Research showed that nearly four-fifths of schoolchildren in the UK said they had heard homophobic language.
The LGBTQ+ young people’s charity Just Like Us in conjunction with VotesForSchools questioned 31,975 schoolchildren including 4,307 primary school pupils aged 9 to 11.
The results showed that 78% of pupils had heard homophobic language, while for secondary school students, the figures increased to 80%.
Many of the primary school students surveyed cited TikTok as the place where they had heard the word ‘gay’ used as a derogatory insult without understanding what it meant. The research showed that social media and gender stereotypes were contributing factors to the prevalence of homophobic language being used.
One primary school pupil from Sandhurst said: “We mainly hear people call each other ‘gay’ as an insult or a joke. This is because we mainly see it trending on TikTok.”
Another in Glasgow explained: “Because I’m a boy and have long hair I have been called gay before as an insult.”
There is also a rise in games being played by school students which feature homophobic sentiments. An example of this is a game played on TikTok in which players guess things, if they make an incorrect guess then the others would say “You’re gay.”
Whilst this may seem like harmless fun this has a detrimental impact on young people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. This is supported by a study conducted by Just Like Us in June which showed that 43% of LGBTQ+ pupils experience bullying compared to 21% of their straight peers. Students with gay or transgender parents are also more likely to be bullied.
To combat these startling results, Just Like Us has released a series of free primary and secondary school resources for teachers to download. The Chief Executive of Just Like Us, Laura Mackay, said: “It is deeply concerning that 78% of primary school children across the UK have heard homophobic language. The experience shared by young people in our survey highlight the urgent need for education and open dialogue about the impact of homophobic language.”
When discussing the material, Mackay said: “We’re proud to have launched a series of new, free resources for primary and secondary schools that address the issue of rising homophobic language. We believe that education is vital for fostering understanding and acceptance, and by empowering teachers with the knowledge and confidence to lead discussions around diversity, we can help all young people become allies and advocates for change.”
This study has shown that whilst progress has been made in normalising and celebrating same-sex relationships, we have a long way to go before all stigma is removed.
Hi I’m Nathan, the News Editor. I’m a journalism and politics fourth-year student at Strathclyde. I enjoy all things sport and I’m passionate about politics.
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