George Galloway doesn’t believe in LGBTQ-inclusive education: ‘The human race would no longer exist if it was normal’
"I don't want my children prematurely sexualised" the MP says
George Galloway has said he doesn’t believe in LGBTQ-inclusive education because he doesn’t want his children “prematurely sexualised”.
The MP for Rochdale, elected in a February 2024 by-election after the death of Labour’s Tony Lloyd, made the comments in an interview with Novara Media, published on Wednesday 1 May 2024.
The leader of the Workers Party of Britain added in the interview that gay relationships are not “equal” to mixed sex ones.
LGBTQ-inclusive ‘Relationships and Sex Education’ (RSE) has been statutory in English schools since September 2020. All secondary schools must teach about sexual orientation and gender identity, while primary schools must teach about LGBTQ families.
“The human race would no longer exist if it was normal” – George Galloway
Asked by interviewer Aaron Bastani what he doesn’t like that’s taught to children in schools, Galloway responded: “I don’t want my children prematurely sexualised at all. I don’t want them taught that some things are normal when their parents don’t believe that they’re normal.”
The 69-year-old continued: “There’s lot of things not normal. Doesn’t mean you have to hate something that isn’t normal. But if my children are taught, whatever the current vogue number is, 76, or 97, whatever the number, of purported genders that exist, I don’t want my children taught that.”
“Three of my children go to a Catholic school in Scotland, so they have some protections for the moment,” the 69-year-old said. “My other two school children are taught in England things that I don’t want them to be taught.”
Asked for examples, Galloway said: “That gay relationships are exactly the same and as normal as a mum, a dad and kids. I want my children to be taught that the normal thing in Britain, in society, across the world, is a mother, a father and a family.”
“I want them to be taught that there are gay people in the world, and that they must be treated with respect and affection, as I treat my own gay friends and colleagues with respect and affection,” he added. “But I don’t want my children to be taught that these things are equal, because I don’t believe them to be equal.
“The human race would no longer exist if it was normal. It would be the end of humanity over a couple of generations.”
According to research cited by Stonewall, ‘most of the British public think it’s right for teachers at primary school to talk positively about different families, including LGBTQ+ families.’
Last year, Attitude reported how Castleton Primary School, in Glasgow, became the first in Scotland to offer a fully inclusive LGBT education across the curriculum.
Last year, in an interview with Attitude, Oscar-winning actor and Stonewall co-founder Sir Ian McKellen said he feared a return of Section 28, the Thatcher-era policy banning discussion of homosexuality in schools and other local authorities.
“I hope it’s too late now, and that schools have reversed and follow the law. And do not discriminate on the grounds of sexuality,” he said. “That’s the law of the land. But I suppose that law could be tweaked. And that would be dreadful.”
He went on: “I think governments who will now try to change things, put things in reverse will find it very difficult. I think there would be revolution in the streets, frankly.”
This week, a spokesperson for sex education charity Sexpression UK also warned of a “scary” return to Section 28.
Daniel Harding told Attitude: “It’s quite scary. People need to access this information and the fact that we could go backward especially where this information is protecting people. We talk about consent, we talk about sexual health, and if it’s restricted then you’re affecting people’s lives in a way that could endanger them.”