Scotland First Nation to Teach LGBTQ History in Classes

For quite a while now, LGBTQ communities have been springing up across the world in a slowly more and more tolerant landscape, being given more and more basic rights and support as deserved. This has extended into many facets of life, from Pride Month to being allotted a gender-neutral restroom, to same-gender marriages being allowed, there have been strides here and in other areas.

How did it all start? Where’s the history? So far, a detailed struggle of LGBTQ communities to get where we are? History has been neglected so far, and the community is not whole without this piece of the puzzle to educate the youth on queer issues.

Scotland has taken the first step to addressing this matter, being the first country to dedicate an official section of their history lessons to educate the youth on the history of the LGBTQ community and struggle.

According to The Scotsman, It started when parents, teachers, the youth, and LGBTQ coalitions developed an e-learning course that was welcome by campaign groups. This crowdsourced website with LGBTQ teachings provides the youth a chance to learn about the history of the movement and assess the struggle of this group much like any other historically downtrodden group.

“We welcome the materials published today, which will assist schools, teachers and education staff to drive this important agenda forward, ensuring all children and young people receive the support they need,” says Margaret Wilson, a chair of the National Parent Forum of Scotland.

According to them, the additions were initially employed to give students a more well-rounded education, however an opportunity was realized that this could be a big chance to reduce bullying and other forms of early discrimination before they become bad habits and intolerant tendencies later in life.

This desire for early LGBTQ education did not come out of the blue. According to Gay Times, 60 percent of British people believe primary school, the term for “elementary school” in many European countries, should teach lessons that pertain to LGBTQ students.

“We owe it to the next generation to ensure our schools are a place where all children and young people can be themselves.

“It’s essential the government invests more in training and resources to better prepare teachers and schools to deliver high-quality LGBT-inclusive teaching now and in the future,” says Paul Twocock, chief executive of Stonewall, an organization dedicated to the inclusion of LGBTQ communities.