Scotland's LGBT-Inclusive Education: What Schools Teach and Why

Originally published 2020-05-20.

In November 2018 the Scottish Government said it would make LGBT-inclusive education part of the curriculum in every state school in Scotland. Ministers accepted, in full, the recommendations of a working group led by the campaign Time for Inclusive Education (TIE), and the change was widely described as a world first: no other country had committed to embedding LGBT themes across the whole state school curriculum. The new approach began rolling out nationally in 2021.

Here is what that commitment actually means in the classroom, why it came about, how it fits into Scotland's history, and what it does not do.

What was announced in 2018

The announcement came from John Swinney, then Deputy First Minister and Education Secretary, on 8 November 2018. The government agreed to all 33 recommendations of the LGBTI Inclusive Education Working Group, which had been set up the previous year with TIE and other education partners.

Swinney argued it was vital that the curriculum be "as diverse as the young people who learn in our schools," and framed the move as a way to help every pupil reach their potential. The core idea is simple: LGBT people and topics should appear naturally across subjects, rather than being confined to a single lesson or ignored altogether.

We did it! @JohnSwinney has announced that @scotgov has fully accepted the recommendations of the LGBTI Inclusive Education Working Group.

This is a monumental victory. LGBTI-inclusive education will now become a reality in all of Scotland’s state schools #EducatetoLiberate pic.twitter.com/sLgYikCANw

— TIE (@tiecampaign) November 8, 2018

(This post is no longer available on X.)

What pupils actually learn

A common misunderstanding is that the policy added a separate "LGBT subject". It did not. Instead, teachers are encouraged to weave relevant material into existing lessons at an age-appropriate level. In practice that can include:

• Language and terms, so pupils understand words such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex and use them respectfully.
• History, including the story of equality movements, the decriminalisation of same-sex relationships and figures who shaped those changes.
• The effects of prejudice, looking at how homophobia, biphobia and transphobia harm people and how to challenge them.
• Diverse families, so children with two mums or two dads see their own lives reflected in books and examples.

The working group also recommended better teacher training, clearer guidance on recording and tackling prejudice-based bullying, and a way to monitor progress. A national online platform, lgbteducation.scot, now offers lesson resources and professional learning for teachers.

Who pushed for the change

TIE was founded on 28 June 2015, the anniversary of the Stonewall riots, by Jordan Daly and Liam Stevenson. Both had experienced homophobia at school and set out to change how Scottish schools handled LGBT issues. Over the following years the campaign won pledges of support from a majority of MSPs, trade unions and youth organisations.

When the government accepted the recommendations, TIE called it a historic moment. Daly said the decision sent "a strong and clear message to LGBTI young people that they are valued here in Scotland." The campaign shared the news on Twitter the same day.

Why inclusive education matters for pupils

The case for the policy rests on what happens to LGBT young people in school. TIE's own surveys of Scottish pupils reported that around nine in ten LGBT respondents had experienced homophobia, biphobia or transphobia at school. Research in the UK and US has also linked anti-LGBT bullying to lower attendance, poorer results and higher rates of anxiety, depression and self-harm.

Supporters argue that visibility changes the climate. When LGBT people appear in ordinary lessons, it becomes harder to treat them as strange or shameful, and pupils who are LGBT are less likely to feel alone. Teachers also gain clear permission and guidance to address bullying, something many said they had felt unsure about.

Inclusive teaching does not replace anti-bullying work; it supports it. Schools still need policies, reporting systems and staff who act consistently when pupils are targeted.

How far Scotland has come

The 2018 decision looks especially striking against Scotland's history. Sex between men remained a crime in Scotland until the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 came into force on 1 February 1981, well after England and Wales had partly decriminalised it in 1967.

From 1988, Section 2A of the Local Government Act (known elsewhere in Britain as Section 28) banned councils from "promoting" homosexuality, which left many teachers afraid to discuss it at all. When the new Scottish Parliament moved to repeal it, businessman Brian Souter funded a "Keep the Clause" campaign and a private postal ballot. He claimed 86.8% of respondents backed the clause, although fewer than a third of registered voters took part and ministers dismissed the result. Parliament repealed Section 2A on 21 June 2000 by 99 votes to 17.

Change continued after that. Same-sex marriage became law in Scotland in 2014, with the first weddings on 31 December that year. In 2018 Scotland passed a law offering pardons to men convicted under old laws against consensual same-sex relationships. In 2015 and 2016, Scotland was described as the best country in Europe for LGBTI legal equality.

Questions and criticism

The policy has had critics. Some parents and religious groups worried about what would be taught and at what age, and asked for clear information. The Scottish Government's answer was that content is age-appropriate and that inclusive teaching is about respect and accurate information, not about telling children what to think.

Others have raised practical concerns: whether teachers have enough time and training, and whether implementation is consistent across 32 local authorities. An announcement is only the first stage; the real test is what happens in classrooms year after year.

It is also worth being precise about the "world first" label. Several countries and regions teach about LGBT topics in some form, for example in sex and relationships education. Scotland's claim rests on committing to embed LGBT inclusion across the curriculum in all state schools nationwide.

What other countries can take from it

Scotland's approach offers a model: work with campaigners and teachers to build recommendations, accept them as a package, provide practical resources, and give schools time to adapt. It also shows how quickly public attitudes can move. A country that was still debating Section 2A in 2000 chose, less than two decades later, to make inclusion a standard part of schooling.

For parents and pupils in Scotland, the practical message is straightforward. Schools are expected to reflect LGBT people in what they teach and to treat prejudice-based bullying seriously. If that is not happening, it is reasonable to ask the school how it is applying the national guidance.

Sources: Wikipedia: Time for Inclusive Education; Wikipedia: LGBT rights in Scotland; Wikipedia: Section 28; LGBT Inclusive Education resources (TIE); quotes from John Swinney and Jordan Daly as reported by BBC News.