About

Why it’s important

Inside Out is a set of freely available video-based teaching resources which aim to decrease homophobic and transphobic bullying by:

Reducing homophobia and transphobia
Using a norm-challenging pedagogical approach to cultivate critical thinking, perspective-taking and empathy
Helping people understand key concepts and terms related to young people with diverse sex, gender and sexual identities
Identifying what bullying is, and what homophobic and transphobic bullying behaviour may look like
Exploring how people can better support intersex, gender diverse and sexuality diverse young people
Supporting positive social behaviour in children and young people, as peers of intersex, gender diverse and sexuality diverse young people

Inside Out meets key NZ Curriculum and Health Curriculum objectives, including positive relating to others, fostering healthy communities, critical thinking, participating and contributing, sexual health and development, interpersonal skills and attitudes, stereotypes and managing self. (See the Pedagogy Guide included in the Resource Pack for more information on curriculum objectives).

Inside Out is ultimately about fostering positive relating to others, especially in terms of sex, gender and sexual diversity.

Pedagogy

Critical thinking is the foundation for open minds and hearts.

The pedagogical approach of the Inside Out resource is centred on fostering critical thinking, discussion, perspective-taking, empathy, and compassion, to affirm diversity.

Inside Out explores how there are a set of social ‘norms’ in every society. These norms are constructed over time and determine what is ‘normal’, natural and desirable. In this way, these norms also define what is ‘abnormal’, unnatural and undesirable. While not all norms are problematic, norms that construct other diverse sex, gender and sexual identities as ‘abnormal’ and ‘undesirable’ are the basis for transphobia and homophobia. In turn, homophobia and transphobia are the basis of homophobic bullying and harassment.

This resource uses a norm-challenging approach to explore homophobic and transphobic discrimination from another angle - to deconstruct the norms that construct homophobic and transphobic attitudes.

This norm-challenging pedagogical approach can then allow us to identify alternative norms that affirm diversity. This approach is particularly important as preaching is ineffective for getting students to change their attitudes. Instead, it is through critical thinking, empathy, and reflection that attitude change occurs.

Download Pedagogy & Safety Guidelines

Who it’s for

Inside Out has been split into two formats to be developmentally appropriate for children and young people in school years 7-8 and 9-13.

The resource for year 7-8 students focuses mainly on gender identity. For year 9-13, the resource expands to include content about sexual identities.

While this guide is written for educators, it has also been designed for other adults working to support sex, gender and sexual diversity with children and young people.

Project partners

Inside Out - We All Belong was founded by Dr John Fenaughty, who was awarded a Grant from the Te Puna Haumaru fund from the Ministry of Social Development to develop of the project.

Inside Out - We All Belong was jointly produced and directed by Dr John Fenaughty and Eddy Royal (Curative). It involved a partnership between CORE Education, Curative, RainbowYOUTH, and the University of Auckland.

John was responsible for the pedagogical material, and the teaching guide and materials, and supported Eddy on the production and direction of the video resources and website. Aych McArdle played a key role as the Rainbow Youth liaison across multiple aspects of the Project.

The team has also worked with a panel of educational experts, and involved young people in the production of all of the Inside Out resources.