The removal of RSE guidelines without a clear, inclusive replacement risks the health and well-being of Rainbow youth, says Rainbow Labour Chair, MP Shanan Halbert. It’s time to put children’s needs before politics.
It is becoming more and more important that Kiwis learn about diversity and differences. As our world grows more fractured, and as political figures choose to capitalise on division for votes, education is the best tool we have for this.
That’s why I’m particularly concerned this Government is looking to narrow and minimise rainbow and gender issues through the relationships and sexuality education consultation document they’ve just released.
It is education that enables progress. Progress like the acceptance that gay and lesbian couples should be able to marry. Like banning conversion therapy. Like electing and accepting a trans woman, Georgina Beyer, to Parliament.
School isn’t just about times tables and grammar, it’s a place where young people learn social skills, problem solving, critical thinking and about the world around them. It’s where they learn about their peers, people who are different to them, and yes – about relationships and sexuality.
Pearl clutching that teenagers are too young for these kinds of conversations only leaves them to figure it all out on their own, which is far less healthy than normalising conversations about it.
I am concerned that in the 18 months they’ve been in Government, this Coalition Government has sought to unravel progress, cause division and in the process, take our rainbow communities and people’s views about our communities backwards.
Previously, Labour had guidelines in place for schools around relationships and sexuality, which they could use to help with teaching these topics in the classroom. The Government scrapped those without any replacement, which has quite literally taken them back to 2007 – because that’s when the previous guidelines were in place.
Now they’ve released a draft consultation document to help inform the curriculum.
I am all for good relationships and sexuality education in our curriculum, but as it stands, there is little mention in this document of rainbow issues or gender diversity. These important topics are notably absent throughout the draft framework at varying age levels, for example, there is no explicit mention about rainbow families when tamariki are being taught about family structures.
Likewise, sexual orientation has been reduced to only four categories: heterosexual, homosexual (gay and lesbian), bisexual and asexual, when we know that our communities use much broader language to define themselves. Māori and Pasifika viewpoints have also been neglected with the removal of specific tools to support these worldviews.
What is this Government so afraid of with these decisions? That young people will grow up understanding that being different and diverse is ok? That our rainbow rangatahi will feel safe and accepted for who they are?
Or is it actually that they are scared of progress and the change that comes with education and acceptance?
Make sure you share your views on the draft relationships and sexuality education framework before May 9th, so together we can make sure the curriculum includes learning about rainbow issues and gender diversity.
