An Open Letter to the Department for Education (DfE)

To:

Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education

Catherine McKinnell MP, Minister for School Standards

Stephen Morgan MP, Minister for Early Education

Janet Daby MP, Minister for Children and Families

Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills

Subject: The Urgent Need to Revise the RSHE 2026 Guidance and Centre Trans, Non-Binary, Intersex, Asexual and Gender Non-Conforming Voices

Dear Ministers,

We write to you with deep concern and urgent conviction regarding the recently published guidance on Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE), set to come into effect in September 2026.

The proposed guidance, as it stands, represents a dangerous regression in inclusive education. It places trans, non-binary, intersex, asexual and gender non-conforming pupils at risk by erasing their identities from the curriculum and silencing their experiences within schools. This is not merely a policy decision, it is a moral and human rights issue.

In its current form, the guidance is riddled with contradictions. Paragraph 67 rightly states that pupils should learn about the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, including sexual orientation and gender reassignment. However, subsequent paragraphs work to undermine this principle. There is direct contradiction between Paragraph 69's assertion to teach that those with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment should be treated with “respect and dignity”, and Paragraph 70's implication that trans identities are up for debate. How can you teach that trans, non-binary and intersex people are up for “significant debate” without stripping them of their dignity and agency?

The guidance further implies that teachers must avoid anything that could be seen to allow questioning of gender or affirm trans identities. This is vague and leaves room for an interpretation that could lead to schools restricting discussion around trans people and their identities in any meaningful way. Paragraph 70 goes as far as to suggest that even acknowledging gender identity could be construed as promoting a particular viewpoint. This makes well-rounded, inclusive teaching about trans lives near impossible.

Under the Equality Act 2010, gender reassignment does not solely apply to medical transition or those with a Gender Recognition Certificate, but also to those at any stage in the transition process, including questioning gender identity. By restricting how you can teach the topic of social transition, you come in direct opposition with the protected characteristic. It also means the protected characteristic applies to young people questioning their gender or who have begun the process of social transition. These young people, by virtue of the guidance, will be left with RSHE teaching that is patchy at best, and outright damaging at worst.

This places teachers and educators in an impossible position. The contradiction between encouraging inclusion under the Equality Act whilst instructing teachers not to affirm gender identity and diversity risks legal uncertainty, discrimination, and further marginalisation of already vulnerable young people.

We must be clear. Trans people exist. Intersex people exist. Non-binary people exist. So too do trans and intersex teachers and educators, parents, carers, and foster parents. Excluding these very real and undeniable realities from our education system does not protect children. It denies them the opportunity to understand themselves and the diversity of the world around them in a safe and age-appropriate manner, to feel seen in their own experiences and to grow with empathy and respect for others.

The guidance’s encouragement to teach about same-sex parents while excluding trans people from those same conversations is a glaring inconsistency. It invites discrimination by omission. Importantly, the failure to provide clarity around terms such as ‘biological sex’ further complicates the task for educators and opens the door for misrepresentation and harm.

What is needed is not silence or censorship, but compassion and courage. The RSHE curriculum must be a place where all young people can learn about themselves and others with dignity and truth. This cannot be left to the bravery of individual teachers trying to do the right thing under threat of sanctions. Inclusive education must be embedded across the curriculum, supported by leadership and enshrined in guidance and the law. LGBTIQA+ inclusivity should not stop at teaching about same-sex relationships, but encompass the diverse range of experiences under sexuality and gender. We call on the guidance to include asexuality and aromanticism within this so that children may learn that they are not broken if they do not experience romantic or sexual attraction.

We also note with alarm with this document and the up-coming DfE Gender Questioning Guidance document and the wider implications of these pieces of guidance will have across the full school curriculum. We fear that it will normalise exclusionary practice and silence necessary conversations, not only in RSHE but across the full school curriculum and the everyday lived experience for young trans, non-binary and intersex people. We have seen this pattern before under Section 28. We must learn from the impact that this had on a generation of young people and not repeat those mistakes.

The mental health impact is already apparent. Recent and robust data consistently show that trans and non-binary people in the UK face disproportionately high rates of suicidal ideation, self-harm, and, in some cases, completed suicide, especially among youth. These elevated risks are closely tied to discrimination, lack of support, and restricted access to appropriate healthcare services, highlighting the urgent need for targeted mental health strategies and inclusive policy measures. A recent report by the Trevor Project in 2024 illustrates this adverse experience for all LGBTIQA+ young people but particularly highlights the higher rates among gender fluid, non-binary and trans young people, “By gender identity, higher rates of considering suicide in the past year were reported by gender fluid young people (69%), transgender men (72%), and transgender women (68%) than LGBTQ+ young people of other gender identities. Similarly, higher rates of attempting suicide in the past year were observed among gender fluid young people (30%), transgender men (30%), and transgender women (23%).” (quoted from The Trevor Project, 2024 United Kingdom Survey on the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people – full report here - thetrevorproject.org/survey-international/uk/2024/...)

No guidance about us should be written without us. We call on the DfE to centre the lived experiences and leadership of trans, non-binary, intersex and gender non-conforming young people in any review or redraft of the RSHE framework. It is essential that policy is shaped by those most affected.

We also stand in solidarity with all marginalised communities whose histories and identities are routinely erased in education. True inclusion means recognising how race, disability, class, faith and gender identity intersect in young people’s lives. Schools must become spaces where everyone can see themselves reflected, respected and supported.

We therefore call on the DfE to:

Immediately revise the RSHE 2026 guidance to ensure it actively affirms and includes trans, non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming people throughout.

Remove contradictory and exclusionary language that silences discussions of gender identity and undermines the protected characteristics under the Equality Act.

Clarify definitions and expectations around terms like ‘biological sex’ in a way that reflects contemporary science and human diversity.

Embed asexual and aromantic identities in discussions about sexual orientation to ensure that young people are aware that not having sexual or romantic attraction is normal.

Provide clear, consistent support for educators to deliver inclusive, factual and age-appropriate content without fear of disciplinary action.

Engage meaningfully with the LGBTIQA+ community, especially trans, non-binary and intersex young people, in redrafting this guidance.

Our children deserve an education that reflects the full richness of true human experience. One that teaches respect, fosters understanding, and gives every learner the freedom to thrive as who they are without fear or shame. This guidance does not meet that standard. We urge you to listen, reflect and act and reaffirm yourselves as leaders who care about everyone and not just some people.

With hope, resolve and solidarity,

The Pride in Education team

Laïla El-Métoui (she/her) - Founder and Volunteer Director

Emma Doyle (she/they) - Volunteer Director

Kamran Khan (he/him) - Volunteer Director