One in 10 UK parents ‘would never speak to their child about what LGBT means’

From Pride parades to popular culture, there is a good chance children have been exposed to LGBTQ+ culture and have a million questions about it.

This is why it is surprising a third of UK parents have never spoken to youngsters about what the terms lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender mean – and 10% say they never would.

According to a new survey by Just Like Us, the LGBTQ+ young people’s charity, only 19% have had a conversation about what the acronym means only after their child asked them.

Jodie Lancet-Grant, 41, is a children’s books author working to bridge that gap.

Her second book The Pirate Mum, which came out in 2021, became the first to be read on CBeebies Bedtime Stories that features two mums.

As a mum of two twin daughters, she wanted to write literature that reflects her own relationship with her wife to ‘further the mission of inclusivity’.

‘For my girls, it is very different as they have grown up with two mums,’ she told Metro.co.uk.

During the week-long event, students have the opportunity to take part in various activities, including Rainbow Friday dress-up day, and ask questions about LGBTQ+ culture they might be apprehensive about asking at home.

According to their research, dads are less likely than mums to have a conversation with their child about what the abbreviation means.

Four in 10 (38%) have never spoken to their child about such issues compared to three in 10 mums (28%).

For Jodie’s daughters, their education has started at an early age.

‘What I have just started doing recently, is to bring in the idea that some people might be homophobic and disagree with our family,’ she explained.

‘I am Jewish, so this is quite similar as to how I would approach antisemitism with them.

‘This is something I held off doing because obviously there is nothing wrong with our family, we are incredibly happy. Our children are very loved. But they are both seven now and I feel like time has come.’

Jodie hopes her books, which feature two mums and two dads, could serve as a tool to parents to help have such conversations early on in their child’s life.

Only 23% of parents said they have had a conversation with their child because someone in their family or social circle is LGBTQ+. 

And almost half (40%) of parents said they have had a conversation with their child about it because ‘I want my child to be inclusive to all’.

The overwhelming majority (82%) believe that is it ‘important’ for their children to ‘learn that different types of families exist’.

However, only 34% of parents said there is enough support and resources for parents from schools about educating their children on LGBTQ+ topics. 

Cameron Gough, 25, is the drama and creative arts lead at West Cornforth Primary School in Ferryhill, Durham.

After starting work there in January this year, he has been very open with students about his sexuality and everyone knows he is gay.

‘With 10 or 11-year-olds, you can already see they are starting to express their gender identity and sexuality.

‘We have a few students who are non-binary and bisexual, so I think it is really important that we have weeks like this. 

‘There are families in which LGBTQ+ issues are not discussed or who have negative views on them, so we have to discuss it at the foundation stage.’

Cameron has already seen some youngsters being apprehensive about taking queer art back home.

He also heard a few students use the word ‘gay’ as a derogatory term, which he said is ‘learnt behaviour’. 

West Cornforth has a zero tolerance policy towards any homophobia or racism, so Cameron made it his mission to have an ‘open and frank’ conversation with the pupils about it.