Section 28 – What was it & what can we learn from it?

When we think of LGBTQ+ life in the UK, it’s easy to think that the society we often take for granted has been super liberal for generations and generations.

Quite the opposite. Even for many of us so-called ‘millennials’.

In the early 90s, homosexuality was still considered a mental illness by the World Health Organisation. And it wasn’t until 2003 that Section 28 was revoked across all the UK.

With Section 28 being mentioned across shows such as ‘It’s a Sin’, ’Queer as Folk’ and ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’, the impact of it has been put back into the limelight.

It even featured in Tracy Beaker...

But what was Section 28? What was the impact? And what can we learn from it?

In 1988, the UK Conservation government passed Section 28 – a law that stopped local councils from "promoting the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship." Off the back of the AIDS crisis which exacerbated homophobic views across the country, Section 28 was brought in with the rise in popularity of the children’s book “Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin” - one of the first children’s books to discuss a family with two gay fathers.

Probably the most identifiable and infamous quote from the time was from Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who said “Children who need to be taught to respect traditional moral values are being taught that they have an inalienable right to be gay. All of those children are being cheated of a sound start in life."

What was the impact?

It led to renewed discrimination against people in the LGBTQ+ community.

Protests erupted across the UK (20,000 people marched across Manchester city centre alone), four lesbian protestors abseiled into the chambers of the House of Lords (yes, that’s probably the best  sentence I’ve ever written) and there was another protest where the BBC studios were stormed during a live news broadcast. https://youtu.be/DGNrg-RYGIc

One of the main issues with Section 28 was that it erased a whole population from education, society and the minds of young people.

Section 28 meant that teachers felt they couldn’t talk about LGBTQ+ topics. Curriculums were void of anything LGBTQ+ related - from acknowledging different types of family to LGBTQ+ authors and history.

Imagine sending kids into schools during lockdowns and no one daring to mention anything to do with COVID…that seems unimaginable. Yet that was the reality during the 90s due to the link the AIDS crisis had with the LGBTQ+ community.

The law also exacerbated the feeling that being gay was something to be ashamed of, and any information on anything LGBTQ+ was absent from schools. This naturally led to increased bullying stemming from pure ignorance. The long-term effects of this feeling of isolation and lack of inclusion are still being felt today – with Stonewall publishing a study which showed the LGBTQ+ community are at higher risk of facing poor mental health.

On top of schools, councils were forced to close support groups and were prohibited from promoting anything that included same-sex relationships.

And Tracy Beaker? The author of the wildly popular 1991 children’s books, Jacqueline Wilson, has only recently announced that one of the main characters Cam was “quite clearly gay”, almost 30 years after it was released in the wake of Section 28.

What can we learn from it?

It wasn’t until the 2000s that the law was abolished. It wasn’t until 2009 that David Cameron apologised for it.

As mentioned above, the effects of Section 28 are long-lasting. Whether its continued discrimination or current attacks against access to healthcare for trans youth, it’s vital to take a serious look at all aspects of our behavior, our workplace and society.

It’s important to remember our own history and its challenges as an opportunity for growth. The freedom and liberty we can take for granted, was fought for by numerous others before us. There are countries and societies that haven’t been able to progress or move forward with equality, diversity and inclusion.

As a society we are at the start of our inclusion journey - and whilst we’re making small steps forward, it’s important not to forget the past and moving in the right direction. That’s why I love that the D&I committee at Gravitas are having a direct impact on not just our own internal diversity and inclusion, but also endeavoring to extend the same respect, consideration and love to our clients.

Not just affecting the recruitment industry but hopefully other businesses for generations to come.

Learn More:

• Section 28: What was it and how did it affect LGBT+ people? - BBC Three
• Stonewall | Acceptance without exception
• LGBT+ mental health (rethink.org)
• What was Section 28? The history of the homophobic legislation 30 years on (pinknews.co.uk)
• BBC Scotland - Children of the Devolution, Series 1, Episode 1, The impact of Section 28