Scotland‘s schools will offer LGBT+ history as it becomes the first nation in the world to add the struggle for equality in the LGBT+ community on its curriculum.
The EdinburghLive website is reporting that from 2021, schools in Scotland will teach LGBT+ history in its schools and include subjects surrounding equality and identity.
Deputy First Minister and Education Secretary John Swinney said “Scotland is already considered one of the most progressive countries in Europe for LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex] equality.
“I am delighted to announce we will be the first country in the world to have LGBTI inclusive education embedded within the curriculum.”
Across age groups and subjects
It is hoped that lessons will be taught to a wide variety of age groups and across various subjects. The lessons will tackle inequalities faced by LGBT+ people as well as homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
Rising Homophobia
Although Scotland may be leading the way in bringing much-needed education on LGBT issues, statistics released in 2020 from the Hate Crime In Scotland report showed that charges in relation to homophobic hate crime increased by 5 per cent in the 2018/19 period compared to the year before.
Meanwhile, transphobic hate crimes in the same period had decreased by 23 per cent.
The rest of the UK?
In England, lessons taught under the “No outsiders” banner to Primary school-aged children, which included LGBT+ elements were met with a huge backlash in England last year.
Parents removed hundreds of children from at least two schools after they said they had not been informed or consulted about the lessons.
The lessons led to mass protests outside the primary schools. Eventually, the protesters were banned from demonstrating outside schools. In November 2019, a judge ruled that parents, mainly from an Islamic background, but included members from other religious backgrounds, would not be able to protest outside a school in Birmingham.
