Inclusion of LGBTIQ perspectives in school-based sexuality education in Aotearoa/New Zealand: an exploratory study

ABSTRACT

In Aotearoa/New Zealand, sexuality education is one of seven key areas of learning in the Health and Physical Education (HPE) subject area within The New Zealand Curriculum. Since 2015, sexual diversity (lesbian, gay, bisexual identities and perspectives) and gender diversity (transgender; non-binary gender) have been explicitly included in the curriculum guidelines for teaching sexuality education in schools. Based on survey data collected from a convenience sample of 73 participants aged between 16 and 19 years, this study focused on the prevalence of sexuality education provision, its content, and the inclusion of sexuality and gender diversity in the wider school environment. Despite sexuality education being a mandatory part of HPE, only around three-quarters of respondents remembered having been taught it at some point in years 9 and 10. When taught, sexuality education was reported to focus primarily on conventional content areas (e.g. heterosex; biological function) and was therefore not inclusive of sexuality and gender diversity. Inclusion in the wider school environment was also limited, being mainly restricted to easy to implement measures (e.g. allowing same-sex partners at school balls and having a rainbow ally group). The implications of these findings for the development, wellbeing and human rights of young people are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• LGBTQ
• gender diversity
• sexuality education
• inclusivity
• Aotearoa/New Zealand

Acknowledgments

We thank those who participated in the stakeholder consultation and/or who acted as cultural advisors during the survey design phase of the study. We also thank the young people who gave their time to complete the survey.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Schools that teach in the Māori language and adopt a philosophy and practice consistent with Māori culture.

2. The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is the official Aotearoa/New Zealand qualification studied for in the final three years of secondary school (Years 11-13).

Additional information

Funding

This research was partially funded by a small grant from the Summer Research Scholar scheme at The University of Waikato.