Towards expansive and inclusive relationship and sex education: young disabled LGBT+ people's ideas for change

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Toft, A. ORCID: 0000-0003-3734-2242 and Franklin, A., 2020. Towards expansive and inclusive relationship and sex education: young disabled LGBT+ people's ideas for change. In: A. Toft ORCID: 0000-0003-3734-2242 and A. Franklin, eds., Young, disabled and LGBT+: voices, intersections and identities. Routledge research in gender and society . London: Routledge. ISBN 9780367188146

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Abstract

Relationship and sex education (RSE) in the UK continues to be overshadowed by the ideology of Section 28 (Local Government Act). Although repealed 18 years ago, the act has created an atmosphere of uncertainty and confusion regarding what is included in RSE. Equating teaching with promotion has legitimised phobia based upon sexuality and gender identity, mainly through the absence of discussion regarding LGBT+. LGBT+ identities are positioned as non-normative, as they are erased within a heteronormative education system. Simultaneously, disabled young people are often excluded from RSE due to albeism which denies disabled people sexuality or gender identities. This area of education seen as either not required, or not delivered in a way which is accessible and meaningful to the lives of disabled young people. This chapter foregrounds the experiences of a group of young disabled LGBT+ people who were in education. It explores their experiences in relation to RSE and presents their thoughts upon how education can become inclusive, and why such inclusion is vital to their wellbeing. We propose an inclusive whole school approach including disabled LGBT+ lives and histories in order to affirm identities, whilst ensuring RSE is accessible and meets the needs of disabled and neuro-diverse people. Including disabled and/or LGBT+ lives within all subjects across the curriculum resists heteronormativity and disabilism and normalises disabled LGBT+ lives in line with wider society. We call for expansive and inclusive education, as this leads to equality rather than mere acceptance, and can lead to improvements and change in educational cultures, systems, structures and policies, and hopefully wider societal attitudes.

Item Type:	Chapter in book
Description:	Chapter 13
Creators:	Toft, A. and Franklin, A.
Publisher:	Routledge
Place of Publication:	London
Date:	23 January 2020
ISBN:	9780367188146
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Linda Sullivan
Date Added:	09 Sep 2019 09:06
Last Modified:	03 Mar 2020 11:53
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/37598