Experiences of trans and gender diverse young people
Views on LGBTQ+ education
The young people we spoke to talked about their experience of being taught about LGBTQ+ issues and lives in school and made suggestions about how to improve the experience of school for trans and gender diverse pupils. In this section you can find young people talking about their experiences of:
- Education and LGBTQ+ lives
- Sex education
- Inclusive education initiatives
- Teacher training and useful resources
- Inclusive language and pronouns
- Tackling bulling and transphobia in educational settings
Education and LGBTQ+ lives
Young people had varied experiences of education that mentioned LGBTQ+ people and their lives. Most reported having no education that included mention of trans people. Reuben said he received ‘none [LGBTQ+ education] whatsoever’. Young people said that gay, lesbian and bisexual relationships came up briefly and in too little detail, while there was no discussion of gender identity.
Jacob said the only mention ‘was gay people have AIDS’*1. He said ‘That was all we heard. Nothing, nothing to support asexual people, pansexual, bisexual people, you know, LGBT at all.’ Summer and Declan were told that ‘gay people exist’. Freya said ‘It was kind of just like you’re maybe gay and it happens. It’s cool, nothing wrong with you. … But gender identity didn’t come up.’ Kat said that she had ‘one lesson in Year 7, one 50 minute lesson in which we were shown half of a film about a gay person and that has been it, I guess.’
Jacob talks about his experience of LGBTQ+ education ‘I didn’t get taught anything’.
Jacob talks about his experience of LGBTQ+ education ‘I didn’t get taught anything’.
I didn't get taught anything. Might, I mean, my school we had, we got taught sexual health, sex ed in year nine. And we had two separate things. We had one lesson on earlier on in the year, that might have been year eight. And then year nine we had a proper like month of it. But the first thing we ever got taught was a session—from our geography teacher of all people. And all it was, it was about gay people, it was gay people have AIDS. That was what we were taught. It was, you know, about the AIDS crisis and then when I thought I might be gay I started worrying, am I gonna get AIDS from being gay. Didn't realise that what they were saying. So they taught it wrong. And that's all we heard of LGBT the whole time. We had sex ed and it was just a guy and a girl do this and use contraception and don’t get pregnant and this is an ultrasound and this is this and, and then occasionally guys and guys and girls and girls get together sometimes. That was it. That was all we heard. Nothing, nothing to support asexual people, pansexual, bisexual people, you know, LGBT at all. Nothing. And I didn't find out anything about trans sexual health or you know, saying no to certain things due to dysphoria wasn't taught. I kind of learned the hard way about that. Like I said, I had an abusive girlfriend who would pressure me to do things I wasn't comfortable with that made me dysphoric. You know, and I wasn't taught that, you know, being trans you are able to say no you don't wanna take off your binder. You're able say, no, you don't wanna do this. I kind of wasn't taught about that. I wasn't taught about, you know, safety of this, that or the other. I wasn't taught about you know, two females having sex or two males having sex. I weren't taught on anything. I still feel like I've probably don't know enough but anything I have learned has been from YouTube videos where I've actually gone to the effort of thinking, actually, is there, is there advice for this and googled it. I've learned how to communicate with a partner like beforehand what I'm comfortable with and what I'm not. And I've been fortunate that any partners I've had since my abusive ex had been really nice people. So it was mostly her was the problem. But I think there's not enough information. Not enough information in schools but there's not enough information online. I've only ever come across a couple of bits here and there about sexual health for same-sex relationships or whatever. I mean, sometimes, when I'm looking at things that are purely about biological things, I look at AFAB things assigned female at birth, because technically for the time being that's what I would have to look at for sexual health advice. So I look at those that, there was no information about this, you know, the, that STDs and STIs can be passed between females or between males. I didn't, I didn't know that. And it was, it was a surprise when I found out that that was a thing. So, no, I haven't been taught enough and there isn't enough resources online for it.
Cas said ‘We don't actually talk about any issues surrounding gender. It's always male/female. There isn't any spectrum.’ He continued ‘there isn't any mention of trans. There isn't any mention of non-binary. The gender spectrum it’s always XY or XX. There isn't any in between. You don't even have intersex people which I think is very important to talk about, because they are valid.’
