Alliance MLA Connie Egan: 'Northern Irish sex and relationships education is too heteronormative so I plan to change the law'

Connie Egan, Assemblywoman for North Down and member of the board of governors at Trinity Nursery School in Bangor, was speaking in the wake of a report by the Education and Training Inspectorate into the state of such schooling.

It found that not enough schools were teaching about issues like transgenderism, and that pupils themselves should be helping to draw up the lessons.

• School inspectors' report indicates 2% of pupils responding to survey identify as 'other' gender

Gay and transgender activists in Northern Ireland have been calling for years for some kind of mandatory curriculum on these matters, alongside feminists who have also been pushing for lessons in misogyny and consent.

On Wednesday, Ms Egan said that "a standardised, inclusive and evidence-based relationship and sexuality education curriculum in schools is the best way to prepare children and young people for healthy relationships".

She said: "We should not shy away from emotive issues, and only do our young people a disservice by not discussing these issues in a safe and supportive environment.

“It is deeply disappointing but unfortunately not surprising this report suggests LGBTQ+ issues are overlooked and what is taught focuses on heteronormative experiences.

“When the Executive is restored, I intend to bring a Private Member’s Bill to the Assembly to introduce standardised, inclusive, evidence-based RSE in schools."

Heteronormativity is what activists believe is an undue focus on heterosexuality.