I remember coming out at school in 2014. Even then, there was very little education into what being Transgender meant. From the moment I came out I was met with a barrage of bullying accompanied by inappropriate questions from a number of peers as well as teachers. Whilst some of the questions from peers came from a place of trying to understand, some by teachers coming from a place of concern, it was difficult to differentiate at the time.
Other students, people I didn't even know, knew exactly who I was. I was informed by a friend of mine that this was likely due to certain teachers believing it appropriate to discuss and often berate me with their classes whilst I wasn't present. The way in which certain teachers would talk about me because of my identity allowed students to harass me with no repercussions.
On one occasion I was followed part way home by those in my school uniform who I didn't recognise. They threw what they could find on the ground at me, including stones and yelled slurs at me. The school was informed but because I couldn't identify the culprits, nothing was done.
On another occasion, I was grabbed in a certain area of my body. The trauma from the SA I had experienced at 12 was still fresh at this point. Upon informing a member of staff of the latter incident on school grounds, a member of staff who was very much aware of the incident at 12, I was told that the individual in question was just “joking about” and asked if I “really” believed it was worth my time to make a formal complaint.
Between this kind of behaviour from peers, similar inappropriate behaviour from a teacher as well as outright bullying by both staff and students, I was alienated and felt utterly alone.
All of this is exactly what not offering education into LGBTQ+ people leads to. The exact fear mongering leading to this new policy is what saw Brianna Ghey murdered.
Not only that, but this serves to hurt abuse victims, too. Not offering adequate sex education takes away the ability that young victims have to be able to articulate what is happening to them. It takes away their voice.
The Government is creating a new generation of queer youth and abuse victims who will be ostracized because of an asinine fear of Transgender people. Allowing bigotry to govern helps nobody.