Bailey isn’t sure that a teacher would have the specialist knowledge to teach about LGBTQ+ issues.
Bailey isn’t sure that a teacher would have the specialist knowledge to teach about LGBTQ+ issues.
I didn’t like if, like if we were to have a lesson at school about it, I don't think, in the nicest way I don't think I'd care, because a teacher don't know anything about it. They're not specialised in it. They're not, it's not like if you’re an English teacher, you know what's what. You know this is, they don't know anything about it, so I wouldn't really care I’d be like “well, the half the stuff you are saying is probably irrelevant anyway and you probably have no idea what you're talking about. So I wouldn't really pay much attention, which I know sounds ridiculous, considering I'm in this position. But, I just, I wouldn't take any notice of it, because they are not trained in that, that's not their field, so I wouldn't really pay much attention.
Some people described seeking out education on LGBTQ+ lives from friends, online media and TV shows. Bailey said, ‘You learn more from the students than you do from the teachers.’ A said ‘I only picked up [LGBTQ+ education] by myself from the internet mostly.’ Cas said ‘I kind of self-taught myself about what LGBTQ+ was and what that community was.’ Evelyn talked about receiving one ‘Stonewall assembly’ during her education.
Young people and adults with experiences of school before 2003 reflected on the impact of Section 28*2 had on their school experiences. They said the absence of education and information on LGBTQ+ lives meant they relied on their own education and representations in the media.
Jack talks about his experience of LGBTQ+ education at school with ‘no mention of sexuality or transness’.
Jack talks about his experience of LGBTQ+ education at school with ‘no mention of sexuality or transness’.
Grew up in a very small town kind of, well it was quite a big local school but it was all like the surrounding towns and villages went to this one secondary school. There was no LGBTQ like education before secondary school and then at secondary school it was like in year 9 we got like a couple of lessons, we got one lesson that was like okay everyone here is some fake penis’s put some condoms on them but you have to hand all the condoms back in afterwards because the school board won’t let us give out condoms and, you know, won’t let anyone potentially keep a condom which is like gross because these were like condoms that have been unrolled and re-rolled down and unrolled and re-rolled down several times, you know, they were using the same condoms for like every class, it was gross but, you know, so like even if someone did want a condom I don’t think they would have taken one of those but, you know.
So yeah [laughter] and then I think we had one or two lessons that were like kind of just about sex but it was very, you know, penis in the vagina this is sex gay and lesbian kind of as terms were mentioned and I only remember this because I remember them teaching me like acknowledging well done because I knew that lesbian originated form Lesbos the island because of Sappho, is it Sappho the Greek poet but that was basically it was like yeah lesbians exist that when a woman loves a woman and, you know, they can have sex but they didn’t go into any sort of like that’s how, and here’s how sex might be same for gay men they kind of said yeah men can also love men and they didn’t really go any further than that.
So there was an acknowledgment that gay relationships can happen but there was no sort of mention of my sexuality, there was no mention of Transness and there was no sort of anything but penis and vagina sex, no sort of like, and even then it was kind of limited, you know, like wear a condom this is how it works, yeah it was mainly about, I think as well we had one other lesson which was on STI’s and why they’re terrible and why, you know, you shouldn’t have sex or if you do you should only be with certain people you love, you know, it wasn’t quite American Abstinence only teen because they did talk about condoms and stuff but it was quite limited and, yeah really didn’t go into detail on anything other than here’s how babies are made.
Bay had ‘absolutely nothing… my awareness and education has only come through my own journey and therefore educating myself’. Tori had no LGBTQ+ education at school, but instead figured things out for themselves by ‘watching TV and then there being like queer characters occasionally in like TV shows’. CJ reflected they ‘got all of my LGBTQ+ education from films, I’ll be honest.’ Noelle thought ‘most of what I learned about queer people, growing up was through TV shows and stuff, which usually weren’t that flattering.’
