June is celebrated by many people in the UK as Pride month.
What does Pride mean?
What is Pride month about?
Children will probably mention LGBTQ+ - ask them to define what each of those letters means (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer / Questioning, plus everyone one else under the umbrella)
Some people argue that we don't need to have Pride month anymore. In the past in the UK, laws were different and LGBTQ+ people were not visible in society. The first UK Pride march was held on 1st July 1972 in London and just 2000 people joined a march. This was a time when many men were being arrested for being openly gay and gay relationships in the army resulted in a prison sentence. There was no protection for LGBTQ+ people in UK law. In 1988, the government introduced "Section 28" which meant schools in the UK were not allowed to "promote" LGBTQ+ awareness. This law was repealed in 2003.
Today, life in the UK is very different. The top photo is from Birmingham Pride last weekend where over 100, 000 people turned up to celebrate. The other photos show how shops and businesses are showing support this year for LGBTQ+ equality.
What law do we have today that protects LGBTQ+ people? (The Equality Act 2010) There are 9 protected characteristics in the Equality Act: what is protected? (Religion, Race, Sex, Disability, Sexual Orientation, Age, Gender Reassignment, Marriage and Civil Partnership, Pregnancy and Maternity)
So if we have laws protecting LGBTQ+ people in the UK, do we still need Pride today?
Have a look at this tweet from Los Angeles in America this week. What is happening here, what is this about?
Parents at Saticoy Elementary School are calling for a boycott of the school's Pride assembly this week. In the assembly, a teacher was planning to read the book "The great big book of families" by Mary Hoffman.
The tweet from the parents says:
"There is a lot of wrong representation of why parents are protesting. So to let everyone know, parents want to have the right to choose the right or wrong for their 5,6,7 year olds. The protest is against LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District) that forsing an agenda that is not age appropriate"
A trans flag was found burned at the school and a trans teacher has been removed from the school. The school has also removed an image of the teacher from their website.
In 15 states in America, new laws are currently being discussed to stop schools talking about LGBTQ+ awareness.
So, do we still need Pride today?
Questions for discussion:
- This month there are rainbow flags displayed in shops, parks, on trains and buses across the UK; what is the message to people who are LGBTQ+ in the UK today?
- What is the message currently to LGBTQ+ people at Saticoy Elementary School?
- The school wanted to do an assembly to talk about Pride where they were going to read a book, so what do you think the staff at the school think about Pride?
- There is a teacher who is trans. what does that mean?
- Does having a trans teacher affect the way you learn about fractions, the Tudors, expanded noun phrases?
- The book "The Great Big Book of Families" is used in the No Outsiders scheme in Year 2. The opening lines are:
"Once upon a time, most families in books looked like this: (picture of white family who have one mum, one dad, boy, girl, dog, cat). But in real life, families com in all sorts of shapes and sizes. In this book are a lot of families living in different ways. Perhaps there's one that looks like yours.
Lots of children live with their mommy and daddy. But lots of others live with just their daddy or just their mommy. Some live with their grandma and grandpa. Some children have two mommies or two daddies. And some are adopted or live with foster families."
The rest of the book shows different houses, jobs, religions, schools etc.
- what agenda is being "forced" in this book?
- Do you think this book is ok to read to 5,6,7 year olds? What would you say to the parents who are protesting?
- what is homophobia?
- The school say they have removed the teacher who is trans for their personal safety. What do you think about that decision? What advice would you give to the teacher and what advice would you give the school?
- Look carefully at the tweet from the parents. what do you notice about the wording? (incorrect spelling of forcing, last sentence does not make sense because there is a "is" missing) Why is education important?
- what do we say at our school about different families?
- what do we say at our school about LGBTQ+ awareness?
- why is this about No Outsiders?
I will read "The great big book of families" by Mary Hoffman in this assembly.
Children could write to the school. The address is:
Saticoy Elementary School
7850 Ethel Ave
North Hollywood
CA
91605
USA