Government ‘has not met any LGBTQIA+ organisations’ about guidance for trans issues in schools
The government has not met with any LGBTQIA+ organisation about the creation of transgender schools guidance, a written response from a parliamentary question has revealed.
Over the last year, the government has admitted that Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has not had a single meeting with an LGBTQIA+ organisation around the consultation on the imminent guidance intended to be delivered to schools on trans issues.
The announcement of the release of the guidance was made earlier this year, in March. The Prime Minister stated that the government would deliver guidance to schools on how better to support transgender pupils by the summer term.
As yet, no such guidance has been delivered. Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, tabled a Written Parliamentary Question on 5 September that read: “To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many meetings she has had with which LGBT+ organisations on transgender guidance for schools in the last 12 months.” Last Friday (29 September), Schools Minister Nick Gobb responded on behalf of the Education Secretary: “The Secretary of State has not met any lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organisations directly to discuss the guidance, but the Department is keen to consider the full range of views and will be undertaking a public consultation on the draft guidance prior to publication. “During the consultation period, the Department plans to engage with a range of interested organisations, including organisations that support the LGBT community.” Responding to the answer, Whittome highlighted that “this guidance could have huge implications for the safety and wellbeing of young trans people.