N reflects on their experience of LGBTQ+ education and the power of inclusive education.
N reflects on their experience of LGBTQ+ education and the power of inclusive education.
What’s been your experience of LGBT+ education growing up?
Well I mean I grew up in the time of section 28 so, [laughs] from none to terrible would be the answer.
I mean it was all of my, like relationships and sex education was about straight relationships. Straight, or cis straight sex. I should say. And relationships. I don’t remember ever, I don’t remember trans people ever being mentioned when I was at school. It, well, really in terms of the learning. I don’t remember that being like I can’t remember in history, politics through to sciences that ever being something. I think like there was may, the closest we got was maybe like hermaphrodite animals [laugh]. Exactly. And yeah like other LGB stuff, nah.
What would you like to say about the importance of LGBT+ education in schools?
I mean at the top line it can save lives. It can save lives in the immediate instance of affirming any queer or trans kids in the room. It can also save lives by providing information that protects LGBT+ people either, either like in terms of like sexual health and sexual information, or other bodily information or to give kind of like the confidence and awareness to avoid abusive relationships or be aware of abusive relationships and those sorts of things. But I think it can also normalise our experience among like in the UK in theory, I mean I know it’s not always true in practice but in theory everybody goes to school. If everybody went through that education system it would radically change the world for us potentially, if there was LGBT+ affirming sexual health and relationship information in education. And I think that it, I think that what I would caveat that with is that when we often talk about this we talk about, we talk about LGTB+ education, I know this isn’t what you’ve done but it’s often how it’s talked about in the world, as specific to sexual health. And like the medicalised side, side of being who we are, and then sometimes it’s talked about in terms of like the relationship element, or the kind of PHSE kind of classes. But I feel like there’s also the need for it to be woven through English classes or History classes or it needs to move out of like a specialised space into just part of life.
Sex education
People talked about their education of LGBTQ+ sex and relationships in sex education lessons, which many thought was poor. Rosa said ‘The sex education I got at secondary school was very cis [cisgender] and straight’. Jacob said ‘we had [sex education] and it was just a guy and a girl do this and use contraception and don’t get pregnant’. Patrick talked about the benefit of attending a trans youth group via a charity for learning ‘pretty much everything I know about sexual health’. He said the youth group ‘did sessions on it and it was all LGBT specific and super inclusive and able to actually give me relevant information for myself’.
Theo talks about his lack of sex education and poor introduction to trans identities.

Theo talks about his lack of sex education and poor introduction to trans identities.
I remember probably primary school, I knew about sex changes. There was a book, I think it was some sort of science book at my school and this, one of the kids picked it up during break time and was reading out a thing about it said something like, a man called, Bill had surgery and now Bill is a woman [laughs] which was not, didn’t say anything about her chosen name or dead named her and called her he and—not the best representation. So, I thought you can just sex change is just like somebody can just decide that they will go to have an operation and they become a woman but now they are still dead named and called he and that it’s a very, the textbook was very outdated.
Eel wishes there was more information available about sexual health for queer people.

Eel wishes there was more information available about sexual health for queer people.
I wish like schools or maybe even like in the GP’s office, it would be very helpful to like have posters or whatever information about like gay, or you know like sex that’s not just, Straight sex and less about erm like sex that’s not just a penis and a vagina like mashing together. And I wish there was more like information about the sexual health of queer people like no one, how do lesbians have safe sex? You know, how do like, there’s so many ways people can have sex. But like, you shouldn’t, the queer people shouldn’t like learn about it through experimentation where they could get an STD. They should be taught about it like I don't know, something like that.
Teacher training and useful resources
People thought formal training in schools should be empathetic and understanding of trans lives. Many felt teachers need to see the wider implications of understanding trans people. Some people encouraged staff to invite trans facilitators with lived experience to give talks to pupils. Kat said ‘There are so many charities who are willing to give talks to your students about being trans’. Jay said he would like to have ‘actual trans people come in and speak first-hand about their experiences’. People were also aware of useful resources shown on TV and online.
Tom and his mum share the story of the TV show that helped Tom come out at school.
