Context for the 1996 UK Baha'i Statement on Homosexuality

Section 28 was an amendment of the 1988 Local Government Act which stated that a local
authority "shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of
promoting homosexuality" or "promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of
homosexuality as a pretended family relationship".
Local Government Act 2003 (c. 26) - Statute Law Database

Local Government Act 1988

The following link has news reports of about 20 cases of lesbian or gay support groups either
closing or being banned or of material, including an opera by Benjamin Britten, being banned in
schools as a result of this act.

In response to this Stonewall, a UK lesbian, gay and bisexual rights charity was formed in 1989
lobbying against section 28 of the Local Government Act. Sir Ian McKellen, Lisa Power (MBE),
Matthew Parris and Michael Cashman were among its founders.

This bill was repealed on 21 June 2000 in Scotland, and on 18 November 2003 in the rest of the
UK by section 122 of the Local Government Act 2003. In June 2009, David Cameron— then leader
of the Conservative Party — formally apologised on behalf of his party which introduced the law,
stating that it was a mistake and had been offensive to gay people. He restated this in January
2010 and proposed to alter the policy of the Conservative Party to reflect his belief that equality
should be taught in British schools.

The statement by the UK of the NSA was addressed to a London SACRE (Standing Advisory
Council on Religious Education).
The Education Act of 1996 (in affect modifying Section 28) enabled teachers to mention and to be
supportive of homosexuality and for a more effective support system against bullying in schools.
The following statement was emailed to me, Sonja van Kerkhoff on 6 November 1996 by the
secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais of the United Kingdom :

Homosexuality
The National Spiritual Assembly, as the elected administrative body for the Baha'i Faith in the
United Kingdom, is concerned at some aspects of the sexual education of schoolchildren in this
country.

Baha'is believe that the sexual impulse is a God-given one, and the source of great joy and
fulfilment if expressed in the intended way. The appropriate circumstance for this is within
marriage, the legally,socially, and spiritually sanctioned union of two adults of the opposite sex.
Other expressions are neither valid nor to be encouraged.

We recognise that this ideal, of chastity before marriage and fidelity within it, is unfashionable.
However it is taught by the world's grea religions, and is part of the basis of a stable and
civilised society. Its rejection is in part a cause and in part an effect of the stresses, strain, and
devaluation of people, that is occurring in the present-day world.

The moral and sexual education of children cannot be taken separately, and must be based
upon heterosexuality, fidelity, and the family unit.

Baha'is reject the idea that homosexuality is something to be regarded as normal and its
practice merely a valid lifestyle alternative. While it is wrong to condemn homosexuals as
people, the sexual practice of homosexuality is no more an acceptable activity than is
heterosexual activity outside marriage.

We are concerned that homosexuality is being taught as if it were normal, and even more so
when this is done to children of a vulnerable and readily-influenced age. We also abhor the
introduction of loaded words such as 'homophobia' and 'heterosexism' to try to convey the idea
that rejection of homosexuality is as prejudiced and discriminatory as racism, sexism, and other
biases and intolerances which society is so painfully outgrowing.

These words are designed to cow those opposed to the promotion of homosexuality by
generating an atmosphere in which any disagreement is automatically represented as due to
blind prejudice and bigotry.

Baha'is feel that there is so much common ground between the teachings of the world's faiths
on this important subject that there should be no difficulty about their standing together against
the values being promoted by the forces of secularism in our society.

October 1996