ACTRESS Emma Thompson has called for an end to homophobia in Scottish schools as she endorses a campaign aimed at making schools more inclusive.
The Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) are calling on the next Scottish Government to take action after highlighting that whilst Scotland is considered one of the most LGBT+ - lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender - friendly countries in Europe, this is not reflected in the national education system.
Statistics by Stonewall, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender support charity show that one in four LGBT+ youths have attempted suicide as a result of homophobic bullying.
In backing the campaign, Ms Thompson said: “The time for homophobia is long gone. It’s over.
"Any young person indulging in homophobic bullying is a teenage dinosaur who should just go and sit coughing over a sherry in an old white men’s club… it’s not cool, it’s not intelligent and it’s not attractive.
"Let the rainbow live. We are all in this together and if you’re young, you know that better than anyone.
"Get rid of the old, get in with the new - get rid of homophobia.”
TIE says support for LGBT+ inclusive education in Scotland has continued to grow and that Ms Thompson joins a long list of celebrities, campaigners and politicians who have voiced their support, including the SNP’s Mhairi Black, gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell and rugby referee Nigel Owens.
Most recently, the SNP unanimously passed a resolution in support of TIE at their Spring conference which called for an education system that is fully inclusive of LGBT+ identities.
TIE said an SNP manifesto commitment is expected from the party in the coming weeks.
Commenting on the news, a TIE spokesman said: “We are delighted that Emma Thompson has backed our campaign, and has joined us in urging the next Scottish Government to commit to tackling homophobia in schools.
"Despite education featuring prominently throughout the current parliamentary election campaign, there has been no public mention of LGBT+ education from any party leaders thus far. Hopefully, the growing support for our cause will encourage them to start addressing the very real issues facing LGBT+ youth in our schools.”
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