Stonewall Scotland research School Report Scotland shows that despite progress, anti-LGBT bullying and language continues to be an issue
Half of all LGBT young people – and more than 70% of trans young people – still face bullying at school
Nearly all trans young people (96 per cent) have deliberately harmed themselves
This new research must act as a wake-up call for schools, government and politicians

School Report Scotland is Stonewall Scotland’s new research with the Centre for Family Research at the University of Cambridge into the experiences of over 400 lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) pupils in Scotland’s schools.

The study shows that while progress has been made over the last decade, many LGBT young people continue to face significant challenges in Scotland’s schools

Key findings

Nearly half of LGBT pupils (48 per cent) – including 71 per cent of trans pupils – are bullied for being LGBT in Scotland’s schools.
LGBT young people in Scotland are more likely to hear homophobic language than the rest of Britain, with 63 per cent hearing homophobic slurs ‘regularly’ or ‘often’ in Scotland compared to just 50 per cent in the rest of Britain.
The report also shows that LGBT young people continue to have alarming rates of poor mental health. Nearly all trans young people in Scotland (96 per cent) have self-harmed, as have three in five lesbian, gay and bi young people who aren’t trans (58 per cent).
More than two in five trans young people in Scotland (43 per cent) have attempted to take their own life, and one in four lesbian, gay and bi students who aren’t trans (24 per cent) have done the same.
The report also found that nearly one in twenty (5 per cent) LGBT young people in Scotland are subjected to death threats.
Two in five LGBT young people in Scottish schools (41 per cent) are never taught anything about LGBT issues in school. Just one in five (22 per cent) LGBT young people have been taught about safe sex in relation to same-sex relationships, demonstrating the desperate need for age-appropriate LGBT-inclusive Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) in all schools.

What pupils said

I was constantly shouted at in corridors and things were thrown at me almost every day.

Jack, 15, faith secondary school (Glasgow)

I had to explain what it meant to be a trans person to my guidance teacher.

Rhys, 18, now at University (West Scotland)

The bullying went on for years and still does. I'm totally alone and denying who I am.

Rachel, 16, secondary school (Scotland)

I've been pushed up against the wall, had jotters stolen, textbooks vandalised, threatening Facebook messages, sexually explicit threats.

Lewis, 17, secondary school (Lothian)

Because the teachers made fun of trans people I was too scared to tell anyone about it.

School Report Scotland (2017)