When I was a teenager, no one in my school was openly gay. I felt isolated and hid my true identity. Students said 「that’s so gay」 without a moment’s thought, and without consequence. I don』t remember ever discussing LGBT+ topics, except in a lesson about STDs.

It was my experiences at school that fuelled my decision to become a teacher. LGBT+ young people still often struggle during their teenage years. Last year’s School Report from Stonewall and Cambridge University showed that some progress has been made since my school days. But the report highlights that almost half of all LGBT pupils face bullying and 「frequently」 hear homophobic, biphobic or transphobic slurs. More than two in five trans young people have tried to take their life.

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February is LGBT History Month, an opportunity to celebrate LGBT+ figures and their achievements. Since entering the classroom, I have been open with my students about my sexuality. Some of my colleagues have found this surprising – it was only in 2003 that Labour overturned section 28, the legislation that banned schools from 「promoting homosexuality」. David Cameron admitted in 2009 that 「we got it wrong」, but it doesn』t always feel like we』re moving forwards. The newly appointed education secretary, Damian Hinds, appears to have backtracked on Justine Greening’s plans for no-opt-out LGBT+ inclusive sex and relationships education.

Some colleagues were worried about the reactions I might get from students. I was prepared to fight my corner in the hope of being a good role model for young LGBT+ pupils, even if it meant dealing with verbal abuse. But my students have responded well and seem to respect me for being authentic. They know that my classroom is a safe space for discussion, where they can be themselves.

If schools are going to lead the way on equality and diversity, all staff need to be trained to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying

This month, I have also tried to play a small role in encouraging discussion on and celebrating diversity. I started by running assemblies for every year group, looking at respecting each other’s identity and celebrating positive LGBT+ role models. Afterwards, a number of the young people I teach, and some I don』t, came to find me to say they enjoyed the assembly.

In a short time, our school has transformed: PE teachers are wearing Stonewall’s rainbow laces on their shoes, posters have gone up, and teachers have planned activities across different subjects. But celebrating LGBT History Month is not enough. If schools are going to lead the way on equality and diversity, all staff need to be trained to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

Recently, I ran equality and diversity training for the teachers in my school. I talked about how to best support LGBT+ students and make our lessons, classrooms and society a safer and more inclusive space. In the following days, a number of teachers told me they had put the training into practice, challenging homophobic views or language. They said they felt better placed to handle incidents and talk about LGBT+ topics. One colleague ran an art project with students completing pieces on the topic of LGBT+ activism.

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Celebrating LGBT History Month with our young people has given me hope for the future and has shown how, with a few small steps, teachers can drive change in schools and society. But more needs to be done. Although the education secretary faces multiple competing demands, we can』t risk slipping backwards on LGBT+progress. Personal, social and health education in schools needs to be LGBT+ inclusive, for the sake of our young people.

I remember how liberating it felt arriving in London for university. It was refreshing to meet people from different backgrounds who were comfortable with their identities. It didn』t take me long to channel this confidence and come out to friends and family. But I can』t help feeling that my teenage years could, and should, have been a lot easier. Maybe if I』d had some positive role models I could have taken that step earlier.

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本文來源：https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2018/feb/23/as-a-gay-teacher-i-want-to-be-the-role-model-i-never-had