In a swift and powerful collective response on 30 July, more than 200 figures, comprising celebrated artists, LGBTQ+ advocates, parents, teachers, and young people, signed an open letter urging the UK Department for Education to rethink its recently updated Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance set for implementation in 2026. The letter, titled The Urgent Need to Revise the RSHE 2026 Guidance and Centre Trans, Non-Binary, Intersex, Asexual, and Gender Non-Conforming Voices, highlights serious concerns about the guidance’s potential to undermine inclusivity by marginalising and erasing diverse gender identities and sexual orientations.
Prominent signatories include actor and writer Stephen Fry, musician and trans ally Kate Nash, Sex Education star Anthony Lexa, and artist-activist Daniel Lismore, reflecting a broad coalition advocating for an education system that authentically represents the experiences and rights of all young people. Laila El-Metoui, founder of Pride in Education, emphasised that the RSHE guidance ‘must be revised to centre the voices and experiences of all students, including those whose identities have too often been marginalised or erased.’ The letter argues that the current proposals exhibit a concerning regression, potentially placing trans, non-binary, intersex, asexual, and gender non-conforming pupils at risk, particularly regarding their mental health and well-being.
This appeal forms part of a growing wave of activism in response to educational policies perceived to fall short of inclusivity and evidentiary support. A similar open letter, signed by over 930 advocates and public figures including Kate Nash and Stephen Fry, calls for the removal of exclusionary language that silences critical discussions around gender identity and undermines the protections guaranteed under the Equality Act. These voices are united in demanding education policy rooted firmly in respect, evidence, and the lived realities of LGBTQ+ youth. They seek meaningful consultation with young people, parents, teachers, and experts across the gender and sexuality spectrum during the redrafting process, ensuring that identities such as asexuality and aromanticism are explicitly acknowledged and normalised within the curriculum.
These concerns are underscored by previous controversies surrounding the UK’s approach to transgender-inclusive guidance. Whistleblowers at the Equality and Human Rights Commission disclosed that initial guidance supporting trans students had been diluted under government pressure, with progressive language and case studies removed and the material eventually withdrawn. This intervention reflects a broader trend of governmental influence over ostensibly independent bodies, raising fears over the erosion of support for trans rights within educational frameworks.
Stephen Fry’s involvement reflects his longstanding commitment to inclusive relationships and sex education. In 2019, he endorsed a call by the Peter Tatchell Foundation for an upgraded, age-appropriate relationship and sex education programme that affirmed diverse sexual orientations and emphasised consent, respect, and emotional well-being from an early age. Such advocacy indicates that resistance to the current RSHE proposals is grounded not only in reactive opposition but in sustained support for progressive educational reform.
The campaign aligns with broader cultural movements advocating for trans inclusion and equality. In April 2025, over 400 actors and film professionals, including Eddie Redmayne and Nicola Coughlan, signed a letter supporting trans rights in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling, signalling wide-reaching solidarity beyond the education sector.
Despite this, tensions remain in the landscape of gender identity debates in the UK. Earlier letters have surfaced, such as one in 2019 supporting critiques of gender identity ideology from certain feminist perspectives concerned about the implications for women and girls. More recently, in October 2024, prominent figures including Archbishop Jerome opposed Labour’s proposed trans-inclusive conversion therapy ban, cautioning against legislation that might criminalise psychological exploration regarding a child’s gender discomfort. These divergent viewpoints illustrate the complexity and contentiousness surrounding gender identity policy in Britain today.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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