Majority of queer adults think LGBTQ identities should be taught in primary schools, report says
"It’s vital that all schools are LGBT+ inclusive for the sake of wellbeing" Just Like Us' CEO shares.
The majority of LGBTQ+ young adults believe children should learn about LGBTQ+ inclusion in primary school or nursery, a new report from Just Like Us details.
The charity’s latest report focuses on young people’s attitudes towards LGBT-inclusive education.
In the survey of 3,695 adults aged 18 to 25, 74% said children should learn about LGBTQ+ people in early education.
The breakdown of this data details that 44% of LGBTQ+ young adults think children should learn about LGBTQ+ identities.
30% said they should learn about the topic in pre-school or earlier.
Furthermore, more than a third (37%) of non-LGBTQ+ young adults said LGBTQ+ inclusive education should start in primary school or nursery.
LGBTQ+ inclusive education is already part of the curriculum and is taught in many primary schools across the country.
Government guidance recommends to primary and secondary schools they should celebrate diverse families.
Just Like Us runs a ‘School Diversity Week’ to help schools do this in an age-appropriate way.
Sadly, 18% of non-LGBTQ+ young adults said they thought children should never learn about LGBTQ+ people in school.
“It’s vital that all schools are LGBT+ inclusive for the sake of wellbeing.”
More optimistically, 28% believed LGBTQ+ inclusive education should be taught – 9% believed it should be discussed in preschool or earlier.
Non-binary young adults were the most likely to support the idea of children learning about LGBTQ+ identities. Gay men and those questioning their LGBTQ+ identity were least likely.
Interim CEO of Just Like Us, Amy Ashenden, shared it’s “unsurprising” young LGBTQ+ people wish inclusive education began earlier.
Ashenden furthermore notes silence leads to “shame and stigma.”
“Our previous research has shown that positive LGBT+ messaging in schools is linked to young people – whether they’re LGBT+ or not – being less likely to contemplate suicide and feeling safer at school, so it’s vital that all schools are LGBT+ inclusive for the sake of wellbeing.”
This data forms part of Just Like Us’ new report, Positive Futures, due to be published on 1 June.