Diversity

There are dozens of international, national, and regional laws that state that no one should suffer any kind of discrimination. They also state that the educational system should promote gender equality, respect, and visibility of diversity.

Many centres are already working on inclusive educational programs, but there is still a long way to go.

Need for references

Children need references and the lack of sexual orientation in the classroom can be a trauma for many children:

– in many cases the lack of diversity is reflected in the choice of faculty members, this makes it harder for children to feel identified which is an important part of their development.

– Also, the history they study is full of men, usually white and heterosexual, or they avoid talking about the sexual orientation of the characters they study. Sometimes this information is crucial to understand their life and work.

Children must know all the options and understand that all are valid and normal, not the exception.

Teachers lead this change

Teachers need to be trained about diversity. Schools need to be safe and respectful spaces.

Often these are small gestures, such as substituting “mother/father” terms in favour of using “family” to include children that might come from more diverse backgrounds. Often though, drastic changes must be made to a school’s educational program.

Committed to this change, Rainbow Schools created a network of educational centres in Barcelona that work with an inclusive and comprehensive approach to relationships and sexuality. The Famílies LGTBI association promoted the creation of this network, which aims to have more inclusive and respectful schools. 

Learning at school and home

Respect and education on this topic are not only something to strive for at school, they must also be taught at home. LGTBI families want to put an end to discrimination, homophobic and transphobic bullying and ensure that our children can develop diversity, normality, and respect. This should be something all families aspire to.

Do you have any experiences you would like to share with us? Tell us about it.