Tom and his mum share the story of the TV show that helped Tom come out at school.
Tom: So I went in, and then they showed a video in class, and it was like I have quite high anxiety now, so this will make sense if I say that, and I remember they were showing a video about trans people, and then they were going to say, “So this is, [name] is doing this now,” And but they were like, “Do you want to be in the classroom when it’s doing it?” And I said, “Yeah.” And I was like, “I don’t know why,” look about, I was like why on earth did I say that? Like I’d be like no, get rid of it, other side of the school, now but yeah so I was, I think that’s one thing that I quite miss, because I was quite a confident kid when I was younger, and I feel like I’ve lost that recently, because of my anxiety, but yeah.
Tom’s mum: They showed the video what was it called, “My life.” The,
Tom: Yes
Tom’s mum: The BBC
Tom: It’s on CBBC. And it’s basically about my, it’s called “My Life,” and it basically just explains different kids’ stories, and there was this trans one and they basically showed that so it kind of relate with the kids.
Tom’s mum: It’s, it was really good. Because first of all the school were more than prepared to show it because it was a CBBC programme. So, they knew that it was suitable for their target audience. Second of all it explained…
Tom: Everything
Tom’s mum: It explained trans as you know, as a lifestyle, the fact that it wasn’t a choice, the you know how does it happen. It just really explained it really simple terms, that this isn’t a person choosing, “Oh I don’t fancy being a girl anymore, I want to be a boy,” but actually this is a feeling that you have always been this thing, and then it looked at the, talked to this lad about Leo, I think his name was about, it showed the transition process, talked to him about the issues that he had experienced, the things that were, that were helpful to him, and also it talked about blockers as well, didn’t it?
Tom: Yeah
Tom’s mum: And showed him, not actually showed him having a blocker injection, but showed sort of, they had discussion with Mum and, and Leo before the injection, then he goes off and has it done, then he comes out and talks about how it feels and things like that. And also, he got his passport, didn’t he?
Tom: Yeah.
Tom’s mum: In his new name, and things like that. So it was, it was just really a kind of holistic view from a kid’s perspective.
Tom: I and I was down in [city] and I wasn’t at the [organisation], I was at, what was it called [place],
Tom’s mum: [place]
Tom: And I was waiting in the waiting room, and I was, I saw him, but obviously we were both grown up a little bit, and I was with my Dad and I was like, “You know, you know that video that we showed everyone, that’s him.” And it was quite, it was quite nice to see, and he was sitting there with his girlfriend actually, well I guess they were, they were girlfriend and boyfriend, and it was just like really cool to see, cos he really helped me get through it. And it was really nice to see him.
Shash gives her advice to teachers, ‘educate yourself on trans issues [and be] affirming’.
Shash gives her advice to teachers, ‘educate yourself on trans issues [and be] affirming’.
When teachers and education staff oh, it’s, I mean I don’t know how, I mean I haven’t been in school for a while, so heaven knows how it is right now, but as far as I can say it’s just, make sure you use the pronouns and their preferred name when a kid says, do not disclose they’re trans, or sexuality, anything like that’s personal to them to their parents, because it’s illegal, it’s, would put them in risk, in possible danger. So it’s a safeguarding thing.
Another thing is just when, like especially for trans kids and stuff a teacher is sometimes the only form of like the only person they can talk to about things, and be, be ready to like signpost them if you can, if you’re not able to talk about some things or like treat them like they’re not wrong to be thinking the way they are, if that makes sense. Like they, like give them space, encourage them to like find people like them, I guess, if that make sense, like because the one of the most things that can be in school especially is that it can be so isolating when you’re like different from everyone else. And helping them find other people just like them, whether that be in staff or other pupils, if possible. It could make a world of difference for that kid.
And especially like, even if you don’t believe that, even if you don’t believe in trans, trans people or whatever, but like even if they’re hanging out with other trans people, like it means they do better in your class, surely that’s enough? Like if they will be a healthier and happier person, and as a teacher you should want that, and like, so trying to educate yourself on trans issues and being affirming and reject any of that Transgender Trend nonsense that you might get in the post or whatever, just get, get rid of that listen to trans people.
