Non-Normative Gender and Sexual Identities in Schools: - Schools Out

perhaps subverting it, and thus allowing schools to neglect LGBT issues. Non-normative
sexuality is addressed elsewhere in the policy, but also in ambiguous ways, for example:
The Government recognises that there are strong and mutually supportive relationships outside of
marriage. Therefore, children should learn the significance of marriage and stable relationships as
the key building blocks of community and society. Teaching in this area needs to be sensitive so as
not to stigmatise children on the basis of their home circumstances.
(DfEE, 2000: 11)
Whilst on the surface one may read this as recognition that heterosexual marriage is not
the only legitimate relationship type, note that same-sex relationships are not explicitly
mentioned. Furthermore, although marriage is not necessarily the only legitimate family
type, according to this policy, only other ‘strong and mutually supportive relationships’
are legitimate. Where does this leave other non-normative relations; single parents;
families with more than two parents; polyamorous relationships? In this way, attempts to
make this policy inclusive are weak. In particular the failure to use words such as, ‘gay’,
‘lesbian’, ‘bisexual’, ‘transgenger’ or ‘homosexuality’, throughout the document, and
moreover to discuss issues around these terms, reinforces the Governments unwillingness
to move forward with LGBT equality. Furthermore, there is a stark contradiction in the
policy whereby the Government do not want to stigmatise children with different family
circumstances, but at the same time they argue that ‘stable family relationships’ are the
‘building blocks of society’ and morally preferable. Two years on from Sex and
Relationship Education Guidance (DfEE, 2000), Bullying Don’t Suffer in Silence (Smith,
2002) 9 had the potential to do this and to an extent, on paper, it does.
9 Referred to from this point as Don’t Suffer.