Section 28

Section 28 was a clause of the Local Government Act 1988, passed under Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government, that barred local authorities in England, Scotland, and Wales from "intentionally promoting homosexuality" or teaching its acceptability as a "pretended family relationship." In practice it silenced honest discussion of LGBTQ+ lives in schools and community services, left many students without support, and created a chilling social climate. It also galvanized a generation of activists, helping spur the founding of campaign groups such as Stonewall. After sustained protest, the clause was repealed in Scotland in 2000 and across the rest of the UK in 2003. Its legacy still shapes debates about how schools address LGBTQ+ topics today.