1. NB: This Powerpoint is written in Century Gothic font, to be as accessible as possible for dyslexic readers.
On this slide, you could ask the assembly if they know what is celebrated in February.
They may come up with things like: Valentine’s Day, Shove Tuesday (Pancake Day) or half term.
They may also talk about the leap year (which is this year (2016)).
They may know about, or want to talk about, Candlemas – more information can be found here:

2. LGBT History Month February is also:
Across the UK, since 2005, events have taken place in schools, colleges, universities, businesses and in communities to remember, observe and celebrate LGBT History.
You could ask at this point if anyone knows what anything about LGBT History Month, or if you celebrated it last year, what they remember.
To help facilitate the discussion, here’s a handy description:
‘Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans History Month celebrates the lives and achievements of the LGBT community. LGBT HM is celebrated in February in the UK but our work to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia continues throughout the year.
‘It is an opportunity to uncover the hidden histories of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and a create space for dialogue debate and learning - highlighting discrimination and celebrating diversity. Every year events take place across Scotland run by community groups, businesses and local authorities including schools, universities and colleges.’

3. LGBT History Month What does LGBT stand for?
Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender
But what do these words mean?
Understanding LGBT Definitions:
Language is important, but for any community who has been marginalised, pathologised and discriminated against historically, the way in which language is used holds even greater significance.
Language is powerful, It can be used to include or exclude, to affirm or deny, to support or reject…
Language is creative, this is certainly true when we talk about the LGBT community. Words like queer or dyke, once seen only as terms of abuse, have been reclaimed by the community but are still seen as offensive by others.
FOR PRESENTERS: It’s up to you at this point if you want to stop and allow the school/year group to discuss and come up with definitions of their own or you can just go straight on to slides 4 and 5.

4. LGBT History Month
Lesbian - a woman who is emotionally and/or physically attracted to other women. Gay - A man who is emotionally and/or physically attracted to other men. Some women and girls prefer to refer to themselves as gay women rather than lesbian. Bisexual - a person who is emotionally and/or physically attracted to women and men
LGBT is only an acronym - covering a wide and diverse community… Men and women, young and old, people living in cities, rural & remote areas, mums & dads, sisters and brothers, cousins, nieces and nephews, pupils, students, manual and professional workers, managers, students, lecturers…
Emphasise that ‘LGBT’ is an alliance of interest: Common factors are experiences of stigma, prejudice and discrimination and that LGBT people challenge traditional gender roles and gender constructs.
The definitions on the slides are the standard common definitions for LGB people in Scotland.

5. LGBT History Month
The terms transgender people, trans people and gender variant people are all ‘umbrella’ terms.
They include all those whose gender identity and/or gender expression vary in some way from societal gender assumptions relating to their birth sex.
Gender Identity = an individual’s internal self-perception of their own gender.
Gender Expression = an individual’s external gender-related physical appearance and behaviour.
This tends to be a topic which raises a lot of questions, especially for young people.
The best way to describe people who identify as Transgender, or just Trans, is: “People whose gender identity (how they think about themselves in terms of male/female) and/or gender expression (how they show their gender through their appearance – clothes, hair cut, make up, name) differs from what is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth.”
If your audience have a lot more questions, record these and schedule in a further assembly/workshop about transgender identities. For assistance with this you can contact LGBT Youth Scotland:

6. LGBT community There are LGBT people in every community in Scotland.
They can be in any school, any family and any group.
The official statistics on the number of LGBT people in Scotland vary widely. Discrepancies occur because a number of LGBT people do not feel comfortable disclosing information about their personal identities and family lives. There may be many reasons for this, including the fear that this information may be used to label LGBT individuals as bad.
We can say however, with certainty, that there are LGBT people in every area of Scotland.

7. Why is participating in LGBT History Month important?
You could pause here and let the assembly discuss and give feedback, or go on with some/all of these:
Reasons to celebrate LGBT History Month:
Helps create a nurturing and inclusive environment and ensures the LGBT members of our community feel a part of our school.
Highlights positive achievements of LGBT people in society and presents a wide and varied group of effective contributors.
Can reduce bullying and raise self-esteem through positive reinforcement of cultural diversity.
Can prepare young people for adulthood. If any young person displays behaviour that is motivated by prejudice it can have an impact on their ability to succeed later in life.
Can send a positive message regarding your school’s ethos to the wider community, including LGBT families and teachers.
Highlight for students:
Develop your understanding of our varied society
Celebrate individuals you may not have heard of, like the Imitation Game does with Alan Turing
Create as positive and friendly environment for LGBT people and people with LGBT family members.

