6. Education, LGBTQI+ people, and gender norm change

Note: These questions are an introduction to the full chapter on Education, LGBTQI+ people, and gender norms which is available in the pdf download.

How do gender norms affect LGBTQI+ people?

Gender norms are the implicit and informal rules that describe how we are expected to behave as a result of the way we or others identify our gender. In most contexts, there are unspoken assumptions that most people are heterosexual (straight) and cisgender (having the same gender identity as you were assigned at birth). And in fact, this is the case – LGBTQI+ people are a minority in terms of numbers. But it isn’t just about numbers of individuals. The expectation, or social norm, of heterosexuality structures how societies work. For example, boys and girls are separated into different changing rooms at school because it is assumed that they are heterosexual and thus won’t mind undressing around people of the same sex. Further, societies are often structured around the gender binary, the idea that there are only two genders (male and female) that are complementary or opposite to each other. Norms of heterosexuality and the gender binary can marginalise those who do not conform to these rules. 

Because societies expect people to be heterosexual and cisgender, LGBTQI+ people are often seen as challenging social norms and gender norms. For lesbian, bisexual and gay people, this is because they break the gender norm of heterosexuality. For trans, queer, and intersex people, this is because they break the norm of the gender binary. This often leads to discrimination and harassment as a form of punishment or social sanction for breaking the rules. For more information on gender norms and LGBTQI+ people, see the 2019 ALIGN guide.

Why does intersectionality matter?

Intersectional analysis explains how systems of power, like racism, patriarchy, sexism, and ableism, overlap to create deepened forms of oppression for certain people. LGBTQI+ young people, who already experience discrimination because of their gender or sexuality, may experience even greater marginalisation or oppression if they are also from a minority ethnic group, religion, class, or caste or live with disabilities. For example, in schools in many white-majority countries, gendered stereotypes and biases about black children make teachers have lower expectations and harsher treatment for them. For LGBTQI+ black young people, school experiences can be even more exclusionary. In the US, a study showed black LGBQ+ students felt like their identities were less valued, and they felt less safe at school, than non-black LGBQ+ students. Intersectionality is a way to help analyse the experiences of LGBTQI+ young people at school, by taking into account their multiple identities. Young people who hold multiple marginalised identities are likely to do less well at school and face challenges including discrimination.

Approaches to improve LGBTQI+ people’s school experiences need to understand intersectional oppression. Programmes must consider how different groups of young people experience discrimination related to their gender identity or sexual orientation, and adapt their approaches accordingly. This might include using local terms for sexualities and genders, making sure programmes and support are accessible for people with physical, mental, and learning needs, and low-cost for those who come from a low-income background. Curricula should be accessible and meaningful to diverse groups, and teachers should address their own implicit biases in their teaching.

How does anti-LGBTQI+ discrimination happen in schools?

Schools and education systems, like other parts of society, often support the gender binary, for example through gendered dress codes and different bathrooms for boys and girls, or by depicting men and women in stereotypical roles in textbooks. They might also, formally and informally, reinforce an expectation of heterosexuality in their students, for example if they only teach about heterosexual relationships in the sex education curriculum, and if students replicate norms of heterosexual relationships among themselves. 

LGBTQI+ students are often seen as ‘different’ from the ‘norm’, which can result in bullying, and sometimes, violence. It is mostly from other students but sometimes also teachers; sometimes as an act of aggression or discrimination but also through failures to intervene or stand up for people. Bullying at school is an extremely common experience for LGBTQI+ people, and those perceived to be LGBTQI+. The United Nations Free and Equal Campaign for LGBTQI+ rights estimates that 45% of LGBT young people worldwide have been bullied at school. Bullying takes the form of insults and name-calling, homophobic remarks, and negative comments about how they express their gender or sexuality. A small number of people are physically or sexually assaulted. Young people who do not conform to local gendered expectations, like boys who wear makeup, or girls who like playing sports, experience high levels of bullying. Sometimes young people avoid school because they feel unsafe or because they are experiencing bullying, and sometimes they drop out altogether. Anti-LGBTQI+ discrimination leads to absenteeism, struggling to focus, poor academic achievement, and poor mental health. Reports of anxiety, fear, isolation, and thoughts of self-harm are extremely common among LGBTQI+ young people experiencing bullying. 

