Fellow: Kim Lithgow
Grant Year: 2020
Location: Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
Organization: Same Love Toti
Project title: Compulsory Inclusion of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) Within the Basic Education School Curriculum in KwaZulu-Natal
Project summary: Same Love Toti will create a safer, more receptive learning environment for LGBTI students in KwaZulu-Natal province by advocating with local schools to ensure they educate students on issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity. For years Same Love Toti has been conducting sensitization workshops for parents, students, and teachers to promote a greater understanding of sexuality and gender diversity, but schools in the province are not required to teach about these issues and LGBTI students continue to report facing abuse and hostile learning environments. In order to improve the learning environments for students, Same Love Toti will advocate with the chairperson of the Parliamentary Monitoring Group for the KwaZulu-Natal Education Portfolio Committee to amend the Basic Education School Curriculum to make it compulsory for all schools in the province to educate students about sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics. If successful, this project could impact up to 1.5 million students and teachers in KwaZulu-Natal province.