8. LGBT History Month
This year, the theme of LGBT History Month in Scotland is History and Heritage!
This is similar to the theme for Scotland 2017: Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.
LGBT History is often overlooked but is rich and varied.
Copies of this poster can be downloaded from the LGBT Youth Scotland website and from the Scottish LGBT History Month website here:
Schools can put them up in corridors, classrooms and communal areas.
There are some pre-printed posters available from LGBT Youth Scotland offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dumfries. Please contact these offices directly if you’d like some sent to you and to arrange methods of paying postage.

9. LGBT History Month
There are many important dates, people and place in Scottish LGBT history. Here are just a few of them.
LGBT Youth Scotland runs youth groups all over Scotland, information can be found here:
They also offer an online digital youth work service. This allows young people from all over Scotland the opportunity to talk anonymously with youth workers about anything regarding sexual orientation or gender identity. The information about this can be found here:
Edwin Morgan was a Scottish poet and translator who was associated with the Scottish Renaissance. He is widely recognised as one of the foremost Scottish poets of the 20th century. In 1999, Morgan was made the first Glasgow Poet Laureate. In 2004, he was named as the first Scottish national poet: The Scots Makar.

10. Today, Pride marches happen in several areas across Scotland with Dundee planning their first Pride march in Pride marches are celebrations of LGBT culture and identity and enable LGBT people to show pride in the journey they have taken to be who they are. Historically, they stem from the Stonewall Riots in New York in 1969 and the march which was held to commemorate those riots the year after.
Jackie Kay is the Scots Makar and a lesbian. She is an advocate for LGBT rights in Scotland.
Section 28, officially Clause 2(a) in Scotland, was a law which prevented ‘local authorities from promoting homosexual relationships as healthy alternatives to heterosexual ones’. This vaguely worded law was interpreted by many schools to mean that they couldn’t discuss anything LGBT. It created a vacuum of information for all students, but particularly LGBT students who were left isolated, confused and unwelcome.

11. LGBT History Month
There are many important dates, people and place in Scottish LGBT history. Here are a few of them.
IN 2004 the UK government passed the Civil Partnership act which allowed same-sex couples to register their relationships and gain the majority of benefits of a marriage.
Campaigners maintained that this ‘separate but equal’ differentiation was unnecessary and unhelpful and pushed for full access to marriage. This was passed in 2014 after significant and sustained opposition.

12. LGBT History Month That is just a sample – there are lots more!
Look out for this poster around school
Copies of this poster can be downloaded from the LGBT Youth Scotland website and from the Scottish LGBT History Month website here:

13. LGBT History Month
This clip talks about what people can do to help the LGBT community. It’s a powerful speech by Harvey Milk, the first out gay man elected to public office in the USA.
If this doesn’t play, the same film can be found on YouTube here:
This is a clip of Harvey Milk’s ‘You’ve got to give them hope’ speech is one of the most widely shared and recognised speeches in LGBT history.
<Scottish politicians and date of speech>
Harvey Milk was the first out gay man to be elected to public office in the United States of America. Sadly, he was assassinated in 1978 in the San Francisco City Council building where he was a City Councillor.

14. What can we do?
To show that our school supports LGBT people, on Friday 24th - the last school day of LGBT History Month – we’re going to be celebrating Purple Friday!
There’s a second PowerPoint you can use on Purple Friday which explains exactly why we have it, though the idea is: To mark the last Friday of LGBT History Month we're asking Scottish schools to allow staff and pupils who stand up against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia to wear something purple to school. If this isn’t possible, then by wearing a purple ribbon or badge or doing something purple related as a school.
This will send a visual message of acceptance and LGBT equality, allowing both students and staff to get involved in a meaningful action to tackle prejudice and discrimination.
We know that when young people are directly involved in school initiatives it can make a real impact, so involve pupil councils or senior pupils in leading this initiative.
Schools can also ask all pupils who take part in Purple Friday to donate 50p or a £1 towards the campaign, hold a bake sale selling purple cupcakes or selling purple ribbons.
Any school that donates over £500 to support LGBT Youth Scotland's work in schools will be eligible for free teacher training from LGBT Youth Scotland, and will be signed up for the LGBT Schools Charter Mark

15. LGBT History Month www.lgbtyouth.org.uk
We’d like to think that everyone in our school is safe and happy to be here.
Also, we hope that you all know that if you have any problems or issues, we’re here to help.
If you want further information you can visit: