S3, E14: Section 28 - Past, Present, Future
Section 28 was an amendment to the Local Government Act of 1988, which prohibited local authorities from intentionally 'promoting homosexuality', or promoting the 'acceptibility of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship'. This legislation came into place in 1988, and planted fear into our educational spaces. For years, Section 28 created a culture of silence around LGBT+ identities in our schools, and for many LGBT+ people, this silence became shame. Section 28 was in place for 15 years, and had an immeasurable impact on generations of LGBT+ young people, as well as limiting the education around LGBT+ identities for all young people. November 18th 2023 marks 20 years since Section 28 was fully repealed. This Pride & Progress special event explores what Section 28 looked like in our past, its legacy in our present, and how we can learn from it to create a more inclusive future. Our incredible speakers: · Professor Emeritus Sue Sanders, Chair of Schools Out UK, and co-founder of LGBT+ History Month UK (X @suesanders03). · Professor Paul Baker, author of 'OUTRAGEOUS!: The Story of Section 28 and Britian's Battle for LGBT Education' (X @_paulbaker_). · Professor Catherine Lee, author of 'Pretended: Schools and Section 28' (including her story, which helped inform the film 'Blue Jean') (X @DrCatherineLee).