LGCM are proud to announce the launch of the Faith and Sexuality Project website at www.faithandsexuality.co.uk – a resource for use in Religious Education which went live on Wednesday 30 March. This exciting contemporary website aimed at secondary school students contains lesson plans, resources for teachers, and even five young Muslims, Jews and Christians sharing their personal stories on video. In the absence of students being able to engage with lesbian and gay adherents of these faiths this is a superb way for them to see and hear people’s personal stories come alive.
The launch marks both the end of a long period of research, writing and networking and the real beginning of the project as the resource now becomes available for use in schools. As well as making possible things like the use of video, delivering the resource via a website allows for continual additions and improvements. It also means it can be made use of by anyone with Internet access. In time we want to encourage submissions from schools so we can showcase the best writing, artwork, photography and video that young people produce in response to grappling with what really are universal themes: how we accept ourselves and others and celebrate the richness of what it means to be human.
We want the project to be truly interactive and something that will grow over time. The limitations are dependent upon our imagination, but also money. We are looking for ways to continue to support the development of the project.
The Faith and Sexuality Project is the result of the first external funding LGCM has received in its 35 year history. It comes in the form of a Government grant to challenge the religious roots of homophobic bullying in schools.
LGCM was awarded the grant in late 2009 to produce an educational resource focusing on the three monotheistic faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) and the more positive thinking and attitudes within these traditions, which can be employed to challenge homophobia.
Teachers are often wary of how to tackle head-on religious homophobia and uncertain how to do so without disparaging children’s personal faith and family and cultural values.
The Faith and Sexuality resource aims to address its subject matter in a constructive way. All three monotheistic faiths promote, in their essence, tolerance and acceptance of people even when lifestyles are not in accord with faith principles. All have clear teachings which are anti-violence and anti-discrimination in their tone.
One does not have to fully endorse same-sex relationships to reject homophobia and seek positive approaches and attitudes towards gay people. Nor does one have to accept everything about homosexuality and same-sex relationships in order to fight prejudice, bigotry, hatred and violence, and indeed to affirm, from a religious perspective, the human rights and dignity of all people.
The Faith and Sexuality Project can be found at www.faithandsexuality.co.uk
