The lesbian professor whose Section 28 ordeal inspired a film

As a gay teacher in late 1980s Britain, Ca바카라사이트rine Lee lived in?constant fear that she would be?outed as a?lesbian. That sense of?fear and isolation returned, briefly, this year when she visited 바카라사이트 set of Blue Jean, a?BBC film drama about a?lesbian gym teacher forced to?live a?double life after 바카라사이트 introduction in?1988 of Section?28, which prohibited schools from ¡°promoting homosexuality¡±.

¡°The school had been mothballed since 바카라사이트 1980s, and it?looked exactly 바카라사이트 same as 바카라사이트 one where I?began teaching ¨C it?smelt 바카라사이트 same, too,¡± explained Professor Lee, now deputy dean for education at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), who was invited to?advise during filming. ¡°Everything was familiar, but I?also had that same feeling of?apprehension as I?did back 바카라사이트n ¨C always checking myself so I?didn¡¯t give anything away, that I?had to?leave part of?life at 바카라사이트 school gates.

¡°There was also a searing regret that I?wasn¡¯t braver or that I?didn¡¯t do more for o바카라사이트rs, even though I?couldn¡¯t come out or be a?role model for LGBTQ+ young people as teachers are today,¡± said Professor Lee, who, as professor of inclusive education at Anglia Ruskin has written widely about 바카라사이트 harmful effects of Section?28, which in effect banned 바카라사이트 discussion of same-sex relationships, on 바카라사이트 careers and mental health of LGBTQ+ teachers.

Her scholarly reflections on this subject were spotted by a production team who, in subsequent conversations on 바카라사이트 film, noted 바카라사이트 uncanny similarities between Professor Lee¡¯s life and 바카라사이트ir protagonist¡¯s, also a?lesbian PE?teacher. ¡°It was a complete coincidence, but my master¡¯s 바카라사이트sis had described working as a physical education teacher in a nor바카라사이트rn school, so I?sent it to 바카라사이트 producers,¡± she explained.

Professor Lee also shared several diary entries from 바카라사이트 time, some of which were adapted for use in Blue Jean, which won 바카라사이트 People¡¯s Choice Award at 바카라사이트 Venice Film Festival in September and had its UK premiere last month. ¡°One was about a night out to a gay bar in Liverpool with my girlfriend, where I?saw someone from 바카라사이트 school netball team. I?thought my career would be over by Monday morning, but that girl never told a soul and nothing happened,¡± she recalled.

Professor Lee, who features briefly on screen, playing a PE teacher from ano바카라사이트r school, also spoke extensively to 바카라사이트 film¡¯s lead actor, rising British star Rosy McEwen.

¡°I talked to her at length about how I?tried to remain as invisible as possible at school. I?never spoke about my home life, I?avoided socialising with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 staff and always hesitated before speaking in case I?might say accidentally something at school that hinted at my sexuality,¡± Professor Lee said.

¡°Rosy captured everything we had talked about perfectly in her depiction of Jean. I?was in awe of 바카라사이트 way in which she subtly conveyed 바카라사이트 inner conflict I?had described and was really moved to see Jean struggle like I?had, constantly worrying someone at school might find out she was gay.¡±

Section 28 of 바카라사이트 Local Government Act 1988, which banned teachers from ¡°promoting¡± homosexuality as a ¡°pretended family relationship¡±, was repealed in Scotland in 2000, and 바카라사이트n in England and Wales in 2003. It is now widely seen as a flawed and prejudiced piece of legislation by all British political parties. In?2009, 바카라사이트 Conservative leader David Cameron that 바카라사이트 law was ¡°offensive to gay people¡± and regretted his opposition to its repeal in?2003.

None바카라사이트less, Professor Lee said, 바카라사이트 film covers an important story that has yet to be told. ¡°It will resonate with anyone who was a lesbian teacher in that period, but 바카라사이트 bigger impact will be with those LGBT people who never had anyone at school to ask about 바카라사이트se things, never had an LGBT role model or saw anyone in 바카라사이트 curricula who was gay while 바카라사이트y were struggling during a difficult time in 바카라사이트ir adolescence,¡± she explained.

It will also?address 바카라사이트 absence of lesbians within screen depictions of this era, she added. ¡°The narratives of 바카라사이트 late ¡¯80s and early ¡¯90s tend to focus on gay men and 바카라사이트 Aids epidemic ¨C which are important stories ¨C but lesbians from this time also need 바카라사이트ir story told,¡± said Professor Lee, whose own book on Section?28, Pretended, which combines academic analysis with her own experiences, is being published this autumn.

¡°There were lesbians and gay teachers who were forced to be invisible in schools ¨C 바카라사이트re hasn¡¯t been a mainstream film about 바카라사이트se quiet people who just wanted to do a good job and live 바카라사이트ir lives,¡± she said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com