Schools have a responsibility to protect their students, but schools are not always inclusive or supportive of LGBTQI+ rights. A study in seven countries in Latin America found that up to 80% of students had heard teachers make homophobic remarks and negative remarks about gender expression. Schools might reinforce discriminatory gender norms and heterosexuality, or at least, fail to act on discriminatory behaviours.

What role do teachers play in maintaining or transforming gender norms?

Teachers have many roles, from teaching, to upholding a school’s values and discipline system, to advocating for change and providing pastoral support to individual students. Teachers can both maintain and transform gender norms in their schools. 

Teachers transmit local gender norms to their students by what they teach and how they teach. Because both teachers and students are members of the local community, they most likely replicate the local culture’s norms in educational spaces. Teachers are also limited by what is set in the curriculum, what is expected of them by school management, and their personal beliefs about gender and sexuality. Even if LGBTQI+ content is included in the official curriculum, some teachers may choose to skip it if they feel uncomfortable about it, are opposed to it, or if they do not feel well-equipped to answer questions. UNESCO’s worldwide review of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) shows that is it very common for teachers to be poorly trained on sexuality education and struggle to provide accurate information, even if they are supportive of LGBTQI+ rights. Poor delivery of sexuality education perpetuates gender stereotypes and reinforces restrictive gender norms. 

It is important to invest in teacher capacity and confidence to deliver inclusive curricula and address anti-LGBTQI+ bullying. This requires including positive LGBTQI+ content in pre-service training and continuing professional development, to help teachers develop supportive personal attitudes and teaching strategies, and training on how to deal with discriminatory norms in their classrooms. UNICEF suggest that the most important first step is for teachers to examine their own beliefs about gender and sexuality and the norms they, perhaps unknowingly, reinforce in the classroom. Sweden, for example, has tried a ‘norm critical’ approach for in-service training, which examines how and why norms determine who is ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ and encourages staff to reflect on discrimination and difference. 

Teachers who support LGBTQI+ rights can be transformative role models for young people. They can show acceptance of diversity and combat discrimination. They may be able to influence their students positively through their actions and allyship even where LGBTQI+ topics are not on the curriculum. Hiring LGBTQI+ people as teachers is part of making a change towards acceptance of diversity; a national survey in the US by GLSEN in 2016 found that LGBTQI+ educators were more likely to support LGBTQI+ students than non-LGBTQI+ teachers.

What role does education have in supporting LGBTQI+ inclusive gender norms?

It is possible that schools can support norms change towards acceptance of sexual and gender diversity, given their pivotal role in shaping the attitudes and behaviours of young people. Reports from Stonewall, an LGBTQI+ organisation in the UK, show that, between 2007 and 2017, the number of lesbian, gay and bisexual pupils bullied because of their sexual orientation fell by almost a third, and the number of schools who say this bullying is wrong nearly trebled. Changes in attitudes and beliefs can contribute to long-term norm change. By encouraging critical thinking, challenging gender stereotypes, and providing opportunities to practise equality, education has the potential to transform gender norms. However, changing norms to become more inclusive of sexual and gender diversity is a long-term process, and there is very little research testing whether efforts in schools have contributed to norm change. Schools have been able to improve inclusivity and acceptance through strong anti-bullying policies, school-wide approaches to address gender inequality, support networks, and affirmative action, but it is not clear to what extent schools’ work has changed deeper unequal gender norms. 

Which education policies can support LGBTQI+ inclusion in schools?

• Wider legal support at national and international level to protect and promote LGBTQI+ rights.
• Inclusive school policies, like gender-neutral dress codes.
• Proactive anti-bullying policies that specifically prohibit discrimination against LGBTQI+ people; including robust reporting and consequences. 
• Positive coverage and representation of sexual and gender diversity and LGBTQI+ identities in the curriculum.
• Training for staff on supporting LGBTQI+ students; respecting LGBTQI+ rights; recognising and preventing anti-LGBTQI+ bullying; and teaching inclusive sex education. 
• Targeted support for students experiencing bullying, such as counselling and peer support groups.
• Guidance for all families on preventing bullying and creating safer home environments for LGBTQI+ young people. 
• LGBTQI+ community organisations can provide tailored local advice on improving school environments; offer training; deliver educational sessions to students; and advise on inclusive curricula. 
• Reporting, monitoring, and accountability on anti-LGBTQI+ discrimination.