Will Young has criticised Education Secretary Nicky Morgan at this year’s National Student Pride for ignoring the mental health needs of LGBT youth, and announced he would be picketing her offices until she answers to the community. “The only conclusion that I can draw is that she doesn’t give a shit about it”.

Will Young - at National Student Pride
Photo by National Student Pride

He announced that although he has held a meeting with Morgan to discuss matters such as the negative use of the word ‘gay’ in schools, he left the meeting feeling disappointed. “It breaks my heart that there are going to be more and more generations of young LGBT people that are going to continue to have a lack of nurture and have this internalised shame which can be changed within the education system.”

He confessed he is “not a huge fan” of Nicky Morgan, stating “I don’t see the Education Secretary, who I am not a huge fan of at all, addressing this at all.”

He then announced that he would be picketing the politician until she gives answers and takes action in schools to help young LGBT people live openly and freely. “I am augmenting a new White Paper and then I’ll picket outside the department of education until she gives me some answers.”

Will Young shared that the shame he was made to feel about being gay led to him turning to sex, porn and alcohol, which is why he wants more awareness of LGBT mental health in schools. “I was a love addict, addicted to porn, addicted to alcohol and it was because it was masking and aiding a huge void.”

Speaking to Channel 4 last year, Will Young spoke about his long-running battle with mental illness, and the importance of teaching children in school about mental health. He said, “I always felt incredible insecure in work and then in life” before concluding “I would love to become more political, and think focusing on schools would be a huge step.”

You hear Will Young here.

Photo by National Student Pride

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