Abolishing Section 28
The law that started it all
Stonewall was founded one year to the day after Section 28 became law. Section 28 of the Local Government Act was a piece of legislation that banned the ‘promotion of homosexuality’ by local councils across Britain, leading to a total suppression of LGBTQ+ identities in schools.
Section 28 became law in 1988, leading to teachers stopping discussing LGBTQ+ lives at all, for fear they could be arrested. LGBTQ+ young people went through school without ever having their identities acknowledged, let alone supported.
The formation of Stonewall
The campaign against the law began before it passed; action started in January 1988. A group came together to oppose the legislation and funded a full-page advertisement in the Independent, published on 1 February 1988 ahead of the House of Lords debate, under the heading "A Sense of Alarm." It was signed by 280 people.
The law still passed, but the group that had formed to oppose it didn’t disband. Stonewall was founded the following year.
Repealing Section 28: a campaign that lasted over a decade
Section 28 wasn't repealed quickly. It took twelve years to overturn in Scotland, and fourteen in England and Wales. Section 28 was repealed in Scotland on 21 June 2000 — but a first attempt to repeal it UK-wide, in 2000, was blocked in the House of Lords. It took until 2003 for a repeal to pass in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Stonewall spent a decade building relationships across Parliament, shifting public opinion, doing sustained policy work and not walking away when early attempts failed.
Stonewall is still working to make every classroom one where LGBTQ+ young people feel safe
It’s vital that LGBTQ+ young people feel welcome and safe at school, are prepared and informed to make decisions about their futures and have a good understanding of safe and healthy relationships.
Section 28 tried to silence any mention of LGBTQ+ lives in the classroom. Making sure that schools are a place where LGBTQ+ young people can be themselves has been part of Stonewall's mission ever since.
This year, Diversity Role Models became part of the Stonewall family: for over fifteen years, their workshops, volunteer role models and educator training have helped schools build genuine understanding and tackle bullying. We look forward to building the programme so that we can reach even more young people, contributing to an inclusive education system in which all are recognised, supported and encouraged.
