School communities must receive LGBTQ+ training
Labour spokesperson on Further and Higher Education Senator Annie Hoey has called for the Department of Education to roll out LGBTQ+ training for all members of school communities nationwide.
Senator Hoey said:
“There has been much discourse in recent months on the role that schools play in supporting students in discovering their personal and sexual identities.
“Members of the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland have fought and won many battles in recent years. However, that does not mean that we live in a country absent from homophobia and transphobia.
“Vulnerable LGBTQ+ young people should not be subjected to hurtful or harmful comments in a school environment, many of which are made through ignorance. To tackle this, the Department of Education must commit to providing LGBTQ+ training for all members of school communities.
“We also need to develop a much stronger national LGBTQ+ strategy to focus on tackling discrimination in schools and workplaces, hate crimes, and improving the mental and sexual health of LGBTQ+ people.
“In an era where we take it for granted that LGBT+ people live in a society where they are accepted and treated as equal citizens it is vital as a nation that we protect young members of the LGBTQ+ community. We have come so far in Ireland in recent years with the introduction of Marriage Equality, the Gender Recognition Act and the decisive vote of the people to repeal the Eighth Amendment. We must continue to build on this.”