From 1988 until its repeal in 2003, Section 28 of the Local Government Act prohibited schools in the UK from “promoting homosexuality.” This led to an environment of fear and silence around LGBTQI+ topics. Many teachers felt unable to offer support or information, and LGBTQI+ students felt invisible. Even after Section 28 was repealed, confusion about what was okay, what was not, and what support looked like remained in schools. Many LGBTQI+ young people did not have the language, visibility, or support to navigate their relationships safely.
In the 2010s, key legislative changes began to make a difference. The Equality Act 2010 made it a legal requirement for schools to protect students from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
In 2020 there came a major milestone – Relationships Education became compulsory in all primary schools, and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in all secondary schools. The guidance was clear in that pupils should learn about LGBTQI+ identities in an integrated way. This meant beginning to model equality, support, and shared values from an early age. Representation improved. This was not just in lesson content, but in conversations about what healthy relationships actually look like: being listened to, having honest conversations, setting boundaries, and feeling safe.
Today, more schools than ever are including LGBTQI+ content in RSE, from teaching about different family types in primary school, to exploring gender identity, consent, and healthy LGBTQI+ relationships in secondary school.
Of course, challenges remain. Many LGBTQI+ young people still experience bullying, mental health issues, and relationship abuse. In LGBTQI+ relationships, abuse can be compounded by threats to ‘out’ someone, denial of their gender identity, or exclusion from community spaces. That’s why the 10 healthy and unhealthy relationship signs need to be taught inclusively, with lived experience in mind.
At LMK, we know that inclusive RSE must support every young person, regardless of gender or sexuality, to build the tools to have healthy, safe, fulfilling relationships.
That means sharing and understanding the 10 Signs of Healthy Relationships:
- Healthy Conflict
- Trust
- Equality
- Boundaries
- Respect
- Independence
- Kindness
- Fun
- Honesty
- Owning Actions
When these values are embedded in relationships education, young people, no matter how they identify, feel seen, supported, and ready to navigate the world.
It’s also important that young people learn what an unhealthy relationship might look like – for example understanding that love-bombing or over the top affection can sometimes be a mask for jealousy or intensity, and recognising that someone controlling how you dress, behave or express yourself is a red flag, among other things.
With this kind of knowledge being learned in schools and outside of school, young people have the language, the confidence, and the understanding to protect their wellbeing and thrive in their romantic relationships, with their friends, and in their lives.
As we look ahead, we continue to commit to creating safe spaces that are inclusive and welcome for all, in which all young people, regardless of how they identify, feel they can speak up and ask questions.
Would you like to know more about LMK’s 10 Signs framework and how we support inclusive relationships education? Visit our website or follow us on instagram @Lmkletmeknow.