We need more LGBT+ people to speak in schools, says charity

A charity has put out a call for young LGBT+ volunteers across Manchester to sign up to speaking in schools, to help "lessen the stigma" around growing up queer.

Just Like Us, the young people's LGBT+ charity founded in 2016, has a well-established ambassador programme with over 400 members aged 18-25. Their ambassadors can access free career mentoring, skills workshops and a network of young LGBT+ people across the UK.

But volunteers also receive training and support so that they are equipped to go into schools and speak to pupils about their experience of growing up LGBT+, and answer any questions they may have.

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22-year-old Deia has been a Just Like Us ambassador for more than two years. The student from Macclesfield, who studies at the University of Manchester, says going back to school and speaking to other young people is "the best thing she has done" for herself.

"I think generally, when you mention school to a queer adult, they don't want to talk about it," she told the M.E.N. "They don't want to think about it or touch it. When I first left school, I could not imagine wanting to step back into the classroom."

"But I feel strongly that we are kind of abandoning those kids who are still in school," she said. "We're leaving them behind. But there's power in doing it - in facing those demons. It's taught me that I have a voice and I'm worth listening to."

She said she wishes she had had something like it when she was a pupil. "Everything my classmates and I knew about being a lesbian was just really butch women. They weren't funny or interesting or political," she said.

"But I'm quite feminine, and bolshy, and political. So I talk a lot about how I realised I could be both. I get a lot of kids going 'I didn't know you could be a lesbian and wear makeup.'"

"But LGBT people aren't this, like, mysterious thing that doesn't exist in Huddersfield. There are queer people in the room with us - it is relevant to your daily life."

She thinks things have got better for queer kids in schools since she was that age. "I went into schools to speak about Pride networks (groups of LGBT pupils) and in some, there are like 40 or 50 kids," she said. "I couldn't believe how many there were. When I was in school I was the only one."

Reaction and response from the children has been "overwhelmingly positive", but teachers are on hand to help in the rare event that things get rowdy. "You're not getting thrown to the wolves", said Deia. "But they do have a lot of questions."

"They're asking the difference between pansexual and bisexual; what is gender; if you're trans, do you have to have surgery," she said. "'I'm going to come out to my mum, I don't know how to do it', how did you navigate school, et cetera."

"But there's also questions that break your heart a little bit. 'What do you do if your mum won't accept you?' 'Will I be able to get a job?' So I definitely think the need is still there."

According to Deia, the charity tries its best to match the speaker to the school, so that a visit to a faith school is matched by a volunteer from that faith.

"Before I volunteered, it was really easy to feel hopeless about the state of affairs for LGBT+ people, especially when you're on the outside," said Deia. "It just looks like a lot of people saying stuff online."

"But actually there are all these people doing fantastic work. But you never hear from them because they're not shouting online, they're just quietly getting on with it."

Laura Mackay, Chief Executive of Just Like Us, the LGBT+ young people’s charity, said: "Our Just Like Us ambassadors are extraordinary individuals who share their stories and experiences, providing the positive and relatable representation that all school pupils benefit from.

"Sadly, our research has shown that more than half of LGBT+ 11 to 18-year-olds in the North West feel lonely on a daily basis. Every LGBT+ young person deserves to feel seen, valued, and supported, and our ambassadors make that a reality in schools.

“We look forward to welcoming these new voices in Manchester, who will not only impact the lives of school pupils, but also benefit from a huge range of opportunities and connect with a vibrant community of LGBT+ young people."

Sign-ups for the Manchester training, which will be on November 30 and December 1 in central Manchester with all travel expenses paid, close at 23:59 on Sunday November 17.