Education Programme

for Primary Schools

Sexual Orientation
and Gender Identity
MODULE 6/6
 The GenderABC project is coordinated by

Education Programme
and implemented by
for Primary Schools

This publication was funded by the European Union’s Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020)

This educational module was developed by APF - Associação para o

Planeamento da Família in the framework of the project GenderABC.

The content of this publication represents the views of the authors only and is their sole responsibility.
The European Commission does not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.
Project nº 810148
Primary Schools Primary Schools
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Section I
INTRODUCTION

1. Purpose
Summary This module addresses the topic of sexual orientation and gender identity, framing it
into a broader discussion around respect, identity, non-discrimination and the inclusion
of. It also focuses on specific forms of bullying towards people based on their sexual
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
orientation and gender identity.

Section I - Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2. Main topics
2. Main topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 • Gender and Gender Identity
3. Keywords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 • Sexual Orientation
• Inclusion and Diversity
4. Learning objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
• Bullying based on Gender
5. List of activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 • Gender Non-Binary, Gender Non-Conforming
• Nuclear Family (Different types, LGBTQI included)
Section II - Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Activity 1: Girl and Boy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3. Keywords
• Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
• Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Gender • Gender Identity • Gender Role
• Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Gender Expression • Gender Equality
Activity 2: Hot chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Sexual Orientation • LGBTQI • Sex • Transgender
• Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
• Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Note: on the Glossary, check the box “Transgender Terminology”.

• Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Activity 3: What to Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 4. Learning objectives
• Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
• Understand the concept of gender
• Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
• Understand key concepts such as “biological sex”, “gender identity” and “sexual
• Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 orientation”
• Identify discrimination based on gender
Session Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 • Identify different types of nuclear family
• Gain insight into one’s own gender identity, personal history of gender socialisation
Modules List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 and/or sexual orientation
• Learn that everyone has the right to express their gender freely
• Identify ways in which the status of girls and/or LGBTQI youngsters can be improved

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Primary Schools Primary Schools
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Section II
5. List of activities
ACTIVITIES

Activity 1 Girl and Boy 2

Total delivery Materials Target age

Activity name Target age Total duration Materials Importance1 time
Preferably a room big enough 6-8 years
• Preferably a room 45 minutes 9-12 years
for working in a semi-circle
big enough for Preparation: 13
(in plenary)
working in a semi- Delivery: 2
Follow-up: 30 Cushions or chairs
-circle (in plenary)
• Cushions or Computer
chairs Video-projector
6-8 years • Computer
Girl and Boy 45 minutes Audio-system
1 9-12 years • Video-projector
Screen-projector
• Audio-system
• Screen-projector USB with the video (or
reliable internet connection)
• USB with the
video (or reliable
internet
connection)
BACKGROUND
• 1 room big The aim of the activity is to address the topic of gender identity, while highlighting the
enough to form
risk of binary gender conformity. Also, it aims at addressing the roots of patriarchy
6-8 years a circle of chairs
2 Hot Chair 45 minutes and gender inequality.
9-12 years • 1 chair per
participant
+ 1 extra
SCENARIO
• A large enclosed
working space
with 4 corners
(or with 4 areas) A Educators ask everyone to sit in a semi-circle and project the
3 What do Do 9-12 years 45 minutes • Hand-outs of animation-clip “Girl and Boy”– or a similar short video. It is
the dilemmas
important that educators make sure the selected video addresses:
• 4 colourful
paper signs • Gender identity
• Tape • Gender binary conformity
• Patriarchy
• Gender inequality of girls in relation to boys

1
Activities are ranked from one to three stars, in increasing order of importance, i.e. three stars for “highly recommended”. 2
Adapted from the animation-clip by Marcia Mailoa, Girl and Boy, available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF1j22x-yU8&feature=youtu.be

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Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

BRIEF Activity 2 Hot Chair 3

Educators lead a discussion based on questions

such as these: Total delivery Materials Target age
time
1 room big enough to form 6-8 years
45 minutes 9-12 years
• What is the video about? a circle of chairs
Preparation: 10
• How did you feel watching the video? (Check if participants have different Delivery: 15 1 chair per participant
Follow-up: 20 + 1 extra
feelings according to their gender)
• Did you experience any situation similar to what is shown in the video?
If yes, which one(s)?
• What makes someone a boy or a girl? BACKGROUND
• Are there any differences between female and male roles in society?
This activity is aimed at creating the conditions for a broader discussion on the topics
If so, which ones? of gender identity and sexual orientation.
• Do men and women have equal opportunities?
• Do all boys like to date girls? And do all girls like to date boys? (Clarify the concepts
of “sexual orientation” vs. “gender identity”) SCENARIO
• What is gender discrimination? How can we stop it?
• What have you learned about gender identity and sexual orientation? Was there
A
anything you didn’t know before? Educators ask everyone to sit in a circle on a chair, one
remaining empty.

