Sexualities, Ahead of Print.
Over 20 years have passed since the repeal of Section 28, the UK government’s legislation banning any teaching which could be seen to ‘promote homosexuality’. Within these two decades, there have been significant legislative shifts concerning equality in education. And yet, national policy still frames LGBT content in the curriculum as an exception. In the current Relationships Education (RE) guidance, primary schools are still able to decide whether it is appropriate to include LGBT content in their teaching and must consult with parents on the content of the RE curriculum. This article looks at the RE curriculum, alongside interview and questionnaire data from primary teachers and school workers, to understand how it represents both change and continuity from the past of Section 28. The findings of this article suggest that though some schools did include LGBT content in RE, the allowances for absenting LGBT content, and the requirements to consult with parents, have allowed for its continued absence in many schools.