Inclusive education initiatives and training
People were keen to share positive initiatives and ideas for improving the experiences of trans and gender diverse pupils at school and the inclusion of trans lives in LGBT and sexual health education. This included tackling biases, doing independent research, keeping an open mind, supporting trans young people and not policing someone else’s identity. Reuben highlighted the importance of teachers ‘tackling [their own] prejudices and biases’ in the classroom. Tyra said teachers ‘should challenge themselves more and be aware of their own ingrained biases’. Tom’s key message was ‘be supportive’ of trans students. Max agreed and added to be open minded and not police trans identities ‘don’t put your opinions on it on like it’s not a time for your opinions at this point’.
It was important to some people that teachers improved their knowledge and understanding themselves rather than expecting young people to do this. M’s message to teachers was ‘do your research, if you care about supporting trans students, you shouldn’t ever put the onus on a trans child to explain to you how to deal with them.’ Tyra said ‘step out of your comfort zone speak up for people that can’t speak up for themselves.’ She suggested teachers ‘have the conversations… with your friends, with your peers’ and ‘take it outside of your work’.
Cas talks about his wishes for inclusive LGBTQ+ education.

Cas talks about his wishes for inclusive LGBTQ+ education.
If there is anything that I could suggest for trans healthcare in the future. It would be to basically improve education surrounding the subject to make it more inclusive for people who are trans to make it more inclusive for them in particularly science classes, talking about talking about kind of personal health. I know in year eleven biology you do a few things surrounding fertility, contraception, sex ed that kind of stuff but in that I do think we don't actually talk about any issues surrounding gender. It's always male/female. There isn't any spectrum. There isn't any mention of trans. There isn't any mention of non-binary. The gender spectrum it’s always XY or XX. There isn't any in between. You don't even have intersex people which I think is very important to talk about, because they are valid. They are existing as well. I think that should, I think that would help a few people if it was more inclusive in education. If they do actually talk about LGBT issues, trans issues in the classroom to help people who are struggling with identity or don't know how to bind or are confused about how with their partners if they wanted to have sex that kind of thing what to do that kind of stuff or kind of things like that.
People also wanted teaching about LGBTQ+ history and trans activists and role models. Cassie said she would like to see schools ‘talk about who Marsha P Johnson*3 was and why she’s important.’ She wanted schools to ‘talk about that varied and consistent existence of trans people throughout history’. Jack said ‘Teach LGBT history and acknowledge that queer people, LGBT people exist in your lessons even without knowing that you have a kid who is like somewhere within those identities like it’s okay to acknowledge that these people exist, it’s not Section 28 anymore, you know’.
M shares their hopes for inclusive education that ‘being queer or trans…is a non-issue’
M shares their hopes for inclusive education that ‘being queer or trans…is a non-issue’
What would you like to see changed around education?
Just that being queer or Trans or however you identify just isn’t, is a like a non-issue if you’re, if we’re teaching kids about like different family make-up’s not even just in sexual education because like being Trans or being queer or LGBT or whatever it’s not just about like sexuality it’s about how we live our lives it’s about especially queerness it’s about our beliefs it’s about like our rejection of different aspects of society. And so to just allow that to be a part of like when we think about families, when we think about people like when we think about just anything like that person might be queer, that person might be Trans and that’s just a part of life as oppose to like this addition or like this thing that’s only apparent in sexual education so yeah trying to break down an understanding of our identities as like these sexual things it’s just, we’re just living our lives [laughter].
Using inclusive language and pronouns
People highlighted the positive impact of good communication at school, especially getting their name and pronouns right. They spoke about appropriate systems, such as teachers being made aware of their new name and pronouns on electronic registers, and through effective reporting to relevant teachers. Declan highlighted the importance of having a system so that substitute teachers are aware of new names and pronouns. He advised ‘if a child asks to go by a different name in class, then even if you can’t change it on the system, let them’. He also said to ‘be mindful… to inform the substitute teacher because it can be really awkward trying to explain to a substitute teacher that your name on the register isn’t your actual name.’
