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Homophobic insults are on the rise in schools, with children as young as seven using offensive language, according to a former teacher and LGBT+ consultant. Ian Timbrell, who runs not-for-profit organisation More than Flags and Rainbows and works with schools to make them more inclusive, said he had seen a “huge resurgence” of homophobic language over the past year with an increasing number of teachers seeking his help after hearing derogatory terms used. Social media apps such as TikTok were cited as places where such bullying often took place and where such slurs were heard. Estyn, the Welsh education inspectorate, reported in December 2021 that verbal homophobic harassment was commonplace among LGBTQ+ pupils and that homophobic bullying was the most frequent type of harassment they encountered in school.
Mr Timbrell, a former schoolteacher himself, suggested that families and parents, as well as social media, were responsible for the rise of the slur, which is often heard in the US. He said he remembered only one instance of hearing the phrase “that’s so gay” during his 17-year teaching career, but that within the past year he had heard it frequently. He urged parents and teachers to educate themselves and their children about why such language is unacceptable.
Ashton Taylor, a law student who came out as transgender at the age of 15, also reported hearing homophobic language from the age of 11, which made him “more afraid to come out”. He visits schools and universities to share his experiences and promote inclusivity. Just Like Us, a charity working with schools to support LGBTQ+ young people, found that nearly four out of five primary school pupils they spoke to in England heard homophobic language.
TikTok denied responsibility for the phenomenon and suggested that it removed not only offensive language but also all videos that attacked a person on the basis of their gender, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation. The Welsh government said the part of the curriculum taught across Wales was designed to promote “empathy, respect, and kindness” and to support learners in reducing bullying and challenging discriminatory language
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