PRIDE: THOUSANDS MARCH DEMANDING CLASSROOM EQUALITY
THOUSANDS MARCH IN PRIDE RALLY IN GLASGOW SPECIAL REPORT
THOUSANDS of people took part in one of the biggest-ever Pride Glasgow parades yesterday as the SNP Government faced growing calls to get over the “next big hurdle” towards gay equality by introducing mandatory teaching of LGBTI issues in Scotland’s schools.
Campaigners said the move was needed to protect children suffering homophobic bullying in Scotland’s schools and that the reform was potentially more groundbreaking than the same-sex marriage equality law passed in the last parliament.
Festival director Ross Stevenson estimated that more than 6,000 people joined the celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex pride, one of the biggest-ever turnouts for the annual event in Scotland’s biggest city. Festival-goers carrying banners with slogans such as Educate to Liberate braved heavy rainfalls for the parade – the key theme of which was a call to ensure that schools play a bigger part in tackling discrimination and bullying. In a series of interviews with the Sunday Herald, gay politicians, campaigners and other members of Scotland’s LGBTI community talked about how they had been bullied at school as young people because of their sexuality.
The SNP’s deputy leadership con- tender Alyn Smith MEP, who is gay, said he expected his party to make it compulsory for schools to do more to promote LGBTI issues, as he talked about how he had not come out until his thirties because of a fear of homophobic abuse.
He said: “We need a more comprehensive approach and they (SNP ministers) are totally on board and are just mulling it over.”
Jamie Greene, a gay Tory MSP for West Scotland, said: “I was bullied at school and it’s sad that 25 years on it’s still going on, so we do need a firmer line on the issue.”
Members of Scotland’s LGBTI community on the parade, which started and finished at Glasgow Green taking in most of the city centre yesterday, spoke about their own experiences of homophobic bullying.
Leeann Hunter, 37, a support worker from North Lanarkshire, said: “I didn’t come out at school, but a friend did and some of the abuse she got was horrific, in the changing room for example. It was a Catholic school and for me it was a no-go to come out.”
Kieron O’Neill, 18, a student from Glasgow, said schools should actively promote LGBTI equality, but claimed the existing law was not robust enough to do that.
He said: “I think there is an issue at some schools and some teachers don’t seem to realise that Section 28 was abolished a long time ago.”
Other critical demands at this year’s Glasgow Pride centred around calls to do more to recognise the rights of transgender people, with Transgender Rights Now another key slogan of the day. There were also calls to take a tougher line against homophobic hate crimes and for civil partnerships to be available for all couples in Scotland, not just those in same-sex relationships, which is a proposal the Government is consulting on.
Motorised floats playing loud party music carried people dressed in colourful costumes, while members of trades unions such as Unite and EIS carried pro-equality banners.
Other groups on the march ranged from members of the Episcopal Church through to US Democrats Abroad.
However, an emotionally charged rally staged by the Equality Network to launch the Pride parade heard calls for urgent Government action to protect bullied LGTBI young people in schools. Liam Stevenson, of the Time for Inclusive Education (Tie) campaign, speaking at the rally, said LGTBI issues should be taught in schools as part of the core subjects curriculum. Stevenson highlighted the case of Chloe Orr, a 15-year-old school student who committed suicide after experiencing homophobic abuse, and said a change in the law was needed to prevent more such tragic cases.
He said: “Three months ago a 15-year-old girl committed suicide after she was teased and bullied. How many more Chloe Orrs do there have to be before we do something about this? We have to make sure that teachers are trained properly and that LGBTI issues are part of the curriculum..”
Speaking to the Sunday Herald after the rally, Stevenson said that the SNP Government had to legislate so young people were taught about LGBTI issues, with homophobia viewed in the same way as racism.
Stevenson said: “Delivering this has to be the next big hurdle for equality. It could be even bigger than samesex marriage as we are talking about changing the hearts and minds of young people forever.”
Equality campaigners said the Scottish Government had to “show leadership” on the issue as the next stage of legislation to benefit the LGBTI community following the passing of the same-sex marriage law and the scrapping of Section 28 (2A) that prohibited local authorities from “promoting” homosexuality.
Tim Hopkins of the Equality Network, said: “The Scottish Government deserves a lot of credit for its record on equality.
“While the situation in schools is much better than it once was, there are some schools where there is still a problem with young people being bullied.”
Hopkins added: “In education we’re calling on the Scottish Government to show leadership. There are a number of practical things that can be done such as providing more training for teachers on LGBTI inclusion.”
Scotland’s Equalities Secretary Angela Constance suggested that the SNP Government was looking seriously at strengthening the law.
Constance said: “It’s great that it’s recognised that Scotland is a leader in LGBT equality, but there is no place for conceit or complacency.
“But it’s important that we listen to people where they are saying that we need to make sure young people are getting the support they need in schools. We want to increase confidence support for all young LGBTI people in education.”
Three months ago a 15-year-old girl committed suicide after she was teased and bullied. How many more Chloe Orrs do there have to be before we do something about this?