Odense proposes survey on pupils’ views of homosexuality

Venstre wants Odense to survey ninth-grade pupils anonymously about whether they believe homosexuality is accepted among young people. The proposal is on the agenda of the city’s Children and Youth Committee, DR reports.

The survey would ask pupils whether they feel homosexuality is generally accepted at their school and whether they have heard words or expressions about gay people used as insults there in the past year.

Mark Grossmann, Venstre’s political spokesperson in Odense, says the results could help the municipality identify where acceptance is lacking and shape preventive measures. “When we talk about young people, we must remember to talk with them too,” he said, adding that this would give politicians a clearer picture of attitudes.

Odense City Council adopted an LGBTQ+ policy and action plan in 2023, including measures in schools. Grossmann says he is concerned that young people may be less tolerant than politicians assume. He argues that pupils aged 15 are old enough to consider homosexuality and sexualities that differ from the majority.

Odense Pride spokesperson Noah Knudsen welcomed attention to LGBTQ+ young people’s well-being, but cautioned that the survey could stigmatise particular schools rather than examine broader youth culture. He said Odense needs more general measures in schools before focusing on individual schools.

Knudsen also urged officials to explain the survey carefully to pupils. “The worst thing we can do, including to young people with homophobic attitudes, is stigmatise them. Then they will not change,” he said.

Grossmann said the survey would not be used to influence or penalise individual pupils or schools. Instead, he said, officials could compare school cultures and learn from schools with more positive results.

The Social Democrats support the proposal. Mads Thomsen, the party’s member of the Children and Youth Committee, said data would help establish the scale of the problem. He said he had previously faced criticism for relying on anecdotal evidence when proposing stronger teaching about diversity.

A 2024 report by VIVE found that LGBTQ+ young people have lower well-being than other young people, particularly outside the Capital Region. The report also identified this issue in Odense.