Australian teacher attitudes, beliefs and comfort towards sexuality and gender diverse students

ABSTRACT

This study explored school Australian teachers’ beliefs towards, and comfort around, socialising with same-sex attracted and trans and gender diverse people, as well as beliefs aboutinclusive school-based policy and other school strategies to enhance the wellbeing of same sex attracted and trans and gender diverse students. Teachers (n = 109) in Australia demonstrated positive attitudes and beliefs towards, and comfort engaging with same sex attracted and trans and gender diverse people, although participants were significantly more positive in their reactions towards same sex attracted people. While participants were generally supportive of inclusive school strategies and policies, over half reported that policies that were inclusive of sexual and gender minorities were not implemented in their school. Less than one third of participants indicated inclusive education was included in the curriculum at their school. Ongoing professional development was identified as essential by almost all participants. Findings support the need for Australian government policy mandating inclusive education be included in the curriculum and whole school strategies.

KEYWORDS:

• Teachers
• sexual and gender minority
• school policy
• relationships and sexuality education
• inclusive education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 This measure was used across the Asia-Pacific hence for clarity and ease of translation, language in the survey referred to ‘people who are romantically or sexually attracted to people of the same sex’. We used the term same-sex attracted. Items focusing on attitudes referred to ‘people who dress, act or identify as another sex.’ ‘Another sex’ refers to a sex other than assigned at birth. We used the term trans and gender diverse. Items relating specifically to students used the terminology ‘students identifying as another sex’. We used the term transgender.

2 This item was reverse scored.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Education International Asia Pacific Region [12632].