Visiting Schools

Young LGBT+ people face significant challenges compared to their peers - including higher rates of bullying, alienation from families, increased risk of homelessness and obstacles accessing healthcare such as puberty blockers. The Just Like Us charity found that LGBT+ youth are twice as likely to encounter depression, anxiety, and panic attacks compared to non-LGBT+ youth, and yet are often under represented in discussions about LGBT+ experience.

So we were delighted to be able to visit three schools - The Deaf Academy in Exmouth, Kings School in Ottery, and Exeter College - to talk to students about their experiences of Exeter Pride.

We met with headmaster Sylvan Dewing to discuss the unique challenges young LGBT+ students with disabilities can face and also how we might include them in Exeter Pride 2023. I tried to recall my rusty sign language skills enough to talk to the students and staff about the heritage project, and was delighted so many of them had attended Exeter Pride before.

My visit to Kings School left a lasting impression - not only by the confidence and openness of the LGBT+ youth I met, but also by the school's evident commitment to inclusivity. There was a poster in the hall outlining how students can support queer peers, prominent pride rainbow flags, and even a planned mini pride march, all highlighting the school's dedication to inclusivity. Due to being under 16, we were unable to include them as interviewees, nevertheless, but we encouraged them to express their thoughts about Exeter Pride through their writing and art.

We also visited media students from the LGBT+ society at Exeter college to talk to them about how they might be able to use their skills to help with filming and photography.

For someone who grew up in school under section 28, it gave me such hope to see young people forming LGBT+ societies, being comfortable being out in their schools, and for their schools and teachers to be able to offer open to support to them to the extent of helping them organise their own prides!