A new free resource designed to help schools, colleges and universities better support asexual and aromantic people will be launched later this month by Pride in Education.
The organisation will unveil its new e-book, Usualising Asexual Identities in Education, during a free online panel discussion on 25 September, bringing together campaigners, educators and researchers working to improve ace and aro inclusion across the education sector.
According to Pride in Education, asexual and aromantic students and staff are present in every educational setting, but their identities are often overlooked in curricula, safeguarding policies, staff training and Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE).
The new publication aims to move inclusion beyond occasional awareness events and into the day-to-day culture of schools, colleges and universities. The concept of "usualising", the organisation says, means treating ace and aro identities as a normal and expected part of conversations about relationships, attraction, identity and wellbeing, rather than something unusual or exceptional.
Laïla El-Métoui, founder of Pride in Education, said the resource was created to address a significant gap in visibility and understanding. “Ace and aro young people are sitting in our classrooms right now, and are rarely visibilised or validated in their identity,” she said.
“In the UK they have no legal protection. This e-book is about making sure all learners feel that they can be themselves in the classroom, especially ace and aro learners. It was co-designed with the people who have lived experience of this identity.”
The launch event will feature a panel of prominent advocates and experts, including Yasmin Benoit, the award-winning model, writer and speaker behind the #ThisIsWhatAsexualLooksLike campaign and co-founder of International Asexuality Day.
She will be joined by Sarah Cosgriff, science communicator, equality, diversity and inclusion specialist, co-founder of Aces in STEM and recipient of the 2026 Pride in STEM Decadal Award, as well as Sara Ann Hope, a SEND educator and National Education Union activist who founded and chairs the union’s aro and ace network.
The discussion will explore what meaningful inclusion looks like in practice, how educators can avoid tokenistic approaches to visibility, and the challenges posed by the continued medicalisation and pathologisation of asexuality.
Panellists will also discuss practical ways to embed ace and aro identities into RSHE lessons, pastoral support and staff development programmes, alongside strategies for supporting asexual and aromantic colleagues in educational settings.
The session is aimed at teachers, lecturers, school leaders, equality and diversity leads, union representatives, youth workers and others involved in creating inclusive educational environments. All attendees will receive a free copy of the e-book.
Scene was founded in Brighton in 1993, at a time when news stories about Pride protests were considered radical.
Since then, Scene has remained proudly independent, building a platform for queer voices. Every subscription helps us to report on the stories that matter to LGBTQ+ people across the UK and beyond.
Your support funds our journalists and contributes to Pride Community Foundation’s grant-making and policy work.
Member discussion