Abstract
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in schools are predominantly heterocentric. Consequently, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning young people have reported feeling excluded. This exclusion results in feelings of being "different" and "other," which in turn leads to further disengagement in the sex education classroom, contributing to poor sexual health literacy, greater risk of abusive relationships, and higher rates of sexually transmitted infections. A rapid review was undertaken to identify the impact of non-inclusive sex education. The review makes recommendations for policy and practice, which includes the provision of training courses to school teaching staff with an emphasis on inclusive RSE, appropriate online resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people, as well as offering 1:1 emotional health support for LGBTQ young people as they begin to question their sexual orientation.
Highlights
Young people in the United Kingdom (UK) who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) are more likely to develop anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, self-harm, and substance misuse (Metro, 2016; ONS, 2017; Stonewall, 2017), a consequence of homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, social exclusion and rejection by peers and family (Mind, 2020)
This paper reports on a rapid review, which aims to provide a synthesis of current knowledge of how current approaches to school-based sex education influence the sexual health and wellbeing of young people who identify as LGBTQ
This disengagement creates poor sexual health literacy and less safe sexual practice (Estes, 2017; Grant & Nash, 2018; Hoefer & Hoefer, 2017) A Stonewall survey of LGBTQ young people in the UK found that 60%–80% had been taught about contraception, safe sex, violence in relationships and consent, only 20% had been taught about these issues from a same-sex partners perspective (Stonewall, 2017)
Summary
Young people in the United Kingdom (UK) who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) are more likely to develop anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, self-harm, and substance misuse (Metro, 2016; ONS, 2017; Stonewall, 2017), a consequence of homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, social exclusion and rejection by peers and family (Mind, 2020). Thereby alienating young people who identify as LGBTQ (Abbott et al, 2015; Gowen & Winges-Yanez, 2014) This disengagement creates poor sexual health literacy and less safe sexual practice (Estes, 2017; Grant & Nash, 2018; Hoefer & Hoefer, 2017) A Stonewall survey of LGBTQ young people in the UK found that 60%–80% had been taught about contraception, safe sex, violence in relationships and consent, only 20% had been taught about these issues from a same-sex partners perspective (Stonewall, 2017). This is important as inclusive sex education postpones the onset of sexual intercourse for all young people irrespective of their sexual identity (Chin et al, 2012)
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