Fifty-four (54) percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people reported that they had been bullied at least once based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. This is according to UNESCO in the Global Education Monitoring Report.
After conducting a survey in Europe involving over 17,000 youngsters aged 13 to 24, UNESCO found:
- 83% of students reported hearing negative comments about LGBTQI students, and 67% said that they had been the target of critical comments at least once
- Nearly six in 10 students “never reported bullying incidents to any school staff”, and fewer than two in 10 did so systematically
Stressing the relevance of action by teachers and other academic staff in response to negative remarks and bullying, the report stated that many teachers – unfortunately – still lack the confidence and knowledge to support LGBTQI learners.
“Education is about more than just maths and words”, said Manos Antoninis, who directed the report. “Schools have to be inclusive if we want society to be inclusive. If children are being taught that only a certain type of person is accepted, that is going to affect the way they behave towards others”.
