Organised resistance to LGBT-inclusive education: the impact of the 2019 Birmingham protests on schools and teachers

This article provides new insights into the impact of transnational protest movements opposing LGBT-inclusive education. It focuses on the 2019 protests in Birmingham, England and their aftermath. While international research provides important insights into the evolving repertoires of action used by anti-LGBT groups, the impacts of these actions on schools and staff are much less well-studied and understood. We respond to this gap by drawing on survey data from over 630 LGBT+ identified teachers in the UK and in-depth interviews with primary school respondents and experienced LGBT+ inclusive educators. We examine evidence that, in some cases, the protests have had a ‘chilling effect’ on schools that, while not directly targeted by the protests themselves, have nevertheless become more reluctant, cautious, or scared to pursue LGBT-inclusive education and RSE. We also document the negative effects that these widely mediated and discussed protests have had on the well-being of some LGBT+ teachers. At the same time, we highlight the paradoxical implications of the protests, with some teachers asserting that they have redoubled their efforts since the protests. Findings raise important questions about the future trajectory of LGBT-inclusive education/RSE and the nature of the support that should be provided to schools and teachers.