Marriage equality
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the key legal changes in the UK relating to civil partnerships and marriage equality.
Key learning points
- There were key milestones in the journey to marriage equality in the UK.
- In England and Wales, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act was introduced in 2013.
- Marriage equality had supporters and opponents, reflecting different perspectives.
Keywords
Marriage equality - the legal right, granted in England and Wales in 2013, for same-sex couples to marry on the same terms as opposite-sex couples
Decriminalised - when criminal penalties are removed for an action that was previously illegal
Common misconception
Civil partnerships and marriage equality are the same thing.
Civil partnerships (2004) gave many legal rights but were a separate status. Marriage equality (2013) allowed same-sex couples to marry on the same terms as opposite-sex couples. From 2019, civil partnerships were also open to opposite-sex couples.
Teacher tip
Highlight differences between civil partnerships and marriage to avoid confusion. Remind pupils that the Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination based on sexual orientation. This lesson explores how laws changed over time to reflect equality principles.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word means the state of being equal?
Q2. rights have changed significantly in Britain over the past few decades.
Q3.Put the following events in chronological order.
Q4.Match the LGBT individual to their contribution to British society.
codebreaker and computer pioneer
Olympic boxer and gold medal winner
politician and former Scottish Conservative Party leader
Q5.If you saw someone being bullied because of their sexual orientation, you should:
Q6.Which of the following statements are true?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In what year was the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act introduced in England and Wales?
Q2.Why was the introduction of marriage equality a significant step for LGBT rights?
Q3.Put the nations in order of when they legalised same-sex marriage, starting with the earliest.
Q4.What term means when criminal penalties are removed for an action that was previously illegal?
Q5.Which of the following statements is false?
Q6.What does it mean that marriage equality had both supporters and opponents?
To help you plan your 9 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: Marriage equality, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: Marriage equality, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 RSHE (PSHE) lessons from the Communities: How can we understand and respect different types of relationships? unit, dive into the full secondary RSHE (PSHE) curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.