BOY – Challenging homophobia in schools
Award winning HyperFusion Theatre Company and Shaun Dellenty, founder of anti-homophobia education project ‘Inclusion For All’ present a ground-breaking theatre production ‘BOY’ launching in February 2016 to coincide with the celebration of LGBT History Month.
BOY’s aim is to create safe spaces for all young people regardless of identity and sexuality.BOY’s mission is this; to inspire change and create a deeper understanding of the nature of prejudice in all its forms.
Using a cast of five professional actors, BOY explores homophobic and other forms of prejudicial bullying and language. BOY has been directly informed by focus group conversations with young people aimed at exploring their experiences of bullying and prejudicial language in the playground and in wider communities, to ensure the themes and content of BOY are grounded in young people’s everyday experiences.
BOY getting attention
BOY has already gained attention on social media, in part due to the groundbreaking nature of the production which has been consciously created to literally ‘pop up’ in a diverse variety of settings from schools to church halls and youth groups, to theatres and non theatre spaces. HyperFusion have made a conscious decision to not place boundaries on where BOY is performed in order to maximise the reach of these vital messages, ensuring BOY is not only accessible to all but also reaches the widest possible audience in order to facilitate genuine and lasting change.
Research from LGBT charities such as Stonewall prove that bullying related to identity is at worrying high levels. Despite schools having clear expectations to prevent LGBT bullying under the Equality Act, there are no boundaries on bullying and therefore there are no boundaries on where BOY can be performed.
HyperFusion is an award winning touring theatre company whose mission is to educate, empower, explore and inspire lasting change. HyperFusion have successfully implemented theatre experiences in hundreds of schools and organisations (mainstream primary, junior and senior schools, special needs schools, faith schools, PRU’s, refuges, community groups and organisations working specifically with disengaged young people) where young people leave invigorated and empowered, ready to face any challenges with vigour and confidence. Artistic Director Sarah Ellis adopts an interactive approach to performance enabling performers and audiences to explore a range of vital and contemporary social issues whilst promoting a high level of audience engagement and deep learning.
Inclusion For All is an internationally respected anti-LGBT bullying strategy spearheaded by proudly gay London school leader (himself a survivor of homophobic bullying) Shaun Dellenty.
Shaun Dellenty was nominated one of the 100 most influential LGBT figures in the country (Independent on Sunday Pink List 2012 and 2013) and he was ‘Highly Commended’ at the Excellence In Diversity Awards 2015. Dellenty has delivered training or support for a range of national organisations teacher training establishments, local authorities and anti-bullying organisations including: Amnesty NSPCC, Kidscape, NUT, NAHT, NASWT, Church of England, the Houses of Parliament and many more.
BOY – Poster