Several people said they appreciated it when teachers themselves used pronouns. A, Eel and G felt that it was more inclusive when teachers took the initiative of giving their own name and pronouns at the beginning of school term. However, G also said it was important ‘not to make assumptions’ and to clarify with the pupil how they want to be referred to in different scenarios, such as with meetings of parents. Shash said to‘make sure you use the pronouns and their preferred name when a kid says. Do not disclose they’re trans, or sexuality, anything like that’s personal to them to their parents. She said it could possibly ‘put them in risk, in possible danger’.
H talks about all the changes he would like to see for trans gender diverse young people at school.
H talks about all the changes he would like to see for trans gender diverse young people at school.
Ok so obviously from my situation, I've never, I didn't grow up in that sort of scenario. So obviously I came out long after school. But I think what I'd say, a bit of advice is it just depends on the person. Just obviously have that open communication because not everyone will be as open as myself, especially kids. I mean actually kids these days they seem quite open from what I'm seeing and you know I really admire that because I wish I had the strength to do that when I was that age.
I mean obviously it's just about working together and you know respecting the boundaries. I mean there is, there is cases of you know people in the same-sex schools coming out as trans and obviously they can't change school. And you know it's just about making that person feel comfortable and you know just completely respecting that boundary. Because you know kids can be cruel but I feel like this generation they're a little bit lucky because even though you know it's still a bit it of a stigma at the moment for us older lot. I mean from what I know, you know kids are more, they're more open and more accepting these days. So I think most people you know in the younger generations, they know of at least one person that's trans which is really good. That people are being open and you know more, more open to just speaking about it. Whereas you know it was a taboo before.
So yeah I think the main thing is just respecting that person's boundaries and you know with things like pronouns, things like that. Just give kids the space to kind of express themselves because you know there are people who have identified as trans and then they’ve either detransitioned or they've decided it’s not for them. So I mean a lot of the issues are not enough resources being available so providing education about, you know, not just obviously trans but the whole LGBT community as a whole. Because you know there’s a lot of parents who are you know, they’re stuck in the old ways and really against it. And I just think to myself, hold on a minute like this is real life, like why would you shield, the worst thing to do is to shield, try and shield someone from what is real life because this is when you get people who grow up a bit broken, you know ashamed to be who they are, which causes a lot of problems.
Like with myself, I can honestly and openly say that being suppressed you know for a long time has caused me a lot of problems. It causes a lot of problems in my adult life, in terms of how I am in relationships, you know just my sort of attitude towards things. So you know the best thing you can do is just let kids express themselves. Because at the end of the day they are you know their own person and you know it's a hard pill to swallow that one day these people are going to be adults, they're going to be adults. They are their own people so let people express themselves whether it's sexuality or gender. If they want to wear you know whatever clothes they want to wear or you know experiment with whoever they want to experiment. Just let people do it, like I just don't understand why people have such a big problem about who people, you know who people romantically like or how people feel inside. But yeah it's just about kind of going at that person in particular’s pace and that applies not just to trans people but to all of the LGBT community as well.
A shares inclusive strategies for teachers using names and pronouns.

A shares inclusive strategies for teachers using names and pronouns.
I’ve actually seen some really cool things that teachers do. So I’ve seen some classes where like on the first day of school when you meet the teacher, they’ll give everyone a sheet which is like sort of introduce yourself to the teacher like sheet and it’ll be like, ‘What’s your name that you’re enrolled at in school but like what’s your preferred name? Can I use this name in front of friends, in front of your parents, that kind of thing?’ And then I think that’s just a really, really cool thing to do because it’s like also respecting like that people might not be out as well. Yeah, I can’t think of anything else.
Tackling bullying and transphobia
Many of the young people said that tackling transphobia and bullying at school should be a key initiative for schools and teachers. Some talked about negative experiences they had with teachers. Theo said that when asked about trans people in biology a teacher described it as a ‘mutation’. Jacob said ‘the only transphobia I faced was actually from my English teacher who refused to call me my chosen name and pronouns no matter how many times I explained.’
Loges gave the advice to teachers that ‘if you do hear any transphobic comments or anything just like make sure the person who they were said to is okay and ask if they want it to be reported and make sure it is reported.’ Tom said he hoped that teachers would, ‘be better at identifying and [have the] confidence to tackle homophobic, biphobic, transphobic language in schools.’ Henry wanted teachers to, ‘actively challenging transphobia when you see it, both in school and out of school.’
Declan advises teachers to ‘look out for gender based bullying’ at school.
Declan advises teachers to ‘look out for gender based bullying’ at school.
To teachers I would say if a child asks to be, to go by a different name in class then even if you can’t change it on the system let them and be mindful of this if they’ve told you to keep doing it and if there’s a substitute inform the substitute teacher because it can be really awkward trying to explain to a substitute teacher that your name on the register isn’t your actual name. But also be mindful about pronouns and also be mindful that trans individuals can be more at risk of bullying and to be on the lookout for like gender based bullying a lot more and to maybe offer like a safe space for them to go at lunch if they’re experiencing it really badly.
Anderson shares their advice for teachers to act with ‘understanding and compassion’ and ‘fight’ for trans kids.

Anderson shares their advice for teachers to act with ‘understanding and compassion’ and ‘fight’ for trans kids.
There’s nothing more valuable than your time. If a child or a young person ever came to you with a problem or an issue where they felt alone, I think they should always have time. They should always have time for that person to just listen to them. Being heard, being acknowledged, it doesn’t even necessarily need advice in a situation like that, you know. It’s just understanding and compassion. Young people are humans who haven’t been here for that long, and it’s really mean to assume that they should know everything about how to navigate it.
We’ve put them in a world where we don’t even know what we’re doing, and we pretend that we do and we tell them that we do, and then when they grow up and get to our age they realise youse was all chatting bare shit, you don’t know anything, and I’ve ruined my whole life in order to get to a place that is arbitrary and kind of random cos it was decided by somebody who is also just making it the fuck up. So telling young people that we’re making it up, but we’re doing our best and we’re not trying to harm people, teaching them in a way that makes sense, like I said to you before the people who are role models to me were the people who empowered me, who gave me a voice, who gave me language in order to speak about this stuff. Like if a kid comes to you with this kind of shit and needs to talk to someone and they don’t have the language themselves, don’t give them terrible language, go away and learn for yourself and come back and speak to them about it. Like give them options in order to think about it.
And be aware of parents, if you are a teacher and you’re in this position, it’s very scary and very daunting to know what to do, so do your research, find out what legally you are allowed to say to people, and if it comes to services, like go and look at services. Like I know Barnardo’s offer good trans healthcare for young people, and like I said Mermaids and stuff do work with parents and teachers and schools. Like kids coming out in schools, getting bullied, it’s, if it’s something that you wouldn’t want to happen to your own kid, and you would fight on behalf of them in order for them to live safely and comfortably, even if you don’t see it fit, you should do it you know, like look out for those people.
See also:
The impact of media coverage and strategies for self-care
*1 HIV and AIDS was first identified in the early 1980s. The LGBT foundation suggest “a lot of social stigma around HIV remains, despite effective treatment making HIV a very manageable condition. Regular testing to know your status is the best way to combat HIV transmission, and early diagnosis and treatment insures that a person living with HIV will become undetectable and will not transmit the virus” (LGBT Foundation, 2021).
** Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 banned local authorities and schools from ‘promoting homosexuality’ or ‘publishing material with the intention of promoting homosexuality’. It was repealed in England and Wales in September 2003. (Stonewall, 2021).
*** Marsha P. Johnson was a trans-rights activist who played a significant role in important moments for the LGBTQ+ movement, such as the Stonewall protests (BBC, 2020- newsround Pride Month: Who was Marsha P. Johnson). Jenkins, A., (2019). Power to the People: The Stonewall Revolution. QED: A Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking, 6(2), pp.63-68.