EQUALITY campaigners claimed victory yesterday after Nicola Sturgeon told Holyrood she is a “supporter” of LGBT-inclusive education.
The Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) campaign said the First Minister had yesterday backed their proposals for a new approach to relationship lessons to cut bullying, following comments made in the chamber.
During First Minister’s Questions, Labour’s Monica Lennon asked Sturgeon to commit to the law change TIE hopes will tackle discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity.
Research for the campaign found nine out of 10 LGBT people experience homophobia in school and 27 per cent had attempted suicide as a result.
Lennon asked: “The First Minister has expressed support for the TIE campaign, so will she now commit to parliament that we will now see legislation coming forward, in the lifetime of this parliament, because it is such a serious issue and there is support right across this chamber but there is no action coming forward?”
Responding, Sturgeon said: “I am a supporter of the TIE campaign.
“There is a commitment to take forward the issues that they have raised with the government, and we will do that in consultation with them. There is a lot of substance and detail in this.”
TIE said the comments show “Sturgeon has backed proposals for LGBT issues to be taught in Scottish schools”. However, when asked if that was a commitment to legislating for classroom changes, a spokesperson for the First Minister said they did not have “anything further to add”.
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