comply with and that this work reflects that values and ethos of the school are important tools.

Address Misinformation

Much resistance to work to promote LGBTQIA+ equality in school is based on misinformation. People can mistakenly believe that materials will not be age appropriate, that the discussion will be about sex or anatomy, or will somehow promote being gay, lesbian or transgender to young people.

Provide parents and carers with the opportunity to visit the school, review the materials that will be used, and discuss any concerns with a member of staff. Creating factsheets and/or myth-busters to share via newsletters and the school website can also be useful.

You can also engage staff members, parents, and carers as advocates for LGBTQIA+ equality within the community, empowering them to identify and challenge misinformation when it is shared. These allies may also provide different perspectives and highlight issues that the Senior Leadership Team has not identified.

Often when people learn that the conversation is not about sex or anatomy, but treating each other with respect and creating a school environment that is inclusive for everyone, their concerns are allayed.

Ensure That Staff Delivering Lessons or Assemblies on LGBTQIA+ Equality Are Trained and Confident

Sometimes, there may also be resistance from young people to this work. It is vital that staff who are delivering lessons on LGBTQIA+ equality have a strong commitment to equality and have a broad knowledge base to build young people’s awareness. Ground rules should be established to allow conversations to take place in a safe space and staff must feel equipped to respond effectively to any stereotypes, misinformation and prejudice expressed during the lesson.

Challenge All Incidents of Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia

Create a school culture where homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia are not tolerated. Sometimes, schools allow comments such as ‘that’s so gay’ to go unchallenged, believing they are too low-level to warrant a response. However, when these behaviours go unchallenged, they create an unsafe environment for young people who are gay or have same-sex family members, allowing incidents to escalate.

When schools consistently recognise, record, and respond to all incidents, they see a dramatic reduction in occurrences, as young people understand the harms of these behaviours and the consequences of engaging in them. Some schools have successfully created scripts to ensure all staff feel equipped to challenge these incidents effectively. When expectations are clear, resistance from young people to promoting LGBTQIA+ equality is reduced.

Empower Young People to be Agents for Change

Provide young people with the opportunity and resources to develop skills, knowledge, and confidence to empower them to be active citizens and implement initiatives to challenge homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying and promote LGBTQIA+ equality. Peer educators can have a greater impact in changing attitudes among young people because they communicate in understandable ways and are positive role models. They can also identify problems that school staff may be unaware of and devise creative and impactful solutions that effect meaningful change.

Embed LGBTQIA+ Equality Throughout the Year

Ultimately, it is important to be consistent and patient. Overcoming resistance and changing attitudes takes time. Engage as many people in the school community as possible in driving this work forward and use LGBT History Month as a springboard to drive this work forward every week of the year. Ensure LGBTQIA+ equality is embedded in school policies and procedures; feature LGBTQIA+ people in all areas of the curriculum; invite LGBTQIA+ people into school as external speakers and workshop leaders; and showcase the positive impact that being an inclusive school has on everyone.

EqualiTeach provides training and consultancy services for businesses, local authorities, schools and education settings throughout the UK. If you would like support with promoting LGBTQIA+, please contact us.