Children as young as seven are using homophobic language, with a “huge resurgence” in offensive insults in schools, according to a former teacher and consultant.
Ian Timbrell, who works with schools on LGBT+ inclusion, said a growing number of teachers have asked for his help after hearing derogatory terms used recently.
Social media apps such as TikTok were highlighted as mediums where such language were heard – although a company spokesperson said it removed almost 90% of videos that violated policies on bullying and hate speech before they were reported.
The Welsh government said: “Any form of bullying, discrimination, or sexual harassment is completely unacceptable.”
Warning: This story contains offensive discriminatory language.
Mr Timbrell, who was a teacher for 17 years, said he did not recall hearing the phrase “that’s so gay” through his career.
However, in the past 12 months, he felt there had been a “huge resurgence”.
“A lot of it is their families and their parents who are using it,” he said.
“But a lot of it is social media from the United States, TikTok accounts, things like that.”
The Cardiff-based father-of-one now runs a not-for-profit organisation, More than Flags and Rainbows, that aims to make schools and colleges more inclusive, as well as challenging homophobia.
“Ignorance is not an excuse,” he added.
“If people are saying ‘I didn’t mean it like that, or I don’t know what it means’, well it’s our responsibility as parents, as teachers, to educate them on why it is.”
He said he would use his own experiences to explain to pupils how hurtful it can be when the term is used in this negative way.
“The only way that we will stop this is if everyone stands up to it, whether you’re a teacher, a parent, a young person,” he said.
A report by Estyn in December 2021 found that LGBTQ+ pupils have substantial personal experiences of verbal homophobic harassment. Many said homophobic bullying happened all the time as the most common type of harassment in their school.
Ashton Taylor, who came out as trans at 15, does not have fond memories of school.
“One of the things that I found was I was being called a lesbian quite a lot, which to a teacher they might not pick up on that being hateful,” he said.
“But again, that is like something that would affect me quite a lot as a child.”
The 22-year-old from Caerphilly said he heard homophobic language from the age of 11 in school, which made him “more afraid to come out”.
“I think it’s starting to change, but I think it’s still very much a big issue, especially in smaller communities,” he said.
The law student now visits schools and universities to give talks based on his experience.
“I’ve spoken to people who were maybe not that nice to me in school, and they’ve bought me a pint in the pub, because I’ve sat and spoke to them, and they’ve grown up a bit, reflected, and actually sat and listened to me,” he said.
Ashton said he overcame his experiences by sharing his story and pushing himself out of his comfort zone, travelling all over the world to do so.
The issue is a familiar one for Just Like Us, a charity working with schools to support LGBT+ young people.
Its research, in conjunction with VotesforSchools – which provides resources to teachers to support discussions on topical issues – found nearly four out of five primary school pupils they spoke to in England heard homophobic language.
The survey of nearly 32,000 pupils included more than 4,000 primary school pupils.
The organisation, which works with 272 schools in Wales, said it believed it remained an issue across the UK.
“‘Gay’ as an insult has not gone away from school playgrounds and classrooms, and I think it’s been exacerbated by social media,” said Amy Ashenden, who led the research.
“I think sometimes even as LGBT+ adults, we like to think that things have got better, but lots of young people are still facing a lot of the same challenges…this is just another example of that.”
A spokesperson for TikTok said it did not allow content that included a hateful slur or attacked a person or group on the basis of their gender, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation.
The social media platform’s enforcement report from April to June this year showed it removed 88% of videos violating its hate speech policies and 89% of videos violating its bullying and harassment policies before they were reported.
The Welsh government said the curriculum taught across Wales was designed to promote “empathy, respect, and kindness”.
“Learners are supported to challenge discriminatory language and reduce bullying,” a spokesperson added.
