A Rapid Review and Narrative Synthesis of the Consequences of Non-Inclusive Sex Education in UK Schools on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Young People

Abstract

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in schools are predominantly heterocentric. Consequently, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning young people have reported feeling excluded. This exclusion results in feelings of being “different” and “other,” which in turn leads to further disengagement in the sex education classroom, contributing to poor sexual health literacy, greater risk of abusive relationships, and higher rates of sexually transmitted infections. A rapid review was undertaken to identify the impact of non-inclusive sex education. The review makes recommendations for policy and practice, which includes the provision of training courses to school teaching staff with an emphasis on inclusive RSE, appropriate online resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people, as well as offering 1:1 emotional health support for LGBTQ young people as they begin to question their sexual orientation.

Intimate Pride: a Tri-Nation Study on Associations between Positive Minority Identity Aspects and Relationship Quality in Sexual Minorities from German-Speaking Countries

“…While Western societies have become more accepting towards non-heterosexuality (Smith et al, 2014 ), large-scale studies document the pervasive and insidious nature of discrimination and marginalization against sexual minorities and their relationships in these societies to date (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2020 ). In addition, studies on inclusive (sexual) education further highlight critical gaps in curricula and the adverse ramifications of failure to address diverse sexual orientations and gender identities in an inclusive manner, even for contemporary youth (i.e., in studies from 2014 onwards; Epps et al, 2021 ). In a recent EU-wide large-scale survey on sexual and gender minorities, 71% (Austria) to 77% (Germany) of participants reported that issues relating to diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, or sex characteristics were not addressed during their school education at any point, and further 4% (both countries) reported that these issues were only addressed in a negative way (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2020 ).…”

Defining and Measuring Sexual Consent within the Context of University Students’ Unwanted and Nonconsensual Sexual Experiences: A Systematic Literature Review

“…However, while similarities have been identified, rather than providing opportunity for generalizability, it instead suggests the need for further research because these similarities indicate that nonheterosexual individuals may internalize traditionally heteronormative scripts in lieu of scripts relating to their own sexual orientation. Broadly speaking, more research needs to consider the differences between sexual and gender minorities, particularly as they tend to receive less relevant sexual education (Epps et al, 2021; Hobaica & Kwon, 2017; Rabbitte, 2020).…”

Exploring the association between sexual motivation and quality of life in China and the United Kingdom

“…This is consistent with work by Higgins et al which found that although some of the socio-historical changes are similar, the fundamental attitudes toward sexuality in the Chinese and United Kingdom samples have significantly different emphasis and preferences [ 59 ]. Additionally, people from the UK may not consider having sex for emotional purposes as a primary way to regulate their psychological well-being [ 60 , 61 ]. For instance, compared to sex education in China, sex education in the United Kingdom teaches more about seeking sexual pleasure and satisfaction, rather than only an emotion-based approach to sex, which may lead to a positive association between mental health and physical pleasure [ 62 ].…”