Anti-gay bullying continues

Homophobic bullying continues to be a problem for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) teachers, according to findings disclosed at a conference organised by the NASUWT teaching union.

The conference, organised to discuss the challenges facing LGBT teachers, found that the overwhelming majority (60%) of LGBT teachers have experienced bullying and harassment related to their sexuality during their careers.

A further 60% of LGBT teachers said their school has no policy which explicitly opposes homophobia, biphobia and transphobia; and two-thirds of LGBT teachers said it was not safe for LGBT teachers to be out at work.

Addressing the conference, the union’s general secretary, Chris Keates, said that an unrelenting assault has been mounted on equality by the government.

Keates said this ranged from its neutering of the Equality and Human Rights Commission to its attacks on Equality Impact Assessments which have been dismissed as “unnecessary bureaucracy” by prime minister David Cameron (see Labour Research, March 2013, pages 16-18).

“Add to this the undermining of the Public Sector Equality Duty, the changes which are making it more difficult for people to get access to justice at work and all of the other attacks on the rights of working people, is it any wonder that this has encouraged a culture of contempt in which discrimination can flourish?” she said.