Curriculum Planning Guidelines – Phase 1: Understanding the Context
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Whole school – Same-sex attraction and gender diversity
Approximately 10 per cent of young people experience feelings of same-sex attraction and many of these face homophobic abuse while they are at school. Students of diverse families may also experience discrimination and harassment.
Research provided by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society clearly tells us:
- many students experience school environments that are harassing and humiliating as a direct effect of homophobia
- suicide risk for same-sex attracted youth is at its highest in the months before they disclose their sexual orientation
- schools that address these issues are making a difference.
Reference: Writing Themselves in Again – The 2nd Report on the Sexuality, Health and Wellbeing of Same-sex attracted Young People.
For a full copy of this report see http://www.latrobe.edu.au/ssay
Under the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 1995 it is unlawful to discriminate in education on the grounds of a student’s actual or assumed sexual orientation.
Schools must ensure students and staff do not experience homophobia or discrimination. This must be reflected in a school’s policies, codes of conduct, curriculum, teaching and learning, student services, organisation and ethos.
Where in the curriculum can we explore this?
The following documents assist schools to identify and highlight opportunities within the Victorian Essential Learning Standards ( VELS ) for inclusion of material related to issues of same-sex attraction and gender diversity. The Physical, Personal and Social Learning strand and the Discipline-based Learning strand of VELS create significant space to explore these issues. Relevant learning foci and standards within the domains are highlighted.