B They read out one statement at a time; participants who agree

with it change their seat, while those who disagree remain seated
where they are. If participants cannot decide, they stand up and
turn around once.

3
Source of the activity: Council of Europe Manual Gender Matters (adapted).

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Primary Schools Primary Schools
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Examples of statements: BRIEF

Educators read again each statement, one by one, and point out that these statements
• Women are better at cooking than men • It is acceptable for men not to address different sexual orientations and gender identities, asking participants to
remove their body hair identify both categories.
• Men are better at sports than women
• It is acceptable for girls to wear pants Educators lead a discussion on the different reactions to the statements, highlight the
• Ballet is not an activity for boys
most controversial and clarify the main concepts.
• It is acceptable for boys to wear skirts
• Only thin girls are beautiful
• It is acceptable for men to wear For the final round, educators proceed with the question:
• Only tall boys are handsome • What can you do to prevent discrimination based on gender and/or sexual orientation?
high heel shoes
• Crying in front of friends
means weakness • Girls wait for boys to take initiatives Educators briefly inform participants about the legal framework they should abide to,
on love relationships highlighting that discrimination based on gender and/or sexual orientation is illegal in
• Girls are stronger than boys
• It is natural for boys to take control several countries, including the European Union member states.
• Boys are stronger than girls and to lead
• Girls are more clever than boys • A male president is better than a
• Boys are more clever than girls female one

• Boys behave worse than girls • A husband should not earn less
money than his wife
• Girls behave worse than boys
• You don’t decide whom to fall in
• It is acceptable for men to kiss other men love with
• It is acceptable for women to kiss • It’s OK to have two mothers
other women
• It is acceptable for women not to • It’s OK to have two fathers
remove their body hair • All people should have equal rights

For older participants, more complex questions could be added, such as:
• Heterosexual people chose to be heterosexual
• Gay people chose to be gay
• Transgender people chose to be transgender
• Gays and lesbians have the right to marry
• Gays and lesbians have the right to adopt children
• Transgender people have the right to marry and adopt children
• If my friend told me s/he was gay, I would still be friends with her/him
• If my friend told me s/he was transgender, I would still be friends with her/him
• If my friend from the same-sex told me s/he loved me, I would still be friends with
her/him
• If my friend from the opposite-sex told me s/he loved me, I would still be friends with
her/him
• All people are equal in value

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Primary Schools Primary Schools
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Activity 3 What to Do 4 Examples of dilemmas:

Total delivery Materials Target age Jenny’s dilemma

time
A large enclosed working 9-12 years Jenny is 9. The coolest guy in the school is 11. They don’t know each other but
45 minutes
space with 4 corners Jenny really fancies him. One day he spots Jenny staring at him and invites Jenny
Preparation: 10
(or with 4 areas) to meet him during the school break, in a private hidden spot.
Delivery: 20
Follow-up: 15 Hand-outs of the dilemmas What should Jenny do?
4 colourful Paper Signs 1. Say NO 3. Say YES on the condition that they meet in a public open space
Tape 2. Say YES 4. Something else (Open corner)

BACKGROUND John’s dilemma

The aim of the activity is to tackle sexual orientation and gender identity while John is 9. The coolest girl in the school is 11. They don’t know each other but John
developing the participants’ understanding of the many alternatives that exist for really fancies her. One day she spots John staring at her and invites John to meet
solving perceived problems in a safe and effective way. her during the school break, in a private hidden spot.
What should John do?
1. Say NO 3. Say YES on the condition that they meet in a public open space
SCENARIO
2. Say YES 4. Something else (Open corner)

A Barry’s dilemma
Educators ask participants to stand in the middle of the room
Barry is 11. The coolest guy in the school is 13. They don’t know each other but
and to take a stand on the presented dilemmas, by choosing
Barry really fancies him. Barry believes he is falling in love for this guy, he feels
a corner of the room according to their opinion.
confused and hasn’t told his family nor his close circle of friends. One day the cool
guy spots Barry staring at him and invites Barry to meet up with him during the
school break, in a private hidden spot.
B What should Barry do?
Educators read out the first dilemma and introduce the
1. Say NO 3. Say YES on the condition that they meet in a public open space
alternative corners.
2. Say YES 4. Something else (Open corner)

Nasrine’s dilemma

C When everyone has selected a corner and gone there, educators Nasrine is 11. She fancies a girl in her class and would like to date her. However,
encourage participants to debate among themselves for a while; she is not sure if the girl will be open to her proposal.
educators then ask participants from each corner why they chose What should Nasrine do?
to stand there. Educators repeat the action for each of the dilemmas. 1. Drop the whole idea and forget about the girl
2. Try to get to know the girl better to check if she has similar feelings before
revealing his own
3. Book a meeting with the school counsellor and ask for advice
4. Something else (Open Corner)
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Source of the activity: Council of Europe Manual Gender Matters (adapted).

