Negative societal attitudes including heteronormativity, cisnormativity, homophobia and transphobia can create hostile and stressful situations which contribute to the rainbow community being over represented in negative health and well being statistics. While many queer and trans* young people are healthy and well, there are many societal issues that need addressing to improve the health and well being of others.
Sexuality education in New Zealand schools supports and acknowledges diversity among students. Schools should work to question gender stereotypes, and assumptions about sexuality. School programmes and the wider school environment should take opportunities to acknowledge the sexual diversity of New Zealand communities and recognise the rights of those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and other sexual and gender identities. Diverse views of sexuality also need to be supported. The New Zealand Curriculum is underpinned by values of diversity, equity, and respect and recognises human rights. These values ensure the rights of all students to self expression, identifi cation, and support. Sexuality education is based on these values (Ministry of Education, 2015).
Sexuality education in New Zealand schools supports and acknowledges diversity among students. Schools should work to question gender stereotypes, and assumptions about sexuality. School programmes and the wider school environment should take opportunities to acknowledge the sexual diversity of New Zealand communities and recognise the rights of those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and other sexual and gender identities. Diverse views of sexuality also need to be supported. The New Zealand Curriculum is underpinned by values of diversity, equity, and respect and recognises human rights. These values ensure the rights of all students to self expression, identifi cation, and support. Sexuality education is based on these values (Ministry of Education, 2015).
sexuality issuesThe Youth '12 survey (Lucassen, Clark, Moselen, Robinson, & The Adolescent Health Research Group, 2014) reported that 3.8% of New Zealand secondary school students are same or both sex attracted and 4.3% are either not sure who they are attracted to or attracted to neither sex. This equates to approximately 8% of students being considered queer. Less than a quarter of these students were able to easily talk to their family about their sexuality.
Most same/both-sex attracted students had friends that cared about them a lot, friends they could talk to about anything, and they had an adult who was a non-family member that they could talk to about anything. A greater proportion of same/both-sex attracted students worked as volunteers in comparison to opposite-sex attracted students. However, heteronormativity and homophobia contribute to queer students being over represented in negative health and well being statistics:
Lucassen, M.F.G., Clark, T. C., Moselen, E., Robinson, E.M., & The Adolescent Health Research Group. (2014). Youth’12 The Health and Wellbeing of Secondary School Students in New Zealand: Results for Young People Attracted to the Same Sex or Both Sexes. Auckland: The University of Auckland.
|
trans* issuesThe Youth ’12 survey (Clark, Lucassen, Bullen, Denny, Fleming, Robinson & Rossen, 2014) reported that approximately 4% of year 9-13 students were either transgender or not sure of their gender. This equates to 1 in 25 students in New Zealand secondary schools being considered trans*.
While trans* students were found to be generous and giving members of their communities, they also reporting some alarming statistics:
The number of trans* students within a school is relatively small, however statistics clearly show they are at high risk of depression, self-harm, suicide and bullying. Cisnormativity and transphobia contribute to the issues trans* youth face. While trans* students have a right to be who they are, feel safe and supported and receive quality education, they are dependent on teachers and their school to ensure their rights are understood and protected. The statistics above indicate that in general teachers and schools are under equipped and failing to meet the needs of trans* students. Clark, T. C., Lucassen, M. F. G., Bullen, P., Denny, S. J., Fleming, T. M., Robinson, E. M., & Rossen, F. V. (2014). The health and well-being of transgender high school students: Results from the New
Zealand Adolescent Health Survey (Youth’12). Journal of dolescent Health, 55, 93-99. http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/1054-139X/PIIS1054139X13007532.pdf |
Ministry of Education. (2015). Sexuality education: a guide for principals, boards of trustees, and teachers. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education