SIGN THE LETTER

To Mr. Nadhim Zahawi

 

My name is Xantippe Steele and I am a fifteen year old LGBTQ+ activist, and founder of History Untold - an organisation advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusive education.

We were told that by September last year (2020) we would be expecting LGBTQ+ education implemented into the curriculum. So far, no public action has been taken to enforce this. The LGBTQ+ community are no strangers to having unfulfilled promises served to us on a silver plate by people of power. Record high numbers of LGBTQ+ hate crimes are being recorded - and especially in the pandemic, the LGBTQ+ community is feeling more isolated and victim to hostility than ever.

So many young LGBTQ+ kids are growing up believing the overwhelming surge of hatred which the media spits out, they are growing up to believe something is broken within them, that they must be fixed - by a form of conversion therapy (another example of empty words - we have been promised the abolishment of conversion therapy for four years in a row now) unaware to the incredible community, our history and the fights we have fought.

To teach LGBTQ+ history is more than to deliver a lesson for the purpose of a grade at the end of the year, but instead it is to actively battle against the ignorance which fuels hostility towards our community. If we educate people on our history, our rights, our icons, then I will personally guarantee you that our suffering will cease a great deal.

This is about priorities, Mr. Zahawi. What is more important to the people who run our country - teaching about wars between self entitled misogynistic slave owners hundreds of years ago - or teaching about the battles for equality, at a time when to simply experience love was illegal.

Lets create a safer environment for all children across the UK, an environment where they shall not have to grow up in fear of prejudice or discrimination. The youth deserve more. I should not have to be here, at fifteen years old, taking it upon myself to deliver more to my fellow students, yet here we are. Lets not become a country of stationary words, but instead a country of movement, progress and action.

I propose an active movement to implement an entire section of the history curriculum dedicated to minorities human rights history, which is non conditional, non negotiable and non optional for students to take up until the year of undertaking their GCSE's. I wish to implement boards of LGBTQ+ students, teachers and members of the public to gather lessons on LGBTQ+ history and make sure they are taught with accuracy. Finally, I suggest teaching about LGBTQ+ history and culture becomes part of a schools every day life - that it isn't just a fifteen minute assembly once a year in June, but instead teaching about Stonewall becomes as normalised as teaching about the battles of Richard and John.

I hope that, if you care about the youth of UK, impressionable and open to diversity and decriminalisation of love, and that if you care about mental health and personal safety of the LGBTQ+ community as much as I do, these suggestions will be welcomed warmly by the board of education.

A new age has arrived. An age of freedom to love who one wishes to love. You can either be a part of it, or be left behind. I created History Untold because I am giving a voice to those who fought for me to have the right to walk down the street hand in hand with my partner, a blessing I am thankful for every day.

Thank you to Marsha P. Johnson, Roberta Cowell, Stormé DeLarverie and every single other LGBTQ+ historical figure, your fights shall not be forgotten.

And thank you to you, Mr. Zahawi for taking the time to consider this. I hope you shall chose love over tradition. 

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- Xantippe Steele (She/Her)