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Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Alexis’ dilemma Educators are requested to adapt the dilemmas to suit the group they are working
with, avoiding personal stories of participants.
Alexis is 11 and she is transgender (she was born male and has always identified
with being female). She likes a boy in her class and would like to date him. However,
she is not sure if the boy will be open to her proposal. If the boy accepts, she also BRIEF
worries that other students start to label them as gay.
Educators lead a discussion based on
What should Alexis do? questions such as:
1. Drop the whole idea and forget about the boy
2. Try to get to know the boy better to check if he has similar feelings before
• How was it? How did you feel during the activity?
revealing her own
3. Book a meeting with the school counsellor and ask for advice • Was it easy or difficult to decide?
4. Something else (Open Corner) • Were you surprised by any of the comments raised by others?
• Were you able to empathise with any of the characters?

Marco’s dilemma • Do boys and girls have equal opportunities?

• Do transgender people have equal opportunities?
Marco is 9. His parents have split up when he was an infant, when his father fell in
• Do all boys like to date girls? And do all girls like to date boys? (Clarify the concepts
love with another man. Since then, his father and the new boyfriend live together.
Nowadays, Marco’s mother lives also with a new boyfriend. Marco’s nuclear family of “sexual orientation” vs. “gender identity”)
is made of his mother, his father and the two stepfathers. Both stepfathers have • What makes a family be a family?
always treated Marco kindly. Marco doesn’t mind when his mother and her boyfriend • Which types of nuclear family do you know?
bring him to school or participate in school events, but he feels embarrassed • When you have a dilemma, who do you ask for advice (parents, grandparents,
when his father and his father’s boyfriend do the same. Marco is afraid that his brothers and sisters, friends, neighbours, teachers, counsellors, no one)?
schoolmates start making fun of him and his family. This situation is affecting his
• Where can young people get support from if they face such dilemmas?
self-esteem and his relationship with his family.
• What can we do to prevent discrimination based on gender and/or sexual orientation?
What should Marco do?
1. Refuse to see his father 2. Refuse to meet his father’s boyfriend
3. Book a meeting with the school counsellor and ask for advice
Educators point out that these dilemmas display different sexual orientations and
4. Something else (Open Corner)
gender identities and ask participants to identify them; subsequently, educators
clarify the difference between the main concepts and types. Educators briefly inform
Yuan’s dilemma participants about the legal framework they should abide to, highlighting that
Yuan is 9. Her nuclear family is made of two mothers. Her mothers got married discrimination based on gender and/or sexual orientation is illegal in several countries,
with one another before she was born, and have adopted her when she was an including the European Union member states.
infant. Yuan loves both of her mothers. Recently Yuan spoke about her family in
a school project and her classmates started making fun of her and her family.
Since then, Yuan has lost her friends and sits alone during the school breaks. This
situation is deeply affecting her self-esteem.
What should Yuan do first?
1. Talk to her classmates 2. Talk to her mother(s)
3. Book a meeting with the school counsellor and ask for advice
4. Something else (Open Corner)

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Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Project Gender ABC

Session Plan MODULES LIST

Name of the module: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Venue / school: Primary 01 Body Safety / Female Genital Mutilation

School 02 Empowerment and Communication
Focal point / teacher:
Modules
Class (grade and reference): 03 Gender-Based Violence

Nº of participants: 04 Gender Social Norms and Stereotypes

Date: / / Duration: 05 Human Rights and Children’s Rights

Activity/(ies) chosen: 06 Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Materials (all checked): yes no

Secondary 01 Cyber Violence

NOTES:
School 02 Early Forced Marriage
Modules
03 Empowerment and Communication
04 Female Genital Mutilation
05 Gender-Based Violence
06 Gender Social Norms and Stereotypes
07 Group Building
08 Human Rights and Children’s Rights
09 Intimate Partner Violence
10 Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
11 Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
12 Sexual Violence

Support 01 Risk Assessment

Documents 02 General Methodology
03 General Glossary

For more information please contact: info@endfgm.eu

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A project by: