One in five LGBT teachers outed at school

A third of LGBT teachers report a negative reaction to their sexual orientation or gender identity at school, poll shows

More than one in five LGBT teachers say they have been outed at school, according to a survey.

The negative experience of LGBT teachers and pupils is among the findings revealed today in a national survey of LGBT people in the UK published by the Government Equalities Office (GEO).

Overall, a third of LGBT teachers questioned have had a negative reaction to their sexual orientation or gender identity at school, with 6 per cent saying they had been excluded from events or activities.

Almost one in 10 (9 per cent) said the most serious incidents were perpetrated by colleagues.

The vast majority (77 per cent) said that they did not discuss either sexual orientation or gender identity at school.

The survey, conducted last year to develop a better understanding of the experiences of LGBT people in the areas of health, education and personal safety, also found that 19 per cent of LGBT students and teachers had experienced verbal harassment, insults or other hurtful comments in education.

The stark findings were published alongside the announcement of a £4.5 million pot to deliver a 75-point action plan.

This includes a pledge to fund more schemes to tackle homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools amidst evidence of discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in education.

A government anti-homophobic, anti-biphobic and anti-transphobic bullying £3 million programme is already underway and will reach more than 1,200 schools in England by March 2019, said the GEO.

Tackling anti-LGBT bullying
The Department for Education will work with the GEO to understand how best to support schools to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying and how to continue this programme of work “in a sustainable way through the school curriculum and policies in the medium and to long term".

It will add further funding from March 2019 to March 2020 and consider further projects to tackle bullying in further and higher education institutions.

Other measures include supporting LGBT teachers “to be themselves at work and improve the diversity of the teaching profession".

Prime minister Theresa May said the survey findings had "shone a light" on the many areas where the government can improve the lives of LGBT people.

“I was struck by just how many respondents said they cannot be open about their sexual orientation or avoid holding hands with their partner in public for fear of a negative reaction," she said. "No one should ever have to hide who they are or who they love.

“This LGBT action plan will set out concrete steps to deliver real and lasting change across society, from health and education to tackling discrimination and addressing the burning injustices that LGBT people face.”

The 75 commitments also include a promise to end “the abhorrent practice” of conversion therapy, after the survey showed that 2 per cent of respondents have undergone conversion therapy and a further 5 per cent had been offered it. Other measures include appointing a national adviser to reduce inequality for LGBT people.

Russell Hobby, chief executive of Teach First, said: "Teachers up and down the country are stepping up to address the prejudices that still exist, and we are proud of our part in these efforts.

"We see more numbers of LGBT+ people stepping into classrooms through Teach First each year, and they are amongst those driving the change that is needed.

“However, we at Teach First and all of society have a lot more to do until equality is reached. Teachers are at the heart of making sure that today’s prejudices will be no more than tomorrow’s history lessons. And so we will continue to recruit more fantastic teachers, place them where the need is greatest, and ensure that we celebrate diversity in all walks of life."

Just over a million people (2 per cent) of the UK population aged 16 or over have a minority sexual orientation, according to the Office of National Statistics, and the GEO estimates that between 200,000 and 500,000 people living in the UK are transgender.

Ruth Hunt, chief executive of Stonewall, welcomed the fact that the government had listened. “These findings reflect what many LGBT people already know, that there’s still a long way to go until we reach full equality."

She added: “We now need people in all of Britain’s communities to also come out for LGBT equality and to stand up against the hate and abuse we face daily."

The survey received more than 108,000 responses, of which 61 per cent identified as gay or lesbian, 26 per cent as bisexual and a small number as pansexual (4 per cent) – not limited in sexual choice or gender identity – and asexual (2 per cent). In terms of gender identity, 13 per cent were transgender.