Report finds rising homophobic language in primary schools, including in the three counties
Social media could be to blame for the early and widespread exposure to hateful language
A new report has revealed that 78% of primary school children across the UK have heard homophobic language, raising concerns about the influence of social media platforms like TikTok in spreading derogatory terms.
The research, conducted by the LGBT+ charity Just Like Us in partnership with VotesforSchools, surveyed over 31,000 young people in June 2024, including more than 4,000 children aged 9 to 11.
The findings highlight a disturbing trend in the use of homophobic language at younger ages, with 80% of secondary school pupils reporting similar experiences.
The findings are not surprising to Alistair Marston, Managing Director of Aylesbury Community Pride.
He said: "The most shocking part of the report is that younger age demographic... it seems like things have possibly got worse, and I think social media has amplified that."
The report points to TikTok and other platforms as contributing factors in the spread of harmful language.
Alistair agreed that social media could play a significant role in these trends.
"It's across all the social media platforms... young people aren't able to escape if they are experiencing bullying or this kind of hateful language," he explained.
"Before, it would end when your school day ended, but now you take your phone home, your friends home, and everything like that. So there's no way to escape."
The report has raised concerns that homophobic language, often dismissed as "just a joke," is having a detrimental impact on the mental health of LGBT+ young people.
Laura Mackay, CEO of Just Like Us, said: "Homophobic language should never be dismissed as ‘just a joke’ because we know it has real-life consequences, impacting the self-esteem and feelings of shame among LGBT+ young people."
Alistair himself, just like many other members of his community, experienced bullying during his school years, and was regularly called derogatory or hateful names.
He said: "For me, 'gay' was used as a huge slur.
"I’ve only recently come to terms with being able to refer to myself as a gay man because it has such negative connotations.
"With social media and access to the Internet, those words spread very quickly from school to school and can rapidly become... 'a trend'."
In addition to the role of social media, he argued the influence of algorithms could be amplifying harmful content.
The report also notes a rise in homophobic games on TikTok, which are particularly troubling as they target young people.
Many groups are advocating for education as a solution to the rising use of homophobic language in schools, with the belief that adults have a responsibility to teach children why such language is harmful.
In addition, greater representation of LGBTQ+ individuals in media is argued as a way to challenge stereotypes and build empathy.