When it comes to education:

• Nearly half (46%) of LGBT+ Students report not feeling safe at school, despite this funding for anti-LGBT+ bullying programs has been cut.  
• LGBT+ students are twice as likely to have been bullied compared to cisgender, heterosexual peers.
• 68% of LGBT+ young people say they’ve experienced suicidal thoughts and feelings, rising to 89% for Black LGBT+ young people.

Funding cuts across the board means the education sector is ill equipped to support LGBTIQA+ students within schools, with poor mental health having knock-on detrimental impacts on educational achievement.

As the world sees itself having emerged from a series of lockdowns that have placed further pressure on marginalised communities, now more than ever it is important to foster an environment where learners feel free to talk about themselves – their identities and personal lives, to develop friendship and be their authentic selves, to make meaningful connections with their classmates and peers. If that is not created, then this is very likely to hinder their learning experience and prevent them from achieving their full potential and success within theeducation sector. 

In the recent blog by Pearson ‘The Impact Will Last a Lifetime’ on LGBTIQA+ inclusion in the classroom, we examined the importance of LGBTIQA+ inclusion holistically and across all subjects within all curriculum areas. 

In this piece we are looking at the importance of consistency throughout the year.

Why we should fly a progress flag in the classroom, all year round?

It’s important for young LGBTIQA+ persons to feel supported and seen in the classroom all year round and whilst marking
LGBT+ History Month and Pride are important, research shows that having consistent visibility and representation benefits mental health, promote better self-worth and confidence.

The report, Growing Up LGBT+, found that pupils whose schools had positive messaging about being LGBT+ also had reduced suicidal thoughts and feelings – regardless of whether they are LGBT+ or not.

74% of LGBT+ pupils who have never had positive messaging from their school about being LGBT+ have contemplated suicide, but this drops to 65% when their school provides strong positive messaging about being LGBT+.

Non-LGBT+ pupils also benefit from LGBT+ inclusion in school – 33% of non-LGBT+ pupils who have never had positive messaging at school have contemplated suicide, but this drops to 28% when there is strong positive messaging in their school.

When should we celebrate LGBTIQA+ lives?

LGBTIQA+ lives must be celebrated intersectionally all year round, here are some of the same dates that can be made visible throughout the year.

Being LGBTIQA+ is an integral part of one’s identity and small changes can have long lasting impacts "You cannot be what you cannot see". This quote by Marian Wright Edelman highlights the crucial importance of visibility and representations in the classroom throughout the year. 

February - LGBT+ History Month (UK)

14th February - Valentine's Day - celebrate all relationships

21st February - Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week

March - Bisexual Health Awareness Month

1st March -  Zero Discrimination Day

8th March - International Women's Day - celebrate ALL women

31st March - International Transgender Day Of Visibility

April

6th April - Asexuality Day (the first was celebrated in 2021!)

26th April - International Lesbian Visibility Day

May

17th May - IDAHOBLIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Lesbophobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia)

19th May - Agender Pride Day24th May Pansexual & Panromantic Visibility Day

June - Pride Month

5th June - HIV Long-Term Survivor’s Awareness Day

28th June - Stonewall Riots Anniversary

July

6th July - Omnisexual Visibility Day

11th -17th July - Non-Binary Awareness Week 

14th July - International Non-Binary Day

16th July - International Drag Day

August

14th August - Gay Uncle Day

September

16th – 22nd - September Bisexual Awareness Week 

23rd September - Bisexual Visibility Day

October - Black History Month (UK) - celebrate LGBTIQA+ People of Colour LGBT+ History Month (USA) 

11th October - National Coming Out Day

20th October - International Pronoun Day

24th October - Asexual Awareness Week

26th October - Intersex Awareness Day

November - Trans Awareness Month

6th November - Transgender Parent Day

8th November - Intersex Day of Remembrance

13th – 19th -  November Trans Awareness Week

20th November - Transgender Day of Remembrance

December

1st December - World AIDS Day (HIV and AIDS affect everyone not just the LGBTIQA+ community, ensure everyone is represented)

8th December - Pansexual Pride Day

10th December - Human Rights Day

Find out more about what can be done in the classroom with ‘LGBTIQA+ inclusion in the classroom’

 

Join Pearson’s sponsored Pride in Education conference on Saturday 25th June

This year we are welcoming the founders of LGBT+ History Month - in the UK, Professor Sue Sanders and in the USA, Rodney Wilson. The conference offers a range of live panel discussions, presentations and workshops and looks at super diverse identities and the necessity of intersectionality.

Face-to-face delegates will also be able to browse the stalls, buy resources for their schools or commission further training.

The earlier sessions focus on the UK contexts and the later part of the day have contributions from
international contributors.

The event finishes with a networking reception with a bar and entertainment with the LGBT+ Poet Laureate Trudy Howson, Poet PJ Samuels, Blouse the Drag Queen and Mz Kimberley.

Further Event Details:

Saturday 25th June 2022, 09:30 - 18:00, evening reception until 22:30

The conference is sponsored by Pearson UK, and are offering a 20% discount on ticket prices when using the discount code ‘Pearson’ on when using this link to book your tickets.