鲍鱼tv Scotland - 鲍鱼tv Scotland - Repealing Section 28: When MSPs broke new ground by ending the law that made it 鈥榬espectable to discriminate鈥� in schools

Repealing Section 28: When MSPs broke new ground by ending the law that made it 鈥榬espectable to discriminate鈥� in schools

24 June 2019

In the summer of 2000, while the reformed Scottish parliament was in its infancy, it . Widely known as Section 28, but in Scotland referred to as Clause 2a, the law had prohibited the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

On Children of the Devolution head teacher Jim Whannel described how the law, which came into force in 1988, had created a misunderstanding among teaching staff. “There was a feeling [that] you cannot mention anything to do with gay or lesbian issues because it’s now illegal,” he said.

It led to what he described as “an environment within which people felt it was respectable to discriminate”.

Chloe Divers was a schoolgirl while the law was in place, and suffered from its effects. “When I started to identify as a lesbian there was nothing, no support. I did start to be bullied. The school did nothing for me.”

The move to repeal was not without its critics, but in the end MSPs voted by 99 to 17 with two abstentions. It was a groundbreaking move by the parliament; in 2003.

The impact of Section 28

Allan Little meets members from the LGBT community from different generations.

Children of the Devolution

Allan Little discovers how devolution changed the lives of different generations of Scots and reflects on the scandals the early parliament faced.